Nintendo Switch Sportslong awaited by many, brought Classic sports from the Wii era to the company’s modern console. So how interesting is the sport covered? Get in there.
Bowling
The first of a series of games to return, Bowling is largely how you remember it. There are no noticeable control changes or anything, so your fondness for Bowling is largely tied to how much you want to replay the Wii version. If you play locally, does the split screen approach increase the speed a bit? That is something.
Big change? That is the structure of playing online. In the battle royale approach, the player stacks three frames, tries to place in the top half of the scoreboard, and keeps playing. It’s a fun enough presumption, although we’re sure we’ll be beaten by the competition after the first week or two.
Tennis
Similarly, Tennis is essentially the same game as it once was. It’s a favorite, so we asked the development team not to mess up the recipe. It’s the most accessible of the six, so it’s a good first play in a gaming session. It doesn’t get any new spins like Bowling’s battle royale does, so… keep it up!
Badminton
If you look at Badminton and think, “uh, this is just Tennis again,” we get it. The nuances of the sport themselves are unlikely to translate into an accessible Nintendo version. But fair to it? It’s trying several different things. Badminton is unique and really depends on specific hand movements and angles. It features more detailed tracking, for better or for worse, and it should, in theory, showcase player skill.
In reality? We’ve found that it’s fairly easy to continue a volley, and it ends when a player spins badly enough to fall. Some people may like it, but overall, it’s the most skippable of the bunch.
Volleyball
Oh, hey, here’s another one! Volleyball has the same court setup as Tennis and… basically, essentially adding sequences of fast time events? You have to set up and spike in a scripted sequence, simplifying the sport by cutting out the decision making. The result is an event like part of Mario & Sonic than Wii Sports. It’s also mostly passable, but it’s distinct enough that some people might like it.
Chambara
It’s nice to see Champa here, as we’ve enjoyed it in its previous incarnations. A modern precision motion controller works great when wielding a sword, and it feels like Nintendo thought about that when building its mechanics. ARM.
There are several different weapons to choose from: a simple sword, a weaker sword that can charge, and a dual-sword scheme that uses two Joy-Con controllers. We’re sure pro players will get some utility out of the second sword, but in our decisive amateur play, we’ve had more success focusing on one sword.
Soccer
By far the least accessible of the builds Football, ah, an actual sport? Other activities are fun party activities, but with Soccer we find ourselves really coordinating and strategizing to execute good plays and positions on the field. The Pro levels of the game allow you to strive to be the best in any sport, and some people will find pensiveness in other events. But this one? It seems like it might be worth the intellect to play and compete.
This is a game that needs both Joy-Con to play. You move around with an analog stick, conserving a meter to dash, and swinging your arms to kick and head shots. Foot strap, included in the physical version and also available with Ring Fit Adventure, will let you kick! Uhh, finally. For now, it only works in the single-player mini-game. Honestly, the hand kick is fine enough anyway.
Play Online
For a Nintendo game? YES, Nintendo Switch Sports not ok with its online program. You can choose up to three sports to line up for faster matching. We didn’t notice many hiccups, even during a crowded launch weekend.
And it’s okay! Because Nintendo really seems to be pushing online as default this time around. You can only earn custom items through online play, and it’s the first option in the main menu. While we still prefer going offline for a room full of friends and family, bringing a countryman with you for an online session can be quite fun.
Everything else
If you want to use Miis, you can, but Nintendo Switch Sports the avatar is presented as the preferred option. This makes sense, as the game’s online development is tied to customization items for these characters. On the one hand, we don’t like having to earn glasses and beards to look like us. Other way? They are happy. Aesthetics separate the difference between Miis and Inklings well.
It’s not a radical re-imagining of the original Wii Sportsbut Nintendo Switch Sports does a good job translating a lot of interesting things into a modern system. But most of the fun is playing with friends. The same three field sports will drag the collection down a bit, but we hope that the good parts will be enhanced by supporting further development in the future.
Nintendo Switch Sports To be out now on Nintendo Switch.
