The long-awaited followup to the Wii Sports series, Nintendo Switch Sports serves up some of the classic games from previous titles alongside a few new entries to make what most reviewers are dubbing an engaging multiplayer experience. The latest release in Nintendo's packed 2022 lineup, Nintendo Switch Sports marks the first original Sports title seen from the company since Wii Sports Resort in 2009. Over a decade later, the critical consensus on the new entry indicates the game is a fun and engaging - albeit somewhat shallow - user experience.
Wii Sports was first released alongside the Nintendo Wii console in 2006, where its creative use of motion control and addictive, accessible gameplay quickly proved the title to be a unique gaming experience for all ages. The game included 5 playable sports: baseball, tennis, boxing, bowling, and golf. The 2009 successor to the game, Wii Sports Resort, contained 13 types of activities, adding several new sports to the game such as basketball, table tennis, and cycling. Since then, fans have seen nothing from the series save a remastered Wii Sports released for the Wii U. During the February 2022 Nintendo Direct, Nintendo Switch Sports was announced to much fan excitement. The game aims to add new sports activities and mechanics, including a leg strap for use in soccer and online multiplayer matchmaking.
While Nintendo Switch Sports doesn't offer nearly as large of a list of activities as its predecessor, reviews frequently call attention to the title's enjoyable gameplay and addictive nature, particularly when playing with friends. While the game does not seem to reinvent itself when compared to previous series entries, most critics seem to agree that the way Nintendo Switch Sports hearkens back to older games isn't necessarily a bad thing. Nintendo Switch Sports currently features 6 games, with golf set to be added later this year. It should be noted that reviewers were not privy to online play, and were unable to speak to that element of the game. Here's a roundup of what critics are saying about Nintendo Switch Sports:
Cody Gravelle - 4/5 - Screen Rant
Nintendo Switch Sports thrives in its gameplay, which is captivating despite its simplicity and remains a huge selling point for anyone interested in the title. It's easy to lose hours of a night to burgeoning competitive rivalries among friends in one specific game, and the motion controls get people active enough that it feels like a productive use of time on top of the entertainment. There's some valid criticisms to be made over the shallow game roster and even shallower character customization, but at its core, Nintendo Switch Sports is an absolute blast and is simple enough for anyone who wants to give it a try.
Stacey Henley - 3.5/5 - The Gamer
If you've been missing playing Bowling and Tennis in your living room, and are keen to add Football and Badminton to your repertoire, then Switch Sports is the game for you. If you're hoping for a modernisation of everything Wii Sports had to offer, you won't find it here. Switch Sports is the Gerrard slip made video cartridge - so close to greatness, yet so far.
Kurt Indovina - 7/10 - GameSpot
Nintendo Switch Sports is a fantastic multiplayer game that, for the most part, invites anyone and everyone to pick up a controller and flail their limbs about. It has its issues, but they fall away when you have other people to play with and are joyously going toe-to-toe in virtual sports. As with the original Wii Sports, Nintendo Switch Sports finds beauty and fun in simplicity. And bowling is great. Better than real-life bowling.
Chris Scullion - Unscored - VideoGamesChronicle
If you weren’t planning to play Switch Sports online, you may want to slap a three-star rating on this (or maybe even two if you’re playing alone and football doesn’t appeal). It’s slightly absurd that – offline at least – the game offers even less than the original Wii Sports did (and Wii Sports Resort, the best in the series, blows it out of the water).
It’s clear, however, that the online play at least promises some degree of progression and variety. For that reason, we’re holding fire until we can see how much depth there is online before delivering our final verdict.
Alex Olney - Unscored - NintendoLife
If you’re keen on simply playing some motion-controlled Wii Sports-like games on your Switch then Nintendo Switch Sports might bring you a good bit of enjoyment, but if you’re looking for something a little deeper and with a bit more variety than the game you first played on Wii, you’ll probably be left somewhat disappointed.
One of the main critical notes about Nintendo Switch Sports is that it hasn't changed much - if anything - about the series besides the sports involved, and has even shrunk some areas known from previous games. Things like character customization and variety of activities have dwindled considerably, but that hasn't been enough for critics to write off the game completely. The final verdict for many has been put on hold - much of the game's overall viability is contingent on the quality of its online services. However, the most key element of the game, the sports themselves, are strong. Although some players may miss the Wii Sports games missing in Nintendo Switch Sports, fun can still be had with what the game does include.
Nintendo Switch Sports is not a huge shake-up for the series, and while it perhaps does not seem to be the show-stopping and spectacular Wii Sports successor some fans were hopeful for, in the areas where it shines it does so brightly. The activities included are good fun, particularly when it comes to playing with friends. It remains to be seen what online matchmaking will bring to the table, but there's great potential there to add a whole new dimension to the game. Nintendo Switch Sports may be simple, but that doesn't diminish its strengths when it comes to multiplayer gameplay.
