Nintendo Switch Sports Reviews
It's possible that Nintendo will improve Nintendo Switch Sports with future updates, but that remains to be seen. It's known that Nintendo Switch Sports is adding golf in a future update, but otherwise Nintendo's post-launch plans for the game remain a mystery. There's a lot of work to be done to make Nintendo Switch Sports even half as fun as its predecessors, and as it stands now, it's a game that Switch owners can safely skip.
Ultimately, though, these games are so refined, and delivered with such odd, coffee-shop-and-library charm, that it doesn't matter how you play. My daughter is of the age where she completely missed the Wii, so when this new game arrived and we started moving the furniture around, she didn't have a clue what we were up to. But that afternoon we must have played together for hours, with breaks for when a diving header animation made her laugh so much she needed her breath back. The whole thing was intoxicating.
Nintendo Switch Sports successfully recaptures the party game magic of Wii Sports, but quickly falls victim to a lack of depth that holds it back from achieving greatness.
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.
A well-thought-out online mode lifts Nintendo Switch Sports from being a sheer nostalgia trip, to an experience well worth the investment.
Switch Sports’ singleplayer is bafflingly hollow. All six events are available, but the reward system is absent. Gratification might come from defeating the CPU on the inconsistent “Strong” or “Powerhouse” difficulties, but don’t expect to receive anything flashy in exchange. As of right now, there are no incentives in place to keep casual players invested in returning to their favorite sports, which is a disservice to a sizeable percentage of the fanbase.
Nintendo's latest motion-controlled sports game resparks the magic of playing with others, but not without a few fumbles along the way.
I do hope younger folks give this game a shot. I think they might once the game’s online mode is available, a place where people under the age of 35 are far more likely to play games. Until I can try those features, though, I’m happy to think of this as Nintendo’s love letter to the old and the old at heart. The company took over a decade to make the game, but maybe they were waiting for folks like me to age into it.
NSS bowling doesn't yet include its "challenge" lanes in online matchmaking, but I hope these come in a patch because they're the exact twist that the Wii Sports formula needs. As played in either local multiplayer or online friends-only matches, these include static and moving obstacles in lanes, and they randomly rotate in each frame. I like how they force players to shift their throwing position and wrist rotation to get different kinds of strikes, instead of doing the same wrist-waggle "cheese" moves repeatedly. The default bowling mode is fine, but the challenge mode is where it's at for consistently refreshing virtual bowling.
When Nintendo gets these sort of lifestyle ‘event’ games right, they’re always a slam dunk. Sometimes, the accuracy of MotionPlus is missed. One can see how Nintendo could've done more new, and included more all-new stuff. And yet... Nintendo Switch Sports is pretty much exactly what I wanted. I can see how it'd be one of my absolute favourite games of the year. That's Nintendo's magic power.
Nintendo Switch Sports doesn't revolutionize motion-controlled gaming, but instead brings it back at its peak with six enjoyable sports that play great locally or online.
Nintendo Switch Sports sticks wisely to the winning Wii Sports formula, while adding a slick online multiplayer mode.
We're hoping that as soon as the online functionality is live Nintendo Switch Sports will make a lot more sense, but as a purely local game there's a lot to be desired to make this a worthwhile purchase. 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.
Nintendo Switch Sports is all about multiplayer action. With more to come in the future, it truly is excellent to have Sports back for the latest generation of Nintendo console.
Nintendo Switch Sports aims to bring back one of the most iconic Wii experiences, and it achieves this thanks to several implementations that improve some of the classic proposals of the series, and the presence of new sports that, football aside, have been very well interpreted. The negative note is given by a content that, despite having a pending update that will include golf in the autumn, is far from the most complete instalment of the franchise. However, it is still a safe value as a party game and comes at a reduced price.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Nintendo has been criticized for porting Wii and Wii U games to the Switch and selling them at a high MSRP. However, in this case, I feel like we’d have gotten a better deal if Nintendo had just updated Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort to use the Joy-Cons. Nintendo Switch Sports has a weird emphasis on online play, a frustrating unlock system, and is sadly underwhelming compared to its predecessors, which launched over a decade ago.
At the highest level, the AI puts up a genuine fight; I’ve lost more than I’ve won in that difficulty tier. But because the game’s rules are so simple, every win feels earned (I’m was in control, there’s one thing I had to do and I did it right) and every loss can be traced back to the source (I was in control, there was one thing I had to do but I did it wrong). Tennis is probably the best mode to start playing — and the one I know I’ll stick with the longest.
Nintendo Switch Sports is a funny game for the whole family. Sports selection could have been wider and bolder, just like Wii Sports Resort, but as a light-hearted party game, it still works fine.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Solid and definitely have an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.