SpiritSphere DX
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
SpiritSphere DX Trailers
SpiritSphere DX: Launch Trailer
SpiritSphere DX: Feature Highlight - Hand2Hand
SpiritSphere DX: Announcement Trailer
Critic Reviews for SpiritSphere DX
Spiritsphere DX remixes a well-worn genre, adding tons of variety on top of a simplistic core mechanic. It offers plenty of unlockables and play modes, but they don't add much to its replayability. Spiritsphere DX shines in short multiplayer sessions, but likely won't hold solo players' attention for long.
SpiritSphere DX is possibly the closest we may ever get to a tennis game based on The Legend of Zelda series. In fact, in contrast to similar offerings currently available on the Switch eShop, this is a good budget pick. It's got a small but challenging campaign mode with three difficulties, an adequate amount of local multiplayer content for up to four players and does a sound job channeling the spirit of retro games.
From the tight controls to the charming aesthetic, there's very little holding SpiritSphere DX back from being one of the best multiplayer titles on Nintendo Switch.
If you find yourself with friends and family down to play some wacky riffs on Pong, this is a masterpiece, but if your playtime on Switch is mostly by your lonesome, this is a more limited and short romp, though even in that brevity, SpiritSphere is excellent.
As a whole SpiritSphere DX puts a unique spin on a very classic game. The varied character play styles and modes offer up some great options for some light and fun competition (or cooperation) with a friend. That said, there’s no ignoring that the best way to experience the game is with another person and grinding the single-player mode really removes the majority of the magic of the experience. Throw on the somewhat aggravating method of unlocking all of the game’s characters and the game unfortunately gets in its own way a bit. If you’ve got people to play against with some regularity and are looking for a good pick-up-and-play (with Hand2Hand mode quite literally) game to enjoy anywhere SpiritSphere DX has its charms.
SpiritSphere DX is worth considering for players who would enjoy tennis, air hockey, or pinball-like gameplay. Its greatest feature is it’s unique Hand2Hand mode, which is the first of its kind. If you enjoyed The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, however, you may not necessarily enjoy this game based on that alone.
SpiritSphere DX is a retro callback, both visually & audibly, and feels like a lost gem from an old era. It takes any old tennis match and uses magic to spice things up, resulting in matches to play out in a multitude of ways. It's straight up a great local multiplayer game and one that's great for playing in the backseat of road trips if there's only one Nintendo Switch around. Plus it's $10 which isn't too shabby, either. Still, with no online functionality and being a game that is best with friends, the single player doesn't add much replayability. However, if you got the peeps around and Mario Tennis Aces is a stretch to your budget, this should be a good fix.
SpiritSphere DX is a good game. Its colorful cast of characters and catchy, earworm soundtrack are all-around inviting and pleasant. The core gameplay (and, for my money, the addicting Squash Mode) is fun alone or with a friend. However, the general lack of single player content and a few disappointing design decisions keep it from being a must-have.
