There have been several different Nintendo games over the years that have delivered a variety of “sports” play for those with a game controller in hand. And Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is the latest, harkening back to Wii Sports Resort from 2006.
So, should you expect a mere “rinse and repeat” in this latest entry, or are there new additions that deserve consideration for your next party or family get-together?
Well, right out of the gate, I can say that this newest game feels tighter in its controls and better-looking than the “Mii” and “Sportmates” play of past games. Gameplay just feels crisper and more fluid.
There are 12 sports featured in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort: Tennis, Bowling, Archery, Boxing, Volleyball, Table Tennis, Basketball, Golf, Thumb Wrestling, Prop Plane, Skateboarding and Power Cruising. And after creating a simple avatar character (or characters), you can jump right into any of these sports in both single-player or local co-op play. I found single-player to be a nice, take-it-at-your-own-pace introduction point. But you can set up tutorials for co-op play as well.
Most of these activities are fun and simple to mechanically pick up for gamers of any age. Sports Resort incorporates creatively different ways to use the Switch 2 Joy-Con controllers in the various sports.
In bowling, for instance, it’s as easy as holding down a Joy-Con button and swinging your arm forward. The game automatically releases the ball when you finish your swing. And if you want to add a spin or curve to your throw you slightly turn your wrist as you follow through.
Archery uses two Joy-Cons, one representing the bow and the other, the string. You use coordinated motions and button pushes to draw, aim and release your arrow. For something like volleyball, the controls can be a bit more involved as you learn to bump, set, spike, block and serve the ball. But the game automatically moves you into position on the court, and things fall into an intuitive rhythm quickly.
Thumb wrestling is a new sports addition. And you might think that would be the most boring of the activities on offer. But it gives players fun challenges to “power up” their thumbs and escape pins with the proper Joy-Con shake. And before you know it, those thumb competitions become heated, strategic events.
There are various game modes in the play, too. In bowling, the game tosses more challenges at you by incorporating moving obstacles or narrow bridges across gaps in the lanes. Basketball has the most sub-modes with some four or five tweaks on the single- or multiplayer-play. And the single-player mode Island Crown is a ranked mode where solo players battle to climb past a series of champions through nine different sports.
There are also character customization options in the gaming mix, offering ways to unlock cosmetic rewards and gear in the game’s Item Center. Though, frankly, this system is a bit strange. Players earn “Spocco” points for competing in the various games. But instead of simply trading in points for the stuff you like, you spend 1,000 points to roll for a random item. If you don’t like what you get, well, better luck on your next 1,000-point roll.
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort offers online play for up to eight friends with Switch 2 consoles. But gamers can play local co-op offline with up to three other friends.
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is colorful and fun, and it’s easy to pick up for just about any age. The single-player mode is enjoyable, but frankly, the competitive “party game” nature of this title is where it really shines.
Some games, such as Prop Plane and Power Cruising, are also very laid-back activities that focus on exploration, picture taking and item gathering in the WuHu resort’s open world.
The only potential drawback to this game—and the element that earns the game its E10+ rating—is found in the Boxing gameplay. There’s nothing messy in the mix, but players swing and punch at their opponents in an effort to hit them enough that they knock them out cold. And young female boxers are part of the battered opponent squad as well.
Fans of past Nintendo sports titles may miss baseball and sword fighting and the like. But there is a lot of fluid and fun party play to be found in this sports collection. (Almost makes you wanna go out and play some actual sports outdoors, you know?)
After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.
