Everyone remembers that kid who treated PE classes in school like it was the bloody Olympics. They went in harder than anyone else and nitpicked over rules, much to the disdain of their mostly apathetic classmates. I should know: I was that insufferable prick of a kid. Give me any form of competition, and I’ll go from zero to a hundred in an instant. Just ask my friends who recently played Nintendo Switch Sports Resort with me at PAX Aus.
Memories of high school sports came flooding back. I didn’t want to merely participate; I wanted to win. It also brought back memories of hours spent playing Wii Sports and its tropical counterpart, Wii Sports Resort. Both games represented the peak of Nintendo game design — simple enough for anyone to pick up, with enough complexity for competitive freaks (me) to pore over deeper strategies.
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort (exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2, despite the absence of ‘2’ in its name) isn’t a complete reinvention of the Wii-era games. That’s not a bad thing, mind you. Why change a winning formula?
Nintendo struck gold the first time around with its intuitive motion controls. Swinging a golf club or throwing a jab only required imitating the real-life act with a controller in hand. This approach returns with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, albeit with sharper visuals and more accurate controls, courtesy of the Joy-Con 2’s modern gyroscope technology.
A few new sports join the playable roster, but the most important element remains intact: a space for competition to flourish.
Taking things way too seriously
During an hour-long hands-on session away from PAX Aus’ hectic show floor, I alternated between playing and watching a handful of Switch Sports Resort’s games with a group of mates. At least, I hope they’re still my mates after they saw my competitive side emerge, like a symbiote involuntarily taking over its host’s body.
It’s a funny juxtaposition, playing such a game with such a friendly and welcoming vibe, while wanting to mercilessly beat all competitors. Switch Sports Resort‘s idyllic Wuhu Island is vibrant and inviting, and the customisable Mii (or Mii-lite ‘Sportsmate’) characters all look so happy to be there.
Not wanting to appear too keen, I politely hesitated before faux-begrudgingly grabbing a controller to play one of my favourites from Wii Sports Resort: table tennis. Back in the day, the sport benefitted from the Wii MotionPlus accessory, which tracked subtler wrist motions than the Wii Remote’s IR sensor.
In the nearly two decades since, motion controls have improved substantially. In Switch Sports Resort, table tennis is more precise, responding to specific swing motions and more reliably imparting directional spin.
With a bottom-to-top swinging motion, I got some nice topspin going, moving the ball away from my opponent, Fiona (one of the nicest people on the planet, who kindly put up with my shenanigans). When she got the upper hand during a rally, I swung as if cutting underneath the ball. Lo and behold, the ball sliced, slowing the rally down and getting me back in the game.
Upon winning, I thought I did a good job of keeping my showboating to a minimum. You can ask everyone in attendance: there was no Lleyton Hewitt-like carry on from me. Internally, though, rang John Wick’s words: “Yeah, I’m thinking I’m back!”
Switch Sports Resort variety
One of Nintendo Switch Sports Resort‘s greatest strengths is its variety. Table tennis was fantastic, but intense action isn’t all the game has up its athleisure wear sleeve. Among the directly competitive sports, including a new thumb-wrestling mode that brings back some of the Wii era’s waggle-fest antics, are several more serene activities.
One is a plane flight around Wuhu Island, controlled by holding a single Joy-Con 2 like a pencil, gently tilting it to steer the aircraft. It’s a nice, slow-paced activity that lets you take in the sights and snap photos like a virtual tourist.
Another new addition is skateboarding, where you use the controller like a mouse to skate around the island. I didn’t get to try this mode, but it looks like a cool demonstration of Nintendo’s latest technology and another way to enjoy a lush digital environment in peace. These modes also have competitive elements for those (me) who want a challenge.
Despite Fiona getting her revenge against me in a bout of archery (please don’t put in the newspaper that I got mad), archery was another highlight from the hands-on session. Miming the actions of a bow and arrow with a Joy-Con 2 in each hand, I felt a great level of control over my character’s actions. Of course, this meant that my defeat was purely a skill issue.
Bowling, as simple as it is to play in digital form, remains one of the best sports depicted in a Nintendo game. Controversially, though, Switch Sports Resort no longer requires you to let go of a button to release the ball. Did too many people also let go of the controller, adding a controller-shaped hole in their TV, I wonder?
Fighting muscle memory, I had a few false starts (letting go of the button means your character doesn’t let go, ironically). But it didn’t take long to start racking up strikes, flicking my wrist to impart just enough spin to knock down every pin. I won, for the record.
Revisiting Nintendo’s golden era
Depending on who you ask, Nintendo’s ‘golden era’ could refer to one of many moments during its storied history. In the context of bringing the medium of gaming to a broader audience, the mid-to-late 2000s Wii era gets my vote.
Nostalgia might tint my vision — spending a Christmas playing Wii Sports golf with family, and countless competitive bouts in the years that followed — but it was a time when anyone could pick up a controller and participate.
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort brings back the design philosophy of that era. Simple and approachable, it encourages the joy of movement while adding some twists for new audiences. Even if your version of ‘fun’ relies on winning, it’s a game that fosters a sense of play with every flick of the wrist.
Now that Switch Sports Resort is out, I’m keen to grab a copy and beat my brother at virtual golf all over again.
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