Wii Sports is not talked about as often as other games, especially nowadays, but it is undoubtedly one of the most iconic games of the seventh generation of consoles. Having been paired up with every Wii console, the game was not only memorable for being inevitably part of the libraries of Wii owners, but also for showcasing the Wii’s motion controls and Mii characters. Requirement of the Wii Motion Plus aside, Wii Sports Resort was a sequel that felt like a complete compilation of sports games instead of a promotion of the Wii’s signature features. Now with Nintendo Switch Sports, the series is back with a more modern coat of paint.
The appeal of sports compilations is obviously the sports that will be featured in the game. The original Wii Sports successfully integrated five popular sports into the Wii’s trademark, and Wii Sports Resort offered a more diverse and arguably more niche selection of games, contributing to its uniqueness. Nintendo Switch Sports should tackle a similar approach by combining the strengths of both the original Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort, creating a roster that will appeal to people with a casual knowledge of sports in addition to the savvier people in the audience.
Baseball and Boxing Should Be in Nintendo Switch Sports
With Nintendo Switch Sports having been released in late April 2022, players can now know what's fully base game. Tennis and bowling are back from Wii Sports, swordplay returned from Wii Sports Resort under the name “chambara”, and golf is planned to be included in a free update. The game also has three new sports: soccer, volleyball, and badminton. Yet, the game is admittedly lacking in options. Wii Sports Resort, which came out 13 years before Nintendo Switch Sports, has nearly twice the number of sports. Fans of the previous games will likely be underwhelmed if they expected a more contemporary and polished version of the Wii Sports titles.
The first thing to do would be to bring back baseball and boxing, two popular sports featured in the original Wii Sports that have yet to return for Nintendo Switch Sports. If a game wants to pride itself on featuring as many sports as possible, then the entirety of Wii Sports should be represented. Baseball is not nearly as popular in other areas as it is in North America, which explains why Mario Super Sluggers was only released in North America and Japan, but it remains a well-known sport. Boxing, meanwhile, has some unique gameplay compared to other sports that would allow it to stand out.
Basketball, Hockey, and Other Good Options for Nintendo Switch Sports
Wii Sports Resort has less “traditional” sports and more Olympics-like events. That being said, it features popular activities that would contribute to the diversity of Nintendo Switch Sports. Basketball is the most “traditional” of the sports in Wii Sports Resort that has not been added to the Switch game. It is also the most well-known. Nintendo does not have a rich history with basketball, even within the realm of Mario spinoffs, in which the only basketball-themed games are Mario Hoops 3-on-3 and Mario Sports Mix. But if Nintendo Switch Sports aims to appeal to as many sports fans as possible, basketball should be included.
There are other sports left untouched by the Wii Sports series that could be added to Nintendo Switch Sports, most notably hockey. Like with basketball, Nintendo does not much of a history with hockey. To this day, there is not even a Mario hockey game, only hockey mini-games in Mario-themed sports compilations. Cricket is another surprisingly well-liked sport that could potentially benefit from the Nintendo touch.
Just like other Nintendo sports games like Mario Golf Super Rush, it looks like Nintendo Switch Sports will get periodic free updates with new content. Despite the problematic habit, this is an opportunity for Nintendo to include as many beloved sports as possible. The game should be the company's ultimate sports compilation, and it has the potential to be just that.
Nintendo Switch Sports is available now exclusively for Nintendo Switch.