Nintendo’s motion-sports series is back on Wuhu Island, and the first reviews say it is the best one yet, with a few asterisks. Nintendo Switch Sports Resort came out October 22 as a Switch 2 exclusive, and the critics who have weighed in mostly land between a solid recommendation and a cheerful shrug.
According to a review roundup from The Shortcut, the game sits at 79 on Metacritic across 44 critic reviews, up from the 72 the 2022 Nintendo Switch Sports earned. The same roundup notes that about 15 percent of the reviews are mixed and none are negative. Scores shift as more critics file, so treat that number as a snapshot.
What is in the box
The game packs 12 sports plus a warm-up, based on The Sixth Axis’s coverage of the June announcement: boxing, table tennis, archery, tennis, volleyball, bowling, basketball, golf, thumb wrestling, skateboarding and power cruising, along with prop plane flying. Jump rope serves as the warm-up. Most of it runs on Joy-Con 2 motion controls. Skateboarding needs mouse mode, and power cruising turns a Joy-Con into jet ski handlebars. Online play is included, though player counts per sport had not been detailed at the June announcement.
One thing I could not confirm is the price, so check the eShop or your retailer before you plan around a budget.
How the critics scored it
The high end is Nintendo Life and GameSpot at 9 out of 10. Nintendo Life says the series is back on track after a shaky predecessor, and GameSpot argues it recaptures the Wii Sports spark and works best with a group. VGC and Game Informer both gave it an 8. VGC calls it the finest entry so far and likes the mix of local, online and solo content, while Game Informer says none of the sports are duds and singles out the Island Crown single-player mode as solid, though it still sees multiplayer as the main draw.
Then it cools off. IGN went with a 7 and found the quality of the sports uneven, though it still sees a playful party game. Radio Times was the harshest at 6, saying the sports run well and are fun with other people but that the game could have done more.
Who should buy it
The pattern across the reviews is easy to read. If you have people to play with, this looks like an easy living-room pick. If you mostly play alone, the single-player offering is the part critics describe as solid rather than special, so you might want to wait for a sale or more impressions.
It also lands during a crowded stretch. Our roundup of what reviewers say about Final Fantasy Resonance covers another release from the same day, and with console prices rising, a party game that gets a whole household playing is easier to justify than yet another solo title.
Bottom Line
Switch Sports Resort looks like a well-reviewed, easy-to-recommend multiplayer game rather than a revolution. The critics’ scores run from 6 to 9, which tells you the sports are not equally good. If you own a Switch 2 and play with friends or family, it is a safe bet. If you play solo, read a couple of the full reviews first.
FAQ
Is Nintendo Switch Sports Resort only on Switch 2?
Yes. Coverage of Nintendo’s announcement describes it as exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2, and it released on October 22.
How many sports are in the game?
There are 12 sports, plus jump rope as a warm-up. They include boxing, table tennis, archery, tennis, volleyball, bowling, basketball, golf, thumb wrestling, skateboarding, power cruising and prop plane.
What do reviewers like and dislike?
Critics praise the approachable sports, the variety and the multiplayer fun. The complaints are uneven quality between sports and, from some outlets, a sense that the package plays it safe.
Featured image: Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash. Inline photo by Yasin Hasan on Unsplash. Review scores via The Shortcut’s roundup.
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