Nintendo Switch Sports in test: Let the games begin on Spocco Square

This is an article from our content partner "PC Games". You can find the original article here.

Five years after the release of the Nintendo Switch, the release of a game that fans have been eagerly waiting for ever since is finally on the horizon: Nintendo Switch Sports will be released on April 29, 2022. The first part for the Wii is considered a true classic and convinced with entertaining sports like tennis, bowling and golf. Not only avid gamers, but also friends and family could easily jump in and compete together without having to torture themselves through a complicated tutorial beforehand.

For Nintendo Switch Sports on the hybrid console, the developers have designed a mixture of tried and true and new ideas that bring a breath of fresh air to the now dusty sports field. Various disciplines once again invite you to get active together. Numerous rounds and games later, which have led to internal editorial rivalries, we will show you in our test what the new part has to offer and whether it can fulfill the nostalgia-influenced expectations. Because after the popular Wii Sports, the bar is set pretty high!

The sports in Nintendo Switch Sports

There are currently six different sports in Nintendo Switch Sports. You can compete in volleyball, badminton, bowling, soccer, chanbara or tennis. In the fall, there will be a free update that will bring another classic game, golf, into your living room.

Since Nintendo Switch Sports, unlike Wii Sports, wasn't released at the console's launch, we're surprised that not all sports are included at launch. A few empty spots on the in-game map indicate that Nintendo has further plans and might add a discipline or two in the future.

How many players you can compete with at once depends on the sport you choose. In online mode it is possible to play with more participants than in local mode. Since you'll need enough Joy-Cons for one console anyway and your living room has to offer enough space for splashing, smashing and kicking, the limit of up to four players isn't too bothersome. It is a pity that we can only play offline soccer with two players, however, a four-way split screen would probably be too cluttered for this discipline.

Obstacle course on the bowling alley

First, let's move on to one of the fan favorites par excellence: bowling. You can breathe a sigh of relief, because Nintendo has managed to keep the charm of the previous version and introduce improvements. To align your throw as you like, you no longer have to switch between directions, but can adjust in parallel via the stick and buttons. You also have the choice of alternating or simultaneous throws. This is especially handy if you don't feel like waiting for your teammates to score their strikes after each throw.

If standard bowling is too boring for you or you're looking for a fun party game, there's also a special variant: Various obstacles await you on the lane in three different difficulty levels, which provide entertaining moments, especially in multiplayer mode. However, if you share the screen with four players, the obstacles suffer from slight frame rate drops.

And another hint: In contrast to the Wii version, we have to hold the shoulder button down while throwing. If we let go at the very last moment, the ball almost falls on our feet. We'll have to get used to this at first, otherwise an annoying pop-up screen will follow us, while our competitors drop pin after pin.

Beyond the net

Volleyball offers you a completely new sport. Just like in gym class, it's now a matter of digging, hitting and smashing. Nintendo Switch Sports supports you by showing you which attack you have to execute.

However, the right timing is a bit difficult, especially when digging, since it is not easy to see when the ball is at the right height, especially in multiplayer mode. At the beginning, the hints are still very helpful, but after a while, when you are seasoned volleyball veterans, they take tactics out of the game. In theory, you don't have to pay attention to what's going on on the court if you always keep an eye on the display.

Volleyball is the discipline that works best as a single player. Especially with stronger opponents, there is a long exchange of blows and the different movements keep it varied. Hours of digging will still get boring, but the ball sport can convince with its debut.

Tennis racket versus shuttlecock

Another popular discipline has also made it into the game this time: In tennis, two of you face off against each other and make your opponents sweat. When two people play against each other, you control both characters on your team. This provides more tactical depth, but also creates frustration at times, as coordination is difficult.

Like most sports, tennis is most fun when played as a foursome, but it can also be played alone if you can't find a teammate. In general, it's recommended to set the computer-controlled opponents to at least "Strong"; unless there are children or people without video game experience playing. In that case, you'll make a good choice with "Normal", in order to maintain the cheerful mood and not create frustration.

No matter in which constellation you play, sometimes there are phases in which the balls only seem to fly to the front or back characters. In the meantime, we have little to do and are almost startled if the next ball strays in the direction of our racket. Tennis is also strongly reminiscent of the implementation from the Wii classic and benefits from the precise control via the Joy-Cons, which served us well in every sport apart from a few dropouts. It should also be possible to execute different strokes, but there is no tutorial for this.

Our impression from the preview was also confirmed in the finished game: Badminton draws the short straw in comparison to tennis. The sport looks like a slimmed-down version of the classic, is less fun and is generally unspectacular. There is only little room to try out different maneuvers; swinging the Joy-Con back and forth while lost in thought is completely sufficient.

If you're playing alone and don't feel like controlling two characters in tennis, badminton could be an alternative; however, the discipline can't keep up with the rest of the sports and should therefore have been allowed to free up the ring for something a bit different - golf, for example.

Away from the penalty area

On the other hand, the new soccer mode, which comes with different variants, is a positive surprise. The training ground is very welcome, as you not only need two controllers for the controls, but also a mixture of button presses and motion control to summon up your inner Ronaldo.

This is complex at first and can be overwhelming, but we got used to it over time. Unfortunately, the Nintendo Switch doesn't recognize every shot as it's taken. Since it is important whether you swing the Joy-Con from above or below towards the ball, unintentional passes to the opponent sometimes occur when the game misinterprets our input.

The stamina bar, on which your sprinting ability depends, empties quickly and fills up all the more slowly. As with the other sports, the AI makes a very solid impression: at the strongest level, you can see the tactical skill of the opponents, which makes for a pleasant game flow. If you don't want to play in a team of four, but want to take on another player alone, that's no problem in one-on-one.

In addition, there is the so-called shootout mode. Here you can even get physically active, because with the leg strap, which is also supported by Ring Fit Adventure, you kick the ball into the goal yourself. You can use the belt alternately, so one is enough for two players. Unfortunately, there's no option to vary when shooting, but it's a fun addition that manages to inspire ambition - especially since the goal gets smaller and smaller the more successful you've been.

Finally, everyone has a chance to sink a golden snitch - er, ball - that earns extra points. If you're equally good (or bad) at it, you keep going until one of you scores the decisive goal and sends your opponent back to the district league.

There should be an update in the summer that will allow the leg strap to be used in regular soccer games. How this works in practice when we already need both Joy-Cons to play remains to be seen. The soccer mode is overall well done and is also suitable for players who tend to switch off during the Bundesliga conference on TV.

Blow by blow

The final part of the current line-up is the sword fighting discipline Chanbara. Here, your rival will be hit at short range until one of you falls from the platform into the water. You'll have to block and hit the opponent at the exact angle at which he tries to fend you off.

These Chanbara rounds are over quickly if one of you manages several hits in a row or the other hasn't mastered the necessary tactics yet. If both of you try to anticipate your opponent's next moves and act accordingly, the result is a surprising challenge that will tax your grey matter as well as your arm muscles.

In contrast to the implementation of the discipline in Wii Sports Resort, there are three different modes: the classic sword fight, the energy sword and the twin swords. In the second mode, your equipment charges up when you block, so you can make a strong strike later. The twin swords require good coordination, since here you have to work with two Joy-Cons and can block and strike with both the left and right sword. With the powerful whirling attack, an opponent standing on the edge can be knocked out all the faster. This provides variety in this discipline as well, especially when the platform shrinks later on.

Multiplayer fun and individual fates

Nintendo Switch Sports, like its predecessors, is designed to be played with multiple people. The online mode, which we weren't able to test because the servers aren't online yet before release, means you won't have to rely on teammates from your circle of friends or family. If you want to play together and a physical distance separates you, you can arrange to meet via the Internet at Spocco Square. A paid Switch Online subscription is required, of course.

If you do have to make do without company, the sports with several strong opponents are recommended so that it doesn't get boring. A soccer game is entertaining even as a single person, while bowling is more likely to be a sad occupation.

What is a reason to rejoice, on the other hand: You no longer have to rely on your Miis to play, but can create your own character. If you are fond of the self-made characters of the Wii era, you can still use them, though. The new sports pros look spiffy, too, though.

In addition to different hairstyles, eye colors, etc., you can also customize clothing and the color of your equipment. During the test, the corresponding tabs were visible in the character menu, but we didn't find out how to access the cosmetic options. Either a patch will add these functions at release or they are related to the online mode.

But not only the characters, also the sports field itself makes a solid impression. The graphics don't shine with particular creativity, but the colorful style fits nicely with the casual atmosphere of the game.

Nintendo has also made an effort with the sound design: No matter if you shoot the ball into the goal or smash the shuttlecock to the ground with your bat, the effects sound like on a real field. In addition, there is unobtrusive background music, so that it is altogether not as quiet as in the first Wii Sports.

Nintendo Switch Sports has become an entertaining simulation for experienced players and newcomers alike, bringing back the old charm with some new additions.

Nintendo Switch Sports will be released on April 29, 2022 exclusively for Nintendo Switch and will also be available in combination with the leg strap. If you already own one and don't want a second strap, you can also buy the game digitally. Since you take turns shooting in soccer, you can also get by with one accessory.

PC Games gives the game 8 out of 10 possible points.

Pro

• Precise control through the Joy-Cons
• Classics like bowling and tennis are as good as ever
• New sports bring variety
• Customizable character
• Colorful visuals that match the gameplay
• Clever opponent AI on the higher levels

Contra

• The Joy-Cons occasionally show weaknesses despite precise controls
• Badminton is comparatively weak
• Golf will be added later

Nintendo Switch Sports including leg strap:

Video games

EUR41,79

Nintendo Switch Sports

601

Video games

EUR41,79

Nintendo Switch Sports

601

You can find the Nintendo Switch with Switch Sports in a bundle here.