When the Nintendo Wii launched back in 2006, it was revolutionary in my childhood home. While I was at the perfect age of 12 to thoroughly enjoy Nintendo’s first foray into motion controls, the hardware also ended up getting my parents, and even grandparents, up off the couch and playing games as well. The Wii’s pack-in game, Wii Sports, was perhaps the biggest reason for this initially, but 2009’s Wii Sports Resort only furthered the amount of time that my family would put into playing with one another.
With Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, Nintendo has excellently tapped back into this same magic that has been lost in recent years. Playing Nintendo Switch Sports Resort now with my own family, which includes children ages 6 and 11, has resulted in one of the most nostalgic and joyful experiences that I’ve had with a game in 2026. And while there’s plenty of fun to be had in a group setting with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, there’s just as much for solo players to dive into as well.
Rating: 4 out of 5
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| One of the best party/multiplayer games yet in the Switch 2 catalog | The two new sports are among the most bland in the game |
| Returning mini-games are just as fun as ever | New character designs remain considerably less charming than Miis |
| Quite a bit of content for solo players to dig into |
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort Is a Bit Too Familiar, But That’s Not a Bad Thing
For those who have played Wii Sports Resort before, what Nintendo Switch Sports Resort offers will be quite familiar. Although the two games don’t share all of the same activities, plenty of favorites like archery, basketball, and golf are all back in this new iteration and are just as fun as ever. Getting together a group to compete in bowling or duke it out in boxing remains an absolute delight well over a decade after first being introduced.
The only two wholly new sports in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort happen to be thumb wrestling and skateboarding. Thumb wrestling is by far the goofiest event in the entirety of Nintendo Switch Sports Resort and it’s also one that is quite compelling initially. It doesn’t get you up and moving around as much as something like tennis might, but the process of trying to outsmart your opponent in thumb wrestling rather than physically outmatch them sets it apart quite well from the other sports on offer. Sadly, thumb wrestling does get old pretty quickly, and I found myself moving on after playing it a handful of times.
Skateboarding, on the other hand, uses Switch 2’s mouse controls and lets you kickflip and grind your way across Wuhu Island. Although it’s cool to see mouse controls incorporated in some capacity with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, they never feel great during skateboarding. Like thumb wrestling, it’s a sport that I didn’t return to much after competing in it a handful of times.
Despite not caring for thumb wrestling or skateboarding, most of the other mini-games in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort are a riot when played together. In total, there are 12 different sports featured in the game, which is a bit less than I would have preferred. Still, what is included kept me plenty busy for hours on end and had my family longing for the next play session.
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort Is Surprisingly Deep
While much of my time with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort was spent playing with others, I was surprised to see how much content for solo players was included. There are a variety of challenges and achievements in the game that truly test your prowess in each of the 12 sports. In addition, the Island Crown mode was one that I really enjoyed pouring some time into, as its ladder system presents continually greater competition in pursuit of becoming the best of the best on Wuhu Island.
And for those who care about customization, Nintendo Switch Sports Resort also has plenty of cosmetics that can be unlocked to further tweak your own character. While I don’t love the design of these new characters when compared to the original Miis (nostalgia glasses, I know), there are plenty of ways to fine-tune the look of your character to your liking. This, combined with the fact that more outfits and accessories will continue to be added over time, will only deepen the game on this front moving forward.
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t have to. The various sports like bowling, basketball, table tennis, and boxing remain as fun as ever and give the Switch 2 a fantastic injection of local multiplayer thrill. Although I do wish there were a few more activities included, as someone who grew up playing Nintendo’s Sports games on the Wii, returning to the series with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort has filled me with immense happiness and will undoubtedly become a new staple of family game nights in the future.
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is out this week on October 22nd, exclusively for Switch 2. An advance copy of the game was provided by Nintendo for the purpose of this review.
Leave a Reply