For many, 2006’sWii Sportswas a great introduction to motion controls, forging fond memories with each of its five main sports. Nothing in the same style was released on the underwhelming Wii U, but with theSwitch recently surpassing the Wii in sales, hopes of a follow-up to the beloved title was reignited. The aptly titledNintendo Switch Sportslooks to recapture the magic of the Wii original, despite some key differences.
Wii Sportswas, at its core, a showcase of the capabilities of Nintendo’s newest hardware. With five sports available (baseball, tennis, bowling, golf, and boxing), the game was a demonstration of the motion controls in action, allowing players to imitate the feeling of sinking a perfect putt or delivering a devastating knockout punch. Despite not being bundled with the system on its release,Nintendo Switch Sportshas drawn many comparisons with the 16-year-old original, including its featured activities and obvious visual upgrades.
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A Familiar Selection of Sports Offerings
Nintendo Switch Sports,unlike its predecessor, houses six distinct activities. Of that six, half are returning from eitherWii Sportsor its motion plus counterpart,Wii Sports Resort. tennis, bowling and chambara (an advancement on ‘Swordplay’ fromWii SportsResort) will be familiar to Nintendo fans, while volleyball, soccer, and badminton are new. Golf will be added via a free update, and the backlog of available sports surely allows forthe potential of DLC sports down the line.
Retaining the popular activities fromWii Sportswas a suitable step to ensuringNintendo Switch Sportsbuilds upon the successes of the original. Refining what was good about past iterations is something that Nintendo has always excelled at, so the familiar events will likely satisfythe influx of new Nintendo Switch owners, as well as allowWii Sportsveterans to flex their skills.
A High-Def Facelift For Nintendo Switch Sports
As was evident in the trailer’s first few shots, the visuals ofNintendo Switch Sportsare different from the low-resolution original.Wii Sportswas a special game to many, despite being restricted to basic character models, a standard definition display, and simplistic user interface. The art direction ofNintendo Switch Sportsis far more in-keeping with Nintendo’s current slate of first-party offerings. The colors are vibrant and glossy textures bring out the best in each featured environment. Character animations are overhauled, and the days of Miis with emotionless facial expressions are long gone.
The cartoon participants more closely resemble Xbox avatars.Though Mii support is still going strong in titles likeSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Miis will be usable, butNintendo Switch Sportshas largely opted to alter the aging models to give theWii Sportssuccessor a unique flavor of its own.
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Nintendo Switch Sports Uses Joy-Con Functionality
Technological advancements that have occurred over the past sixteen years have pushed the gaming medium forward. In that time, developers have utilized the increased power of modern consoles, and withNintendo Switch Sports, Nintendo is no different. InWii Sports,the motion controls were a new novelty, though its precision left much to be desired.
A unique selling point of the Nintendo Switch was itsdetachable Joy-Cons, packed with technology. The events on offer inNintendo Switch Sportswill surely look to utilize the perks of the controller, with a boost in motion sensibility and HD rumble easily overshadowing the now-outdated Wii Remote.
With the release ofNintendo Switch Sportsnow firmly set, comparisons between it and theoriginalWii Sportswill continue. Players who are returning to the Nintendo sports genre are surely going to notice even the smallest differences, and the announcement trailer seems to showcase a game that advances on a winning formula rather than overhauling it entirely. Time will tell ifNintendo Switch Sportslives up to the anticipation, but the differences between the two look to be deliberate and plentiful.
