Video: Is Nintendo Switch Sports Really That Bad?

If 6/10 is considered bad, then I must have poor tastes.

To be honest, the game is a huge letdown. It’s insane how much of a step back it is from Wii Sports Resort given it’s 2022 now.

I wouldn't call it a bad game, but definitely a disappointment in the sense that it could've been so much more.
For me it's mostly down to the fact that it's so barebones that it manages to have less content than Wii Sports Resort.
And I'm honestly tired of the approach of releasing an unfinished game then giving it free updates later.
Sure the updates are free but the damage will already be done by then and people will lose interest during the waiting period of said free content.

Why should I buy the game and wait for Golf to be released when Xenoblade 3, Monster Hunter Sunbreak, Splatoon 3 and a bunch of other games release in just a few months? Those will easily net me a bunch more hours than Switch Sports ever will, even if I have friends to play it with, (and even then we'll just play it every once in a while, definitely not that frequently).

Just based on what I’ve played of the demo, it isn’t bad. Just very familiar, to the point of feeling uninspiring. A big part of the original Wii Sports was the novelty of using a brand new control method, but that novelty has since worn out. With that, the only real draw is nostalgia, which can’t quite carry it, in my mind.

I believe that there’s plenty of fun to be had with Switch Sports, but with it being so derivative of Wii Sports, I’m not rushing to purchase it.

Short answer..... Yes
Long answer..... Yes it is

Nintendo Switch Sports is at least an 8.5/10 game. It nails the landing on each sport it attempts. The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is outstanding, the online competition is fierce, and it is just an all around FANTASTIC game! There is zero excuse for this game to receive a score this low, unless you are just lazy and don’t like sports 🤷‍♂️

i think all the sports are fun, but as a whole the game is underwhelmingly barren. i also hate the unlock system, waiting a week to see if you'll like the new items in stock is dumb and should stay in free to play games. at least splatoon and AC cycle in outfits daily, and isnt controlled by whatever theme nintendo feels like releasing that week

with how slow items roll out is im gussing it'll take weeks before we see an animal body type. it kills so much momentum when i just wanna play and unlock stuff

Hey, it's half-baked. There's no reason for golf to be missing, and the lack of achievements in 2022 is laziness. I've been accused of being a fan-boy, but Nintendo is milking the pandemic to release incomplete games. Take a break for a few months, develop these games further and to completion, and then resume releasing games when you can provide the full experience at launch.

I loved Wii Sports Resort so no, I'm not "lazy" or dislike sports, I just dislike games with no content.

Yup, it’s a 6. No need to explain yourselves. It is, what it is. It’s not a bad game, it’s just missing… a lot.

the fact that this question even needs to be asked does not inspire confidence in the finished product.

as it exists now I have no desire to purchase Switch Sports for more than $10 USD.

@Realness Yes, it’s literally „not bad“.

You know what I miss? when Nintendo sports games were launched in a complete state. This generation every sports game they've released had to be sellotaped back together again in the form of sporadic updates.

Wii sports worked because the experience was completely new and bizarre at the time. Plus, it was a pack in. It embodied everything the Wii was about, and it was the whole reason many people bought a Wii. That can’t be recaptured. The core experience of the switch is very different, and it’s been achieved already. This was never going to live up to Wii sports

I have no problem pulling out the Wii U and starting Wii Sports if I really want to play it. No need for a re-creation. It's just not different enough for me to want to spend money. Maybe if it was like $19.99... and even that's a maybe.

6/10 is maybe too high a score for this.

This is easily one of the review sites I most trust. Every time the team gives an 8+ to a ninty game, someone inevitably suggests that it’s because they always give extra high marks for nintendo games. Glad to have a big release like this getting it’s well earned 6. Maybe it’ll quiet the trolls for a few weeks.

@iLikeUrAttitude It "manages" to have less content than Wii Sports Resort? That game had 12 sports, some of which had multiple modes, and basically a bonus Pilotwings mode. The original Wii Sports and Wii Sports Club combined don't have as much content as Resort did. Not an excuse for this game, just wondering how you could consider Resort a low-content game.

Edit: I see in a later comment you said you love Wii Sports Resort so I think this must have been just poor word choice or me misreading or something.

As said in the video, I too think Nintendo has gotten a bit too comfortable with the 'finish it later' approach.

It really worked for Splatoon, because that game felt in essence built around it even within its own world, at least to me. But this approach does not work in every single game, particularly in a series that has already established itself as working perfectly well without this kind of approach.

And honestly I don't know if this game will every be finished to begin with, seeing how there's very little variety within each sport which I can't really see them adding in down the line. I'm definitely not going to bother with this game for a while. Maybe if there's ever enough content in there for me to consider it finished I'll consider buying it for a fair price. Right now, I'll just boot up Wii Sports (Resort) if I get the itch to play virtual sports.

For me it's 8/10. It's so funny and that's what matters

@Bret Oh you're right I could've worded that a lot better.
I was trying to put emphasis on the fact that Switch Sports had less content than its predecessor on the wii, which is over a decade old. That's why I used "manages" - as in Switch Sports managed to have less content than Wii Sports Resort, which already had a blueprint for a successful game.

I rated my Wii Sports 5/10 (even with Boxing on it) so I think Switch Sports is 5/10 too for no Boxing on it and having less than 12 different sports.
I think Go Vacation with different activities including outdoor sports (Beach volleyball, Hang gliding, Jet ski, Snowboard, Racing, Kayaking, etc) is way worthier than Switch Sports.

I haven’t been really paying attention because I have been watching gameplay of all sorts of people play it and having fun, even with its faults, but I know fun matters too me at the end of the day.

I have two different switches in my house connected to the TV and the internets kind of sketchy in the family room. I couldn’t play local because the Internet was not strong enough in that room. It just said error. They need to fix that Because I wanted to play local with my friends and family. I didn’t want other people in my bedroom.

I've snapped and now I'm going to wait until the full game is on the cart.

Nintendo only have themselves to blame. We can only be so tolerant for so long.

We've been having a blast with it! Will it hold our attention for an extended period, probably not but it's enjoyable for what it is. Not interested in putting a number on it but it's been a ton of fun for my family and really that's all that matters 🤷🏾‍♂️

I would want a few more activities
specifically archery and frisbee golf.
but besides it not having those two, it is also just generally shallow on content.

This website has had a hand in scoring games too low for a while now. It's scoring a game based on what isn't there vs. what is. This game should be at least a 7/10. I've seen you guys give higher scores to games that are actually / nearly unplayable.

@Anti-Matter,

Go vacation was pretty poor inho, and had pretty poor motion controls, this feels so much better.

Wii sports resort seems to being used as a benchmark, when in reality had lots of filler mixed in with the good stuff, I remember enjoying it but not to the extent as some on here, liked the jogging around the island, but overall this never grabbed me like Wii sports and Wii U sports club.

I think the key lies in simple effective motion controls, and a simple pick up and play mechanic, and Switch sports does that very well, and to be honest most buyers off this game will be experiencing this for the first time.

More sports would be welcome, but are pretty sure more will be added over time, not that annoyed with other events beig added, as it keeps the game fresh.

I've barely played it but tbh I'm already satisfied with it. I just wanted a good motion controlled sports game on my Switch, and this is it. Not because of nostalgia, not because it's a gimmick, but because it just works and it's always fun with friends and family.

Crossing my fingers for basketball three-point games though!

The rating is low only when compared to the Wii Sports Resort, with the expectation that was created for a great sequel. And I perfectly understand the feeling, I wanted that too. But the game should be evaluated for what it is, not what you want it to be. And, in all honesty, it's an excellent game. Beautiful, easy to play and surprisingly addictive in its online mode. For the past week, both my other Switch games and Series X have been completely left out as I'm having fun in this game trying to rank up in Tennis and, to my complete surprise, football.

@johnvboy
But in Go Vacation, you can swarming around freely in each resorts and I enjoyed the game more than my Wii Sports.
Go Vacation have some standard racing games (Cars, Motorbike, ATV, Off road cars, Jet Ski, etc), Outdoor sports (Beach volleyball, Hang gliding, Tennis, Kayaking, Bungee Jump, etc), Scuba Diving, Arcade style games (Mole Whack, Punch bag, Pie throwing, etc).
Despite Go Vacation activities have decent motion control, but the amount of activities and able to explore the beauty of each resort are more interesting than Wii Sports and Switch Sports by comparison.

@Anti-Matter,

Never liked the game, had it on the Switch and could not get on with it, glad you liked it though.

@nichrs,

I like the soccer as well, very fun game.

6/10 isn't a bad rating. Who would even say that?

@icomma that’s your opinion, it’s ok! Sports are not meant for everyone 😉

It doesn't seem so much as "bad" as it is "disappointing". A new entry to a series shouldn't make you pine for the previous games instead.

I like it. I think the sports selection is good, but it overall does feel like a step behind from Sports Resort. I think about half of them lack depth, but most of them feel fun to play. I’d give it a 7/10 myself, but I understand where the 6 is coming from.

Yes, it doesn't have as much content as wii sports resort. No, that doesn't make it a bad game imo. And once you get used to the new avatars they're actually very nice. Obviously nothing will top the original games but this is a very good alternative for the switch

@mystman12 couldn't have said it better. Even if my purchase was a bit driven by nostalgia lol

Everyone’s comparing this to wii sports resort.

The previous entry was wii sports club.

I think that's a pretty fair score. Especially for 50 bucks physically, the game is incredibly sparse. The game has three potential to be better over time if Nintendo plans to add new sports, but it's tiresome seeing them do this drip-feed approach with all their multiplayer games. I'm honestly starting to worry for Mario Strikers Battle League. People are hopeful there will be more characters at launch and telling people not to panic, but...Nintendo has done this like a dozen times by now.

Not only does Switch Sports need more sporting events, but it also needs the side modes that were present in previous Wii Sports games. The Swordfighting game where you have to slice foods in the right direction more quickly than your opponent was SO much fun. As was the single-player, 100-man battle. Then there's stuff like 100-pin bowling that is also missing.

Golf can't get added soon enough, and the game also needs sports like Baseball, Boxing, and Basketball. Also, let me free-roam Spocco Square like I could Wuhu Island so I can appreciate all the little details. I genuinely think it's a beautiful environment, but I'm restricted from being able to appreciate it.

Lastly, there's no real incentive to keep playing. You unlock customizable gear for your Sportsmates, but most of us are just using our Miis, so like 3/4ths of the prizes are just useless. I honestly liked the look of the Sportsmates and planned to use them instead of my Mii, but the customization options are just so limited. It'll probably take 6 months before I have enough unlocked to actually be able to make a Sportsmate that resembles me. Maybe I'll prefer it once I get into the Pro Leagues or whatever, but right now, I just feel like I'm mindlessly playing sports again and again with no real purpose.

If Nintendo consistently adds content, this has the potential to be one of the best sports compilations. But as-is, it's not very good. And with Nintendo, you just don't know if games like this or Mario Party Superstars will get more content since Super Mario Party didn't. Tennis Aces and World Tour were likewise pretty barebones despite the promise of several content updates. It's the same problem people have with NSO. It's frustrating Nintenfo won't communicate to their consumers what their long-term plan is. Nintendo likes to keep their cards close to their chest, but in so doing, they're inadvertently crushing their cards.

I like how Soccer is more involved, but I think Volleyball and Badminton are significantly worse than Tennis. They really don't add anything to the game. Volleyball is especially tedious to me. It feels like Mario Tennis Open where the game just kinda plays itself. "Stand here and do this exact move we tell you!" It's boring. Just a very underwhelming package overall.

I don't consider a 6 a bad score, and from everything I've seen and heard, a 6 is spot on. The fact this video had to be made shows how dumb people are IMO. It's just an opunoj at the end of the day.

I don't know why you ever would give it a 6, unless it's out of 5 that is, because it's a great game

It is by no means a "bad game". Very fun with family and friends, rarely has a bad moment. The problem for me stems from the content you get in comparison to sports resort. Resort had way, way, way more activities and modes to do, something new every day! When you look at this 2022 release, you would expect something greater or of equal content. I understand quality>quantity, but the resort games definitely did not cheap out on quality for most of the modes. If you don't have a Wii and you never played a sports title, this is a must-play. If you have a wii, then this entry is kinda redundant

It’s not bad, just underwhelming.

That Soccer game...ouch.

I remember when Alien: Isolation got a 6 waaaaay back at OG launch on IGN. I couldn't disagree more with that. But they tend to hate on stuff a lot. I'd say this is more of a generous 6. Than a bad 6.

They resurrected this and left F Zero, Waverace and 1080 behind.
Yeah, great decision 🙄

At least we get Mario Strikers.

Not only is it lacking content, but half of the content is just 3 variations of hit the ball over the net so it's more like 4 games are included, not 6. And then there's soccer played with your hands which just seems like a waste when a sport that uses the joycons intuitively like boxing or archery could've been developed with that time.

I'll pick it up later for the golf.

Switch Sports launched as a fun 6, but can easily be a 9 with the right updates. Additional sports are not enough to make the game feel more complete. It needs feature additions and improvements. Progression and customization really need attention much sooner than the Golf update. It's disappointing that Nintendo releases their sports games in this state during this generation. Within a year, Switch Sports could be one of my favorites on the Switch from Nintendo, but it should've released at that state rather than get there with post-release updates. Currently, it's the foundation of what could become a great game.

@Anti-Matter I received my Go Vacation order the same day as Switch Sports' release, and have been thoroughly enjoying the game. The motion controls don't feel as accurate, but there is so much to do within that game. I'm surprised it's not talked about more. The travel between activities is currently the most fun I've had with the game, doing tricks on the ATV or Marine Bike.

It was still a needed game. Wii Sports bowling needed to be on the Switch.

This release is a reflection of the entire entertainment industry

@AndyC_MK111 giving this game a 6/10 is a massively bad take in my opinion. It’s predecessor did not have an incredible competitive online multiplayer experience with unique and interesting unlockable rewards.

Yeah I am a HUGE fanboy…but I am also honest. To me, the gameplay, presentation, and overall experience are exceptional in every way! I doubt you even played the game yet 🤦‍♂️

It's not a bad game but it's just disappointing in the same way playing Metal Slug 4 after playing Metal Slug 4 (bad comparison but you get what I'm saying).

6/10?, well, they gave that score, but, as I repeated in many times before, I don't care, because, I don't need a review and score to play, enjoy videogame, only I need my myself.

Yes, a review may support to know details interesting, but, no decide if I choose or don't that game

@Fizza
I don't understand the why exists "bad" and "good" tastes?, is really needed critize the preferences only for if likes or no likes "bad" o "good" things?
Oh my....

Nintendo's strategy behind selling incomplete games and finishing (or not) later is as follows.

Nintendo wants to finish the game with the money raised from the buyers of that game. You are funding Nintendo to finish (or not) the game you bought.

Nintendo did this with Super Mario Party. As the game sold well, Nintendo took the money from her financiers (all of you), and decided not to finish it. All remained with the incomplete product. All remained with the incomplete product. That is not worth $59.00

Mario Golf, on the other hand, didn't sell so well, so Nintendo decided to take the money from her financiers (all of you), and completed the game with basic functions that Nintendo left out)....also Mario Tennis. All to see if it "sells more".
In these cases, you who bought the game early, had the chance to play the full game.

Anyway. I think Nintendo should make this more transparent for everyone. Because it is very obvious that this is what is happening.

I don't think Nintendo's strategy is cool.

(I have 36 games on Switch, and only 3 of them are from Nintendo: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Party Superstars and Warioware Get it Together.) - Nintendo, unlike most, doesn't make my favorite games. I don't have a favorite company. I have favorite games. So my analysis is cold.

Back to the subject.

And that is why you are receiving unfinished products.

As for Swich Sports...for me, $39.90 is a 3/10. If it was a game at $19.90 it would be 6/10. I played the demo and i played in a store for 30 minutes. And i feel good i´ll never buy it. Maybe....when....U$19,90.

Someone said it in the comments before, 7/10 Has always been the standard for getting a game. I think a lot of players in the gaming community feel this way. I know I am one of them. That being said this game is fine but it’s flawed. It is the bare minimum and that is not good. 6/10 is the score for me too.

It's annoying how Nintendo keeps having this "Eh, I'll finish it later" mindset with their games now. I miss the days when their games with online were actually finished instead of being sorry attempts at a live service. They've ruined so many of my favorite franchises with this model, and I despise it.

I don't think it's been rushed out the door. It's just consistent with has been going on with Nintendo sports titles for quite some time. They release a barebones title then make it a little heftier within a few months by releasing some free dlc, showing that "they care" and having people happier because "now it's much better than it was on launch day". It's important to remember games like Mario Tennis and Mario Golf, although they felt a little barebones on launch day (Golf more than Tennis), they had a good story mode. This one has nothing like that. 6 is a fair score which is not representative of a mere game, but of a practice

I wouldn’t trust most reviews these days anyway, good or bad. Especially those that use the 10/10 scale scoring system.
I mean if your scoring system means 6/10 is considered bad and 7/10 is immediately considered good, then your 10/10 scale system is broken. A solid 5/5 score system works better.

@MoonCabin A 6/10 is more than a fair score for this game. While I am glad that your enjoying it wishing for it to be higher scored based on your personal experience that's not the norm for everyone.

When the first Wii Sports came out it came with just 5 sports to play with those being: Boxing, Tennis, Baseball, Bowling and Golf. It was meant to show off the motion controls and make people go "oh hey something new and exciting" and it worked.

Later down the road we got Wii Sports Resorts granting us 12 sports to play around with, a whole extra 7 more sports which included: Swordplay (which had duel, speed slice and showdown), wake-boarding, Frisbee, Disc Golf, Archery, Basketball (3 point and pickup), Table Tennis (has a Return Challenge mode), Golf, Bowling (100 pin and Spin Control), Power Crusing, Canoeing and Cycling all which had a VS mode, and lastly Air Sports (parachuting, dogfighting, and piloting). This was a game that made people want another Wii Sports game due to how popular this one really was with an average score of 8/10.

For it's latest successor to receive a 6/10 means that it didn't live up to it's predecessor in some given way. Maybe it's because of the shift in art-style where people loved the Mii's and felt they were an integral part in the franchise and to see them be replaced with these new characters doesn't feel right. Maybe it's because we're being told "hey you'll get more you just need to wait several months for Golf" despite the last two games already having Golf at the start.

This new version comes with Tennis, Bowling and swordplay (though now it's called Chambara?) and three new ones soccer, volleyball and badminton (which is just another Tennis) so really it's more like 2 new game modes. And Golf is being patched in sometime this year during the summer? So like 1 month, 2 months then? The fact that an older version from years back was able to put together 12 sports with different game modes and compare that to what we have now then yeah a 6/10 is where it'll be for the foreseeable future unless they patch in more sports beating the Resorts version I don't see this game getting any higher. It's not really a nostalgia talk coming from me, it's more "hey you're newer and you only give me half of what your predecessor game me while charging the same price and two of the sports are the same thing? Not that great of a deal if you ask me."

@MoonCabin I liked the first part of your comment where you give your own personal review and explain why you really liked the game. But the last sentence is very unfair and it makes you look bad.

The Love/Hate relationship is strong with Switch Sports. I play it everyday so that says enough to me

Comments are divided enough I'll pass for now. Maybe they will do an update and add content like they have other sports games.

I'm only going to buy it when I feel it's worth getting, right now it's not worth the $50 price tag. If it's a free pack-in with the Switch OLED then sure I may get it but as a standalone there's better sports titles at $50.

@Anti-Matter Gotta agree, Go Vacation puts this entry to shame. Seriously, if anyone overlooked it, please give it a second look. Go Vacation is aces!

@Fizza 6/10 is bad. That's either a D or failing in the classroom.

Me and my kids have been having a blast with this game

@Lyricana This isn't a classroom. NL scoring policy is clear a 6 is decent.

I hope they add more DLC other than golf. Boxing and baseball were my favorites on the original WII sports.

But one thing that would make the game 10/10 is if they put Mat into the game

The Frisbee Golf in whatever version it came in blew my mind!! It played using the 1:1 and oh my was it insanely accurate!! I really couldn't believe how well it worked.

It's not bad but the amount of games and the customization options for them is lackluster, this should have been a compilation of all or at least most of the previous games in the Wii entries but instead we got this, which arguably has less content than a game that came out 16 years ago. For the price it should be better.

Snape: Clearly, visuals... aren't... everything.

Wii sports or whatever game we taking about, are not games meant to be binge played for 23 of 24 hours a day. It’s meant to be picked up a couple times a week, for an hour or 2, for several months. My family still plays some Wii sports on our U every once in a while, but have been looking forward to this since we all use our switch’s now. Sports resort had a bunch of useless games. Sports club has paid dlc. This is a great game, just not to binge play, which is what most gamers seem to do nowadays.

It’s sad that a reviewer gives an honest and let’s be truthful ourselves realistic score and then they have to do a video to clarify it, as if they need to be held to account for daring to question a first party game

How dare Nintendo make a simple motion sports game, to appeal to the widest audience possible, but not make it solely for the core Nintendo fans, who spend a massive part of their spare time playing video games, and are notoriously hard to please, and lets be honest here, very few games live up to their own lofty expectations.

Got my Bingo card out for the following.

Sales do not equate to quality, or enjoyment.
Lazy developers.
Celebrating mediocrity.
Too expensive (Although there are cheap offers out there).
Drip feeding content.
Reviewers that like the game are in Nintendo's pockets.
We are in 2022, this should have moved the technology on.
Look at the user reviews, they are daring to tell us the way it is.
Wii sports and resort are much better.
Wii sports was free... (Even though it was a pack in, so not totally free).

All while most people will buy the game and enjoy it for what it is, as simple motion controlled sports game, unaware anybody has any issues, or is discussing them in the first place.

This game actually delivers exactly what I expected from it: a relatively shallow/barebones collection of sports games that I won't be playing for multiple hours at a time but rather will be playing from time to time for the years to come. In that sense it reminds me of Clubhouse 51, a game that I really enjoy playing for a few minutes from time to time.

That said, I gotta echo what many others have already said: stop with the drip feeding approach already. Yes, it worked well with Splatoon on WiiU but that was a very different situation. Ever since then they seem to make this their go to design approach when releasing games with online play (Tennis Aces, Golf Super Rush, New Horizons, Splatoon 2, Switch Sports, ...) but this just leads to games feeling barebones at launch. Nintendo games used to be one of the few games worth picking up at launch without feeling like you are getting screwed over for being an early adopter. This is slowly starting to change, at least when it comes to their online games ...

@nessisonett This is exactly how I feel as well. That is my main issue with this game. Wii Sports Resort is the height of the series way back in the Wii days, but why? Each game in the series should improve on the last game.

@Fizza pretty much.

It's just what you compare it too... Comparing it to going with my kids to the cinema or this, this was cheaper en more enjoyable....

Comparing it too Wii Sports club, the package feels far more developed, with new incentives... And online...

Comparing it too Wii Sport Resort is more difficult..Less sports, but WSR was a mixed bag; NSS is missing my favorites, that's for sure.. But this does have a incentive to come back (collecting clothes) and online.. so I might actually end up playing it more..

And then the pink elephant in the room: comparing it to the final product... My expectation is that after Golf, the rest of the DLC will be included in the Expansion Pack... And the discussion of that's the business model we want Nintendo to take, is a whole different one (and Is that to be blamed on this game)

For me, before the direct, I always thought 'why don't they remake Wii sports, seems like a no brainer... so much nostalgia, not just at home, but my work had one too).. So when the direct game, with a budget price .. (39 not 59 euros) I knew at least that basic need (playing Wii tennis) would make me buy it...If you keep your expectations low, you won't be that disappointed..

(oh and someone was complaining about the giro - controls being less precise, I don't have that experience at all, the joy cons seem to do go a great job)

i just hope they add 100 pin bowling and baseball!

I give it a 7 out of 10 just for bowling alone. We enjoy playing it. I don't really play the other sports but can not wait for golf. It would be nice if they added archery too. I prefer the games that are relaxing but challenging.

@TG1 The reality doesn't change whether it's a classroom or not. Comparatively, it's bad versus how many things are better. If you were going to go to dinner and you had two restaurants to pick from and one scored a 10/10, great food, awesome staff, clean and pleasant atmosphere, but another scored a 5 or 6/10, edible/serviceable food, mildly inattentive but not overly rude staff, boring/slightly unclean interior... And both restaurants had the same cuisine type and their food cost the same, why would you go to the significantly worse restaurant?

People always try to throw around this "use the whole scale from 1 to 10.. 5s and 6s don't mean bad", but it's nonsensical. In all aspects of reviewing anything in life, it's a comparative experience versus expectation of its competitors and an evaluation on the expected product the developer is known to be capable of producing.

And specifically with videogames, new mid/big budget games, they're expensive to buy. At least trying out a new restaurant might set you back only $10-$15 to give it a test run and even if the food is mediocre, it still serves the ultimate purpose of nourishing and sustaining you, but if you spend $60 on a video game that's middling, a game that had it been much better could have given you dozens or hundreds or even thousands of hours of entertainment, you very well might just be out $60 with little to nothing to show for it. Sure, you could force yourself to play it because you already spent the money, but why? Games are entertaining. They're meant to be diverting and enjoyable, and if it's just kind of a "meh, not bad, but not good" experience, why would you ever give it any quarter? It's not a nourishing meal necessary to live, and most (not all, but nearly all) gamers have a backlog of amazing 9s and 10s they've yet to play or dozens of all-time favorites that are a joy to replay or current staples (like online multiplayer games) they're invested in and love.

So why, pray tell, waste their time on something mediocre? You don't get an award for soldiering through a middling experience.

As far as this specific game and the review score, I know very little about it but I'm sure it's a fair assessment. It makes no difference to me either way.

""charming but barebones offering", highlighting the lack of any unlockables when playing locally, along with a distinct lack of scope to most of the sports on offer."

In other words, Wii Sports?

Considering the review score literally says “not bad”, logic dictates it must not…. be bad.

Doesn’t necessarily mean it’s amazing or anything. It’s just not bad.

@Lyricana If 6 is bad for you personally, that's fair. I was just pointing that I agree with the earlier commenter, that 6 is not (nor ever has) been bad by NL scoring policy.

I used a bunch of saved-up Rewards points to purchase it digitally, and did so pretty much exclusively for the Bowling, which I enjoyed a lot on the Wii. Here's the honest truth that applies to both games as well as 99% of games designed around control gimmicks: they're fun for a get-together now and then, but as standalone experiences they're FAR too shallow to hold most folks' attention for long. Two factors that should influence one's personal review scores for these games (or any other, frankly), are A) how much time and utility they get for your investment, and B) how many of their modes and features are actually enjoyable and/or end up even being played. If you were judging either of these games as a pack-in with a console and/or a tech demo to familiarize users with the controllers/hardware, I'd say a score of 7 or 8 would be appropriate, but as a standalone product...and especially at Switch Sports' current asking price...I think a 6 is probably a bit generous.

@TG1 6 may be labeled "Not Bad" but if you look over their ratings, they're so over inflated, they are really only using the 5-10 part of the scale. Seriously, a game has to essentially be nonfunctional to get less that 5. So it is really rare for a Nintendo first party game to get a 6.

I'm yet to play this but i loved wii sports resort..... Surely it cant be that much of a step back............. can it?

a 6/10 for a Nintendo exclusive game is just an abysmal score... Nintendo is capable of delivering better games

@TheFox In fairness, first party games are usually high quality. I've seen plenty of scores south of 5 on NL. In any case, one of their staffers would be better to comment on the scoring policy than I would.

If they had just re-released Wii Sports Resort for Switch and added a few things here and there, it would have been a must-buy.

As much as I'm enjoying NSS it does feel like theres something missing. I've no issues with Golf (or any other games) being added at a later date but the games that are on there to begin with do seem very bare bones.

2 examples off the top of my head are with Bowling there's no 100 pin challenges or anything comparable. Also with tennis on Wii sports after each game the AI would get more and more difficult after each win.

Other than selection from easy, medium or hard there doesn't seem to be any sense of progression.

To be fair I don't currently have NSO so haven't played online at all. Only single player and with friends in the same room. Not sure if playing online will give a bit more meat on the bone so to speak

@moodycat Pokemon Sword/Shield were much more complete games than Nintendo Switch Sports at launch. They're easily an 8 or a 9 if Switch Sports' current state is a 6. In that comparison, Nintendolife got it right.

Don't give fun games a 6 period.

@molesgaminghole it's so much better than wii sports resorts. Wii sports resorts had so much useless and boring games on it. The Joycons work perfectly for Switch Sports making the game more enjoyable than the wii sports.

@Dimey if they add Baseball, and I pray they do, then it will get a 100 from me!

@NintendoEternity there was a fair few useless sports in resort but my favourites were bowling, archery and kayaking, so I liked some of what most called useless. I really do wish archery was included.

I don't think it's deserving of the "bad" title, just mediocre and a letdown. Sure, people, myself included, don't like these new "Miis", and there is a severe lack of content, and it feels like a total downgrade from Wii Sports. It's fine, fun even, it's just rather dissapointing.

@MoonCabin lmao imagine saying if people don't like Nintendo sports games they are just lazy and don't like sports 😂😂 ***** if they play sports in real life video game sports is where it matters lmao 🤣

If people think this is a bad game, I question that persons tastes; or maybe they're just lazy people who hate to move. It's just another reminder that these game rating websites just prioritize getting videos up quick so they can get all the clicks rather than spending the time necessary to really put up a fair review.

Your score and review don't reflect my feelings.

Online is awesome!
This is a fantastic Wii sports sequel that does online so well!

Online is the game!
... And it is a good game!

We've put in 10+ hours as a family into this in its first week. Maybe 20.

Honestly, I'm so, so happy I picked it up! It's been a long time since we had something fun and different that was also so well done.

Big win in my opinion.

@Marios-love-child I can't imagine playing this only offline. All the rewards and the challenge and the fun is online. Offline is ok, but online is really fantastic.

@klaw4846 He's probably in there somewhere. I ran into Syoban teamed up with the champ Lucia while playing Tennis offline in the medium difficulty setting. Apparently Lucia is a lot better at table tennis than she is regular tennis because I beat them on my first try, but still cool to see them. Lucia has aged and has face wrinkles.

Not watching a whole video to find out, text would have been fine

Remember, you played Wii sports almost 20 years ago. You were 20 years younger and dumber. You probably had friends that came over to play. This game is great fun in its own right but you're not going to recapture the memory of being a teenager playing games with friends by being a 30-something playing online with strangers. Rating this game lower because it didn't live up to your nostalgia isn't really fair.

This game isn't made for people who go to Nintendo Life to read reviews. If you can't have fun playing it, then. 🤷 I bought it for myself and enjoy it because I literally just wanted Wii Bowling. I got it for my 5 and 7 y/o nieces and they're obsessed. Mission accomplished by the devs.

@nessisonett 6/10 must be compared to other games rather than compare to people's expectations. This is a common problem with game reviewers.

It is the least amount of effort Nintendo could have done. The general consumer has told Nintendo it’s ok to charge full price for ports and to put less effort into their games. As any company would, Nintendo is happy to give you less and take your money.

@AtlanteanMan I hear ya! I pretty much bought this as a party game for my friends. I figure I will get $$$$ worth if we just play it a few times. That said, I echo the sentiment that it’s not bad, just that it could have been much better and complete. Hopefully they throw a curve ball and make this game more complete with surprise content.

@AndyC_MK111,

Bingo, just crossed off mediocrity, you could have said "Celebrating mediocrity" so I could have gone for a full house.

@AndyC_MK111,

The latest game is not trying to be Wii Sports resort, which was very hit and miss in terms of events, it's a Wii Sports/Wii Sports club for the Switch, the game is simple to pick up and play, and does exactly what it should, love it or hare it, Nintendo are going to be releasing free DLC for it's Sports titles, and I like it because it keeps the game fresh, and makes me try the sports I might have ignored.

I know it sounds crazy, but table tennis and golf in Wii Sports Resort are still one of my favourite games of all time. It still is mind blowing it works so well, until today. I also prefer the plus controller above the joycons.

@AndyC_MK111,

It's not a case of giving the game too much slack. I simply am enjoying it for what it does have, as opposed to what it does not, the games sports and controls are fun, yes of course more content is always welcome, and this is coming, for me as long as there is Tennis and bowling I am in, of course Golf is an omission that I wish was there from the start, but I have no issues as long as it is coming at some point.

I get that not everybody will be happy, but nobody is being forced into anything here, and can choose to buy or not, perhaps some will wade in later when more sports/modes are added.

@AndyC_MK111 I'm curious, you seem to act like you've played both so which sport is it exactly that's on the offline game Wii Sports Resort that you think is so much better than online 4 v 4 Soccer a.k.a. the best game ever?

@AndyC_MK111 Oh sure, everybody hates the internet, especially for competitive multiplayer games and 10 year old a.i. on the Wii it's practically the same thing as playing against a real person.

Anyway again, which offline sport on Wii Sports Resort do you think is better than the best game on Switch Sports?

(also not sure what you mean by "can't interact with them")

@iLikeUrAttitude Ahhhh, I see where you're coming from now. Thanks for clarifying.

I love, love, love the online aspect of the game. I think that addition is really cool and playing with people around the world is mind blowing! However a couple things that kind of confuse me. Why did they get rid of letting go of the button in bowling? That is a hard habit to break and I loved being able to let go of the ball whenever I wanted. Maybe I am nuts but it felt like I had more control over the ball. Also I am kind of shocked they don't have any kind of progression in the offline mode. That is such a Nintendo thing I am shocked it's missing. I kind of agree that this should of almost been a Nintendo Switch Online game which the subscription because that seems like what they are pushing. Who knows though. Nintendo might pull something crazy out of there hat and bring in Disc Golf and all that other stuff. It should of been day one though. Disc Golf and Billiards would round out this game nicely.

The first one was lightning in a bottle, it was something new. Can’t re create that magic organically. Simple as that

@MajinSoul facts. I’ve felt like the whole switch life cycle has been barebones exclusives. Don’t forget paper Mario origami king and the Yoshi title as well.

@klaw4846 The game is a 10/10, I just ran into Matt playing the offline Strong CPU 1 on 1 Soccer. He is now a chef that wears a yellow hat.