Product test
Nintendo Switch 2 tested in detail: useful innovations and annoying weaknesses
by Domagoj Belancic
Nintendo Switch Sports in test: Let the games begin on Spocco Square
28.4.2022
Translation: machine translated
On April 29, 2022, the time has come: You can throw yourself into the fray on Spocco Square for the release of Nintendo Switch Sports. 16 years after the release of Wii Sports, Nintendo Switch Sports invites you back to the sports field and has some fun disciplines in store for you.
This is an article from our content partner "PC Games". You can find the original article here.
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.
Obstacle course on the bowling alley
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.
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.
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.
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:
You can find the Nintendo Switch with Switch Sports in a bundle here.
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