Nintendo launched Nintendo Switch Sports earlier this year, but has not done much with it since. It was supposed to mark the grand return of the fan-favorite Wii Sports series, and was going to revitalize it for the modern day with a whole new style. It did provide a decent amount of fun at first, but many Wii Sports fans soon discovered that it was pretty lacking compared to its predecessors. On top of that, Nintendo has done little to expand the game's offerings past its launch state.
Nintendo Switch Sports seemed to be pretty popular on release, and many players were competing against each other in the brand-new online mode. People were challenging each other to bowling matches, pulling muscles in Badminton, and running around in Soccer. Nintendo kept that energy going by offering new cosmetic rewards for players to unlock every week. The initial hype seems to have died down now, and many players have chosen to play other titles instead. It seemed to have only taken six months, and Nintendo should have been doing a lot more to prevent this.
Nintendo Switch Sports Is Lacking Sports
One of the biggest issues with Nintendo Switch Sports was the lack of sports at launch, and that has not been fixed since. The game only launched with six sports, and it was supposed to be getting a seventh later this year. However, the seventh sport has been delayed until next year and there seems to be no content to fill the void. For a game that is supposed to be sport-centric, there does not seem to be many sports for players to actually play.
Nintendo Switch Sports launched with seven less sports than its predecessor Wii Sports Resort, and it left out some fan-favorites like Boxing. Nintendo could have helped rectify this by offering new sports through regular post-launch updates, but there is no sign that these updates are coming outside the Golf update early next year. This lack of sports has given players little reason to return to the game, and it feels like Nintendo has left the game to gather dust as it focuses on other titles.
Nintendo Switch Sports Deserves More Than Golf
The lack of content in Nintendo Switch Sports is pretty on par with the original Wii Sports, but there is one big difference that sets the two apart. Wii Sports was a free tech demo of sorts that was included in the Wii, and it gave players a fun way to mess around with the new motion controls that the console was touting. Nintendo Switch Sports, on the other hand, asked players to hand over $40 if they wanted to give it a shot, and most people want a bit more content from something they spent money on.
Nintendo Switch Sports could have lasted a little while longer with consistent updates that added new sports and things to do, but instead it has been left relatively untouched. While Golf may be able to pull some players back, many of them have already moved onto new games. The sport is too little, too late for a game that could have become the next big thing like its predecessors, and Nintendo could avoid this if it just offered more content.
Wii Sports is an iconic Nintendo brand now thanks to the Wii, and Nintendo Switch Sports was supposed to bring that same level of fun to the Switch. While it was fun at first, Nintendo has not done enough to give the game longevity. If it doesn't provide more consistent support for the game in the coming months and years, then Nintendo Switch Sports may have failed to live up to the legacy of Wii Sports.
Nintendo Switch Sports is available now on Switch.