Nintendo has finally released the next iteration of the cult-classic Wii Sports series. Nintendo Switch Sports brings back the fan-favorite idea with updated graphics, mechanics, and a couple of new sports. Players everywhere are getting strikes in bowling, competing in Tennis, and fighting opponents in Chambara. With new online features and improved gameplay, Nintendo Switch Sports feels like a worthy continuation of the series.

Wii Sports began as a simple tech demo of sorts for the motion controls of the Wii, and due to its inclusion with every single console sold, almost every Nintendo fan was checking out the title. It proved so successful that Nintendo released Wii Sports Resort alongside its new Wii MotionPlus accessory. A continuation seemed like a shoo-in for the Nintendo Switch, but took five years to release and asked players to spend $40 instead of offering it free with the Switch. Still, it could have been offered as a benefit for those who purchased Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

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Wii Sports as a Wii Pack-In

A Mii with green clothes is up to bat in Wii Baseball in Wii Sports

One of the main reasons that Wii Sports was so successful is because it served as a way for Nintendo to show off its impressive motion controls. The game was pretty bare bones, but that was part of its charm. Players controlled their personal Miis in a selection of five different sports: Bowling, Tennis, Baseball, Boxing, and Golf, with each sport requiring players do certain motions. There were no unlockables outside golden balls, no cosmetic items, and no movement besides hitting or throwing.

Even with the lack of core game features, Wii Sports quickly became a classic. Every Wii owner had a copy of the game, and thus it became one of the best-selling Nintendo titles of all time. It only took three years for Nintendo to launch the sequel, Wii Sports Resort. This expanded the offerings immensely and offered more in-depth gameplay than its predecessors. Then, Nintendo Switch Sports took the series even further and added a lot of the core progression features that were missing before.

Switch Sports Would Fit Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack

switch online and expansion pass

Nintendo Switch Sports and has been received pretty well, and while $40 is a far cry from most AAA games, not bundling the title with anything may hurt it from being as big as Wii Sports. The chance to bundle it with the Switch at launch is gone, but Nintendo could have bundled the title with Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack instead. Nintendo is trying to up the value of its expansion pack with various DLC, but it could really go the extra mile if it chose to offer an entire game. If Nintendo Switch Sports was offered to all subscribers, it would attract the attention of many possible customers.

Nintendo Switch Sports is a multiplayer-focused title that can be played online or offline. The online mode offers a cosmetic progression that rewards players with items, thus it may have the biggest draw for people. Nintendo Switch Online is required if players for this, and the expansion pack could offer some extra digital content to explore. Players who purchase Nintendo Switch Sports may be more likely to hold a Nintendo Switch Online membership, and if the game was offered in the expansion pack, those same people may have just upgraded their subscription instead of purchasing the game outright.

Wii Sports launched with the Wii and that helped its sales numbers, so Nintendo should do something similar with Nintendo Switch Sports and bundle it with its Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription. This would not only boost the game's playerbase, but also give fans more of a reason to subscribe to the higher tier where they can branch out to other offerings.

Nintendo Switch Sports is available now on Switch.

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