The original Wii Sports was released back in 2006 for the Nintendo Wii, the system focused on motion controls, with Wii Sports utilising these brand new interfaces perfectly and proving to be a fantastic demo of the Wii's capabilities, so much so it was bundled with Wii consoles.
Whether you saw it as a gimmick or not the game proved popular with casual players and people who hadn’t really played games before as the method for controlling the games was so intuitive for newcomers.
But now, 16 years later with an entirely new console generation, Nintendo is attempting to catch lightning in a bottle again with Nintendo Switch Sports a new and updated version for the hybrid console.
Wii Sports and subsequently Switch Sports are a collection of sport-based mini-games using motion controls to interact with the game, ofter requiring the player to take part in some form of physical exercise in order to play.
Back in February Nintendo offered the ability to take part in an Online Play Test for those with a Nintendo Switch Online account to try the games and multiplayer experience.
I recently got to get hands-on with Nintendo Switch Sports and got to test my peak physical fitness against other players.
From the hub world called Spocco Square, you can select one of the 6 different sports including Volleyball, Soccer, Badminton, Tennis, Bowling and Chambara (which is a one on one sword duel).
Golf is not included initially but it will be added in a post-launch update in autumn, fingers cross more games will be added as updates and DLC could drop later too.
The game has received a visual upgrade with a very colourful and modern world. The most noticeable update is in the new characters called Sports Mates. While still looking simple they are leaps and bounds better looking than the primitive-looking Miis from Wii sports.
These new characters will receive new outfits and accessories like rackets and balls, which are unlocked by your progress.
Your scores in the games will reward you with in-game currency that can be spent on cosmetic items for your character but you can receive them for taking part in online games as well. Reward items will be updated weekly, giving you more reasons to play.
However, despite looking much better, if like me, you love the janky old school Mii's you can still use them but be aware they won't be able to receive any of your sweet unlocked outfits.
You can play either with friends at home or online with friends or strangers, but playing at home is obviously where Switch Sports shines.
There is also a ranking system for playing online and your ranking begins at E and you'll need to work your way up to the big leagues and go for gold to unlock an A rank.
From the limited time I had with the game, it doesn't look like it has loads of content and I felt I'd seen a lot once I'd played all 6 games however, much like the original the fun lies in playing with friends.
Motion controls seem to be much tighter due to the much more advanced Joy-Cons but in the early version, I played there were still occasional glitches.
Bowling felt much like its Wii counterpart, which isn't a bad thing, however, the experience felt a little smoother to control and streamlined.
Chambara gave me Skyward Sword flashbacks, with how your blade or blades are controlled. It was great fun and surprisingly strategic as you need to be aware of the direction your foe is guarding against and adjust your angle accordingly.
There were also three distinct ways to play such as the Twin Swords that can be wielded by using two Joy-Con at the same time.
Football surprised me the most, it feels a lot like rocket league with its fun oversized ball and floating controls, it's simple but brilliant, you can even perform hilarious diving headers, you can play four on four matches or one on one. As a guy who really dislikes football Nintendo may have done the impossible and made me like a football minigame.
There is also a shoot out mode where you take penalty kicks and use the leg strap to direct and time your shots.
Volleyball felt the most complicated as there as several ways to strike the ball which I kept forgetting. Tennis and Badminton were pretty much as I expected, but they did make use of the more nuanced controls.
The physical edition of the game also comes with the leg strap, which is needed for the Soccer shoot-out, However, this is the same strap from Ring Fit Adventure so those who ready own that won't need to buy the physical edition unless you love straps, and if you do I won't judge.
So far I haven't seen any drastic changes to the Wii Sports formula but it is just as fun to play with family members as it was back in 2006 and the enchantments to the motion controls definitely make the game a little more complex than before picking up subtler movements.
It remains to be seen if the 6 games are enough, however, Wii Sports only released with five sports games, tennis, baseball, bowling, golf and boxing.
With the Switch's much larger install base there is potential for Switch Sports to be a hit, even though it isn't packaged with the console and we could once again come home to the sight of your family wiggling their arms around in your living room and your nan throwing the Wii Remote at your TV.
Nintendo Switch Sports is out on April 29 2022 and retails for £39.99 for the physical release and £30.99 for the digital edition.
