Nintendo Switch Sports Resort Is Shaping Up to Be 2026’s Best Multiplayer Game for Switch 2 (Preview)

While the Wii is long in the rearview mirror, Nintendo has opted to tap back into the ever-present popularity of Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort on Switch platforms in recent years. Back in 2022, Nintendo revived its iconic sports series with Nintendo Switch Sports, which was a new motion-based game for Switch that featured many of the same mini-games from the original Wii Sports. Following this resounding success of a reboot, Nintendo has opted to now give the same treatment to Wii Sports Resort, this time with the aptly titled sequel Nintendo Switch Sports Resort.

After going hands-on with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort during a recent preview session hosted by Nintendo, I’m confident that it’s shaping up to be one of the best multiplayer party games on the Switch 2 this year. While I haven’t seen everything that Nintendo Switch Sports Resort will have to offer, I did get a chance to try out over half of the 12 mini-games that it will have on offer. To that end, here’s how I’m feeling about each of the sports featured in the game prior to its impending release.

Bowling

Arguably the most popular mini-game of all in Nintendo’s Sports series, Bowling is once again back in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. Very little has changed with this new take on bowling, as the game’s general controls are still the same as they were in the original Wii Sports. Despite this, trading throws with a friend in multiplayer is still as fun as ever, and is likely the game that most accurately reflects its real-world counterpart.

One nice bonus about Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is that it brings back the 100-pin bowling variant of the mode. Attempting to knock down all 100 pins at once with a single throw remains a major challenge and helps to provide a bit of variance outside of the standard version of the event.

Boxing

Another Wii Sports classic, Boxing is also present in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. Again, there haven’t been many changes here, as the game’s motion controls still center around dealing a number of jabs, hooks, and uppercuts in order to take down your opponent. There’s also now a stamina meter present, which adds more strategy to how and when you look to strike.

The most enjoyable thing about my time with Boxing is that it was done within a ladder-style setup. While I started off facing weaker opponents on this ladder, as I defeated them, I would then unlock new brawlers to bout with in the pursuit of becoming the best boxer on Wuhu Island. This makes Nintendo Switch Sports Resort a bit more akin to a game like Punch-Out!! in its format, and I’m looking forward to trying to reach the top of the ladder in the full game.

Thumb Wrestling

Thumb Wrestling is likely the funniest new addition to Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. The game’s characters come boasting overly large fists that look hilarious in the pre-game introductions. And while one might think that this game mode would be one of the worst found in Sports Resort, I actually ended up feeling quite the opposite after playing a few rounds.

The thing that surprised me about Thumb Wrestling is that there’s actually a fair amount of strategy to it. Rather than just haphazardly trying to pin your opponent’s thumb, the mini-game is all about trying to power up your own thumb by placing it downward when you see an opening. Doing so will make your thumb larger and more powerful, and will allow you to pin your foe’s thumb more easily to prevent them from breaking out. This all results in the event being a bit of a cat-and-mouse game, where you’re each constantly trying to find ways to make your own thumb stronger without putting yourself at risk of getting pinned.

Table Tennis

Putting both Table Tennis and Tennis in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort might seem like overkill at first glance, as the two are so similar to one another on paper. However, Table Tennis proved to be far more enticing to me than I had anticipated and ended up featuring some of the best uses of HD Rumble with the Joy-Con in my short time with the game.

What I really liked about Table Tennis the most is that it was far more about precision than that of standard Tennis. Swinging my Joy-Con slightly at the wrong angle could result in me easily hitting the ball off the table and losing a point in the process. This greater emphasis on precision, when combined with a faster pace of play, made Table Tennis an event that I’m more excited to dive further into in the future.

Archery

Archery is more or less the same as it’s always been here in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. Although very little has been changed, the process of competing against friends or the CPU to try to rack up the best score possible is still satisfying and provides a very different kind of experience from the other sports on offer in the game.

The thing I’m most looking forward to when playing Archery is just trying to find where the secret targets are hidden in each level. While I couldn’t find any during my own demo, I know that they’re tucked away somewhere. This process of trying to find the hidden targets was one of the best parts of Wii Sports Resort, and I’m hoping it’ll be the same here.

Prop Plane, Skateboarding, and Power Cruising

I’m grouping the Prop Plane, Skateboarding, and Power Cruising games all into one here because the manner in which I played each was all quite similar. These sports will allow players to traverse an open-world version of Wuhu Island either alone or with friends, where they’ll be able to pick up collectibles and complete various tasks. This represents one of the biggest changes to Nintendo Switch Sports Resort from the previous entries in the series and proved to be quite a lot of fun.

While the format of each mode was the same, the controls for each were pretty different. Skateboarding allows you to use the Joy-Con to kick your feet to move faster while also jumping into the air to perform tricks or grind on rails. The Prop Plane comes equipped with a gun that can then be used to fire at various balloons which are a secondary collectible to obtain on the island. Lastly, Power Cruising lets you hold the Joy-Con as if you were on an actual jet ski, with pulling the controls back prompting you to move faster. You can also follow dolphins while skimming across the water in order to unlock more rewards.

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Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is set to release later this month on October 22nd, exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2. The game will be available at a cheaper-than-normal price of $49.99 on the eShop, while physical versions will go for $59.99.