Nintendohas so many franchises and IPs these days, that it isn’t a surprise that some of the very best get left to the wayside. As it continues to churn out admittedly still very excellent entries inThe Legend of Zelda,Mario, andFire Emblemfranchises, it leaves behind the likes ofStar Fox,Earthbound,F-Zero,Kid Icarus, and the list goes on. In fact, there are even more amazing one-off games that simply never got a sequel, likeThe StretchersandGood Job!on the Nintendo Switch. Points to those who even remember those games.
Nintendo has so many amazing ideas, it doesn’t have time for sequels to some of its very best titles. Well, that, and it is too busy making yet anotherMario Partygame. However, there are so manyNintendo games that deserve sequels, many of which are beloved entries the publisher has seemingly forgotten all about. In particular,there is one game that was so successful, and so beloved, it is amazing it hasn’t gotten a true sequel. Now the Switch 2 is finally out, it is time Nintendo rectified that.
Wii Sports Resort Was A Casual Masterpiece
It Took The World By Storm
Wii Sports Resort, and really its predecessor too, feel like forgotten Nintendo titles at this point. Don’t get me wrong, they left an enduring legacy, and anyone around during the Wii era will remember them fondly. But much like the aforementionedStar Foxand other assortment of abandoned Nintendo IPs, theWii Sportsseries never really got a follow-up on newer consoles, meaning its legacy was very much tied to the Wii.
That’s a great shame, asthere was clearly a demand for that style of game. Not only didWii Sportsand its predecessor showcase the power and capabilities of their platform, but they also offered engaging gameplay. They weren’t like thequestionable and controversialWelcome Touron the Switch 2, which more or less felt like a random assortment of minigames.
Wii Sports Resortin particular was a fully-fledged experience with numerous games, modes, and a setting that felt believable and real, even if players didn’t get to explore it fully. A sequel to it would have easily been one of thebest Nintendo Switch games, had Nintendo actually decided to continue making them.Its absence in future generations does feel a little strange, especially considering just how well theWii Sportsgames sold.
Wii Sports Resortsold 33.14 million copies, making it the third best-selling game on the platform.
Wii Sportssold 82.90 million copies, according toNintendo. However, even discounting that, as many of its sales will have been from being bundled into Wii sales,Wii Sports Resortsold 33.14 million copies, making it the third best-selling game on the platform. It remains one ofNintendo’s best-selling gamesof all time, with it almost beatingBreath of the Wild, which sold 32.81 million copies on the Switch and 1.7 million on the Wii U, according toNintendo.
Switch Sports Didn’t Recreate Wii Sports Resort’s Greatness
It Lacked The Original’s Charm
Of course,theWii Sportsseries did, technically, get a modern-day follow-up in the form ofNintendo Switch Sports. It is, by all accounts, a sequel or, at the very least, spiritual successor to theWii Sportsgames, aiming to capture the same magic that made them such unmitigated successes back in the day. However, itsshallow roster of gamesand poor imitations of those present in theWii Sportsseries made it feel like a lackluster effort.
That’s not to say there isn’t some fun to be found inNintendo Switch Sports. After all,Switch Sports’positive reviewspainted a pretty compelling picture for those who had longed for the days of competing in a game of virtual bowling with their friends.The game also sold 16.27 million copies, according toNintendo, making it the 11th best-selling Nintendo game of all time. It isn’t quite the 33 millionWii Sports Resortsold, but it is undeniably impressive.
Yet, no one really talks aboutNintendo Switch Sports, at least in the same way that they do aboutWii SportsorResort. Its lack of identity - it barely utilized Miis for some reason -, bland setting, and aforementioned missing minigames meantit never quite felt charming in the way even the plucky and limited originalWii Sportswas. Additionally, the fact it wasn’t a tie-in game, cost $39.99, and only shipped with six sports was the final straw for many people.
It did eventually get a few new games in updates, but even then it paled in comparison to the more varied, vibrant, and charming 12 sports available inWii Sports Resort.Nintendo Switch Sportsis good, butit isn’t the successor the series deserved. It absolutely should get something far more impressive on the Nintendo Switch 2, and now is the best time to release it.
Nintendo Switch 2 Deserves A Great Wii Sports Successor
It Needs To Rival The Original
If there is onefirst-party Switch 2 gamethat should release at the start of the console’s lifespan, it is a newNintendo Sportstitle.Welcome Tourwas a fun idea, but it is nowhere near as unique or interesting as aSportsgame, which had people competing, playing together, and even getting a little active - playing against the legendary Matt was certainly a workout.
A newNintendo Sportsgame, especially one with the style and substance ofWii Sports Resort, would be a great addition to the currently very lacking Switch 2 library.It isn’t hard to imagine what a next-genWii Sports Resortsuccessor would look like, as Bandai Namco practically perfected it withGo Vacation!, an open-world resort game with plenty of fun minigames, customizable characters and houses, and fun modes of transport.
Nintendo just needs to copy that to deliver something that would feel faithful to the original games while offering an innovative and fresh experience. Frankly, at this point, I’ll settle for a simple, yet large collection of minigames in an interesting and colorful setting, akin toResort. WhateverNintendo- hopefully - decides to do, will be amazing, I’m sure, and a great way for it to finally give Miis the respect they deserve, and make them a core feature once again.
