You know, I never tend to think of myself as a particularly competitive person until I set foot into a multiplayer Nintendo game. I don’t know what it is about the likes of Mario Kart World and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate that draws out some kind of deeply buried gladiator spirit within me, but Nintendo Switch Sports Resort has that same sauce – and I am so sorry to the person who had to face that during my hands-on.
During my time with Switch Sports Resort, I’m given the chance to try out a number of different sports – both new and returning from its predecessor, Wii Sports Resort. Table Tennis was always a favorite of mine in the 2009 game, and I can confirm that smashing the ball after someone’s late hit is still just as satisfying as before, and as you’d hope, the motion controls feel more responsive using a Joy-Con 2 than they used to with a Wiimote.
I do bite my thumb, sir
Key info
Developer: In-house
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch 2
Release date: October 22, 2026
One of the new additions is Thumb Wrestling, which, from what I’ve played, feels more like a mindgame than anything else. Staring down your opponent, you can only grab their thumb when they’ve left it vulnerable – something you’re encouraged to do in order to expand your thumb to an even more upsettingly large size and power up your next grab. If you’re caught, you’ve got to shake the Joy-Con 2 from side to side to break free. It’s short, fast-paced, and silly, but relies more on psyching out your competitor than mastering a skill like in the aforementioned Table Tennis.
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Archery also makes a return, but in a refreshed way. During my preview session, my opponent and I play on ‘special’ rules that split the target into four colored sections, with each player (and CPU, in this case) only able to earn points by landing arrows within their specific section. The more points you gain in a round, the smaller your section in the next, making it harder to maintain your lead – something that goes in my favor when I manage to turn around my point disadvantage in the final round to clutch a win.
Some sports, however, aren’t competitive ones at all – three of them are all about casually exploring the newly expanded Wuhu Island setting, and I’ve got to say that these feel tailor made for me specifically. In 2009, I spent hours in Island Flyover – not just soaring through the sky and plummeting down the volcano, but dragging my plane through the streets of the town to get a feel for the area, inspiring Word documents upon Word documents of, I kid you not, fanfiction about the Miis living their lives and enjoying perfect vacations.
Now, I appreciate that last part might be a unique experience, but I’m sure you can understand why I couldn’t be happier about the new Skateboarding Sightseeing Tour game, of which the sole goal is exploring the island on foot in a more intentional way, collecting “Spocco Photos” (essentially the i Points from the Wii game) in the process. Power Cruising’s own Sightseeing Tour mode offers the same thing, but on the back of a jet ski in the sea – Wuhu Island has been expanded so much with a series of whole new islands surrounding it that you’re not just aimlessly wandering an empty ocean, there’s plenty to see.
Perhaps it’s the nostalgia, but the Island Flyover equivalent in Prop Plane’s Sightseeing Tour is still my favorite of the bunch. I immediately set out to do what any fan of the Wii version would – fly down the volcano. I’m delighted to not only confirm that yes, not only can you still do this, but the inside of it has even been expanded into a larger cave system than before.
I’ll be honest, as someone who played Wii Sports Resort to death, I wasn’t initially sure how much the Switch 2’s take on the game would have to offer beyond its shiny new visuals, but coming away from my hands-on, even the novelty of the updated controls has me delighted.
Sure, Table Tennis and Boxing use standard Joy-Con-swinging motion controls, but using the mouse controls to mime out pushing your skateboard along with your foot, holding the Joy-Con 2 like it’s a paper plane when you’re flying around, and positioning it upright for a thumb wrestle so you’re holding down the trigger button like you’re actually pinning down someone’s thumb are all such clever ideas, and oozing with that classic Nintendo charm.
Needless to say, any doubts I had about returning to Wuhu Island next month have been squashed – I genuinely can’t wait to explore more of what the setting I fell in love with 17 years ago has to offer. But with online play added meaning that none of my friends are safe from my competitive wrath in the less casual modes… I can only offer my apologies in advance.
Now you’re warmed up, why not check out our best Switch 2 games or upcoming Switch 2 games for what to play next!
