While the Nintendo Switch is home to a slew of great titles spanning many genres and styles, it’s not exactly lighting it up in the sports department.
This is somewhat ironic, considering the Wii’s most successful game is a compilation of sporting romps. It’s especially baffling, as the Switch’s improved motion controls and online capabilities would seemingly make it a great platform for sports games. Yet, aside from a few outliers, Switch’s library remains curiously thin when it comes to games that resemble the iconic Wii Sports.
This list will seek to make that search a bit simpler for Switch owners. So let’s get laced up and explore 15 of the best games similar to Wii Sports on the Switch.
The emphasis here will be on the overall best sporting experiences on the console, while also keeping in mind the intuitive controls and party elements that made that game so appealing.
Updated November 16th, 2020 by Stephen LaGioia: Wii Sports was an absolute phenomenon when it released back on the Nintendo Wii, helping to usher in a new era of motion-controlled sports games and multiplayer Family Fun Fests. In honor of its reign, and because Nintendo and developers are constantly cranking out new and exciting Wii-Sports-like clones, we’ve updated this list to better reflect some of the great alternative offerings that you can play on the Nintendo Switch right now.
15 Instant Sports: Summer Games
As will be the case with many on this list, Break First’s Instant Sports Summer Games isn’t exactly gaming perfection. Yet, those seeking a delightful multiplayer game resembling Wii Sports are likely to get a kick out of it.
The game certainly stands out it comes to quantity, featuring a variety of single and multiplayer modes – supporting up to 8 players – and a whopping 11 sporting events. These include Olympic-style activities like relay races, javelin throws, high jumps, and archery, along with your more typical sports like baseball and bowling.
While these tend to be hit and miss, there are plenty of enjoyable options to choose from.
14 American Ninja Warrior Challenge
If nothing else – this sports medley, based on the NBC TV show, is almost sure to provide some amusement and perhaps some yuks. Though the game is rather crude and basic, it’s easy to forgive in this case, given its slew of unique events and multiplayer action.
For the most part, the game translates the tough physical challenges on-screen to button prompts, making for a fun, accessible little diversion.
With its emphasis on timed button pecks, this one should satiate fans of Nintendo’s underrated Rythym Heaven franchise as well.
13 Fitness Boxing
Those looking to get off that couch and burn a few calories while gaming… may want to look at Ring Fit Adventure first. Still, Fitness Boxing does prove an enjoyable alternative for those looking for another effort in the spirit of Wii Sports and Wii Fit.
The experience feels akin to a fusion of Wii Boxing and Just Dance – with its scrolling prompts, vibrant visuals, and lively tunes that keep players (literally) on their toes. The gameplay is fairly minimal, but it gets the job done when it comes to both fun and fitness.
12 Just Dance 2020
Speaking of Ubisoft’s hit dance series – Just Dance comes full-circle after its breakout debut on Wii, with perhaps its strongest, most robust rendition ever on Switch. As an interesting side note – this is also the final Wii game ever released.
Just Dance 2020 goes out of its way to ensure there will be something for almost everyone, with its particularly diverse tracklist of 40 hit songs. This includes Lil Nas and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road (Remix)” and “God is A Woman” by Ariana Grande. And of course, the game supports Just Dance Unlimited, which opens up hundreds of more tracks to boogie to.
Features like Kids Mode, an online ranking mode, new dance moves, and custom playlists round out this colorful party game.
11 R.B.I. Baseball 20
With the absence of a Mario or Wii Sports rendition of baseball, there’s a notable lack of quality games featuring America’s pastime on Switch. But despite its mixed reviews and lack of popularity, R.B.I. Baseball 20 stands as a pretty suitable replacement.
While it’s a bit rough around the edges, this game largely hits that sweet spot in terms of its balance of depth and arcade-style gameplay. The game offers enough complexity and surprisingly-sleek visuals for more serious players to appreciate. At the same time, its undiluted, easy-going nature makes for an appealing, accessible experience for less-practiced ballplayers.
10 1-2-Switch!
Some may cry “foul” on account of this game’s simple nature and minigames more akin to bite-sized demos rather than sports. Still, much like Wii Sports was a demonstration of the innovative Wiimote, 1-2-Switch is a fun and amusing showcase of the Joy-Cons.
With its slew of wacky multiplayer romps, one can get a sense of the surprisingly nuanced tech crammed into these devices – from the precise motion to the realistic HD Rumble. It even features a minigame that one literally controls with their mouth via an IR tracking sensor.
9 Go Vacation
Being yet another party game release that was churned out late in the console’s lifespan, Go Vacation never got much recognition. It’s a shame, really, as this Namco Bandai title does make for a fun multiplayer experience.
While it’s far from perfect, the mechanics manage to be more than sufficient, and the lineup of enjoyable events is impressive to say the least. Motion controls are subtle and intuitive without feeling forced or overbearing.
The game features everything from Wave Race-esque jetski scrambles to golfing, and even water gun skirmishes.
8 Golf With Your Friends
As it happens, one of the better sports titles on Switch comes from an indie studio, which goes by the name Blacklight Interactive. Enter Golf With Your Friends.
Though minigolf is its sole focus – unlike the sporting medley of Wii Sports – it holds a similar appeal with its simplicity and unique twists on traditional sports. The game takes the fundamental concept of miniature golf and adds its own unique flair, featuring a range of crazy courses and mechanics. There’s even an infusion of other light sporting elements – such as “Dunk Mode,” which inserts a basketball net.
The game even offers online support for up to 12 players.
7 Carnival Games
As is the case with Go Vacation, the colorful Carnival Games is a port of the hit Wii title that’s refined in terms of its visuals and controls. The game became a quiet success, though was overshadowed by Wii Sports on account of its similar style.
But with the absence of that franchise on Switch, Carnival Games shines as one of the best party game collections on the console. The level of polish may not reach the lofty heights of Wii Sports, though it makes up for it in sheer quantity. It hosts 20 unique minigames that each provide enjoyment in their own ways.
Up to four players can clown around in carnival-esque romps and sports minigames, ranging from horse racing to home run derbies and cosmic bowling.
6 Super Mega Baseball 3
As mentioned, the baseball efforts on Switch are still rather slim. Yet, Metalhead’s Super Mega Baseball serves as another fine gap-filler. This third installment particularly knocks it out of the park with more elaborate gameplay, including an all-new Franchise mode.
The game nicely balances accessibility and complexity, featuring customizable teams, new mechanics like pickoffs and steals, and 14 detailed ballparks. The online competitions are particularly thrilling, and cross-platform play ensures players will find an opponent.
5 Ring Fit Adventure
In fairness, this unique sweat-inducing fitness game has more in common with Wii Fit than Wii Sports. Yet, the physical nature and accessible gameplay – which requires players to get off that couch – definitely “rings” similar to that classic.
At its core, Ring Fit Adventure is a distinct hodgepodge of RPG and fitness gameplay. Yet, Nintendo also provides an array of fun minigames, as well as the recently-added rhythm dance mode. These segmented events range from a tightrope-walking balancing act to a robot-bashing showdown.
4 Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
The Mario & Sonic games initially received some buzz when launching on the Wii over a decade ago. This was largely thanks to the novelty of hosting two classic gaming icons and rivals on the same game.
Years later though, and after many lukewarm installments, the series quickly faded into obscurity and dropped off the radar of many. Still, the 2020 rendition of this Olympic party game for the Switch certainly deserves a second look.
Not only is it one of the most fun and robust versions of Mario & Sonic yet, but it even introduces the nostalgic “2D Events,” which play 1964 Olympic games in 8 and 16-bit styles. The game is also the first to include a Story Mode, which oscillates between 2D and 3D. This is an enjoyable sports game as much as it’s a celebration of gaming history.
3 Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD
The hit party game for Wii made a return on the Switch and, outside the lack of motion control, it’s a more-than-worthy remaster. Along with the fun single-player platforming, there are also 10 delightful party games that range from whack-a-mole to snowboarding and targets.
Not only have the visuals been spruced up, but the added online Decathlon competitions expand the replay value quite a bit. This makes for a fun alternative to both Wii Sports and Super Mario Party, with 100 exciting platforming states to boot.
2 Mario Tennis Aces
After the lukewarm Mario Tennis effort on the Wii U, Nintendo rebounded in a big way with this enjoyable and fleshed-out sequel on the Switch. With a dynamic story mode and solid online functionality, this is arguably the best rendition of Mario Tennis to date, and one of the best sports titles on the Switch.
The game balances arcade-style party gameplay with more traditional tennis sensibilities. It offers a variety of abilities and power-ups, along with unique scenarios in its story mode to give it that “Mario” feel. At the same time, it also offers a more stripped-down, classic experience, if that is what is so desired.
1 Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
Those looking for both the Wii Play and Wii Sports experience should look no further than the recently-released Clubhouse Games. The game shines both in terms of quality and quantity. It offers a well-crafted digital version of various classic board and card games primarily, along with a few Wii Play classics such as Shooting Gallery, Air Hockey, and Tanks.
Wii Sports fans should also find much to love about this party game, however, with games like Toy Baseball and Toy Tennis. There’s even a Bowling game that just might be even more enjoyable and refined than Wii Bowling.
![\"IT電腦補習](\"http://itteacheritfreelance.hk/test/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logo2-2.png\"){kind=logo}
www.itsec.hk
www.itsec.vip
www.itseceu.uk
Leave a Reply