Is Nintendo Switch Sports Resort Worth It? A Buyer's Guide

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is a $49.99 Switch 2 exclusive from Nintendo EPD, and the review consensus puts it at roughly 79 out of 100: positive, not universal. This guide is about whether the game fits how you actually play, not about scoring it.

What you are buying

• 12 sports, official order: tennis, bowling, archery, boxing, volleyball, table tennis, basketball, golf, thumb wrestling, prop plane, skateboarding and power cruising.
• An open-world Wuhu Island, crossable by plane, skateboard and jet ski, with collectibles and challenges.
• Island Crown, a single-player ladder across nine sports with named opponents.
• Pro League, the ranked online queue, plus casual online and eight-player friend lobbies.
• Customisation with roughly three unlock routes: Item Center draws, per-sport achievements, and collectible sets.
• 10.3 GB of storage, TV and tabletop modes only.

What the reviews say

Metacritic sits at 79 across 62 reviews; OpenCritic reports 79% recommended across 29. The pattern in that consensus is consistent: the motion controls are the best the series has had, the island is a genuine addition rather than a hub, and the sport selection has gaps that returning Wii Sports Resort players will notice.

The strongest argument for buying

The leisure sports. Prop Plane, Skateboarding and Power Cruising turn the game into something the series has never been: a place rather than a menu. Combined with the collectibles, they give the game a second mode of play that does not depend on having someone to compete against.

If you play mostly solo, that is the part that justifies the price.

The strongest argument against

If you are buying it for one specific sport, check the list first. Badminton, chambara and football from the previous entry did not return, and the sports that did return are not all deeper than their predecessors. A player who wants badminton has no version of it here.

The other caveat is hardware: this is a Switch 2 exclusive, with no Switch 1 version and no handheld mode. If your Switch 2 lives in a dock and a TV, that is fine; if you play handheld on the train, this game cannot follow you.

Who should buy it

• Households with two to four players. Local play for up to four is where the game is at its best.
• Solo players who like collecting. The island, the collectibles and the ladder give a single player a long tail.
• Sports series veterans who want the motion controls. This is the most precise they have been.

Who should skip it

• Anyone who only plays handheld. No handheld mode.
• Anyone buying for badminton, chambara or football. They are not in the game.
• Anyone who wants a deep single-sport competitive game. Each sport is a party sport, not a simulation.

The bundle maths

The console bundle pairs a Switch 2 with the full game and three months of Nintendo Switch Online, listed at $27.98 less than buying the parts separately. If you are buying a Switch 2 anyway and want the game, the bundle is the cheaper route, and the online months cover the period when Pro League is most active.

The honest summary

It is a good game at a fair price, with an unusual amount of content for the series and one real constraint: it is built for a television and other people. If that matches your setup, it is easy to recommend. If it does not, the reviews will not tell you what this guide just did.

For the full sport list, see all 12 sports. For the hardware question, see Switch 1 compatibility.

FAQ

How much does it cost?

$49.99, or as part of a console bundle that includes three months of Nintendo Switch Online.

What is the Metacritic score?

79, from 62 reviews.

Does it work on Switch 1?

No, it is a Switch 2 exclusive.

How big is the download?

10.3 GB.

Is there handheld mode?

No. TV and tabletop modes only.