The idea that Nintendo only makes games for little children is unfair. Sure, the Switch 2 doesn’t have GTA 6. But the system’s heavy-hitter counterprogramming this holiday season is a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a game beloved by folks who probably now have children themselves. Meanwhile, the recently released Fire Emblem’s Fortune Weave is 100 hours of back-to-back fantasy chess matches, something I appreciate way more now than I would’ve as a child.
Still, Nintendo understands, more than most of its rivals, that family-friendly gaming doesn’t have to be an insult. While many “family” games have historically been low-effort garbage, with enough thought and care, you can, in fact, craft games so enjoyable they transcend demographics. At Nintendo’s recent holiday preview event, I got to play an upcoming Switch 2 game with this potential to unite all age groups through sheer fun: Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. It’s proof that you can be into any game you want if you just get over yourself.
Bowling, Archery, and… Thumb Wrestling?
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is technically the sequel to 2022’s Nintendo Switch Sports, but it’s really the next follow-up to the landmark Wii launch game Wii Sports. In 2006, that motion-control masterpiece famously had everyone from babies to grandmas discovering the fun and connection of video games by performing close-enough versions of real sports actions, not just pressing abstract buttons.
PREORDER NINTENDO SWITCH SPORTS RESORT
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort (Nintendo Switch 2)
Wii Sports is so iconic that several of its games have reappeared throughout the series. For example, in my Nintendo Switch Sports Resort demo, I played the revamped bowling mini-game, earning strikes by knocking down 100 pins instead of just 10. But even without gimmicks, bowling with motion controls is still an innately intuitive and engaging act, now with the added nostalgia of remembering going through these same motions 20 years ago.
The “Resort” subtitle is also a callback to 2009’s Wii Sports Resort, which to me is still the peak of the franchise. That tropical expansion, with more sports and improved controls, dropped players onto Wuhu Island, which returns as the setting for Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. Several sports from that game return here on Switch 2 as well.
I used both hands to mimic steering a jet ski in a simplified take on Wave Race. Meanwhile, after watching archery at the 2024 Olympics and going to exactly one archery class here in New York, I was excited to line up my arms and aim the perfect shots in the archery game. The demo also teased added depth like hidden targets or wind and distance affecting the physics of how your arrow falls as it flies, all doing more to approximate the actual event.
I’ve been concerned that Nintendo Switch Sports Resort would have too many repeated activities from past games, more of a greatest hits collection than a new release. However, the thumb-wrestling game was both new and a highlight of my demo. Similar to swordfighting games in past entries, this game tracks the movement and angle of your thumb one-to-one. Like a fighting game, you can power up your thumb by building up your meter, which you do by laying your thumb flat. However, that also makes you vulnerable to being pinned, adding a delicious risk versus factor that’s not even present in real thumb wrestling. It snuck up on me how clever that design choice really is. The results were satisfyingly strategic matches as I tried to bait my opponent into bad positions while also safely powering up myself.
With its silly oversized thumbs and frantic shaking needed to escape pins, this mini-game is one example of how a game like Nintendo Switch Sports Resort could make some older gamers feel self-conscious. But denying the obvious fun to be had, no matter where it comes from, just denies yourself a genuine gaming experience.
Mario Babies, Zelda Adults
Maintaining a lack of self-consciousness also helped me better appreciate everything else on display at this holiday event, even if Nintendo Switch Sports Resort was one of the few entirely “new” games. Again, not all of Nintendo’s offerings were just for children. Alongside Pokémon Pokopia and Minecraft, I also played impressive Switch 2 ports of Monster Hunter Wilds and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. Rather, I sensed a concerted effort to not alienate anyone.
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That inclusivity was most visible not with a video game but with the My Mario line of products targeted at babies too young to even hold controllers. Unlike video games, these toys had no bright screens to distract and overstimulate developing eyeballs. Rather, these were wooden figurines of Bowser and Peach, tiny clothes with Mushroom Kingdom patches, a Yoshi-themed picture book, and a Mario doll that splashes around in the bathtub. Even though Nintendo isn’t just for kids, seeing Nintendo exclusively court such young children revealed the gentle spirit that makes its mascots so enduring, even as you grow up.
Speaking of growing up, the event also served as a celebration for The Legend of Zelda’s ongoing 40th anniversary. While Ocarina of Time wasn’t playable, I did get to see the special edition box art and gold Switch 2 console, as well as a giant Master Sword. Other merchandise opted for a more ornate and sophisticated aesthetic, something you wouldn’t be embarrassed to display as an adult, like high-quality figurines or metallic chess sets. The presentation positioned Zelda products almost as relics representing an ancient myth passed down through history. After all, what is a family game if not something for both you and your descendants?
Fun for Everyone
I try to stay open to the idea that I could love any kind of video game, in any genre, from niche and hardcore to casual and mainstream. Before playing Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, I got my wacky motion control fix by conducting an orchestra in Maestro. As we wait for the next 3D Mario, I had a shockingly good time hopping on platforms and scarfing lasagna in Garfield: Escape from Monday. Of course, this open-mindedness doesn’t always pan out. I’m looking at you, Drag x Drive. But just because every game, and every category of game, won’t appeal to everyone, doesn’t mean you need to preemptively trap your own taste inside a box.
So will Nintendo Switch Sports Resort be my game of the year? Probably not. But as a game I can have a great time with while playing alongside just about anyone in my life, a certified family holiday party banger, I’m still looking forward to the full release on Oct. 22.
About Our Expert
Jordan Minor
Principal Writer, Software
Experience
My PCMag career began in 2013 as an intern. Now, I’m a senior writer, using the skills I acquired at Northwestern University to write about dating apps, meal kits, programming software, website builders, video streaming services, and video games. I was previously a senior editor at Geek.com and have written for The A.V. Club, Kotaku, and Paste Magazine. I’m the author of the gaming history book Video Game of the Year: A Year-by-Year Guide to the Best, Boldest, and Most Bizarre Games from Every Year Since 1977, and the reason everything you know about Street Sharks is a lie.
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