When I saw that Nintendo Switch Sports Resort would be playable for the first time at Japan Expo in Paris, I knew I had to check it out. After playing a couple of rounds, it’s time to share my first hands-on impressions. Let’s jump in!
Power Cruising and Thumb Wrestling
Since this was a public event, the demo itself wasn’t as big as you might think. At Nintendo’s booth, you could try out four sports to see how the game plays on Nintendo Switch 2. I started with the return of Power Cruising, which immediately made me wish for a new Wave Race after completing the short demo. What I liked most was the way you control the jet ski. Just like you would on a real jet ski or motorbike, you hold your Joy-Con sideways and flick your wrist to throttle and gain speed. Steering is also handled through the Joy-Con’s motion controls, and it felt surprisingly accurate. The demo itself was a pretty basic lap across the waves, where I had to drive through rings to earn more points. When I hit a wave at the right angle, I could also perform a small jump, making the whole thing a little more spectacular. I didn’t spend a lot of time with Power Cruising, of course, but from what I played, it feels like a fun addition to Nintendo Switch Sports Resort.
The next sport I tried had me even more excited: the brand-new thumb wrestling, which was heavily featured in Nintendo’s latest Direct. After playing it myself, I finally understand why. It’s so stupid that it becomes genius. Whoever pitched this for the game definitely deserves a raise, because I had a blast playing a couple of rounds against random strangers. Thumb wrestling is played with a single Joy-Con, which you hold vertically so you can easily reach the shoulder button. By rotating the controller, you move the virtual hand and thumb, while pressing the shoulder button makes you try to pin your opponent’s thumb. Miss the timing and get trapped underneath your opponent’s thumb? No need to worry. Just shake your Joy-Con as fast as possible and hope you can escape. It’s incredibly silly, but it brought a smile to my face, and I’m genuinely glad Nintendo decided to include this “sport”.
Archery and bowling
Besides the new and returning sports, two classics were also playable for the first time at the event: the fan-favorite Archery and Bowling. Both resembled their previous versions a lot, and it was hard to spot the real differences during such a short session. Archery returns from Wii Sports Resort, so the controls have of course been changed a little to work with the Joy-Con 2. You aim the bow with one Joy-Con and pull back the arrow with the other, and it once again feels very natural. It’s good to have this one back, especially since scoring a perfect ten isn’t always that easy. You’ll need to aim steadily and release at exactly the right moment if you want to take home the gold. Nothing groundbreaking, but for those who missed it, it’s great to have Archery back.
Bowling, on the other hand, felt like the safest sport at the entire event, but it’s also so good that you don’t really mind playing it again. It’s still all about positioning your character, aiming correctly and chasing that next strike. It feels incredibly familiar, but Bowling is simply an evergreen sport that deserves its place in this new version. 100-Pin Bowling is making a return as well, although I’m hoping Nintendo still has a couple more surprises waiting for us.
Early conclusion:
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort already feels like a fun expansion of the formula. Power Cruising was a nice surprise, Thumb Wrestling is as stupid as it is brilliant, and classics like Archery and Bowling still work exactly as you remember. The demo was short, but it left me curious to see what other sports and surprises Nintendo is still keeping hidden.