After 16 Years, A True Sequel To This Nintendo Masterpiece Is Way Overdue

Nintendo has so many franchises and IPs these days, that it isn’t a surprise that some of the very best get left to the wayside. As it continues to churn out admittedly still very excellent entries in The Legend of Zelda, Mario, and Fire Emblem franchises, it leaves behind the likes of Star Fox, Earthbound, F-Zero, Kid Icarus, and the list goes on. In fact, there are even more amazing one-off games that simply never got a sequel, like The Stretchers and Good Job! on the Nintendo Switch. Points to those who even remember those games.

Nintendo has so many amazing ideas, it doesn’t have time for sequels to some of its very best titles. Well, that, and it is too busy making yet another Mario Party game. However, there are so many Nintendo games that deserve sequels, many of which are beloved entries the publisher has seemingly forgotten all about. In particular, there is one game that was so successful, and so beloved, it is amazing it hasn’t gotten a true sequel. Now the Switch 2 is finally out, it is time Nintendo rectified that.

Wii Sports Resort Was A Casual Masterpiece

It Took The World By Storm

Wii Sports Resort, and really its predecessor too, feel like forgotten Nintendo titles at this point. Don’t get me wrong, they left an enduring legacy, and anyone around during the Wii era will remember them fondly. But much like the aforementioned Star Fox and other assortment of abandoned Nintendo IPs, the Wii Sports series never really got a follow-up on newer consoles, meaning its legacy was very much tied to the Wii.

Forget Super Mario Odyssey, Nintendo Switch 2 Needs A Different Mario Sequel

Super Mario Odyssey was a great 3D Mario game, but it isn’t the Mario game that I’d most like to see a sequel to on the Nintendo Switch 2.

That’s a great shame, as there was clearly a demand for that style of game. Not only did Wii Sports and its predecessor showcase the power and capabilities of their platform, but they also offered engaging gameplay. They weren’t like the questionable and controversial Welcome Tour on the Switch 2, which more or less felt like a random assortment of minigames.

Wii Sports Resort in particular was a fully-fledged experience with numerous games, modes, and a setting that felt believable and real, even if players didn’t get to explore it fully. A sequel to it would have easily been one of the best Nintendo Switch games, had Nintendo actually decided to continue making them. Its absence in future generations does feel a little strange, especially considering just how well the Wii Sports games sold.

Wii Sports Resort sold 33.14 million copies, making it the third best-selling game on the platform.

Wii Sports sold 82.90 million copies, according to Nintendo. However, even discounting that, as many of its sales will have been from being bundled into Wii sales, Wii Sports Resort sold 33.14 million copies, making it the third best-selling game on the platform. It remains one of Nintendo’s best-selling games of all time, with it almost beating Breath of the Wild, which sold 32.81 million copies on the Switch and 1.7 million on the Wii U, according to Nintendo.

Switch Sports Didn’t Recreate Wii Sports Resort’s Greatness

It Lacked The Original’s Charm

Nintendo Switch Sports character preparing to bowl.

Of course, the Wii Sports series did, technically, get a modern-day follow-up in the form of Nintendo Switch Sports. It is, by all accounts, a sequel or, at the very least, spiritual successor to the Wii Sports games, aiming to capture the same magic that made them such unmitigated successes back in the day. However, its shallow roster of games and poor imitations of those present in the Wii Sports series made it feel like a lackluster effort.

That’s not to say there isn’t some fun to be found in Nintendo Switch Sports. After all, Switch Sports’ positive reviews painted a pretty compelling picture for those who had longed for the days of competing in a game of virtual bowling with their friends. The game also sold 16.27 million copies, according to Nintendo, making it the 11th best-selling Nintendo game of all time. It isn’t quite the 33 million Wii Sports Resort sold, but it is undeniably impressive.

Yet, no one really talks about Nintendo Switch Sports, at least in the same way that they do about Wii Sports or Resort. Its lack of identity – it barely utilized Miis for some reason -, bland setting, and aforementioned missing minigames meant it never quite felt charming in the way even the plucky and limited original Wii Sports was. Additionally, the fact it wasn’t a tie-in game, cost $39.99, and only shipped with six sports was the final straw for many people.

It did eventually get a few new games in updates, but even then it paled in comparison to the more varied, vibrant, and charming 12 sports available in Wii Sports Resort. Nintendo Switch Sports is good, but it isn’t the successor the series deserved. It absolutely should get something far more impressive on the Nintendo Switch 2, and now is the best time to release it.

Nintendo Switch 2 Deserves A Great Wii Sports Successor

It Needs To Rival The Original

Players in a chambara match in Nintendo Switch Sports.

If there is one first-party Switch 2 game that should release at the start of the console’s lifespan, it is a new Nintendo Sports title. Welcome Tour was a fun idea, but it is nowhere near as unique or interesting as a Sports game, which had people competing, playing together, and even getting a little active – playing against the legendary Matt was certainly a workout.

A new Nintendo Sports game, especially one with the style and substance of Wii Sports Resort, would be a great addition to the currently very lacking Switch 2 library. It isn’t hard to imagine what a next-gen Wii Sports Resort successor would look like, as Bandai Namco practically perfected it with Go Vacation!, an open-world resort game with plenty of fun minigames, customizable characters and houses, and fun modes of transport.

Donkey Kong looking shocked inside of a Nintendo Switch 2.

I Know Why There Are Barely Any Switch 2 Exclusives, And It’s For A Bad Reason

Nintendo has revealed why there are so few Switch 2 exclusives, and it is for an extremely disappointing reason, especially for original Switch fans.

Nintendo just needs to copy that to deliver something that would feel faithful to the original games while offering an innovative and fresh experience. Frankly, at this point, I’ll settle for a simple, yet large collection of minigames in an interesting and colorful setting, akin to Resort. Whatever Nintendo – hopefully – decides to do, will be amazing, I’m sure, and a great way for it to finally give Miis the respect they deserve, and make them a core feature once again.

Source: Nintendo (1), (2), (3)