Casual and hardcore video game fans alike are nostalgic for the early days of the Nintendo Wii. Countless hours were spent in every household trying out the system’s motion controls with itsiconic pack-in title,Wii Sports. The series not only put user-created Miis to good use, but was a fun way to introduce families to video games.
Now,Nintendois attempting to recapture that magic withNintendo Switch Sports. This sports simulation game features six total sports for players to try out, with a seventh on the way via a free update. If Nintendo has an interest in extending the lifespan of this spiritual successor, they should add these popular athletic activities.
10Boxing
Boxing was one of the five main sportsfeatured in the originalWii Sportstitle. Out of those five, only two have been reimagined inNintendo Switch Sports: tennis and bowling, with golf coming as DLC. It’s possibly safe to say that the other two sports from the original game will eventually be added, particularly Boxing.
Unlike some other sports featured in the series, the Boxing game only requires two players. This could be beneficial for smaller groups of people, or even couples who want to try the game out. There can even be a mode resembling Rhythm Boxing from theWii Fitseries of games.
9Baseball
Next to Boxing, Baseball is the last of the five originalWii Sportsgames that is not included in the newest game. That may be a popularity issue, as the game is not as popular outside of America as sports like association football or tennis. However,it’s still one of the most popular sports on the planet, and deserves a return.
Adding Baseball would also be a good opportunity to include more single-player aspects toNintendo Switch Sports. Solo players could test their batting skills against an automatic baseball machine. Alternatively, they could also practice their pitching techniques against CPU or robotic player characters.
8Archery
Archery was one of the twelve sports featured inWii Sports Resort, an island-based sequel to the originalWii Sports. This game was also the first Nintendo title to feature Wuhu Island, which became a recurring locale for games likePilotwings 3DandWii Fit. Wuhu Island has even made its way into twoSuper Smash Brosstages.
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It would certainly be a welcome addition to longtime Nintendo fans to see the return of this gorgeous vacation destination, even more so when familiar resort sports like Archery return to the catalog of games. This would be another perfect single-player game, making use of maneuvering both Joy-cons at the same time.
7Table Tennis
Normal Tennis has already been covered byNintendo Switch Sports, so it makes sense that Table Tennis would eventually be added. Also known as ping-pong, this game is not only speedy, but it’s perfect for the Joy-con controllers. The remotes are already about the size of a ping pong paddle’s grip, making it the perfect sport game.
Table Tennis also has enough worldwide popularity to warrant its inclusion. Plus, the sport appeared inWii Sports Resort, replacing the standard form of Tennis from the first game. This game would be a great choice to test players' speed levels, which aren’t usually covered by sports like Golf or Bowling.
6Island Flyover
Of course, not every sport in the game has to be physically demanding of its players. Some sports are meant to be calming and serene. That was certainly the case with Island Flyover, a sport included inWii Sports Resort. This sport finds Miis piloting an airplane that tours Wuhu Island for a total of five minutes.
This sport isnot dissimilar in gameplay to thePilotwingsfranchise, which received a Wuhu Island-based reboot on 3DS. Including Island Flyover in a future update toNintendo Switch Sportswould be a great way to re-introduce the locale. Not only is it relaxing, but it’s also a solid introduction to the island’s various attractions.
5Karate
Combat sports are quite rare in theWii Sportsfranchise. The closest thing to it is Swordplay, which can often get pretty competitive. It would be cool to have more sports that inspire that type of energy from players, and Karate would be a perfect choice. It’s a simplistic enough martial art that would work very well with Joy-con controls.
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In addition to Karate’s easy design, it could also be a gateway to other forms of martial arts as additional DLC. Perhaps a Kung-Fu game or Tae-Kwon-Do would be beneficial to fans who prefer more intense action. One can easily imagine a horde battle, where players fight off squads of enemies with their tools of the trade.
4Horse Racing
There are very few racing games in theWii Sportsseries, which is actually quite surprising. Racing games on their own are a consistently successful genre, with series likeForzaandBurnout. Nintendo even has their own collection of racing video games, including theMario Kartfranchise and games likeExcitebikeandF-Zero.
However, it’s a bit hard to imagine NASCAR-style races in a game series likeWii Sportsthat promotes physical activity. Perhaps inNintendo Switch Sports,this genre can be fulfilled through Horse Racing. It could even be exciting for players to train their specific horses, growing attached to their stat build and coat design.
3Parkour
What’s so great aboutNintendo Switch Sports, as well as previous Nintendo games like it, is the ability to have fun. These games aren’t just about exercise or sports, they’re about exciting players. As a result, the series has always had some off-the-beaten-path sports like Frisbee Golf and Badminton.
Parkour would be a welcome addition inNintendo Switch Sports' potential line-up. Again, it would be a great use of Wuhu Island, as players have a certain time limit tocover ground with as many advanced parkour tricks as they can. It would definitely be cool to leap across rooftops and from tall buildings likeAssassin’s Creed.
2Cricket
Outside the United States, Cricket is one of the most popular sports in countries like the United Kingdom, India, and Australia. Especially if Nintendo decides to include baseball in a future update, it would be a nice gesture to also include Cricket. That would be a great acknowledgement of the worldwide sports community.
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Of course, including Cricket in a game as popular asNintendo Switch Sportsmay also be beneficial for the sport at large. Since the game is not as popular in places like America and Japan, perhaps the game’s marketability could increase overseas by including it in a Nintendo game.
1Yoga
Of course,Nintendo Switch Sportsis a spiritual successor to Nintendo’s Wii titles such asWii Sportsand its sequels. However, it could also contain a lovely tribute toWii Fit, the title that became the sixth best-selling game on the console. This series was even popular enough to inspireaSuper Smash Broscharacter in Wii Fit Trainer.
It’s likely that video game fans, especiallySmash Brosfans, would enjoy seeing the Wii Fit Trainer make a comeback outside the battlefield. Getting to calmly learn yoga techniques from the charismatic, white-eyed character would be nostalgic, to say the least. Perhaps it would even inspire future movesets for the character inSmash.
