Nintendo Switch Reviews: Sports Games

Here’s the games I have reviewed so far on the Nintendo Switch in each genre, from best to worst. Note: If multiple games have the same score, they will be sorted alphabetically.

Sports Games (Baseball)

Game	Genre	Grade
MLB The Show 22	Sports (Baseball)	A-
tl;dr MLB The Show 22 is a top-notch simulation-style Baseball game, and while it may not have the same graphical prowess on Nintendo’s handheld as it does on other consoles, it still looks and plays great, with a lot of gameplay customization options. It could stand to be a bit more accessible, and it’s absurd how much memory card space you still need to devote to the game even if you have the physical version, but despite these flaws, this is still one of the best Baseball games on Nintendo Switch.
MLB The Show 23	Sports (Baseball)	A-
tl;dr MLB The Show 23 builds on what was already great in MLB The Show 22, making for yet another excellent Simulation-style Baseball game that’s both deep and highly accessible. The new Negro League mode is a great look back into an important cornerstone of the sport’s history, and while it doesn’t quite live up to its full potential, it’s still an excellent addition to the game. I should note that once again, the Nintendo Switch version of the game is a severe visual downgrade from other versions, but if you’re looking for a Baseball game on Nintendo’s handheld, this is definitely one of your best options.
MLB The Show 24	Sports (Baseball)	A-
tl;dr MLB The Show 24 doesn’t seem to change too much from last year’s entry in the series, but it is nevertheless still a truly superb baseball game that is both deep and also highly accessible. All of the graphical and performance issues of prior years’ versions on Nintendo Switch are still present here, and the game’s massive file size is a major consideration in both digital and physical versions of the game, but those whose only gaming platform is Nintendo Switch will still find this a fantastic baseball game.
Super Mega Baseball 3	Sports (Baseball)	A-
tl;dr Super Mega Baseball 3 improves on the previous game with a new franchise mode, customizable pennant races, various small gameplay improvements, and perhaps the best new feature: online cross-play, all while keeping the original game’s excellent deep but accessible family-friendly gameplay. If you’re looking for a baseball game on the Nintendo Switch, this is the one you want… just so long as you don’t mind the cartoony characters and lack of officially-licensed teams and players.
Super Mega Baseball 4	Sports (Baseball)	A-
tl;dr Super Mega Baseball 4 adds real-life retired pro players to its lineup, and makes a few other nice additions, but for the most part this is a game that doesn’t shake things up too much and simply provides us with yet another solid entry in a series known for its superb deep but accessible Baseball gameplay. The load times and aliasing on Nintendo Switch are disappointing, and those who own the prior game in the series may not find there to be quite enough new content here to make it worth an additional purchase, but players who want the best Baseball game on Nintendo Switch will nevertheless find this game to be a contender for that title.
Super Mega Baseball 2: Ultimate Edition	Sports (Baseball)	B+
tl;dr Super Mega Baseball 2 is a Baseball game with a cartoony appearance that hides robust gameplay that does a good job catering both to casual players as well as more serious fans of the sport, with good options and excellent support for multiplayer play both online and off. It doesn’t have the real-life license or teams, and you’re not likely to find strangers to play with online, but if you’re looking for a baseball game on the Nintendo Switch, this is the one to get.
WBSC eBaseball: Power Pros	Sports (Baseball)	B-
tl;dr WBSC eBaseball: Power Pros is a Baseball game with outright ugly low-poly chibi characters, but for a mere $1 this is still a pretty decent Baseball game, though not one that’s anywhere close to the reigning champs of the genre. Still, for those looking for a fun, cheap take on the sport on the Nintendo Switch, I think this is $1 well spent.
ACA NEOGEO 2020 Super Baseball	Sports (Baseball)	C+
tl;dr 2020 Super Baseball is a futuristic version of Baseball with some unusual rule differences that result in a game that’s unbalanced in favor of the fielding team at the start, then unbalanced in favor of the batting team toward the end of a game. It’s an odd take on the sport, and while it has its charm, it won’t appeal to everyone.
R.B.I. Baseball 21	Sports (Baseball)	C-
tl;dr R.B.I. Baseball 21 is a simulation of the sport that attempts to rejuvenate the series, but still ends up having major issues in every area, from its incredibly flawed and buggy graphics to its uninspired sound to its overly-simplified gameplay. It’s not a terrible game, and it’s sadly the best simulation-style baseball game on the Switch as of this writing… but only by default. If you can stomach cartoony characters and fake teams, I strongly urge you to consider the Super Mega Baseball series instead.
Baseball Club	Arcade / Sports (Baseball)	D+
tl;dr Baseball Club is a Baseball-themed Arcade-style game where players take turns as pitcher and batter for three throws of the ball each, trying to be the one to get the highest combined distance with their hits. It’s a game that was sadly built around aggressive monetization, and even if that monetization no longer exists, the hollow experience it created still does, with this release not even having multiplayer. At $10, this is a rip-off. Save your money up to get a better Baseball game instead.
Arcade Archives Vs. Baseball	Sports (Baseball)	D
tl;dr Vs. Baseball is Nintendo’s first take on the Sport, and by far the worst. By today’s standards this game is terrible, a fact made even worse by an insulting $8 price tag, which is even more insulting given that this same game is available on Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Entertainment System app. Do not buy this.
Cats Baseball	Board Game / Sports (Baseball)	D
tl;dr Cats Baseball is a Baseball-themed Board Game (or more accurately, Dice Game), where the pitcher and batter compete to out-predict each others’ moves. Unfortunately, this amounts to little more than a random game of paper-rock-scissors, with more randomness tossed in as the winner rolls a die that can randomly negate that win. Add in an unnecessary, disposable story about cat-people in a Hunger Games-inspired baseball-driven dystopia, and it’s clear that Cats Baseball had no coherent vision from the start. Don’t bother with this.

Sports Games (Basketball)

Game	Genre	Grade
Dunk Lords	Sports (Basketball)	B-
tl;dr Dunk Lords is a silly, arcadey 2-vs-2 take on Basketball that hearkens back to the days of NBA Jam. This game is a bit too fast-paced and frenetic, but for those with the patience to learn it (and the ability to process everything going on), there are some satisfyingly deep mechanics here that make for some excellent gameplay. If you’re looking for a frenetic version of the sport that places fast-paced action over realism, this game is well worth a look.
Street Basketball	Sports (Basketball)	C
tl;dr Street Basketball is a simplified, cartoony representation of the sport, but one that has some decent core gameplay, although elements of that gameplay are made unnecessarily complicated. Still, for a simple game of B-Ball, this game largely succeeds in what it sets out to do.
Basketball	Sports (Basketball)	F
tl;dr Basketball is bad in just about every way a game can be bad. Terrible graphics, horrible sound, bad controls, stupid AI that’s pathetically easy to beat, no multiplayer, and an insulting price tag. I strain to think of anything about this game that’s not terrible. Without a doubt one of the worst things I’ve seen on the eShop.

Sports Games (Boarding/Biking/Misc. “Extreme”)

Game	Genre	Grade
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2	Compilation / Sports (Skateboarding)	A-
tl;dr Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 is a superb Compilation and Remake of the first two highly-celebrated games in the Skateboarding series that updates their gameplay and combines them into one whole cohesive experience while retaining what made them so beloved in the first place. The Nintendo Switch version is a severe downgrade in both graphical fidelity and performance from the versions of the game on more powerful hardware, and if you can get one of those versions, I highly recommend it. However, this is still a very playable version of the game and is otherwise intact and feature-complete, including solid online play. If you’ve been waiting for a great Skateboarding game on Nintendo Switch, this is it.
OlliOlli World	Sports (Skateboarding)	B+
tl;dr OlliOlli World takes the Skateboarding Game series and improves on it in numerous ways, with much more accessible gameplay and an appealing new presentation style that makes this a fantastic entry in the genre that even those who didn’t care for earlier OlliOlli games might enjoy. If you have any interest in Skateboarding Games, this is definitely one worth trying.
Descenders	Offroad Bike Racing / Extreme Sports (Offroad Biking)	B
tl;dr Descenders is an Offroad Bike Racing game with Extreme Sports elements that has players speeding through randomly-generated environments and performing tricks, with gameplay that incorporates Roguelike elements to challenge the player to push themselves without taking too many risks. It’s a fantastic game, but the Nintendo Switch version has visuals that are heavily crippled in numerous ways. This version is still playable, but if you can get this game on any other platform, I recommend doing that instead.
Grand Mountain Adventure: Wonderlands	Open-World / Top-Down Sports (Skiing / Snowboarding)	B
tl;dr Grand Mountain Adventure is a Top-Down Open-World Skiing / Snowboarding game that has players exploring large open-area mountains and completing goals. The game’s presentation is wonderful, making exploring these mountains an excellent experience, though the frustrating controls and camera can make things frustrating at times. Still, despite these flaws, this is a wonderful Skiing and Snowboarding game, and one well worth playing.
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk	Sports (Xtreme) / Action-RPG	B-
tl;dr Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a mix of Xtreme Sports gameplay with Action-RPG elements that is clearly inspired by the Jet Set Radio series. Fans of that franchise will find a lot to like here, but players in general will likely be frustrated that the mostly-great Extreme Sports gameplay is unpolished and somewhat lacking, while the underbaked Action-RPG elements detract rather than add to the game. Overall, this is still a fairly unique game worth playing, but make no mistake, for everything done well here, it feels like you’ll find something else that’s flawed.
Snowboarding: The Next Phase	Sports (Snowboarding) / Arcade	C
tl;dr Snowboarding: The Next Phase is an Arcade-style Snowboarding game with a game design that’s far more limited and disposable than it needed to be. The game’s levels are over far too quickly, making for a bite-size experience that’s sufficient for what it’s aiming for, but ultimately disappointing.
Trail Boss BMX	Sports (“Extreme”)	C
tl;dr Trail Boss BMX is an Offroad Biking game where players try to avoid obstacles and stay on a bike path while taking jumps and performing tricks. There’s potential for some fun fast-paced gameplay here, but problematic controls and unclear level goals make for an unnecessarily frustrating experience.
Xtreme Sports	Compilation / Sports (“Xtreme” / Various)	C
tl;dr Xtreme Sports is a decent collection of “Xtreme Sports” minigames based on Skateboarding, Surfing, In-Line Skating, Street Luge, and Skyboarding. Unfortunately, they’re marred by a framing device that slows the game’s pacing to a crawl, and the extras added to this release don’t justify the $10 price tag for a game you could get on Nintendo 3DS for $4. This game may be worth a pickup when it goes on sale, but I wouldn’t recommend it otherwise.
Crayola Scoot	Sports (“Extreme”)	C-
tl;dr Crayola Scoot is an Extreme Sports scooter game that looks great and uses a fun, interesting color-splashing mechanic straight out of the Splatoon games. Unfortunately, the controls are terrible, and it kills the fun of the entire experience.
OlliOlli: Switch Stance	Compilation / Sports (Skateboarding)	C-
tl;dr OlliOlli: Switch Stance is a side-scrolling Skateboarding game with a retro look, a nice synthesized soundtrack, and gameplay and controls that are punishingly difficult and at times unresponsive to the point where I cannot see what everyone else loves about this game. However, regardless of what others think, I cannot in good conscience recommend this game.
The Ramp	Sports (Skateboarding)	C-
tl;dr The Ramp is a Skateboarding game that makes use of simple 3D visuals with an isometric viewpoint that brings to mind the Game Boy Advance Tony Hawk games. Unfortunately, this game’s controls are too limited and demanding, the levels are claustrophobically small, and the game is horribly lacking in content. There was a lot of potential in the idea this game had on offer, but there’s far too little here that actually builds on that idea. Just stick with Tony Hawk instead.
AXS	Sports (Snowboarding)	D
tl;dr AXS is a Snowboarding game with cel-shaded visuals, a cool-looking logo, and not much else going for it. Terrible controls, ugly pop-in, simple low-poly character models, and a slew of other problems make this game an extreme disappointment.

Sports Games (Bowling)

Game	Genre	Grade
Knock ‘Em Down! Bowling	Sports (Bowling) / Party Game	B-
tl;dr Knock ‘Em Down! Bowling is family-friendly Party-style bowling that channels the spirit of the Wii Sports bowling game surprisingly well, with some really solid party game modes and pretty good motion-control gameplay. The controls take a bit of getting used to, but on the whole this should make a fine addition to a party.
ACA NEOGEO League Bowling	Sports (Bowling)	C+
tl;dr League Bowling is a fast-paced but otherwise fairly straightforward Bowling game, which is surprising given the exaggerated cartoony characters and over-the-top presentation of the game. It’s also a bit bare-bones as Bowling games go. Not bad by any stretch, but unless you’re a Bowling enthusiast it may not keep your attention for very long.
Bowling	Sports (Bowling)	F
tl;dr Bowling is, like the name says, a Bowling game. However, the game has the ball behaving in wildly random ways, to the point that it makes this game unplayable. Do not buy it.

Sports Games (Dodgeball)

Game	Genre	Grade
Lethal League Blaze	Sports (Dodgeball) / Fighting Game / Party Game	B+
tl;dr Lethal League Blaze is a mishmash of genres that combines dodge ball with Fighting Game and Party Game elements to craft something truly unique, with a stylish cel-shaded presentation. It could do with more content, and I really wish the online servers weren’t deserted, but if you have a group of players on your couch to share this with, you’ll be in for a great time.
Knockout City	Sports (Dodgeball)	C+
tl;dr Knockout City is an online-focused team-based Dodgeball-inspired game, and it’s fairly unique and has a fantastic presentation. Unfortunately, it’s so chaotic that it’s hard to appreciate the nuances in its gameplay. It may be worth a look based purely on its novelty alone, but it’s not likely to be a game-changer.
Disco Dodgeball – Remix	First-Person Sports (Dodgeball)	C-
tl;dr Disco Dodgeball – Remix is a futuristic First-Person Dodgeball game where players play as a wheeled robot grabbing up and firing off balls at other robots. The theming here is nice, and there’s potential for multiplayer fun, but deserted online lobbies and the lack of local multiplayer beyond only two players robs this game of the main point of playing it, and somewhat difficult controls don’t help either. It’s not terrible, but if you’re looking for a Dodgeball game on Nintendo Switch, Knockout City is probably a better bet.

Sports Games (Exercise)

Game	Genre	Grade
Ring Fit Adventure	Sports (Exercise) / Action-RPG	A-
tl;dr Ring Fit Adventure is an Exercise game with light Action-RPG elements that has you plugging a pair of Joy-Cons into the included Ring-Con and leg strap accessories to use the motion-sensing abilities of the controllers to workout in various ways to assist on your adventure. The motion control here works surprisingly well, and the presentation is very good (annoying character voices aside), plus there’s a good selection of minigames here that are extremely creative and fun. I feel the game’s designers could have gone even farther to add game elements into the exercise bits, but overall this is a one of the best exercise games ever made, and well worth getting if you can find it at a reasonable price.
Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku	Boxing / Sports (Exercise) / Music-Rhythm	B-
tl;dr Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku combines the boxing-focused Exercise Application with the “Vocaloid” character and her friends, along with a soundtrack filled with Hatsune Miku’s music. And unlike the usual for the Fitness Boxing franchise, this time it’s not just voiceless covers, but the actual music. This fact puts this collaboration well above any of the other games in the Fitness Boxing series thus far, even if this is still more of an Exercise Application than an actual game – if you’re looking for something more like a game, you’re still better off with Ring Fit Adventure or Samba De Amigo: Party Central.
Fitness Boxing	Boxing / Sports (Exercise) / Music-Rhythm	C+
tl;dr Fitness Boxing is an Exercise game that has players using the motion controls of the Joy-Cons to deliver different types of punches in time with the beat of the music. This game is plagued with problems – it’s overpriced, the soundtrack is too small and too low in quality, the motion controls are terrible, and the game has zero interest in being an actual game. Yet despite all of these problems, it somehow still manages to deliver an entertaining experience and a good workout. If you’re looking for a decent exercise game on the Switch other than Ring Fit Adventure, this one does a decent job of it, despite its many, many flaws.
Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise	Boxing / Sports (Exercise) / Music-Rhythm	C+
tl;dr Fitness Boxing 2, like the first game, is an Exercise game that has players using the motion controls of the Joy-Cons to deliver different types of punches in time with the beat of the music. And like the first game, this game is plagued with problems – it’s overpriced, the soundtrack is too small and too low in quality, the motion controls are terrible, and the game has zero interest in being an actual game. Yet despite all of these problems, it somehow still manages to deliver an entertaining experience and a good workout. This sequel is only a marginal improvement over the first game, and Ring Fit is still the best Exercise game on the Switch right now, but those looking for a routine workout regimen still may find some use out of this.
Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer	Boxing / Sports (Exercise) / Music-Rhythm	C+
tl;dr Fitness Boxing 3 is the fifth entry in the Fitness Boxing series of Exercise Applications, and it is no closer to being a fun game than it was when the series started. In fact, in some ways this game is a step backward from Fitness Boxing feat. Hatsune Miku, since it returns to using crappy wordless synthesized covers of songs instead of actual music, and the new features and changes here don’t make up for that cheapskate move in a $50 game. Plus, it’s still hard to recommend these titles when actually enjoyable Exercise games like Ring Fit Adventure and Samba De Amigo: Party Central exist. I suggest getting one of those instead.
Let’s Get Fit	Sports (Exercise)	C+
tl;dr Let’s Get Fit is an Exercise Application that lets players customize the type of workout they want. This title doesn’t have the fun gamification of Ring Fit Adventure, the Joy-Con motion detection is sub-par, and the soundtrack doesn’t offer anything noteworthy. But even so, the ability to create your own custom workout still makes this a useful Application to design your own workout.
Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star	Boxing / Sports (Exercise) / Music-Rhythm	C
tl;dr Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star combines the boxing-focused Exercise Application with the classic (and let’s be honest, woefully dated) anime franchise, but does absolutely nothing to capitalize on this license, delivering the same tired gameplay, with music that’s far less enjoyable to exercise to. Unless you’re a major fan of the show, you’re better off with any of the other Fitness Boxing games, or ideally Ring Fit Adventure.
Jump Rope Challenge	Sports (Exercise)	C
tl;dr Jump Rope Challenge is a family-friendly free-to-play Fitness Game that has you using the Joy-Cons’ motion-controls to mimic the motion of jumping rope. This is a very simple game that doesn’t look to provide a challenge or any greater depth or purpose beyond giving players an entertaining way to get in a little exercise, and to that end it succeeds. There’s nothing truly mind-blowing here, but for the price of $0, it’s well worth downloading to give a try.
Just Dance 2021	Music-Rhythm / Sports (Exercise)	C
tl;dr Just Dance 2021 is a game that uses the Joy-Con’s gyroscopic motion-sensing controls (or your own phone’s gyroscopic motion-sensor) to have players imitate dance moves. The motion detection is not great, the options are lacking, and the way the game tries to shove its paid Just Dance Unlimited service down players’ throats is really disgusting. Dancing enthusiasts who like this game’s tracklist may find it enjoyable, but with these flaws it’s not a game I can give a high recommendation.
Just Dance 2022	Music-Rhythm / Sports (Exercise)	C
tl;dr Just Dance 2022 is a game that uses the Joy-Con’s gyroscopic motion-sensing controls (or your own phone’s gyroscopic motion-sensor) to have players imitate dance moves. The motion detection is not great, the options are lacking, and the way the game tries to shove its paid Just Dance Unlimited service down players’ throats is really disgusting. Dancing enthusiasts who like this game’s tracklist may find it enjoyable, but with these flaws it’s not a game I can give a high recommendation.
Yoga Master	Sports (Exercise)	C
tl;dr Yoga Master is an Exercise game that has players… well, doing yoga poses. The game is riddled with issues – confusing menus, poorly-explained options, instructors who want you to follow their movements while having you turn away from the screen, dubious motion control, a complete lack of actual game elements… yet despite these issues, this game still has some appeal as a calm, relaxed yoga-centric alternative to Ring Fit Adventure… albeit not one that holds a candle to that much better Exercise game.
Knockout Home Fitness	Boxing / Sports (Exercise) / Music-Rhythm	C-
tl;dr Knockout Home Fitness is an Exercise game that uses gyroscopic motion control to detect the player performing martial arts moves in much the same way as Fitness Boxing. Or to be more accurate, this game is Fitness Boxing, but without the licensed music, with fewer options, and with less-impressive visuals. In other words, there’s not really any reason to get this game when you can get one of the Fitness Boxing games instead (or even better, Ring Fit Adventure).

Sports Games (Fishing)

Game	Genre	Grade
Fishing Star World Tour	Sports (Fishing)	B
tl;dr Fishing Star World Tour is a Fishing game that takes a cartoony, arcadey approach to the genre. The visuals here are gorgeous, the game’s use of motion controls are superb, and the arcadey gameplay infuses catching and reeling in a fish with enough variety to keep it from getting stale too quickly. The only problem here (beyond the annoying sax music when reeling in a fish) is frustrating progression. Still, this is one of the best Fishing games on the Nintendo Switch, and well worth a look for anyone wanting a good Fishing game.
Fishing Vacation	Sports (Fishing) / Horror / Misc.	B-
tl;dr Fishing Vacation is a Fishing game with Horror elements designed to look like something created for the original Game Boy. If that mix of elements strike you as ill-suited to both a Fishing game and a Horror game, your suspicions are correct – this game doesn’t do either of those things well… but that’s also kinda’ the point. Rather than being about those, this game is all about creating a delightfully silly mood based on its eclectic clashing of disparate elements, and simply for this unique mood alone, I think this game is well worth its low $2 price tag.
Fishing Universe Simulator	Sports (Fishing)	C+
tl;dr Fishing Universe Simulator offers a wide variety of fish and fishing equipment, controls well, and looks good for a low-budget indie game. It’s just a shame it’s so repetitive.
Ultimate Fishing Simulator	Sports (Fishing)	C+
tl;dr Ultimate Fishing Simulator is a solid fishing game with some good but somewhat repetitive gameplay, plenty of variety, and good progression. It suffers from some ugly visuals, and a lack of proper explanation for its real-life fishing equipment, poor menu design, but if you can tolerate its flaws, you should find this to be a decent fishing experience.
Fishing Adventure	Sports (Fishing)	C
tl;dr Fishing Adventure is a Fishing game that delivers a fairly straightforward simulation of the sport, albeit one bogged down by repetition and tedious and slow game progression. It’s not terrible, but it’s not very good either.
Legendary Fishing	Sports (Fishing)	C
tl;dr Legendary Fishing is a Fishing game that supports decent but gimmicky motion control, as well as 4-player splitscreen play. The gameplay here is decent enough if a bit simple, and that simplicity combined with the 4-player splitscreen might make this a decent fishing-themed Party game, but the mechanics aren’t deep enough for those looking for a simulation of the sport, or something with lasting power.
Rapala Fishing: Pro Series	Sports (Fishing)	D+
tl;dr Rapala Fishing: Pro Series is a Fishing game that uses real-life equipment and has some good qualities, but the fishing gameplay itself feels random, lacks immersion, and just isn’t any fun. You have better options for fishing games on Nintendo Switch.
3D Arcade Fishing	Sports (Fishing) / Arcade	F
tl;dr 3D Arcade Fishing is a Fishing game so simple it’s outright boring, poorly-made and ugly, and overpriced to boot. You have multiple better options than this on Nintendo Switch.
GoFishing 3D	Sports (Fishing)	F
tl;dr GoFishing3D is a Fishing game that is one of the ugliest games I have ever seen running on the Nintendo Switch. However, even beyond the terrible presentation is the game’s joyless, repetitive, simple gameplay. There is no reason to buy this game no matter how low its sale price is, and those looking for a fun Fishing game on the Nintendo Switch are highly encouraged to look elsewhere.

Sports Games (Football)

Game	Genre	Grade
Football Heroes Turbo	Sports (Football)	B+
tl;dr Football Heroes Turbo is a silly, cartoony, arcadey game of Football that has players getting into fistfights and scoring money for good plays. It is also an absolute blast to play, and while it can get a bit chaotic at times (and the online lobbies are apparently empty), until the Switch sees a port of Madden, this may very well be the best football game on the console.
Retro Bowl	Sports (Football)	B-
tl;dr Retro Bowl is a Football game that evokes the look of the classic Tecmo Bowl, but offers its own unique gameplay that’s absolutely fantastic. It’s just a shame that this game is missing so much – the game won’t let you play defense, and doesn’t have multiplayer. However, despite these omissions, this is one of the best Football games on Nintendo Switch due to the fact that everything it does do, it does extremely well. Well, and also due to the lack of great alternatives on Nintendo Switch.
ACA NEOGEO Football Frenzy	Sports (Football)	C-
tl;dr Football Frenzy is a Football game that suffers from a rushed pacing and poor hit detection. Even on Nintendo Switch, you have better options than this.

Sports Games (Golf)

Game	Genre	Grade
What the Golf?	Sports (Golf) / Misc.	A-
tl;dr What the Golf? Is a family-friendly game that starts with the basic concept of golf and then re-works it and messes with its basic fundamentals in as many ways as possible. The result is a game with tons of variety, a great sense of humor, and a surprisingly fun multiplayer mode. Definitely worth a try even if you’re not a fan of golf.
A Little Golf Journey	Sports (Golf)	B+
tl;dr A Little Golf Journey is a simple, family-friendly Golf game that presents its courses as dioramas, and strips down the gameplay to its essentials. In doing so, it makes for a smooth, streamlined experience that’s free to explore new possibilities within the genre, hiding secrets in the game’s levels and giving us some excellent level design, all within a presentation that’s absolutely delightful. This isn’t the most realistic or technical Golf game out there, but it is by far one of the most enjoyable.
Golf Story	Sports (Golf)	B+
tl;dr Golf story is a golf game with RPG elements, a narrative story, and plenty of little diversions and golf-related challenges on the way. At its core it’s the same golf formula we’ve seen for decades, but adds enough on top of that to make it worthwhile for anyone interested in the genre.
Mini Golf & Pool Bundle	Compilation / Sports (Mini-Golf)	B
tl;dr Mini Golf & Pool Bundle is a Compilation containing Pocket Mini Golf 1 and 2, as well as Pocket Pool, all three games different takes on Mini-Golf (yes, even Pocket Pool). Two of these three games are good, and this bundle is an amazing value. Overall, this is a good bet if you’re wanting to pick up a few smaller Sports games on Nintendo Switch.
Pure Mini Golf	Sports (Mini-Golf)	B
tl;dr Pure Mini Golf is a simple, almost zen-like experience that takes Mini-Golf to its basics with a relaxing presentation and engaging gameplay, all for a low price of $4. I wish there were more content, and I want better control over the camera, but overall this is a delightful, relaxing game at a great price – I definitely recommend it.
Mario Golf: Super Rush	Sports (Golf)	B-
tl;dr Mario Golf: Super Rush is a cartoony game of Golf starring Mario and friends, with this entry in the series adding a new Adventure mode, a Speed Golf mode, and a Battle Golf mode. While the core golf gameplay here is good, many of the other elements of this game are poorly thought-out, flawed, or severely lacking content (still lacking even with free DLC adding more content post-launch). The result is a game that’s very good… and also a huge disappointment.
PGA Tour 2K21	Sports (Golf)	B-
tl;dr PGA Tour 2K21 looks to reinvigorate the simulation style of Golf game, and on balance I’d say it does a good job of that, although not without some extremely rough edges. The graphics on the Nintendo Switch are atrocious, and the game is horribly buggy, but if you can forgive these major flaws, you’ll find this to otherwise be a phenomenal golf game with great gameplay and plenty of options.
Pocket Mini Golf 2	Sports (Mini-Golf)	B-
tl;dr Pocket Mini Golf 2 is a Mini Golf game that improves on its predecessor quite a bit, fixing much of what was wrong in the prior game. Unfortunately, it also changes the controls, making them worse. However, despite this issue, this is still overall a good budget Mini-Golf game, and fans of this sort of game should find this to their liking.
Pocket Pool	Sports (Pool) / Sports (Mini-Golf)	B-
tl;dr Pocket Pool is a game that combines mechanics of Pool and Mini-Golf to make something quirky that’s sorta’ halfway between the two. It may not be what fans of Pool are expecting, and the game isn’t especially deep, but it’s an enjoyable if somewhat simple game that’s worth the low $4 price tag.
Golf Club Wasteland	Sports (Golf)	C+
tl;dr Golf Club Wasteland is a game that has players taking the role of a spacesuit-clad golfer playing through 2D Side-Scrolling courses in the post-apocalyptic ruins of Earth. The game’s social commentary is absolutely fantastic, bolstered by an in-game radio that gives an amusing look at the lives of humanity’s survivors. Unfortunately, the Golf gameplay is lacking by comparison, overly difficult and unforgiving, and too difficult to gauge where your shot will go. If you can tolerate these flaws, the excellent presentation and satire is more than worth giving this game a try, but this is not a game to get if your primary interest is the Golf itself.
Golfinite	Sports (Golf)	C+
tl;dr Golfinite a family-friendly Golf game that features courses with odd obstacles like wormholes and angry turtles. It’s a fun premise that’s built on top of solid Golf gameplay, but unfortunately this game adds so many barriers to enjoy it that it dulls the experience, from a terrible RPG-style progression system to the requirement to play multiple Golf minigames before you’re allowed to compete in the game’s campaign. Add to that a $13 price tag that’s asking far more than this game is worth, and this is a game Golf enthusiasts will want to avoid unless they catch it on a good sale.
nGolf	Sports (Mini-Golf)	C+
tl;dr nGolf is a Mini-Golf game that’s far too lacking in options and suffers from some control issues, making the normal $22 price absurdly high. Make no mistake, you are not getting a great deal when this game goes on sale for $2, but when it does that is a far more reasonable price for what’s on offer here, though you still have plenty of better options on Nintendo Switch.
Quick Golf	Sports (Golf)	C+
tl;dr Quick Golf is a side-scrolling Golf game with simple 1-Button controls that has you timing button presses to determine the angle and power of your shots. Unfortunately, the indicators don’t give you a good enough idea where your shots will go, the difficulty curve is too steep, and the lack of multiplayer really hurts here too. This isn’t a terrible game, but you have better options on Nintendo Switch.
Super Inefficient Golf	Sports (Mini Golf)	C+
tl;dr Super Inefficient Golf is a Mini-Golf game where players propel golf balls through courses with explosives rather than clubs. It’s a fun concept done well, but this game really could have used more content and features. Still, it’s fun while it lasts, and its relatively low price tag makes it worth a look for anyone interested in a Golf game that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
ACA NEOGEO Big Tournament Golf	Sports (Golf)	C-
tl;dr Big Tournament Golf, also known as Neo Turf Masters, is a Golf game with a lot of elements that have aged well, and one that has absolutely not – the lack of an accurate indication of how far your shot will go. The result is a game that’s just not very playable by today’s standards.
Crazy Zen Mini Golf	Sports (Mini Golf)	C-
tl;dr Crazy Zen Mini Golf is a Mini Golf game that makes use of an interesting system that allows you to exert limited control over the ball after hitting it. It has a terrible control scheme and suffers from nasty difficulty spikes and at times amateurish design, but there is some fun to be had here if you can overcome the game’s flaws and quirks.
Dog Gone Golfing	Sports (Golf)	C-
tl;dr Dog Gone Golfing is a side-view Golf game where players try to judge the trajectory of their shot. Unfortunately, actually doing so seems more about guesswork than skill due to a lack of indication just what angle your shot will head off in. Because of this, what would have been a mediocre Golf game turns into a frustrating one.
Pocket Mini Golf	Sports (Mini Golf)	C-
tl;dr Pocket Mini Golf is a Mini Golf game originally released to Smartphones, and its mobile design is very apparent here, both in its simple, satisfying gameplay, but also in its broken game progression designed around a microtransaction system that’s no longer present in the game. The result is a game with decent gameplay that’s too frustrating to provide more than a brief distraction.
Hentai Golf	Sports (Golf)	D
tl;dr Hentai Golf is a Golf game that tries to titillate with attractive anime-style girls, but there’s no nudity here, the Golf game is mediocre at best, and the publisher has been playing sleazy games with the price and multiple releases to try to sucker in customers. I suggest that instead of this you play an actual good Golf game, and if you want hentai I’m sure you can find plenty elsewhere on the internet. Don’t waste money on this trash.
The Golf	Sports (Golf)	D-
tl;dr The Golf is a Golf game that allows players to choose traditional controls or use the Joy-Con for motion controls… but the traditional controls are uninspired and boring, and the motion controls are about as broken as motion controls get. Add to that an absolutely terrible presentation, and you have a game that’s simply not worth playing.
Arcade Archives Golf	Sports (Golf)	F
tl;dr Golf is Nintendo’s first take on the Sport, and by far the worst. By today’s standards this game is virtually unplayable, a fact made even worse by an insulting $8 price tag. Do not buy this.

Sports Games (Horse Racing)

Game	Genre	Grade
Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!	Card Game (Solitaire) / Sports (Horse Racing)	B
tl;dr Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! is a remake of the Nintendo 3DS game that blends together the two very different genres of Solitaire Card Games and Horse Racing, yet it oddly manages to work surprisingly well, with new options and features and a new presentation that make this the best version of the game released thus far. It’s not likely to appeal to everyone, but for players who enjoy Card Games and crave something out of the norm, this is one horse well worth betting on.
ACA NEOGEO Stakes Winner	Sports (Horse Racing)	D-
tl;dr Stakes Winner is a Horse Racing game, and while there’s clearly some strategy behind proper use of your horse whip and positioning on the track, that strategy is not clear, resulting in gameplay that’s frustrating and overall feels pointless. Skip this one.
ACA NEOGEO Stakes Winner 2	Sports (Horse Racing)	D-
tl;dr Stakes Winner 2 is a Horse Racing game, and much like the previous game, while there’s clearly some strategy behind proper use of your horse whip and positioning on the track, that strategy is not clear, resulting in gameplay that’s frustrating and overall feels pointless. Skip this one.

Sports Games (Pool/Snooker)

Game	Genre	Grade
Pure Pool	Sports (Pool)	A-
tl;dr Pure Pool is quite possibly the best game of Pool I have ever played that didn’t involve picking up a real cue. This game looks absolutely gorgeous, sounds great, plays great, has plenty of content. There are a few areas where I could nitpick – it doesn’t have motion controls, could have used more tutorial content, and players should have been given more control over the camera. But even with these minor issues, this is still an absolutely phenomenal game of Pool at a fantastic price.
Pool Blitz	Sports (Pool)	B+
tl;dr Pool Blitz is a free-to-play Pool game that offers surprising quality given the free price tag. The monetization here is pretty gross, but if you can tolerate that, I think you’ll find this to be a solid game of Pool, and the game’s signature Blitz mode is a fast-paced and frenetic delight that’s worth checking out in its own right. This game is absolutely one you’ll want to try if you’re even mildly interested in Pool.
Multiversepool	Sports (Pool)	B
tl;dr Multiversepool is a cartoony, spacey-themed version of Pool with a sub-par presentation, a camera that could do with improvement, and optional motion-controls that are gimmicky and not worth bothering with. However, while it’s far from perfect, this is still a respectable Pool game that’s well worth the low $3.50 price tag.
Pocket Pool	Sports (Pool) / Sports (Mini-Golf)	B-
tl;dr Pocket Pool is a game that combines mechanics of Pool and Mini-Golf to make something quirky that’s sorta’ halfway between the two. It may not be what fans of Pool are expecting, and the game isn’t especially deep, but it’s an enjoyable if somewhat simple game that’s worth the low $4 price tag.
Pool Fever	Sports (Pool)	C+
tl;dr Pool Fever is a stripped-down bare-bones version of 8-Ball, and while its core gameplay is still fun, it’s hard to recommend when you could spend a bit more to get Pure Pool, which includes multiple different game variants and is just all-around a far better game. Unless you need to get your Pool fix in and you can only scrape together $5, skip this game.
Snooker Fever	Sports (Snooker)	C+
tl;dr Snooker Fever is a stripped-down bare-bones version of Snooker, and while its core gameplay is still fun, it’s hard to recommend when you could spend a bit more to get Pure Pool, which includes Snooker and is just all-around a far better game. Unless you need to get your Snooker fix in and you can only scrape together $5, skip this game.
Pool Billiard	Sports (Pool)	C
tl;dr Pool Billiard is a competent but lackluster game of Pool. It gets the job done, but doesn’t do anything more than that. Don’t expect the motion controls to set this game apart, either – they’re tacked-on and do little to convey the experience of a real game of pool.
Snooker Blitz	Sports (Snooker)	C
tl;dr Snooker Blitz is a version of Snooker with core gameplay that’s pretty good, the monetization, pay-to-win and wait mechanics really suck the fun out of this game. I strongly recommend you get Pure Pool instead – it may not be free, but it includes Snooker and is just all-around a far better game. Unless you absolutely refuse to spend money, skip this game.
Pool Together	Sports (Pool)	C-
tl;dr Pool Together is a simple, bare-bones game of Pool for only $5. The laid-back, minimalist presentation is nice, and the gameplay is mostly decent, but the lack of options, including a lack of multiplayer options, as well as inconsistent physics, make it hard to recommend this game over other options on the Nintendo Switch.
Pool	Sports (Pool)	D
tl;dr Pool is the most bare-bones a representation of the sport possible. It controls fine, but lacks any sort of nuance, and there are zero options here. It might be a decent distraction, but not at the absurd price of $10 it’s being sold for.
Pool Pro Gold	Sports (Pool)	F
tl;dr Pool Pro Gold is an absolute terrible mess of a Pool game, with broken controls, a terrible lack of options, and all the hallmarks of a lazy port from the mobile platform. Do not waste your money on this trash.

Sports Games (Soccer)

Game	Genre	Grade
Rocket League	Racing / Sports (Soccer / Basketball / Hockey / Misc.)	A
tl;dr Rocket League has players using cars to play soccer, hockey, and basketball, and it is an absolute blast to play. It still runs smoothly on the Switch, albeit with reduced resolution, and it’s loaded with options and a wealth of multiplayer features. What’s more, the change to free-to-play has made it even easier to take the plunge, as it not only removes the entry fee and the need to subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online for online play, but it actually has less monetization now than when I first reviewed it. Unless you have this game on another platform, you absolutely should have it on your Nintendo Switch.
Mario Strikers: Battle League	Sports (Soccer)	B
tl;dr Mario Strikers: Battle League is a Soccer game starring Mario and friends that has a wild presentation, a fantastic metal-infused soundtrack, and solid gameplay. Underneath all the flash and substance is somewhat lacking variety, but other than that this is an excellent game of Soccer.
Behold the Kickmen	Sports (Soccer)	B-
tl;dr Behold the Kickmen is a Soccer game that proudly announces it was made by someone who doesn’t know how soccer is played, and the result is a game that is not only a hilarious satire of the sport, but also an excellent spiritual representation of that sport (albeit one that is full of inaccuracies), with some excellent core gameplay. It’s just a shame that a few flaws keep it from being an even better game – namely, its underwhelming visuals and its complete lack of any sort of multiplayer. Still, even with these issues, this game is more than worth its $4 price tag. If you’re a Soccer fan who won’t mind a riff on the sport, definitely check this one out.
Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions	Sports (Soccer)	B-
tl;dr Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is a Soccer game based on the long-running manga and anime franchise. This game looks, sounds, and has the same general feeling of the anime that inspired it, and the gameplay is good too, though it’s too complex for its outlandish over-the-top style. The lack of opponents online is also disappointing. However, even with these flaws, this is still an excellent game of Soccer, and fans of the sport would do well to seek it out.
Doggie Ninja The Burning Strikers	Sports (Soccer)	C+
tl;dr Doggie Ninja The Burning Strikers is a family-friendly, cutesey, simplified version of the sport that has players kicking the ball around as chibi-ified dog ninjas. The gameplay here is actually really fun, and well worth playing in 4-player mode. Unfortunately, you won’t want to play without company, because the AI players are absolutely terrible. There’s also a disappointing lack of content. However, if you’re looking for a simple Soccer game to play with three friends, this is still definitely worth a look.
Football Mini Stars	Sports (Soccer)	C
tl;dr Football Mini Stars is a Soccer game that has players playing as diminutive soccer players as they take on soccer-themed minigames and full soccer matches. While many of the minigames are enjoyable, and the core mechanics of the soccer matches are good, a few minigames are outright terrible, and the soccer matches suffer from delayed controls and a lack of multiplayer. Despite the potential this game had and its low $3 price tag, it’s hard to recommend the game with these issues.
Pixel Cup Soccer – Ultimate Edition	Sports (Soccer)	C
tl;dr Pixel Cup Soccer is a take on the sport that makes use of retro-style visuals with some nice modern touches like real-time shadows and confetti effects, and some solid sound design. Unfortunately, the gameplay is nowhere near as refined as the presentation, with multiple issues that make things far too chaotic to be especially enjoyable. This isn’t a terrible Soccer game, but it’s definitely not a great one.
Strange Field Football	Sports (Soccer)	C-
tl;dr Strange Field Football is a 2D pixel art take on Soccer that seems inspired by the Kunio-Kun franchise, and while it gets some elements of the basic gameplay right, the game still runs into problems with movement and a lack of content and options. It’s not a terrible take on the sport, but you have better options out there.
Football Cup 2022	Sports (Soccer)	D+
tl;dr Football Cup 2022 is a Soccer game that clearly shows its mobile roots, with a terrible presentation, and clear signs of predatory monetization that has been stripped out of this release of the game. Even so, the core gameplay here is quite good, and the abundance of Soccer-themed minigames and tutorial content brings a lot of variety to this package. Unfortunately, it’s all pointless – the AI opponents are absolute pushovers, and there’s no multiplayer, meaning there’s no challenge to be found here. This could have been a hidden gem of a Soccer game, but instead it’s a disappointment.
16-Bit Soccer	Sports (Soccer)	D
tl;dr 16-Bit Soccer is a dull and uninspired game of Soccer. It technically works, but there’s nothing about it that’s really worth playing.
Arcade Archives Soccer	Sports (Soccer)	D
tl;dr Soccer is Nintendo’s first take on the Sport, and by far the worst. By today’s standards this game is terrible, a fact made even worse by an insulting $8 price tag, which is even more insulting given that this same game is available on Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Entertainment System app. Do not buy this.
Super Arcade Soccer	Sports (Soccer)	D
tl;dr Super Arcade Soccer is a Soccer game with terrible graphics, busted gameplay, and broken game menus. Do not waste your money on this.
World Class Champion Soccer	Arcade / Sports (Soccer)	D
tl;dr World Class Champion Soccer is a pair of Soccer-themed Arcade-style minigames that forces you to play the game using a touchscreen. The visuals are ugly, neither of the games are good, and the game forces you to wait for other players to join even though it’s entirely a single-player game. Do not buy this deflated joke of a game.
World Soccer	Sports (Soccer)	D
tl;dr World Soccer is a terrible Soccer game. Bad graphics, bad sound, bad AI, bad controls… this game gets pretty much nothing right. Do not buy it.

Sports Games (Tennis)

Game	Genre	Grade
Super Tennis Blast	Sports (Tennis)	B+
tl;dr Super Tennis Blast is a family-friendly, slightly-cartoony tennis game with wonderful gameplay and plenty of great content and options. The visuals are simple, the animation is ugly, and the game lacks motion controls and online play, but everything else is so top-notch that those flaws are easily forgiven. Without a doubt one of the best Tennis games on the Nintendo Switch.
Instant Tennis	Sports (Tennis)	B
tl;dr Instant Tennis is a cartoony, family-friendly Tennis game that offers multiple ways to play – both with traditional and motion-control, and surprisingly they’re all pretty good. The presentation is a bit plain and the game is bare-bones when it comes to content, but if you’re looking for solid Tennis gameplay well-suited to all types of players, Instant Tennis absolutely delivers.
Tennis 1920s	Sports (Tennis)	B-
tl;dr Tennis 1920s (first released on mobile devices as World of Tennis: Roaring ’20s) is a free-to-play Tennis game inexplicably set in the 1920s. The game lacks polish, has buggy menus, is missing multiplayer play, and the unusual controls take some getting used to, but once you do get used to them, this is a surprisingly enjoyable Tennis game, and you can even do away with most of the microtransactions with a one-time $9 purchase. At the very least, fans of Tennis games should definitely try it out for free to see if it’s to their liking.
Instant Sports Tennis	Sports (Tennis)	C+
tl;dr Instant Sports Tennis is a family-friendly and cartoony Tennis game that offers players good options for both traditional controls as well as motion controls, and both options are pretty good. Unfortunately, the gameplay is otherwise extremely shallow, making this game hard to recommend to anyone other than young children.
Mario Tennis Aces	Sports (Tennis)	C-
tl;dr Mario Tennis Aces is the latest in Nintendo’s arcadey Tennis game series. Unfortunately, this game is really uneven, with a lot of rough edges, some questionable gameplay choices, and it ultimately just isn’t as fun or well-crafted as earlier games in the series. Disappointing.
Slice of Life	Sports (Tennis)	D+
tl;dr Slice of Life is a Tennis game with RPG elements that has players building relationships with a colorful cast of characters while managing their schedule and Tennis training regimen. Unfortunately, while the presentation is good and a lot of the ideas in use here hold a lot of potential, it’s hard to get past the fact that the actual Tennis game at the center of all of this is terrible, suffering from numerous issues. Despite how good this game looks, I cannot recommend it.
Super Club Tennis	Sports (Tennis)	D+
tl;dr Super Club Tennis is a cartoony Tennis game that offers a nice collection of unlockable tennis minigames, and may have had potential to be a worthwhile tennis game, but terrible controls that rob the player of utility make this a game that simply isn’t fun to play even with all that extra content.
Tennis Open 2020	Sports (Tennis)	D+
tl;dr Tennis Open 2020 is a game that has the appearance of a serious Tennis simulation, but the gameplay is shallow with limited control, the presentation only puts on the facade of a genuine simulation of the sport, and the terrible game structure is clearly designed around the microtransactions of the mobile game it was ported from. In short, don’t be fooled into getting this Tennis game.
Tennis World Tour	Sports (Tennis)	D+
tl;dr Tennis World Tour aims to be a simulation of the sport, and while it has a campaign mode with some interesting ideas, it’s done in by shoddy and unreliable gameplay and a horrible presentation. Oh, and the online lobby is a ghost town too. Largely a disappointment.
Arcade Archives Vs. Tennis	Sports (Tennis)	D
tl;dr Vs. Tennis is Nintendo’s first take on the Sport, and by far the worst. By today’s standards this game is terrible, a fact made even worse by an insulting $8 price tag, which is even more insulting given that this same game is available on Nintendo Switch Online’s Nintendo Entertainment System app. Do not buy this.
Timber Tennis Versus	Sports (Tennis) / Arcade	D
tl;dr Timber Tennis Versus is an Arcade-style Tennis game where players move back and forth across five columns to automatically hit the ball. The gameplay here is shallow and frustrating, and the presentation is ugly and annoying. Don’t bother.
Casual Sport Series: Tennis	Sports (Tennis)	F
tl;dr Casual Sports Series: Tennis aims to provide an accessible and inexpensive Tennis game, but the accessibility is somewhat suspect with the game having players making five different shot types. However, the real deal-breaker here is that the game doesn’t even register your shots half the time. The result is a game that has many fine qualities, but is ultimately unplayable.
Tennis Go	Sports (Tennis)	F
tl;dr Tennis Go is a Tennis game that gets absolutely nothing right. Terrible graphics, unresponsive controls, a complete lack of features, and the game doesn’t even seem to understand how tennis is actually played. Do not buy this game, it’s trash.

Sports Games (Multiple)

Game	Genre	Grade
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics	Compilation / Card Games / Board Games / Sports / Misc.	B+
tl;dr Clubhouse Games is a family-friendly Compilation of 51 various games (plus a piano toy software) ranging from time-honored classic card and board games to simple sports and arcade games. While most of the individual games are pretty feature-poor, there is a massive amount of content here, and most of it plays well and is excellently-presented. There are even a few delightful surprises here as well. Add in good local competitive play for two players and decent online play, and you have a superb game collection well worth owning.
Nintendo Switch Sports	Compilation / Sports (Various)	B+
tl;dr Nintendo Switch Sports is a worthy successor to the Wii Sports franchise, with excellent versions of Bowling, Chambara (swordfighting), Golf, and Soccer, decent versions of Tennis and Volleyball, and a terrible version of Badminton. The game is colorful and polished, the sports are fun and accessible, and the online play works great. This game doesn’t do much to evolve this series, but it is a well-rounded and highly enjoyable entry in the series nonetheless.
Wrestledunk Sports	Sports (Various) / Platformer / Party Game	B
tl;dr Wrestledunk Sports is a family-friendly Sports-themed multiplayer-focused Platformer and Party Game with five simplified “sports” (both real and fictional): Wrestling, fencing, volleyball, “smashball”, and “megatonk”. These are all fairly simple, yet a surprising amount of fun. This collection could have used even more games, and it has less potential now that the online lobbies are empty, but this is still an excellent Party Game worth adding to your party game playlist.
Instant Sports	Compilation / Sports (Various)	C
tl;dr Instant Sports is a family-friendly Compilation of various motion-controlled Sports games that aims to be a replacement for Wii Sports on Nintendo Switch. The bowling game here manages this fairly well, but everything else ranges from fun but shallow to poorly-conceived to outright lazy. Certainly a few of the games here are worth playing, but this is a highly-unbalanced package that just doesn’t measure up to its inspiration.
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – The Official Videogame	Compilation / Sports (Various) / Minigame Collection	C
tl;dr Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is a family-friendly Compilation of 18 different Minigames based on various Summer Olympics sports. Both the presentation and the games themselves are very uneven here – the character designs look great (but childish), but the environments are mostly unimpressive. The multiplayer potential here is strong, but the game inexplicably only supports 2 players locally. And games like Tennis and Volleyball had a lot of potential, but suffer from a lack of depth and variety, likely due to time having to be devoted to obligatory sports like all the running and swimming events. Overall, this entire game is a mix of good and bad elements, and while it certainly has its bright spots, its flaws make it difficult to recommend.
Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle	Compilation / Arcade Brawler / Sports (Various)	C-
tl;dr Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle is a compilation of 14-18 games (depending on how you count) in these respective franchises, largely in the Arcade Brawler genre along with various Sports games, all originally released on the Nintendo Entertainment System and Famicom. Unfortunately, most of the games here are fundamentally flawed in some way, and the best games in this collection are already available in the Nintendo Switch Online NES app, or able to be purchased separately. As a result, only the most dedicated series fans should bother with this package.
Instant Sports All-Stars	Sports (Various) / Party Game	C-
tl;dr Instant Sports All-Stars is a Sports-themed Party Game with 27 Sports-themed minigames… sorta’. It’s a stretch to call a few of these Sports, and many of the games here are copies of other games in the bundle, making it far less varied than that number seems. What’s more, nearly all the minigames are pretty mediocre. The result is a Party Game you won’t want to bring to a party of even the most enthusiastic sports fans.
LocO-Sports	Compilation / Sports (Various) / Minigame Collection	D-
tl;dr LocO-Sports is an Compilation of 10 Summer Olympics-style Sports-themed minigames. Unfortunately, the game looks ugly and amateurish, and the gameplay is so simple that all the minigames blend into one another. Don’t buy this game.

Sports Games (Other)

Game	Genre	Grade
Disc Jam	Sports (Frisbee)	B+
tl;dr Disc Jam is a team-based competitive Frisbee game where players try to score goals with a similar structure to Tennis. There’s a bit of a learning curve to getting the hang of the controls and timing, and the online lobbies are empty, but once you adjust for those issues, this game is an absolute blast.
Windjammers	Sports (Frisbee)	B
tl;dr Windjammers is a competitive 1v1 sports game with discs that plays somewhat like Pong. Originally released in arcades and on the NEOGEO in 1994, the game holds up well today, and the addition of online play is a good compliment to this style of gameplay.
Kraken Smash: Volleyball	Sports (Volleyball) / Platformer / Party Game	B-
tl;dr Kraken Smash: Volleyball is a family-friendly side-view Volleyball game that’s simple and fun in multiplayer. It’s sorely lacking in game modes and options, but for only $5 that’s somewhat forgivable. This is a good addition to your Party Game rotation, though you might want to consider spending more to get the similar and much more varied Wrestledunk Sports.
Dino Galaxy Tennis	Sports (Pong)	C+
tl;dr Dino Galaxy Tennis is a game of Pong featuring spacefaring dinosaurs with jetpacks. This makes for an original take on Pong with some good variety and interesting mechanics, though the game’s control issues can be frustrating.
Hyper Gunsport	Arcade / Sports (Misc.)	C+
tl;dr Hyper Gunsport is an Arcade-style game with strong Sports elements that has players in 2v2 matches in a futuristic sport like tennis or volleyball where players hit the ball back and forth by shooting the ball with guns. It’s a fun premise, and the futuristic presentation is great, but the gameplay mechanics leave something to be desired.
Roller Champions	Sports (Roller Derby)	C+
tl;dr Roller Champions is a free-to-play online multiplayer-focused 3v3 Roller Derby game where players need to make a circuit of the arena and toss a ball in a hoop to score before they get tackled by the opposing team. There is some genuinely fun gameplay here, but it’s marred by some frustrating gameplay issues, some nasty performance issues, a lack of variety, glacial progression, and the simple reality that unless you get together your own team, you’ll frequently be paired with players who have no concept of “teamwork”. It’s still worth a look if you’re curious to try a unique and fast-paced Sports game, but its frustrations make it a much worse game than it could have been.
Super Volley Blast	Sports (Volleyball)	C+
tl;dr Super Volley Blast is a family-friendly, slightly-cartoony volleyball game with a good tutorial, some good options, and mostly solid gameplay. Unfortunately, the way hit detection becomes atrocious the minute your character jumps brings down what would otherwise be a solid entry in the genre. Fans of Volleyball on Nintendo Switch may still want to give it a look, but casual players are better off looking for something else.
Arcade Archives Roller Jammer	Sports (Roller Derby)	C
tl;dr Roller Jammer is a Roller Derby-inspired game that combines faux 3D Racing Game gameplay with a goal of bashing your way past a set number of opponents in a limited amount of time. It’s unique and plays reasonably well, but gets repetitive far too quickly. Not bad, but not quite a “hidden gem” either.
Arcade Archives Water Ski	Sports (Water Skiing)	C-
tl;dr Water Ski is a game where players try to race through a course while avoiding obstacles. This is a huge improvement over Alpine Ski, but still suffers from control issues that make this game far too frustrating to recommend.
eCrossminton	Sports (Crossminton)	C-
tl;dr eCrossminton is a game that simulates an obscure sport, Crossminton. The core gameplay here is solid, but the graphics are terrible, the AI is atrocious, and there’s no online play. If you can find friends willing to play with you locally, this game can still be fun, but very few will likely want to bother with that when they can just find a decent Tennis game instead.
Omega Strikers	Sports (Misc.)	C-
tl;dr Omega Strikers is a free-to-play Sports game that’s sorta’ like an Arcade-style take on Hockey. The premise is sound and the presentation is good, but the gameplay is somehow both messy and frenetic and also far too slow, and it looks like you’ll likely just end up playing your games with rooms full of bots. This isn’t a terrible game, but it just doesn’t seem very compelling, especially when Rocket League is also free and offers a more fast-paced team Sports game option.
Skee-Ball	Sports (Skee-Ball)	D+
tl;dr Skee-Ball is the videogame version of the classic amusement park game, with both digital and motion controls. However, the motion controls are busted, and the digital controls sap all the visceral fun out of the game. What’s more, while there’s plenty of content here, most of that is gated behind unlocks that require grinding, and neither the content nor the game as a whole is worth that kind of hassle.
Arcade Archives Alpine Ski	Sports (Skiing)	D
tl;dr Alpine Ski is a game where players try to race through a ski course while avoiding obstacles. This game has a strict time limit and terrible controls, which adds up to a game that is simply not fun to play.
FootGoal! Tiki Taka	Sports (Foosball)	D
tl;dr FootGoal! Is a game that seeks to replicate the experience of playing Foosball. It works, but not especially well – Foosball is a shallow game to begin with, and FootGoal! Adds to that a limited control scheme, a lack of options, and a bad presentation. You’re better off finding a place to play the real thing than you are playing this.
Pocket Foosball	Sports (Foosball)	D
tl;dr Pocket Foosball is a version of the Sport with poor controls, ugly graphics, and little in the way of options. There’s no real skill or nuance to be found here. You’re better off skipping this game entirely, or if you really need to play Foosball, just find a real table.
Air Hockey	Sports (Air Hockey)	F
tl;dr Air Hockey is an abysmal simulation of the sport, with a horrible presentation, sparse features, and controls so laggy it defeats the purpose of playing the game. Do not buy this game.
Darts	Sports (Darts)	F
tl;dr Darts is a simple rendition of the Sport with controls so terrible that it’s virtually impossible to aim properly, a horrible lack of options and game modes, and an insulting $10 price tag. Do not buy this game.
Pets No More	Arcade / Sports (Pong)	F
tl;dr Pets No More is a Pong-style Arcade game featuring zombie pets. While the presentation may hold appeal for some players, the gameplay here is absolutely broken, with terrible physics, poor controls, horrendous input lag, and multiple other issues that sap the fun out of a simple game. Even if you’re just looking for some simple, dumb multiplayer fun, this game is not worth your time or money.

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