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Every Nintendo Switch Sports Game Ranked Worst To Best

As the belated successor to 2006's highly successful "Wii Sports," the all-new "Nintendo Switch Sports" for the titular hybrid console had a lot riding on it. After all, "Wii Sports" was a huge fan favorite for gamers and remains a huge source of nostalgia for the Nintendo faithful looking for more interactivity and fun out of the typically polarizing sports genre. Fortunately, since its release, it seems that critics have enjoyed the overall experience that "Nintendo Switch Sports" provides, with the general consensus being that the game and its six mini-game sports are truly a blast in a party setting.

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But with six games to choose from, many might wonder which ones will be most popular with their group of players and which ones aren't as enjoyable. Tennis and Bowling make their return from "Wii Sports," but there are a few new experiences for players to latch onto. Here are all six of them, definitively ranked!

Badminton

Badminton is the newest addition to Nintendo's latest party sports title. Badminton is a highly competitive sport that many see as a variation of similar racquet sports such as tennis. Unfortunately, this version of the popular game seems to have fallen quite short of its companions in "Nintendo Switch Sports."

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Reddit user CaspianX2 was heavily critical of the way badminton was implemented in the final product, while raising similar issues with Tennis. "What a disappointment," CaspianX2 wrote. "The motion controls are not at all accurate in this game, and much like the version of Tennis here, you can't control your movement." Caspian would go on to say that badminton's over-simplistic representation in "Nintendo Switch Sports" is "devoid of any nuance, skill, or actual fun."

In a review for The Verge, Ash Parrish was critical of the game's opaqueness when it came to teaching players how to improve in this sport. "[T]he game refuses to explain how to affect the direction or speed you may want," Parrish said of Badminton's controls. "You just swing your arm and hope." Adam Newell of Dot Esports was equally critical, comparing badminton in "Nintendo Switch Sports" unfavorably to Tennis.

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Tennis

One of three returning sports to the series, many would think that tennis would be a slam dunk for "Nintendo Switch Sports," as it was already a blast in "Wii Sports." Tennis seems to have lost a bit of its luster since its Nintendo debut in 2006, judging from feedback from players and some critics. In response to a megathread on Reddit aggregating all of the critical reviews for "Nintendo Switch Sports", u/speedism expressed disappointment with the mode in its current state. "Tennis is so empty and uninteresting," Speedism said before claiming that "Mario Tennis" was a superior title.

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Alex Olney of Nintendo Life also didn't seem too hot on the mode, similarly referring to "Mario Tennis" as the standard. "We don't really know what to think of Tennis; the concept is fine in theory but the execution feels a bit lifeless," Olney said. "It's similar to the Swing Mode in Mario Tennis Aces, except stripped back by several degrees." Olney went on to criticize the lack of variety when it came to hitting the ball, despite Nintendo advertising the game differently.

Volleyball

Volleyball seems to be a mixed bag for players. Some seem to love it, others seem to dislike it, and there is a surprising share of indifference on the side as well. Going back to their Reddit review of "Nintendo Switch Sports," Redditor u/CaspianX2 was lukewarm on Volleyball in the game. "This is a surprisingly decent version of the sport, and the variety given to it by having to alternately bump, set, spike, and block the ball keeps things interesting," the review said. However, the Reddit user was critical of the controls and the effectiveness of aiming one's shot. Ultimately, the review felt that the game was inconsistent, but still fun. Other commenters seemed to be split on the mini-game.

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Writing for Nintendo Life, Alex Olney was a bit more let down by the overall experience of Volleyball, with particular knocks against the speed of the game. Olney wrote, "The ball moves at a glacial pace to allow players to time their shots more easily which is laudable in its intent, but ends up making the entire game a slog."

Bowling

Getting into the more universally-liked entries, Bowling is next on the list. Returning from "Wii Sports," Bowling seems to be the same appreciated mode it was back in 2006. "As a full representation of the sport, Bowling is still one of Nintendo's stronger minigames in these collections," Adam Rosenberg of Mashable said in his review of the game. "It's enjoyable, and challenging enough mechanically that you'll need to really put some effort into mastering how to roll if you want to score a perfect game."

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Ash Parish of The Verge also appreciated the streamlined nature of Bowling in "Nintendo Switch Sports," writing, "Bowling was fun, if unremarkable, for the kids, but it ended up being one of the better games my partner and I enjoyed on our own." Parish also praised the mode for its trueness to the real-life sport. 

Writing for ComicBook.com, Marc Deschamps also gave bowling in "Nintendo Switch Spots" positive marks and said that the inclusion of obstacles in the mode made for a better and more exciting experience than its predecessor.

Soccer

Soccer is yet another game that wasn't featured in the original "Wii Sports" and makes its debut in "Nintendo Switch Sports." And thus far, the feedback on The Beautiful Game's implementation on the Switch seems to be resoundingly positive. Marc Deschamps of ComicBook.com considered soccer in "Nintendo Switch Sports" to be the best feature in the entire game and compared it favorably to that of "Rocket League."

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There were a few minute issues, but critics have been pleased overall with this mini-game. Writing for Dot Esports, Adam Newell said that soccer in "Nintendo Switch Sports" provides "chaotic fun with different ways to score goals and play once you get used to the somewhat confusing controls." Alex Olney of Nintendo Life also gave the mode a resoundingly positive review, referring to it by its native name of football. "Football is the most involved sport by far," Olney said. "It's a massively simplified and slowed-down affair compared to the real thing when it comes to movement, but it's a decently good time only improved by the various options for play."

Chambara

Of the three new games added to "Nintendo Switch Sports," Chambara is the absolute best. Based on sword fighting, the whole point of Chambara is to outwit one's opponent, break their defenses, and score a (non-lethal) hit. And judging by player and critical feedback, this seems to have been executed perfectly by Nintendo.

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Ash Parish praised Chambara in her review for The Verge. "Chambara was the uncontested champion of the six minigames," Parrish wrote. "Chambara is the most strategy-dependent minigame, and that's where most of its appeal lies." Writing for IGN, Colin Stevens also considered the mini-game to be the strongest mode that "Nintendo Switch Sports" had to offer. "Chambara's sword fighting produces the most intense bouts of the lineup," Stevens says. "Though the motion controls don't always feel perfectly accurate, the matches can result in memorable come-from-behind moments where you go from being on the defensive to moving in for the 'kill,' so to speak."

There's really not a loser in the bunch, but Chambara reigns supreme among the games in "Nintendo Switch Sports."

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