As a whole, not a lot of Nintendo's core Wii games have made their way to the Switch, and it's not hard to see why. Wii games often defined themselves by a heavy emphasis on motion controls, which have largely fallen out of favor in the game industry. However, the Switch still has motion-sensing capabilities and has motion control elements in games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and 1-2-Switch. In other words, the Switch is still perfectly capable of supporting games like Wii Sports Resort, the beloved sequel to Wii Sports that greatly expanded the Mii-centric franchise's roster of sports.
To date, Wii Sports Resort is one of the Wii's best-selling games, moving more than 30 million copies in its lifetime. At launch, it received highly positive reviews from players and critics alike thanks to its motion control improvements and its long list of fun new game categories, including Swordplay, Air Sports, and Archery. Considering how strong Wii Sports Resort was as a Wii title, it's surprising that Nintendo didn't elect to make a direct sequel, opting for spinoffs instead. Although the age of the Wii may be over, the Switch does still have the necessary tools to support a Sports Resort sequel, and signs suggest that Nintendo might still be interested in making a Mii game like this one.
Why Sports Resort 2 is Plausible
The Switch's design actually makes it a perfect platform for a Wii Sports Resort successor. Joy-Cons can be used as motion controllers comparable to Wiimotes, so Nintendo could still craft motion-heavy game modes like Swordplay. Since they're so easy to detach from the Switch and hand off to a friend, Joy-Cons are also great for the multiplayer-focused spirit of Wii Sports Resort. Although the Switch Lite doesn't have detachable Joy-Cons, a Sports Resort game for the Switch could also offer button controls for its motion control games, building on the success of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD's button controls.
Aside from the Switch's hardware, some of Nintendo's recent usage of Miis suggests that it's still open to making Mii games. Some significant Switch games like Super Mario Maker 2 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate make use of Miis as player avatars or playable characters, and a Switch user can use a Mii in their profile picture. Perhaps more importantly, Nintendo and Grezzo recently ported 3DS Mii RPG Miitopia to the Switch, and it turned out to be significantly more successful on Switch than 3DS. Nintendo has kept Miis alive, in spite of their inherent ties to the long-retired Wii, meaning it might be interested in releasing new games starring Miis in the future.
Wii Sports Resort 2 Could Succeed
Even beyond the Switch's motion controls and Mii content, Wii Sports Resort 2 on the Switch could happen purely because Nintendo likes to deal in nostalgia, and it knows fans like to be nostalgic too. Nintendo Switch Online's game library being filled with NES and SNES titles is solid evidence of Nintendo's reverence for its classics. At more than 12 years old, and with its home console well in the rearview mirror, Wii Sports Resort gives fans plenty of cause to get nostalgic. It's a landmark game from Nintendo's best-selling console to date.
After the overwhelming success of Miitopia's Switch port, it should be interesting to see how Nintendo handles Miis on non-Wii consoles. A Wii Sports Resort 2 sequel seems like the logical direction, given the positive reputation of the original game, but it could only be the start. Maybe Tomodachi Life will finally get a sequel, or maybe other multiplayer Wii titles like Wii Party will make unexpected comebacks. Out of all these games, though, Wii Sports Resort seems the best poised for a comeback thanks to the Switch's friendly stance on motion controls and the past success of Wii Sports Resort.
Wii Sports Resort released for Nintendo Wii in 2009.
