Redmond, Washington - Nintendo Switch Sports finally released on Friday, and TAG24 gave it a spin to let you know whether it actually lives up to the hype – and the $40 price tag.

Expectations are high every time a new Nintendo release is coming up. Since its first console back in 1960, the company has always been an innovator in the gaming world. Sure, some experiments don't always work out, like the Wii U, but the ambition is always there and admirable as hell.

So when the game Wii Sports was released back in 2006 at launch with the original Wii console, it was a clear demonstration of just how creative Nintendo can be. The concept of motion controls was new territory, and implementing it into a sports game as well as they did was unique and fun. It felt as though the future of gaming was coming and Nintendo was leader of the pack.

There have been plenty of copy cats and imitations over the years with rival companies, like Sony and Microsoft, creating their own motion controllers and games that will have you accidentally hitting your grandma in the face while swinging the controllers around in your living room.

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Fast-forward to 2022, and we finally get what is supposed to be a third installment in the Wii sports franchise, now on a new generation console. Nintendo fans have been rubbing their hands and understandably so. Wii Sports Resort from 2009 was the last game in the franchise, so it makes sense that fans would expect big things from a new installment that's been a long time coming.

With so much hype and anticipation around its release, does Nintendo show us that they still have what it takes to create mind-blowing innovation?

Nintendo calls Switch Sports a sequel, and in being so, you would expect it would take what worked well in the previous games and simply build on it, creating something that feels fresh and new, yet also familiar.

That, unfortunately, is not the case here.

The sports are fun and the controls feel fluid and responsive. Just like its predecessors, it's easy to pick up and learn, incredibly family friendly, and will bring out the competitive monster in even the nicest of people.

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But... that's really about it. There are barely any challenges or things to do solo. There is absolutely no story-type mode or competition against the CPU for those playing alone. So if you are planning to buy this to play on your own, you will get bored quickly, and feel like you definitely didn't get your $40 worth.

The game does have local and online multiplayer, which always makes for a good time when you're with family or friends, but still leaves something left to be desired. It feels as though this product's intention is to sucker people into buying a Nintendo Online subscription. It's literally its biggest selling point, and even that feels mediocre at best.

It's hard not to feel like Nintendo dropped the ball on this one. It cut out many fan favorite sports and challenges, such as boxing and archery, and didn't really expand on the game's basic premise at all. The previous title in the series, Wii Sports Resort, had 13 sports while this "sequel" has only six. The makers could have offered some sort of single player mode similar to other popular sports titles like Mario Golf, but for some reason they decided not to. There's also no audience or much going on within the levels you play at, making each one feel stale and barren.

If this game were an indie title, people would easily lover look it, but simply because it's Nintendo, and the franchise offers a bit of nostalgia for some, people are willing to shell out money for a product that feels incomplete and frankly lame.