Ask the Developer Vol. 5, Nintendo Switch Sports–Part 1

• Content pre-recorded in accordance with current COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.

• This article has been translated from the original Japanese content.

• This interview was conducted before the game was released.

In this fifth volume of Ask the Developer, an interview series in which Nintendo developers convey in their own words Nintendo’s thoughts about creating products and the specific points they are particular about, we’re talking to the developers behind the Nintendo Switch™ Sports game for the Nintendo Switch system, which launched on Friday, April 29.

4:Playing with others is inherently fun

First, could I ask you to briefly introduce yourselves?

Takayuki Shimamura (referred to as Shimamura from this point on): I’m Shimamura, a producer for Nintendo Switch™ Sports. I served as a director for Wii Sports™, Wii Sports Resort™ and Wii Sports Club™. This was the first title in the series I joined as a producer.

Yoshikazu Yamashita (referred to as Yamashita from this point on): I’m Yamashita, the director for this title. I was also a director for the Wii Sports™ and Wii Sports Resort™ games.

Shinji Okane (referred to as Okane from this point on): I’m Okane. I was the program director for this title. I was also involved in the Ring Fit Adventure™ game as a program director and the Jump Rope Challenge™ game as a director. I’ve been working on a lot of physical activity titles.

Junji Morii (referred to as Morii from this point on): I’m Morii. I joined this title as the art director. I was also an art director for the Wii Sports™ game. Some of the other titles I worked on are the Nintendo Land™ and the 1-2-Switch™ games. I have worked with Shimamura-san and Yamashita-san for a long time.

Natsuko Yokoyama (referred to as Yokoyama from this point on): I was the sound director for this title. Before this game, I was in charge of sound effects (1) for the Ring Fit Adventure™ game, and like Okane-san, I have also been successively working on physical activity titles.

(1) Sound Effects. All the sounds that objects make in the game.

Thank you very much. Mr. Yamashita, could you kick us off with a quick introduction to Nintendo Switch Sports?

Yamashita: Of course. Nintendo Switch Sports is a sequel to the motion-based series of games that began with Wii Sports, released exclusively for the Wii system in 2006. In addition to Tennis, Bowling and Chambara, which were popular in previous titles, this new title includes Volleyball, Badminton, and Soccer. There will be an update in the fall with Golf added as an additional sport.

When did work start for this title? Did the development start with the assumption that it would be a sequel to the Wii Sports series?

Yamashita: The project started a while after the Nintendo Switch system was released. Mr. Koizumi (2) called me and requested the development of a Nintendo Switch title in the Wii Sports series. And that’s how the project started.

(2) Yoshiaki Koizumi. Senior Executive Officer, Deputy General Manager of Planning and…