Review: XTREME SPORTS is a Fun But Repetitive Time Capsule
WayForward recently ported their Game Boy Color title Xtreme Sports to the Nintendo Switch. The game was originally released back in 2000 and with it being all about extreme sports, it definitely took me back in time. I was ready to watch some Rocket Power and Brink while playing. WayForward was kind enough to supply me with a code to review the game, but the thoughts and opinions below are my own. You can purchase Xtreme Sports through the eShop for $9.99.
Xtreme Sports lets players take control of energetic Guppi or her radical boyfriend Fin as they travel to Xtreme Island in an attempt to become the new Xtreme Sports Champion. There are obstacles to avoid, power-ups to utilize, and unique controls to master as they compete in five awesome, adrenaline-pumping events:
Skateboarding – Race through courses while performing grinds, grabs, spins, and kickflips, then hit the halfpipe for even more chances to earn points!
Street Luge – A vertically scrolling obstacle course! Build up speed, launch off ramps, avoid hazards, and watch out for sharp turns!
Surfing – Ride a massive wave, collect stars, and launch from the crest while performing tricks and dodging enemies!
In-line Skating – A side-scrolling contest against time! Grind rails, jump over or duck under obstacles, and find the best route in each course!
Skyboarding – Leap from a plane, then collect arrows to perform sick tricks as you plummet through the clouds!
When they aren't earning medals and challenging opponents like the mischievous Bonehead Gang, players will explore the tropical island for secret paths and hidden challenges in this one-of-a-kind mix of sports, action, adventure, and role-playing.
First, let’s talk about how WayForward handled the port of Xtreme Sports. In my opinion, it’s really well done. When you boot the game up, you’re presented with a simple menu and then when you go to play the game it feels like you’ve pulled up the GBC version. You can access the system menus via ZL+ZR and here you can adjust the size of the screen, decide to apply a filter to make it look more like a GBC screen (it’s decent in my opinion), change the border, create a save state (3 slots), and load a save state. Beyond this menu and the main menu, everything feels like a solid port with no changes that runs well. If you’re a fan of the original game, I think you’ll really like Xtreme Sports on the Switch.
If you haven’t played Xtreme Sports, is it worth picking up? Well, let’s start with aspects I like about the game. First, I think the game looks really good. Yes, it’s a GBC title and the graphics haven’t been updated beyond the 8-bit graphics of the original, but I think it looks really good. The characters look fun, it actually looks like you’re participating in different sporting events. High marks in my opinion. The sounds and music are also fun. I was also surprised with how many NPCs you can compete against, over 400! One of my favorite aspects of Xtreme Sports was the simple fact that after you beat one of the other competitors, they sit down. I don’t know why, but it brought me immense pleasure to see that.
Unfortunately, we’ve gotten to the difficult parts. The gameplay is a little rough. While I’m glad that we get five different sporting events, I felt like most of them were very hard for me to truly get a handle on. I was able to win a fair number of competitions, but there were so many more that felt too hard just because the controls were a little difficult. In addition, while the game offers over 400 competitors, the gameplay feels very repetitive since there are only five sports. While the objectives will vary a little bit (time, score, flags), the gameplay for the events is the same.
At the end of the day, Xtreme Sports is a solid port that works best as a time capsule in my opinion. It really took me back to the late 90s and early 00s and I appreciate that. Once again, if you like the original GBC game or want to revisit the days where extreme sports were at the forefront of pop culture, I would recommend grabbing it. Especially since it’s only about $10. Just be aware that in my opinion, the controls are not great and the gameplay gets really repetitive.
