Here’s a question: what titles spring to mind when you think about hard video games? You might consider 2025’s Hollow Knight: Silksong, perhaps a classic like Battletoads — and Dark Souls would certainly pop up in my head.
But what if I told you that this seemingly cuddly-by-comparison Nintendo Switch 2 game has challenged me more than anything else I’ve played this year?
Yes, I just faced off against a boss in the Island Crown mode of Nintendo Switch Sports Resort that pushed me to my very limit. No, really, this was harder than Dark Souls. “Who is this opponent that you speak of?” I hear you cry. Well, it’s none other than the Wii Sports Resort table tennis aficionado, Lucía.
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Here’s the deal. In Island Crown (a predominantly single-player mode), you have to climb a ranking table for each respective sport, in a bid to topple the Island Champion and reign supreme. But after you finally rank #1, it turns out that your journey is far from over.
See, reaching the top rank unlocks a unique showdown against a Legend — a highly skilled Mii from Wii Sports Resort and related titles. These Legend matches range from fair yet challenging to absolutely rage-inducing. And for me, the table tennis game against Lucía was the worst of the worst.
Everything about her — whether that be her movement speed, her pinpoint precision, her unshakeable resolve in the face of power shots — made her an extremely formidable opponent. I may have played through titles like Bloodborne and Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne before, but their challenge levels pale in comparison to this.
Across my (extremely) numerous attempts, Lucía seemed to return even the most challenging shots and place the ball in spots that my character could only dream of reaching. After a few 6-0 drubbings, I managed to start picking up some points, playing out long rallies until she made the smallest of errors. But it still wasn’t happening.
An hour or so in, though, and I felt like I was getting somewhere. I’d managed to scrape my way to a few deuces here and there, and with the power of slice shots, I was able to recover to the center of the table and avoid leaving myself exposed.
But it still wasn’t enough. Until one fateful match.
Picture this. The clock strikes midnight. I sit there, Joy-Cons in hand, with dozens of failed attempts to my name. After landing a killer shot, I draw the game level at 4-4. Sweat begins to form on my brow, as my hands tremble — I can feel the arm ache taking over. But I know I have to see this through.
What ensues is a rally of epic proportions. Returned power-shots, jaw-droppingly accurate placements, last-gasp saves…you name it. But as the rally reaches its climax, I spot a gap on Lucía’s left side; I swiftly strike, and I manage to make it 5-4. I just need one more point.
Lucía launches a barrage of cross-table shots, looping curved balls, and seemingly impossible saves, but then suddenly, she scuffs the ball, leaving her open to a devastating smash. I swing the Joy-Con with bated breath as I watch the ball fling across my screen and…she misses. My hellish ordeal against the table tennis queen was finally over.
With a ridiculous smile on my face, about 50 Ls to my name, and the spoils of war (a golden nameplate item) in hand, I put the controllers down, reflected on my life choice to stay up until 1am playing table tennis with a Mii, and hit the hay.
So, there you have it. Have you had the chance to play Nintendo Switch Sports Resort yet? Have you managed to defeat any of the Legends? Maybe you beat Lucía on the first try, and I’m simply awful at this game — whatever the case, I’d love to hear from you, so make sure to get chatting in the comments.
P.S. It turns out that the table tennis Gauntlet, unlocked after beating Lucía, has an even harder Mii to face off against. But for the sake of my own well-being, I’m going to leave that for a later date…
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harry.padoan@futurenet.com (Harry Padoan)
