Instant Sports Paradise is an interesting game. It’s a sports-based minigame collection best played with friends, and is at heart, a party game, but not exactly. The Instant Sports series has several entries and Paradise might just be one of the better ones due to how it blends genres and styles.
Instant Sports Paradise is a very casual game where players run around the island and can select a minigame whenever they want. There is still a sense of competition here, but far more laid back than something like Mario Party. This is a game that encourages friendships rather than destroying them, to put it simply.
Running around the island lets players acquire tools like Metal detectors, shovels, fishing rods and more to get new items like minerals, fish and so on for money. This money is then used to purchase different outfits and accessories to customize the characters with, as well as more tools. As such, Instant Sports Paradise has a distinct feel that leans to being a mix of the mini-game genre with a blend of Animal Crossing.
The game starts off with around a dozen minigames with a large variety to them. These include mini-golf, which is rather fun, a wakeboarding game which is amazing, and a Wok cooking mini-game which is just fun in a mindless sort of way. Once players get enough high scores at a number of games, they will get access to more of the island and the search for collectibles start all over again.
The best way to make sense of the game is that Instant Sports Paradise is a hybrid game, where there are ideas taken from Animal Crossing as mentioned, mixed with the idea of a party game and an adventure game. There are challenges to collect items for residents and help with tasks to go along with the minigames, and exploring the island plays a notable part. This is a unique game and trying to define it as any single type of genre doesn’t work.
Instant Sports Paradise is a very unconventional game and that is both a strength and a weakness. It stands out as a game, but the non-traditional nature may alienate fans of more conventional party games, while the mini-games may put off those who would be fans of the casual gaming side of the game. However, both sides should look into Instant Sports Paradise and give it a deeper look, because there is enough here for both sides to enjoy and for fans of this unique blend.
Instant Sports Paradise is highly recommended due to its unique nature, and playing with friends is an experience that gamers will not regret. It offers something new and innovative and that can be appreciated by all.
Disclaimer: A review copy was provided