Badminton Time! VR Review – A Swing and a Miss

Badminton Time! VR Review

Some sports just click in VR. Titles like Walkabout Mini Golf and C-Smash VRS immerse players with simple yet convincing recreations of their real-life counterparts. Following in their footsteps, developer Fishing Cactus steps onto the court with Badminton Time! VR but can it capture the fast-paced energy that defines the racquet-based sport?

Originally released on the Switch before making its way to Meta platforms, this shuttlecock-smacking title now lands on PSVR 2. As with any sports game, success hinges on how well it captures the core mechanics of the real-life counterpart. While the racket offers a satisfyingly accurate one-to-one feel, issues arise with controlling the power and direction of the shuttlecock. Too often, shots either fall short or veer off wildly, turning what should be a relaxing experience into a frustrating rally of misfires.

Take a Swing

Small haptic vibrations with each hit help ground you in the virtual world, while subtle audio cues signal when you’ve made clean contact with the shuttlecock. These touches contribute to a sense of physicality, but they can only do so much. Despite these immersive efforts, there’s a noticeable disconnect that holds the experience back. Movement is handled with one controller while the other is used to swing, an intuitive and accessible setup that’s easy to get to grips with. However, the matches lack the energy, pace, and tension that give similar VR sports titles their addictive edge. Without that spark of intensity or the satisfying feedback loop of improving performance, Badminton Time! VR feels too passive to truly draw you in.

There is a range of modes for you to select that allow you to tweak options to personalise your experience. Arcade is closer to games like Mario Tennis with the inclusion of powers, which you can collect by hitting the shuttlecock through the floating object. You can then unleash this to get an advantage and win the point. If you prefer a match without gimmicks, then you can select Realistic mode, which removes all power-ups. Each mode gives the option to tailor the match with difficulty options and the choice of online and offline play.

Off the Court

Minigames are a nice addition with oddball tasks where you compete against others to hit shuttlecocks into treasure chests, pop floating balloons and much more. Each activity helps to improve your skills, requiring accuracy and speed to get a high score. You can also take part in Training Mode, which focuses on specific exercises. Although the options are there for you to improve certain skills, there is no real guidance or support. This leads to a game of trial and error as you fumble through to work out how to complete tasks.

The absence of a campaign mode feels like a glaring oversight, especially given how many of the pieces needed for one are already in place. Players can create and customize their avatars with a decent variety of outfits and accessories, jump into training exercises to hone their timing, and explore a range of courts set in diverse, global locations. There are even minigames that could easily be woven into a broader structure. But instead of tying these features together into a meaningful progression system, the game presents them as standalone activities with little connection or reward beyond the immediate match.

Around the World

Each location and asset is rendered with crisp detail, brought to life by a bright, vibrant color scheme that makes the world feel inviting. The cartoonish visuals contribute to a light, low-stakes atmosphere, fitting for what’s meant to be a relaxing sporting experience. However, this tone clashes with the inconsistent gameplay, which often leads to frustration. While the visuals and upbeat music are appealing, they aren’t enough to maintain immersion when the core mechanics falter.

Badminton Time! VR struggles to capture the addictive rhythm of the sport, with flawed mechanics undermining the experience from the ground up. These foundational issues ripple through every match, resulting in inconsistent, often frustrating gameplay. Despite its appealing presentation, the game fails to land a clean hit, swinging for a point but ultimately serving up a fault.

***A PSVR 2 review copy was provided by the publisher***