Whether or not you owned a Nintendo Wii, you’re probably familiar with a game called Wii Sports. It was one of the launch titles for the then-new Wii, and ultimately the best-selling Wii game of all time, with over 82 million copies sold worldwide. It’s no surprise then that Nintendo have decided to bring the popular game back for the Nintendo Switch. Wii Sports has been newly iterated and will be releasing on the Switch as Nintendo Switch Sports. It will come out on April 29th, 2022.
Nintendo Switch Sports will feature 6 sports: 3 returning from Wii Sports, plus 3 new ones. The 3 returning games are tennis, bowling, and chambara (swordplay). Swordplay was a sport featured in Wii Sports Resort, the massively-popular sequel to Wii Sports. The 3 new sports are soccer, badminton, and volleyball. Additionally, golf, another sport featured in Wii Sports, will be added in the fall to Nintendo Switch Sports in a free update. The game supports TV and tabletop mode, but not handheld mode.
Swordplay, a returning sport, was originally featured in Wii Sports Resort.
Nintendo Switch Sports supports multiplayer. You’ll be able to play with up to 4 family members and friends with local play on one Switch console, or you can play with others online. As you play against others in online random matchmaking, you’ll be able to earn points, which you can redeem for rewards. These include new outfits and accessories for your customizable in-game avatar. You’ll also be able to reach the Pro League in each sport.
Nintendo Switch Sports is available to pre-order for your regional pricing. Purchasing the physical version comes with the Leg Strap accessory, which you can use in soccer. You can also buy the digital version, which is cheaper but doesn’t include the Leg Strap, which you can purchase separately.
You can also register for the Nintendo Switch Sports online play test. This will take place between February 18th and 20th at designated times. The play tests will have random online matches for tennis, bowling, and chambara. Registration for the online play tests opens February 15th at 5pm PST. You can register if you have a Nintendo Switch Online membership, including trial memberships.
The online play test times for Nintendo Switch Sports are:
Friday 18th February:
7:00 – 7:45pm PST
Saturday 19th February:
3:00 – 3:45am PST
11:00 – 11:45am PST
7:00 – 7:45pm PST
Sunday 20th February:
3:00 – 3:45am PST
