Every sport in Nintendo Switch Sports, ranked

Nintendo Switch Sports brings back the fun of its Wii predecessor, but updates it into the modern age of gaming. Some sports return, like tennis and bowling, but also new activities like soccer and badminton have emerged in this sequel. How do they all fair? Here’s every sport in Nintendo Switch Sports, ranked from worst to best.

Worst: Bowling

This might be sacrilege to hear, but bowling is extremely underwhelming to play in Nintendo Switch Sports. It’s very easy to get strikes and spares if you aim the ball at the center of the lane and throw it at a high intensity. On our first run with bowling, we didn’t get below a spare and often scored strikes. It’s fun to be first throughout the whole match, but the gameplay is so basic that it disappoints in the long run. On the other hand, this is probably the most accessible title in the collection for the whole family. Those who have played Wii Sports games in the past can pick it up easily too.

Volleyball

The best games in Nintendo Switch Sports have nuance to them, and unfortunately, volleyball lacks that. The motions to pull up the ball and strike feel satisfying, but as that’s the only move you can make to retaliate against the opponent, it will get tiring quickly. It does, however, allow players to work together in a team, creating a collaborative environment. You can also tweak the direction of the ball with the motion of the Joy-Con, creating some exciting instances. However, the game loop of volleyball remains strict, making this sport less exciting than many others.

Chambara

With the original Wii remote, we dreamed of a sword fighting game, and the Nintendo Switch replicates that with chambara and the Joy-Con. The sport plays out like a sumo match; you’ll have to push the opponent out of the rings with your strikes. You can swing vertically, horizontally, and diagonally as the other tries to block your attacks. You’ll need to find a way to break their defenses and win. It can get intense, and you’ll have to summon your utmost brainpower and sheer accuracy to succeed in chambara. The motions of the Joy-Con are surprisingly concise and work well in Nintendo Switch Sports for this sword fighting game.

Badminton

One of our favorite sports, badminton, is well represented in Nintendo Switch Sports. Quite similar to tennis, you throttle a shuttlecock to and fro until one finally scores a point. You can either send over a low shot or a smash to keep your volley going. You can also send over a short-ranged return to trick your opponent. Mixing up your shots will allow you to send the shuttlecock back all over the court, and that’s part of the fun strategy of badminton. You’ll also need to time your shots correctly or the return will be flimsy, making it open to a devastating smash move from the opponent. It’s fast, strategic, and is one of the quickest sports in the game with five rounds to complete, making it a great event to grind experience with.

Soccer

If you’re a fan of Rocket League, you’ll be down to play soccer in Nintendo Switch Sports. The setup is similar to the popular free-to-play game by Psyonix. You have a large ball that you can kick around the field. You can either shoot or pass to a team player. Depending on which direction you swing the Joy-Con, you can go left, right, or center. It’s exciting to block shots by jumping up in the air and you’ll need some sort of awareness to detect free players or an open goal. Crossing a ball towards a teammate is satisfying to pull off. In addition, you can swing both Joy-Con down, creating a diving header, which can result in a thrilling goal. Soccer’s exceptionally fun and a welcome addition to the casual sports game formula from Nintendo. You can even perform a celebration after scoring a goal.

Best: Tennis

The best game in Nintendo Switch Sports is Tennis. Originating from 2006’s Wii Sports, this racquet extravaganza has more nuance to its control from the Joy-Con, leading to more tactical opportunities. You can curve the ball for a tricky shot against your foe and the way you operate the Joy-Con redirects where the ball will go. If you want to go for a shot that goes to the right, you’ll need to move the Joy-Con in that direction. It’s simple but absolutely brilliant as you learn how the Joy-Con interacts with the game. The second player on the field that’s closer to the net can provide you some cheeky, unexpected shots towards the opponent. You’ll need to be attentive and clever as you try to outwit the player on the other side, making this the best sports in Nintendo Switch Sports.