Nintendo Switch Sports Resort Game Modes: Island Crown, Sightseeing and Online Play

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort game modes fall into three groups: the single-player-focused Island Crown, island exploration in Sightseeing Tour, and online play. This page explains each one using Nintendo's official descriptions and what pre-launch previews and reviews showed.

Image: Nintendo.

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort game modes matter early because they decide whether you play alone, with people in the same room or online. The game releases on October 22, 2026, so everything below describes information from before launch.

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort game modes at a glance

Local play supports 1 to 4 players on one system. The mode table above covers the online options, which need a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership.

Island Crown: the single-player-focused mode

Island Crown is the single-player-focused mode and covers nine sports. Nintendo says it earns customization options and Spocco Points. It also includes Island Champions and Legends, including the Mii character Matt. Nintendo's UK page names Aya for Boxing and Filippo for Golf as examples of Island Champions.

In hands-on previews, each sport has its own ladder, and each ladder has its own Island Champion at the top. Sources differ on the starting rank, so do not plan around a fixed number. One reviewer reports that tennis, volleyball and basketball allow co-op in Island Crown.

Sightseeing Tour: explore the island

Sightseeing Tour is island exploration with challenges and collectible Spocco Photos. In hands-on previews, each of the three leisure sports has its own tour: Skateboarding, Power Cruising and Prop Plane. The real goal is collecting photo spots, and the collectibles include skateboard wheels, pink dolphins and flowers.

Co-op exploration, whether by split screen or online, shares collected items with everyone in the session. For the locations, read the sightseeing tour guide.

Friend Lobby, Casual Online Play and Pro League

Online play needs a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership, a Nintendo Account and an internet connection. Friend Lobby is a private lobby for up to eight players, with up to two per system. Casual Online Play covers nine sports and does not record wins and losses. Pro League is ranked online play against players of similar skill, starting at E rank.

One review notes that the leisure sports have no CPU opponents. Sources also differ on whether the leisure sports can be played online, so check the online options yourself before you plan an online session. The online multiplayer guide covers the details.

Local play and controllers

Which mode fits which goal

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort game modes are easier to choose once you know your goal. Start with Island Crown if you want to learn each sport against CPU opponents before facing other people. Try Casual Online Play before Pro League if you want online matches without a ranking, because casual matches are unranked. The US store page lists the online modes, and the UK game page gives the per-sport online counts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which Nintendo Switch Sports Resort game modes need a membership?

Friend Lobby, Casual Online Play and Pro League are online modes, and any online play needs a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership. Island Crown is built for single-player play, and local play does not need a membership.

Q: Is Island Crown the same as the Island Champions?

No. Island Crown is the mode, and the Island Champions are the player at the top of each sport's ladder. Nintendo's UK page names Aya and Filippo as examples.

Q: Does the game have a mini-golf mode?

No mode has been confirmed. Viewers speculate that a mini-golf mode exists, but that is unconfirmed fan theory from a single preview.