Nintendo Switch Sports Resort Sports: The 12 Sports and Where to Learn Each One

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort sports are the core of the game. The game releases on October 22, 2026 for Nintendo Switch 2 only, and it includes twelve sports you can play locally with up to four players on one system or online with other players. This page lists all twelve, shows the player counts Nintendo publishes for each one, and links to the guide for every sport, plus the three sports from older Nintendo games that did not return.

Image: Nintendo.

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort sports at a glance

Nintendo's UK game page publishes the player counts for each sport. Offline play does not need a membership. Online play needs a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership, a Nintendo Account and an internet connection.

Nintendo's UK page marks the online counts for Skateboarding, Power Cruising and Prop Plane with an asterisk it does not explain. One review says none of the leisure sports can be played online. The sources differ on this point, so check the online options before you plan a match around them.

The core sports and their guides

Each sport below has its own guide with controls, modes and practical notes drawn from the pre-launch sources. The descriptions are short on purpose, so start with the Nintendo Switch Sports Resort sports guide for any sport you care about, then open the page for details.

• Archery: one Joy-Con aims the bow, the other pulls back the arrow, and the wind changes between shots.
• Basketball: a three-point contest and a five streak battle, plus a fuller game with extra steps.
• Boxing: one controller in each hand, with a stamina gauge that weakens punches when it runs out.
• Bowling: twist the controller to add spin, and 100-pin bowling returns from Wii Sports Resort.
• Golf: Nintendo advises aiming for the distant hole and checking the ball's trajectory.
• Table Tennis: spin on the ball with backspin, topspin and curve, and an alternate cup-aiming variant.
• Tennis: any Joy-Con works as the racket, with a standard match and a laid-back option.
• Thumb Wrestling: pin the opponent's thumb for three seconds, and hold your own thumb down for power.
• Volleyball: more complex move sets and positioning with teammates, plus a timing receive bonus mode.

Where to start with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort sports

Among the Nintendo Switch Sports Resort sports, one pre-launch review found tennis easier to pick up than table tennis. The same reviewer lists tennis with bowling, golf and boxing among the most pick-up-and-play sports. That is a single opinion, but it gives new players a reasonable order to try things in. Two reviewers call table tennis harder to master than tennis.

The leisure sports and sightseeing

Skateboarding, Power Cruising and Prop Plane are the three leisure sports. In hands-on previews, each one has a tour mode for exploring the island. The controls are the most different part of these sports, so Nintendo's own descriptions are the best place to start.

The checked Nintendo pages give no controller details for table tennis, boxing, volleyball or basketball. Those guides say so instead of guessing.

Sports that are not in the game

Baseball, Chambara (Sword Play) and Disc Golf are not among the twelve sports. The fact that they are missing does not mean they are coming later, since the sources give no date or announcement for them. Jump Rope appears as a warm-up rather than one of the twelve sports. One presenter's hands-on said frisbee was in the lineup, then corrected himself. Viewers hope baseball is added as DLC, but that is a wish, and no DLC has been announced.

For the sports that are missing, read the baseball guide, the chambara guide and the disc golf guide. Each one explains what the sources say and points you back to the sports included here.

Nintendo's US news article introduces the new and returning sports, and a full gameplay review covers all twelve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many Nintendo Switch Sports Resort sports are included?

Twelve sports are included: Archery, Basketball, Boxing, Bowling, Golf, Power Cruising, Prop Plane, Skateboarding, Table Tennis, Tennis, Thumb Wrestling and Volleyball. Nintendo's US news article describes Skateboarding and Thumb Wrestling as new.

Q: Is baseball one of the Nintendo Switch Sports Resort sports?

No. Baseball is not among the twelve sports, and the sources checked do not describe it as part of the game.

Q: Which sport supports the most online players?

Bowling lists up to 16 online players on Nintendo's UK page, the highest count on that page. Golf lists up to 8, and most other sports list 4 online players, with Boxing, Table Tennis and Thumb Wrestling at 2.

Q: Is more sports content coming through DLC?

No DLC has been announced. Viewers hope baseball is added later, but that is a wish from one video and not an announcement.