Recommended Free Tools
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
To get better at Nintendo Switch Sports, focus on timing, positioning, and the cues the game gives you—not bigger or faster movements. Nintendo’s official guidance covers Tennis, Volleyball, Soccer, Chambara, Badminton, Bowling, and Golf. Basketball is also in the current eight-sport roster, but Nintendo’s cited tip pages do not provide a specific Basketball technique.
Start with timing and in-game cues
Three sports reward a particular timing window: strike a Tennis serve at the ball’s high point, jump for a Volleyball quick spike as your teammate sets, and swing for a Badminton smash as the shuttlecock starts descending. In Soccer, anticipate where the ball will travel; in Bowling and Golf, use the on-screen lane prompts and wind meter. These are Nintendo’s recommendations, not guaranteed ways to win.
| Sport | Timing or cue | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Tennis | Ball at its highest point | Start your swing slightly early so the racket meets the ball at the apex. |
| Volleyball | Teammate setting the ball | Jump slightly before the set so you and the ball meet in the air together. |
| Badminton | Shuttlecock beginning to descend | Use a gentle downward swing for a fast smash. |
How to improve at each sport
Tennis: time the serve
Nintendo advises hitting the serve when your character’s ball reaches its highest point. Begin the swing slightly early to meet it at that point. As Nintendo’s June 3, 2022 tips article puts it, “To do a faster serve, your character should smack the ball when it’s at its highest point in the air.” Use the timing cue as a starting point; practice is needed to get comfortable with it.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Volleyball: meet the set in the air
For a quicker spike, jump just before your teammate sets the ball. The aim is to have your player and the ball arrive at the hitting point at the same time. A “Quick!” indicator may confirm that you timed it well.
#1 Best Overall
- All-in-One Storage Solution: Upgraded with a dedicated organizer station, this kit keeps all your Switch Sports accessories in order, with designated slots (marked with accessory names) for easy access and display, eliminating desktop clutter. Nintendo Switch Interactive Gaming Figures
- Full Game Compatibility: Includes 2 Joy-Con shared grips, 2 golf clubs, 2 tennis/badminton rackets, 2 wrist straps, 2 leg straps, 2 swords, 2 bowling grips, and fits Switch/OLED console & 2 game cards (console, Joy-Cons and game cards not included), covering all Switch Sports games like golf, tennis, badminton, soccer, volleyball, bowling and chambara.Nintendo Switch Interactive Gaming Figures
- Fitness & Fun Combined: Turn game time into workout sessions! Enjoy immersive sports gameplay while staying active at home, no need for outdoor exercise. Nintendo Switch Interactive Gaming Figures
- Easy to Use & Ergonomic: Accessories snap seamlessly onto Joy-Cons without force; adjustable velcro design for soccer leg straps and volleyball wristbands; lightweight, ergonomic build delivers realistic gaming feel. Nintendo Switch Interactive Gaming Figures
- Perfect for Family & Friends: Boosts game realism and competitive fun, making it ideal for family gatherings and friend hangouts, a must-have for Switch enthusiasts! Nintendo Switch Interactive Gaming Figures
Two additional moves arrived in version 1.2.0: a Slide Attack, performed by moving the stick left and right after bumping the ball, and a Rocket Serve, performed by tossing the ball high and hitting at its apex. Nintendo’s update notes describe these additions.
Soccer: anticipate and pass
- Check the minimap and move toward where the ball is going, rather than chasing only its current position.
- In four-on-four, hold ZR while kicking to pass.
- If nobody else is covering the goal, fall back and defend it.
The Leg Strap is for some Soccer play, not a requirement for every Soccer mode. Nintendo Support explains how to select Leg-Strap Mode in its Leg-Strap Mode instructions.
Rank #2
- 【Switch Sports Accessories Bundle】Switch sports accessories bundle compatibles with Switch 1/ OLED Sport Games. It includes all you need: 2 x Tennis/Badminton Rackets, 2 x Golf Clubs, 2 x Chambara Swords, 2 x Bowling Grips, 2 x Wrist Straps, 2 x Leg Straps, 2 x SharedGrips and 1 x Storage Box. Have a great gaming experience.
- 【Wonderful Gift for Family and Friends】When you are still thinking about a gift for your family or friends, it will be an excellent choice! Perfect for Switch and Switch OLED family fun and Improve the family interactive game experience.
- 【Enjoying Games and Sports at Home】The switch accessories set are made of durable ABS plastic material, comfortable and lightweight to hold. Enjoy real sports with a swing of the club, giving you a sense of simulation game experience!
- 【Easy to Use】The switch sports accessories kit has push-up design, easily put in and take out. With lightweight ergonomic design, no need to worry about Your Joycon crushing or falling out.
- 【Service】If you have any problems, please contact us at any time, and we will solve them as soon as possible. Get started now! Your pre-ordered Switch Sports Accessories Bundle will arrive soon.
Chambara: choose a weapon and swing deliberately
The weapons have different strengths, so select one for the kind of attack you want. Nintendo describes the Sword as having the strongest standard strike, the Charge Sword as able to unleash a strong Charge Strike after guarding, and Twin Swords as having a Spinning Strike.
Make one deliberate swing at a time instead of flailing. Nintendo’s developer guidance warns, “Random swings in Chambara (swordplay) will actually make your attack weaker!” With the Charge Sword, guard just before an incoming attack to try to trigger a Timely Block. Mashing the guard button will not substitute for that timing.
Rank #3
- 🎁 13 in 1 Nintendo Switch Sports Bundle - The Orzly Nintendo Switch Sports Accessory Bundle Kit is perfect for Nintendo Switch and Switch OLED family fun. All Joy-Con gaming accessories are durable and ergonomic for immersive gaming, perfect for Birthdays or Christmas. Also includes a handy drawstring bag to conveniently keep everything together.
- ⛳️ Golf Clubs x2 & Chambara Swords x2 - Our Sword grips are specially designed for Nintendo Switch Sports: Chambara (Swordplay). Perfect fit for Switch/Switch OLED Joy-con. Instead of just using the Joy-Cons, the golf clubs can bring the simulation game experience to a whole new level, Made of durable ABS plastic material, lightweight, comfortable to hold, giving you a sense of simulation game experience!
- 🎾 Tennis & Badminton Rackets x2 - Simulates a real Tennis & Badminton Racket swing thanks to the ergonomic size and shape. Experience Nintendo Switch Sports Badminton, Nintendo Switch Sports Tennis & Mario Tennis Aces with 2 rackets included for a competitive match with friends and/or family
- ⚽️ Football & Volleyball Straps x2 - The leg strap is specially designed for Nintendo Switch Sports Football & Volleyball and Ring Fit Adventure, which increases the game experience and is the best gift for game lovers. The strap can stabilise your joy-con and will not loosen during use.
- 🎮 Joy-con Wrist Straps x2 - The Strap attaches to your Joy Con for additional security when playing motion-based games like Bowling on Switch Sports or Dancing on Just Dance. It also improves the SL and SR buttons, making them much easier to press. By attaching the Joy-Con strap to your wrist when you play, you can hold the Joy-Con more easily and control games more comfortably.
Badminton: smash late, vary your shots
For a fast smash, gently swing downward as the shuttlecock starts to descend from its highest point. To play a Drop Shot, hold ZR or ZL and swing gently. Alternating smashes and drops makes your attacks less predictable than relying on one shot.
Bowling: align first, then add gentle spin
Follow the on-screen prompts to move or rotate your character before delivering the ball. Nintendo also recommends a gentle wrist turn toward your body before release to add spin. There is no single aiming position established as best for every setup, so use the lane cues rather than assuming one alignment always works.
Rank #4
- Swing, kick, spike, and bowl your way to victory in 7 sports
- Play Golf, Soccer, Volleyball, Bowling, Tennis, Badminton and Chambara (swordplay)
- Motion controls will get you moving and help turn your real-world actions into in-game movements
- Use the Leg Strap accessory to kick the ball in Soccer
- Play with friends and family locally or online—in some sports, you and a friend can even team up on the same system to take on other teams online
The scoring cues can help you understand the result: a strike clears all pins on the first roll and scores ten points plus bonuses from the next two rolls; a spare clears all ten pins over two rolls and receives a bonus based on the next roll. The game tracks the score.
Golf: account for wind and shot height
Check the wind meter and adjust your shot accordingly. Higher shots are affected more by wind; Nintendo notes that wedges and irons tend to send the ball high. Golf was added in version 1.3.0, released November 28, 2022.
Best Value
- Compatible with Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch OLED console, and joy con controllers,for Switch Sports-soccer, volleyball, bowling, tennis, badminton, and the Chambara,Just dance 2024 2023 2022 2021,Mario Kart 8,Tennis Aces,Zumba,and more games
- Arisll Switch Sports Accessories: Designed to enhance your experience in Switch sports, Just Dance, and racing games. This kit includes everything you need to make your game time more immersive and enjoyable
- Switch Accessories Sports 14-Piece Set: Includes 2 racing wheel grips, 2 tennis rackets, 2 boxing grips, 2 golf grips, 2 wrist straps, 2 sword grips, 1 leg strap, and a 24-in-1 game cartridge case
- Ultimate Family Fun: the Arisll switch sports accessories kit ensures everyone stays engaged and entertained in family game nights, and adds a competitive endless fun.Enjoy battling it out in a soccer match or challenging each other in a tennis game
- Enhanced Competition and Realism: Step beyond traditional video gaming and immerse yourself in a genuine sports experience. These switch sports accessories bring your favorite games to life, offering a more interactive and competitive play style
Shot Assist, introduced with Golf, can help beginners in Play Locally and Play with Friends. In Play Globally, it reverts to Normal. Nintendo lists the feature and its availability in its Golf update notes.
Basketball: know what is confirmed
Basketball joined the game in version 1.5.0, released July 9, 2024, and is part of the current roster. Nintendo’s update and product pages confirm its inclusion, but the official tip pages cited here do not specify a Basketball technique. For mode-specific controls, follow the prompts in the game rather than relying on an unverified formula.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check the controller and game setup
Nintendo Switch Sports currently includes eight sports: Tennis, Volleyball, Soccer, Chambara, Badminton, Bowling, Golf, and Basketball. Nintendo’s product page lists the roster and notes that the physical edition includes a Soccer Leg Strap.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minute- Motion-control play uses Joy-Con controllers; Nintendo says Pro Controllers are not compatible.
- The game does not support Handheld Mode.
- Joy-Con 2 is not compatible with the Soccer Leg Strap.
Check Nintendo’s Leg-Strap Mode support page for mode-selection details and Nintendo’s product page for the game’s edition information.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
