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Choose Wii Sports if you have a Wii and want Baseball or Boxing, or prefer its original five-sport lineup. Choose Nintendo Switch Sports if you have a Switch and want newer sports such as Soccer, Badminton, Chambara, and Basketball, along with online competition. Both games include Tennis, Golf, and Bowling, but they are separate releases for different consoles.
How the sports lineups compare
| Detail | Wii Sports | Nintendo Switch Sports |
|---|---|---|
| Console | Wii | Nintendo Switch |
| Sports | Tennis, Baseball, Golf, Bowling, and Boxing | Basketball, Golf, Soccer, Volleyball, Bowling, Tennis, Badminton, and Chambara |
| Sports in both | Tennis, Golf, and Bowling | Tennis, Golf, and Bowling |
| Motion controls | Wii Remote; Boxing uses a Wii Remote and Nunchuk | Joy-Con; a Leg Strap is used for some Soccer play |
| Players listed by Nintendo | 1–4 players | 1–4 on one system; 1–2 online |
| Online requirements | No equivalent online mode is established in Nintendo’s cited listing | Nintendo Switch Online membership, Nintendo Account, and internet access for online features |
Nintendo’s UK listing gives Wii Sports a release date of December 8, 2006, and names its five sports: Nintendo UK: Wii Sports. Nintendo Switch Sports launched April 29, 2022. Nintendo’s current product listing names eight sports and describes local and online play: Nintendo: Nintendo Switch Sports.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
MLB: The Show 26 - Nintendo Switch | $37.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
![Nintendo Switch Sports Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/513dxGiaPIL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Nintendo Switch Sports Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code] | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
30 Sport Games in 1 Nintendo Switch | $25.70 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Instant Sports - Nintendo Switch | $28.68 | Buy on Amazon |
What changed in Switch Sports?
The newer game replaces Baseball and Boxing with Soccer, Volleyball, Badminton, and Chambara, and also includes Basketball in its current lineup. Its six-sport launch lineup was Soccer, Volleyball, Bowling, Tennis, Badminton, and Chambara, as Nintendo announced on February 9, 2022: Nintendo’s launch announcement. Basketball was added later; the current product listing includes it.
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Golf was not part of Nintendo Switch Sports at launch. Nintendo added it in a free update on November 29, 2022. The mode includes 21 holes from the Wii Sports series, and the update added Survival Golf online for up to eight players: Nintendo’s Golf update announcement.
#1 Best Overall
- Step up and take control of how you leave your mark in the biggest, most immersive MLB The Show yet.
- NEW – Road to Cooperstown & Expanded Amateur Years Career. Your journey to greatness starts here, which path will you choose? Earn a coveted spot at the MLB Draft Combine or catch the eye of one of 11 additional new colleges as you advance through chapters of your career.
- Compete in the officially licensed Men’s NCAA College World Series as you rise from a promising high school talent to one of the all-time MLB greats – immortalized in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and maybe even a place on the first ballot.
- Build your ultimate fantasy team with a new Red Diamond rarity tier and World Baseball Classic player cards featuring elite game-changing players.
- Play revamped Mini-Seasons campaigns as you level up your stars with an upgraded PXP system, customize their skills with Parallel Mods, and hit Parallel V faster through special challenges.
How the controls and setup differ
Wii Sports
Players swing the Wii Remote to imitate a racket, bat, golf club, or bowling ball. Boxing uses a Wii Remote and Nunchuk, one for each glove. These controls are designed around the Wii’s motion hardware.
Nintendo Switch Sports
The game uses Joy-Con motion controls. The physical edition includes a Leg Strap accessory for Soccer; the digital game can be bought separately, and Nintendo says the Leg Strap is also sold separately. The strap is for some Soccer play, not a requirement for the full game. Nintendo advises allowing adequate room and wearing the Joy-Con wrist straps while playing. See the Nintendo product listing for edition and accessory details.
Rank #2
- 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
Local multiplayer and online play
Both games support local multiplayer. Nintendo lists Wii Sports for one to four players and Nintendo Switch Sports for one to four players on a single system. Nintendo lists Switch Sports online play for one to two players. These are overall player counts; they do not establish that every sport or mode supports the maximum in the same way.
Nintendo Switch Sports adds online competition, including matchmaking and rewards. Nintendo requires a Nintendo Switch Online membership, a Nintendo Account, and internet access for online features; availability may vary by country. The Nintendo sources cited here do not establish an equivalent online mode for the original Wii Sports, so the two games should not be treated as having directly comparable online services. Details are on Nintendo’s product page and launch announcement.
Rank #3
- The ultimate game that brings together 30 different sports
- Challenge your family or friends and may the best player win
- Multiple game modes available: Quick match or Tournament / Team mode or Solo
- Explore a multitude of environments! Volcano / Desert / Snowy countries
- Unlock new costumes and choose to play with motion or buttons on NSW
Which one should you play?
- Pick Wii Sports if you own a Wii and want Baseball, Boxing, or specifically the original five-sport collection.
- Pick Nintendo Switch Sports if you own a Switch and want Soccer, Volleyball, Badminton, Chambara, or Basketball, or if online competition is important to you.
- If Golf is the deciding sport, both games have it. Switch Sports Golf arrived in the free 2022 update and has 21 holes from the Wii Sports series.
- If you are deciding what to buy, start with the console you own: the games are for different systems. If Switch Sports online play matters, factor in its required Nintendo Switch Online membership.
Nintendo’s feature listings establish the sports, hardware, and play options, but not which game is more fun, more accurate in motion control, or better value. Those judgments depend on what you want to play and which console you have. The Wii release date above is specific to Nintendo’s UK listing; Switch Sports details reflect Nintendo’s current product listing and US announcements, and online availability and physical-edition details may vary by region or change over time.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- 6 sports: Baseball, run's jump, goalkeeper, tennis, bowling & rafting.
- 20 characters to customize (change your name, outfit, accessories & hair)
- Varied game modes - Solo or multiplayer for up to 8 players.
- More than 15 environments and tons of unlockable items.
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.
