Is Nintendo Switch Sports Resort Worth Buying?

What was released and when

Nintendo's official game page describes 12 motion-control sports set on Wuhu Island, using the Joy-Con 2 controllers as bows, rackets, handlebars and more. Video Games Chronicle's schedule lists it for Thursday, October 22 on Switch 2, and The Shortcut confirms it is exclusive to Switch 2 despite the name.

• ReleaseThursday, October 22, 2026, Switch 2 only
• Price$49.99 for digital pre-orders (Gematsu, June 9, 2026)
• Sports12
• Metacritic79, up from 72 for the 2022 Nintendo Switch Sports
• OpenCritic84 (TheGamer, October 20, 2026)

Gematsu's announcement report listed the price and the sports lineup. Check the Nintendo eShop for your region, since the price shown there is the one that counts.

What the critics said

Scores gathered by The Shortcut on October 20, 2026, the day reviews went up:

• Nintendo Life, 9/10: says it just might be the Nintendo Sports series at its best.
• GameSpot, 9/10: praises its party appeal, a feeling best felt surrounded by friends.
• VGC, 8/10: calls it the finest iteration of the series to date.
• Game Informer, 8/10: a capable compilation of quick-hit minigames, with multiplayer its strongest point.
• IGN, 7/10: a fun and playful collection overall, but sport quality varies drastically.
• Radio Times, 6/10: the most critical review; it says the sports are absolutely fine and wishes the developers had done more.

Nintendo Soup reports the Metascore as 79 and Metacritic's label as Generally Favorable, with Eurogamer, Siliconera, VGC and Game Informer at 80 and IGN at 70. TheGamer lists OpenCritic at 84. The review counts moved as more reviews arrived, so check Metacritic and OpenCritic for the current numbers.

The 12 sports

Per Gematsu and Nintendo, the lineup is archery, basketball, bowling, boxing, golf, power cruising, prop plane, skateboarding, table tennis, tennis, thumb wrestling and volleyball. Nintendo splits them into competitive sports and leisure sports you can explore the island with, and adds a jump rope warm-up.

Leisure sports and Joy-Con 2 controls

Nintendo's page says Skateboarding uses Joy-Con 2 mouse controls to ride around the island, Power Cruising has you grab the handlebars and coast along the waves, and Prop Plane has you tilt the controller to fly. Each offers a Sightseeing Tour to hunt for Spocco Photos, plus a race or battle mode and Free Play.

Online play, progression and customization

Nintendo describes a Pro League where you start at rank E and climb against players at a similar level, plus Casual Online Play where wins and losses are not recorded. Each sport has a champion to beat for its Island Crown. You can play as a Sportsmate or a Mii, unlock clothing and equipment with Spocco Points, and save five Favorite Looks. The Item Center rotates items weekly and monthly.

Multiplayer needs one compatible controller per player, and additional controllers may be sold separately, per Nintendo's page. Budget for that if you plan to play with a group.

Who should buy it now and who should wait

• Buy now: you own a Switch 2 and want something for family or friends, which is where the best reviews say it shines.
• Consider waiting: you mainly play alone or want deep sports sims; IGN found sport quality uneven and Radio Times called the sports merely fine.
• Check first: you do not yet own enough compatible controllers for the group you play with.

Questions people ask

Sources

• The Shortcut: Nintendo Switch Sports Resort review roundup (October 20, 2026) · Release date, Metacritic 79, outlet scores
• TheGamer: Final Fantasy Resonance and Nintendo Switch Sports Resort review scores (October 20, 2026) · OpenCritic 84
• Nintendo Soup: Switch Sports Resort scores 79 on Metacritic · Metascore, outlet scores
• Nintendo UK: Nintendo Switch Sports Resort · Sports, controls, online modes, progression
• Gematsu: Nintendo Switch Sports Resort announced for Switch 2 (June 9, 2026) · Price and sports list
• Nintendo Life: final previews round-up (October 6, 2026) · Preview verdicts

Scores and prices were read from the linked pages on October 22, 2026 and can change. Screenshots and key art are from Nintendo's official game page.