Nintendo Switch Sports: 5 Things to Know About the Upcoming Game

Soon, Wii Sports kids (and those new to the franchise, too) will have the chance to kick, spike and serve their way through Switch Sports, a sequel to the popular game from 2006. With a recent overview video from Nintendo, we’ve scored more details about how the new Switch game will work.

You may be wondering what the sports included in the game will look like, or if Miis are making a comeback. The video confirms that players will indeed be able to play as the classic Wii avatars. It also includes snippets of the game’s six sports in action (sorry, baseball fans, the Wii Sports favorite has been axed). The game offers volleyball, badminton, bowling, soccer, tennis and “chambara,” which lets players test their swordplay skills.

As we get in the zone for Switch Sports’ release date on April 27, we’ve rounded up five things that stand out from Nintendo’s Switch Sports overview trailer. The digital game is $40, and the physical one, which includes a leg strap for soccer, is $50.

1. Switch Sports and Wii Sports — what’s staying the same? Two sports are returning from Wii Sports: tennis and bowling. The general feel of the new games will probably jog the memories of people used to playing the Wii versions (take a peek at the picture at the top of the page if you want to see what I’m talking about. It’s a little nostalgic, right?). However, there are also some curveballs here. The trailer shows obstacles set up on bowling lanes and describes a game called survival bowling, where 16 players chosen at random all bowl at once during online play. (This seems like it could be very fun). That green-colored tennis court we know so well? It turns hot pink and brown in some shots in the trailer.

2. Volleyball. Among the cool stuff the trailer divulged is supercharged spikes in volleyball, a feature that echoes the friendship-testing power-serves in Wii Sports tennis. In addition to spiking, volleyball lets you bump and set to get the ball over the net. Teamwork seems like it could be important here, so I suggest starting with this one before you crush your friends or family members at bowling.

3. Soccer. The soccer ball is massive. Just as big as the characters in the game, if not bigger. It’s unclear whether you’re kicking the soccer ball or the ball is kicking you. Bad jokes aside, a physical version of Switch Sports will come with a leg strap that can be used in soccer. With the initial release of the game, that strap can be used during a “shoot-out” mode, but users won’t be able to use the strap during soccer matches until an update to the game is added this summer. The trailer refers to it as a “LEGendary” update (I heard it, so now you have to, too).

4. Miis. Miis are back. The video shows that players will have the option to play as a “sportsmate” — the cartoonish characters we saw a lot during the earlier Switch Sports announcement — or as a Mii character. There’s only one right answer, folks.

5. What’s to come. In addition to the aforementioned soccer update, another update in the fall will add golf to the game. To make sure you bring your A game when Switch Sports’ April release date rolls around, I recommend getting some practice racket swings and bowling ball throws in on a good ol’ Wii.