The best sports games exclusive to The Switch

Key foods

• The Nintendo Switch relies on exclusive sports games with Nintendo characters that are not from the original licensed sports titles.
• Some sports games like Sports Story and Soccer Slammers were disappointed due to gameplay flaws and lack of content.
• Mario-themed sports games like Mario Tennis Aces and Mario Golf: Super Rush shine on the Switch, but may lack depth and substance.

Whenever you feel like playing a sports game alone or with friends, the Nintendo Switch might not be the first console that comes to mind for its flashy graphics and triple-A titles. Most licensed sports games, like NHL and Madden, won't even be released on Nintendo's hybrid unit.

However, Nintendo has never relied on third-party support for success. Despite not having some of the industry's most successful titles on its platform, the company gets around that by releasing its own sports games that usually feature Mario and his pals. The Nintendo Switch has more exclusive sports games than the PS5 and Xbox, but they can't all be a hole-in-one.

Updated on October 16, 2024 by Kyle Chamaillard: It's been a while since there's been a Nintendo Switch-exclusive sports game — sorry to those who've been waiting for an official Mario Lacrosse — but we've decided to come back to this list to make sure it's up-to-date and organized. .

8 Slammers football

Most exclusive sports games on Nintendo Switch star characters competing against each other for glory. Soccer Slammers is one of the few exceptions and feels like it could have benefited from a short game or some sort of twist.

This arcade-style soccer game features two-on-two matches, with boring gameplay and bland environments. It is also very light in content. It's disappointing because director Jules Wattham – who created the excellent Mutant Mudds series – couldn't match the cool aesthetic and engaging gameplay of those games with Soccer Slammers.

7 Sports story

Golf Story was one of the many great games available on the Switch in its first year, and has become one of the best examples of why indie developers should bring their games to the console. A sequel was announced in 2019 with the promise of more sports and activities, but Sports Story dropped the ball with its disappointing gameplay and structure.

After multiple delays, Sports Story was finally dropped in the final weeks of 2022 without any shadow marketing. It was strange that one of the Switch's most anticipated games would come out like this, but it seems like the game is riddled with bugs and glitches that hinder the entire experience. Updates and patches can fix these things over time, but Sports Story should have been given more time to fix its issues before it was made available to the public.

6 Mario and Sonic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Mario and Sonic began facing off in the Olympics for the Wii, and the rivals still meet every few years for the next match. The two mascots, along with their friends and foes, compete in events like baton twirling, boxing, and gymnastics to see who can take home the gold.

Mario & Sonic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games excels at offering a wide variety of playable characters and events, but it doesn't offer enough depth to challenge you at all. The game is at its best when played with friends, as the single player mode is very dry and playing against the CPU is just as mind-numbing. The inclusion of 16-bit events is fun for a while but loses its appeal after a few plays.

Mario, Luigi, and the rest of the crew haven't spent nearly as much time playing soccer as they have playing tennis or golf. Most of the Mario sports games started on the NES or N64, but the first Mario Strikers was released for the GameCube in 2005, followed by a sequel for the Wii just a few years later.

Over a decade later, Mario Strikers is back, and while it's exciting to see it return, Battle League offers nothing new to the series and even less content than its predecessors. The biggest change is the introduction of the gear system, which allows you to customize a character with new clothes that also affect their stats. The next level of games have come with the last two Luigi's Mansion games, so it's amazing to see them with Mario Strikers: Battle League.

4 Mario Golf: Super Rush

Golf is usually a slower paced sport that many enjoy playing with friends to relax and have a good time. The Mario Golf series has always managed to emulate a similar feeling from the comfort of your own home. A colorful roster of characters and dozens of innovative courses have long defined the series, and Mario Golf: Super Rush largely continues to carry that torch.

As with other Mario sports titles for the Switch, one of the major criticisms leveled at Super Rush was its lack of content at launch. Over a year later, the game continues to receive new content, but that wasn't the only problem. Super Rush introduces a new mode called Speed ​​Golf where players compete to see who can land their ball in the hole the fastest. This is once again an interesting gimmick that quickly loses its appeal after only a few laps.

3 Mario Tennis Ace

When Mario isn't rescuing Princess Peach from Bowser or making movies, Mario can usually be found partying, driving go-karts, or playing tennis with his pals. The first time you could see Mario on the pitch was on the Virtual Boy in 1995, and almost three decades later, his return has never been better.

After Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash for Wii U failed to attract audiences, there was a lot of pressure for Mario Tennis Aces to restore the brand's reputation. Fortunately, Aces fixes many of its predecessor's problems with tighter controls, fewer gimmicks, and a fun single-player campaign. It still lacks some of the multiplayer modes that helped make the N64 and GameCube versions infamous, but it's still a good game to play alone or with friends.

2 Nintendo Switch Sports

It's hard to believe that it took Nintendo five years to release the spiritual successor to Wii Sports on the Switch. The original is one of the most popular games of all time, and the Joy-Con is perfect for replicating the simple, intuitive controls that were essential to Wii Sports' success.

Nintendo Switch Sports includes familiar sports like tennis and bowling, while also introducing sports like badminton and soccer. Unlike Wii Sports, you can face off against other players online and collect new outfits and emotes for your avatar. More sports are set to be released in the future, and if they're as fun as the current ones, Nintendo Switch Sports has the potential to become a must-have game for any Switch owner.

1 The story of golf

Golf Story was originally supposed to be released on the Wii U. It was delayed many times and with the help of Nintendo it was finally released on Switch in 2017. Golf Story is not only the first console-exclusive sports game, but it's still the best and most compelling game in the lineup.

The story of golf is ultimately more than just a sport. It is also an RPG full of interesting characters and a fantastic story. Socialize with the locals between rounds and spend your hard-earned cash on new gear and skills. Golf is intuitive, so it's a great game, even for people who aren't familiar with the sport. Golf Story is often compared to Stardew Valley for its innovation in simulation genre and aesthetics. Its unique concept makes it not only the best sports game exclusive to the Switch, but also one of the best in its impressive library.