Nintendo Switch Sports Resort launches on October 22, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2, for $49.99 digital. Nintendo’s new sports rundown, posted October 16, confirms all 12 motion-control sports, two of them brand new, on Wuhu Island. A $529.99 Switch 2 bundle launches the same day. Here is everything in one place, plus how it compares with the 2022 Nintendo Switch Sports.
Updated Oct 21, 2026: Reviews are in, a day before launch. Switch Sports Resort sits at 79 on Metacritic and 80 on OpenCritic, and several critics call it the best game in the series so far. Score round-up below. The US eShop still lists October 22 and $49.99 digital, with pre-orders open; Nintendo hasn’t published an unlock time.
Table of Contents
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort at a glance
| Detail | What Nintendo lists |
|---|---|
| Release date | October 22, 2026 |
| Platform | Nintendo Switch 2 only |
| Price (US) | $49.99 digital; $59.99 physical edition on the My Nintendo Store |
| Bundle | Switch 2 + full game download + 3 months of Nintendo Switch Online, $529.99 |
| Players | 1-4 on one system; 2-16 online |
| Play modes | TV and Tabletop (handheld is not listed) |
| File size | 10.3 GB (US eShop listing at launch, Oct 22) |
Prices and release date rechecked on Nintendo’s US store pages on October 21, 2026 at 15:10 UTC. The store gives the date only, not an unlock hour.
Switch Sports Resort reviews: Metacritic, OpenCritic and critic scores
Reviews went live on October 20. The aggregates, checked October 21 at 15:10 UTC:
- Metacritic: 79 (“Generally Favorable”), from 57 critic reviews.
- OpenCritic: 80 Top Critic Average, with 81% of critics recommending it, from 28 critic reviews.
| Outlet | Score | The short version |
|---|---|---|
| GameSpot | 9/10 | Calls it the best entry in the series |
| Nintendo Life | 9/10 | The “finest” version yet, even if a few sports play it safe |
| Tom’s Guide | 4/5 | A return to form with a 4K Wuhu Island; the launch line-up of sports is modest |
| Eurogamer | 4/5 | The most refined outing yet, and fun without a room full of friends |
| VGC | 4/5 | Scored 4/5 (listed on OpenCritic) |
| Wccftech | 7.5/10 | Plenty to see on the island, but few surprises |
| IGN | 7/10 | Sport quality varies a lot; best as a party game |
The pattern across reviews: Wuhu Island and the single-player Island Crown mode are the most common praise, and the main complaint is that some of the 12 sports feel thin next to the best ones. If you mostly play alone, the reviews suggest there is more here than in the 2022 game. If your group only ever played Bowling and Tennis, the step up matters less. Polygon‘s unscored review goes furthest: its headline calls the game a masterpiece.
All 12 sports in Switch Sports Resort
Nintendo splits the line-up into two new sports and ten returning ones. Each can be played solo or with a friend, in the same room or online.
- New: Thumb Wrestling. Pin your rival’s thumb for three seconds. Holding your thumb down makes it bigger and stronger.
- New: Skateboarding. The Joy-Con 2 works like a mouse to grind rails, slide and pull off aerial tricks.
- Returning: Power Cruising, Archery, Bowling, Table Tennis, Boxing, Prop Plane, Tennis, Volleyball, Basketball and Golf.
Jump Rope is there too, but as a warm-up rather than one of the 12 sports.
Skateboarding is one of two new sports and uses the Joy-Con 2 like a mouse. Image: Nintendo
What’s new beyond the sports
Nintendo revealed the game in its June 9 Nintendo Direct (VGC) and showed the side activities in the September 9 Direct. This is more than a sports menu. Wuhu Island, the setting of the Wii’s Wii Sports Resort, is now a place you can roam. You can Power Cruise across the water, skate around the resort or fly a Prop Plane. A Sightseeing Tour sets challenges and has you collect Spocco Photos of landmarks. According to Gematsu’s report on the September 9 Direct, side activities include chasing dolphins and hunting for hidden hibiscus flowers.
- Island Crown: an offline, mostly single-player mode across nine sports. You work up to the Island Champions and Legends, including the Mii character Matt.
- Online: Casual play (nine sports), the ranked Pro League, and Friend Lobbies for up to eight players, two per system. GameChat is supported.
- Customization: play as a Mii or a Sportsmate. Spocco Points from any mode buy cosmetics in the Item Center, which gets two collections each week and new themed items monthly.
Online play needs a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
Power Cruising doubles as a way to explore Wuhu Island by sea. Image: Nintendo
Switch Sports Resort vs Nintendo Switch Sports
The 2022 game ($39.99, Switch 1) lists eight sports, and Nintendo marks it as “Supported” on Switch 2. Five of them carry over to Resort: Tennis, Bowling, Volleyball, Basketball and Golf. Soccer, Badminton and Chambara aren’t in Resort’s line-up. Boxing, Table Tennis, Archery, Power Cruising, Prop Plane, Skateboarding and Thumb Wrestling are new to the Switch Sports series.
Resort is a separate Switch 2 game, not an upgrade pack. Nintendo hasn’t announced an upgrade discount or a way to carry over Switch Sports progress, so owners of the original pay full price.
Is the Switch 2 bundle worth it?
The Switch 2 + Switch Sports Resort bundle ($529.99) includes the console with light blue and light red Joy-Con 2, a full game download and a three-month Nintendo Switch Online Individual Membership. Nintendo says that saves $27.98 compared with buying all three separately. It makes the most sense if you’re buying a first Switch 2 for a family that plays together. Budget for extra controllers too: Nintendo notes that multiplayer may need additional accessories, and a spare pair of Joy-Con 2 lists at $99.99. The other new console option this season is the Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 ($519.99, October 29), which comes without a game.
Thumb Wrestling, new to the series: pin your rival's thumb for three seconds to win. Image: Nintendo
What’s next
Switch Sports Resort lands on October 22, the same day as Peak on Switch 2 and Final Fantasy Resonance. Our new games next week roundup has every release date. If you want something calmer to pair with it, see our best cozy games on Switch 2.
Sources: Nintendo, Nintendo store (digital), Nintendo store (physical), Nintendo store (bundle), VGC, Gematsu, Metacritic, OpenCritic.
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