The best sports games exclusive to Switch

Important takeaways

• Nintendo Switch relies on exclusive sports games featuring Nintendo characters, which lack major licensed sports titles.
• Some sports games like Sports Story and Soccer Slammers were disappointed due to gameplay glitches and lack of content.
• Mario-themed sports games like Mario Tennis Aces and Mario Golf: Super Rush shine on Switch but can 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 stunning graphics and Triple-A titles. Most licensed sports games, such as NHL and Madden, are not even released on Nintendo's hybrid device.

However, Nintendo has never relied on third-party support for success. Despite not having some of the most successful titles in the industry on its platform, the company circumvents this problem by releasing its own sports games, usually starring Mario and his companions. 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: There hasn't been an exclusive sports game for the Nintendo Switch in a while – sorry to anyone waiting for an official Mario Lacrosse – but we've decided to jump back into this list to make sure it's up to date and organized.

8 Soccer slammers

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

This arcade-style soccer game features two-on-two matches, with boring gameplay and bland environments. It's also incredibly light on content. This is disappointing as the director, Jools Watsham – who created the excellent Mutant Mudds series – was unable to adapt the charming aesthetic and engaging gameplay of those games to Soccer Slammers.

7 Sports story

Golf Story was one of the many excellent games available on the Switch in its first year and became one of the best examples of why independent developers should put their games on the console. A sequel was announced in 2019 with the promise of including more sports and activities, but Sports Story dropped the ball with its disappointing gameplay and structure.

After numerous delays, Sports Story was eventually shadowed in the final weeks of 2022 with no marketing attached to it. It was strange to see one of the Switch's most anticipated games come out like this, but it turns out that the game is full of errors and bugs that hinder the entire experience. Updates and patches may fix these over time, but Sports Story should have been given more time to iron out its issues before they became available to the public.

6 Mario & Sonic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Mario and Sonic began facing each other at the Wii Olympics, and the rivals still meet every few years for the next showdown. 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 by offering a wide variety of playable characters and events, but doesn't give any of them enough depth to really challenge you. The game is at its best when playing 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 playing it a few times.

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

Over a decade later, Mario Strikers is back, and while it's exciting to see its return, Battle League offers nothing new to the series and has 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. Next Level Games has been on a roll with the last two Luigi's Mansion entries, so it's surprising to see them drop the ball with Mario Strikers: Battle League.

4 Mario Golf: Super Rush

Golf is usually a slower paced sport that many people enjoy playing with friends to unwind and have a good time. The Mario Golf series has always been able to replicate a similar feeling from the comfort of your own home. A colorful roster of characters and dozens of creative courses have defined the series for a long time, and Mario Golf: Super Rush mostly continues to carry that torch.

Like the other Mario sports titles for the Switch, one of the biggest criticisms of Super Rush was its lack of content at launch. Over a year later, the game is still getting 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. It's again an interesting gimmick that quickly loses its appeal after just a few rounds.

3 Mario Tennis Aces

When he's not rescuing Princess Peach from Bowser or making a movie, Mario can usually be found partying, racing karts, or playing a game of tennis with his buddies. The first time you could see Mario on the track was on the Virtual Boy in 1995, and almost three decades later, his backswing has never been better.

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

2 Nintendo Switch Sport

It's hard to believe it took Nintendo five years to release a 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 and intuitive controls that were crucial to Wii Sports' success.

Nintendo Switch Sports includes familiar sports like tennis and bowling, while introducing the likes of badminton and soccer. Unlike Wii Sports, you can face other players online and collect new clothes and emotes for your avatar. More sports will be released in the future, and if they're as fun to play as the current crop, then Nintendo Switch Sports has the potential to become an essential game for every Switch owner.

1 Golf story

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

Golf Story is ultimately more than a sports game; it's also an RPG full of fascinating characters and a great story. It's refreshing to mingle with the locals between turns 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 the simulation genre and aesthetics. Its unique concept makes it not only the best sports game exclusive to Switch but one of the best games in its amazing library.