Nintendo Switch Sports Getting Major Update on July 9

Basketball is coming to Nintendo Switch Sports as part of a major update, first teased in June during the Nintendo Direct showcase. Nintendo Switch Sports currently features golf, soccer, volleyball, bowling, tennis, badminton, and chambara (swordplay), and allows for both casual and ranked play in local or online co-op modes.

Nintendo Switch Sports was conceived as a spiritual successor to Wii Sports, the console’s best-selling video game by a huge margin, with over 82 million copies sold in the Wii’s lifetime. Four years after the game’s original release in 2006, Nintendo spawned a sequel titled Wii Sports Resort, followed by a remake called Wii Sports Club in 2014. In 2022, Nintendo Switch Sports was released as another sequel, incorporating everything that Wii owners loved about the game while making it more accessible and immersive.

On July 9, players in the US will be able to enjoy basketball as a free-to-play sport as part of Nintendo Switch Sports‘ newest update. The update will drop on July 10 for UK players. Nintendo announced the details on Twitter, advising players to be “ready to hit the court” and asking if fans are “ready to shoot some hoops.”

Nintendo Switch Sports Basketball Update Release Date

• July 9 for the US and July 10 for the UK

As of March 2024, Nintendo Switch Sports has sold over 13.11 million copies, becoming one of the Nintendo Switch’s best-selling games. Players utilize the Joy-Con controllers similarly to how they would a Wii remote, acting out the motions of kicking, serving, bowling, swinging, and slashing to beat their opponents. The leg strap accessory, which was originally introduced in Ring Fit Adventure, can be used to simulate the action of kicking a ball in soccer. Local multiplayer allows up to four players within a short vicinity to compete against one another, while the game’s online mode allows up to two local players to participate in random matchmaking. The game is also kid-friendly, making it a great title the whole family can play while staying active.

According to the trailer, the basketball update for Nintendo Switch Sports will make use of the Joy-Con controller to simulate the dribbling of a ball, and players will lift both arms and act out shooting the ball to trigger a shot simulation. Additional game modes allow for shootout competitions with up to four friends or solo shooting practice from the three-point line. For players looking for more fun and hassle-free workouts to add to their rotation, Nintendo Switch Sports isn’t the only sports-themed game for the Switch.

Nintendo Switch Sports

$37 $50 Save $13

Nintendo Switch Sports was released in 2022 and is the latest entry in the Wii Sports sub-series, despite not having “Wii” in the title. 

Released

April 29, 2022

Developer(s)

Nintendo EPD

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer , Online Multiplayer

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Mild Violence

How Long To Beat

3 Hours

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