How to Play Local and Online Multiplayer

Nintendo Switch Sports has local and online multiplayer lobbies for all of its sports. Read on to learn the difference between local and online multiplayer, including information on the game's online pro leagues as well as details about how to create your own Local and Online Multiplayer Lobbies!

How to Play Local Multiplayer

Play Within the Same Room

You can play with your friends or family in the same room using the Local Multiplayer feature of Switch Sports. Every sport can be hosted and will be displayed on a split-screen.

Local Multiplayer requires a Nintendo Switch and multiple Joy-Cons. Note that controllers other than Joy-Cons, including the Pro-Controllers, won't work in this game!
Switch Sports Controller Support

Creating Local Multiplayer Lobbies

How to Setup Local Multiplayer Lobbies
No.	Step
1	Select Play Locally from the main menu. Unlike playing online with Friends, Local Multiplayer does not require a tailor-made Lobby to be first setup. Players can simply choose the Play Locally option from the main menu which immediately brings them to Spocco Square.
2	Choose a Sport At Spocco Square, choose from the available Sports which one you'd like to play with.
3	Select the Number of Players Depending on the chosen Sport, you may get several options ranging from One to Four Players. Selecting "One Player" simply makes you play against a CPU, while the other options will allow you to play with friend's and family on the same console. Note however that this requires players to make use of multiple Joycons depending on the Sport, and requires that the console be in TV Mode to function.
4	Play! After choosing your options, all that is left now is to simply play and enjoy the game!

Team Up Against CPUs

You can also pair up with a friend in the same room and face computer-controlled opponents in tennis and volleyball if you feel like training together to improve your skills!

Tabletop Mode Only Supports One Player

If you are planning to play Local Multiplayer with the Nintendo Switch undocked and in Tabletop Mode, you will only be allowed to play solo.

The game will not let you play with two players or more and will ask you to dock your console and play in TV mode.

How to Play Online Multiplayer

Private Lobbies and Online Matchmaking

Players can opt for online lobbies to play multiplayer with friends by selecting the Play with Friends option on the play screen. Additionally, players can also opt for Global Matchmaking against random players of similar skill.

Creating Online Multiplayer Lobbies

How to Setup Local Multiplayer Lobbies
No.	Step
1	Select Play With Friends from the Main Menu Unlike Local Multiplayer, Online Play with friends requires an Online Multiplayer Lobby to be setup first before friends can play with one another.
2	Select the Number of Local Players Although the Lobby is primarily a means for friends to play online in closed groups, players can actually enjoy Online Play with one other individual via Local Play. This feature requires the console joining with a Local player to have multiple Joycons as well as have their console setup in TV Mode.
3	Choose to Make a New Room After choosing to make a new room, you'll be greeted with a page that requires you to input details for the Lobby. You can customize the Lobby to accept only a number of people (Min. of 4, Max. of 8), setup a Password to Lock the Lobby, as well as enable Voice Chat!
4	Select Play With this Group! Once ready, simply select the Play With this Group option, which drops you off into Spocco Square. Depending on the number of players who are in your Lobby, you will only be able to play certain games. When playing with only one person, you will only get the option to play against them – if playing in sports that require more than two players, the other spots will be filled by CPUs (whose difficulty settings can be adjusted).

Nintendo Switch Online Membership is Required

Take note that you will need a Nintendo Switch Online Membership to have access to the Online Multiplayer feature of Switch Sports. You will only be able to access the game's local multiplayer without it.

Earn Cosmetics Through Online Play

Players who are actively participating in multiplayer online's Global Matchmaking can receive gifts containing accessories and other wearable items in the game. These cosmetics can be used to customize and change the look of your character.

You can obtain more every week if you subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online!
How to Farm Points: Best Sports to Earn Points

Online Trial Mode

If you do not have an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription, you will only be able to access the game's Trial Mode when you attempt to play online. In this mode, all of your opponents will be CPU Sportsmates.

CPU Sportsmates

Limit of two obtainable items in Collection

You will stll be able to obtain random items from the Weekly Collection as you will still be rewarded points after every match, but you can only obtain a maximum of two cosmetics per available Collection.

List of All Items

Can only obtain items from most recent Collection

Additionally, the items you can get while playing in Trial Mode will be randomly chosen from the most recent Collection featured in the game.

This means that without an online subscription, you will not be able to get any items from older active Collections.

All Item Collections and Dates

Pro League inaccessible

You also will not be able to access the game's Pro League system if you are playing in Trial Mode.

If your online subscription runs out and is not renewed, your current ranks will be put on hold and you will not be able to play Pro League matches against CPUs until you activate your subscription again.

You will also not be able to see your current ranks per sport until you renew your online access.

Pro League Guide

Multiple sport queue still available

If you want a bit of variety when facing bots, queueing up to find three sports is still available even if you are in Trial Mode.

How to Queue for Multiple Sports

How to Get Into the Pro Leagues

Those with a competitive drive may also particiate in Pro Leagues for a specific sport once enough wins have been accumulated in multiplayer. These are online ranked matches with 12 skill-based ranks starting from E to A.

Pro League progression will pause when playing with two players

If you are playing Online Multiplayer with two players, both of the profiles' Pro League progression will be paused, adn you will not gain or lose League rankings.

Pro League Ranks and How to Enter

Tabletop Mode Only Supports One Player

If you are planning to play online random matchmaking or with your friends with the Nintendo Switch undocked and in Tabletop Mode, you will only be allowed to play solo.

The game will not let you play with two players and will ask you to dock your console and play in TV mode.

Is Switch Sports Compatible With the Switch Lite?

Switch Sports Related Guides

News and Game Info

Latest News
Release Date & Editions	Pre-Order Bonuses
List of Trailers	Switch Sports Online Play Test
Is Mii Matt in Switch Sports?	Missing Wii Sports Games
Is Free Roam Possible?	Review and Evaluation
Differences from Past Games	-
Game Features
Character Creation Guide	How to Farm Points
Multiplayer Features	Online Pro League
How to Create & Use Miis	Alternate-Color Mode
How to Play Solo	Do You Need Nintendo Switch Online?
Online Play Penalty	-
Software and Hardware Guides
How to Download and Install	Free Software Updates
Leg Strap Update	Switch Sports Accessories
Controller Support	Switch Lite Compatibility