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Nintendo Switch Sports is available worldwide as of April 29, 2022!
★Release Date and Editions / Switch Sports Review
☆List of Sports / Pro League / Beginner's Guide
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With a quantity of Sports available for play, there comes a sizable variety of terms that players will need to learn in Nintendo Switch Sports. Read on and learn more about each term in every Sport that can be played and what they mean in this Glossary!
List of Contents
| Jump to Section | ||
|---|---|---|
 Volleyball |
 Badminton |
 Bowling |
 Soccer |
 Chambara |
 Tennis |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Block | Refers to a defensive action that can be taken to prevent a player's spike from crossing the threshold of the net. |
| Block Out* | When you block an attack from the offensive team, but the ball goes out-of-bounds, the point is awarded to the offensive team since the defending team is the last to touch the ball. |
| Bump | Refers to the action a player or opponent does to receive an attack from their opponent. This sends the ball flying high or low depending on the quality of the Bump. |
| Deuce | When a player or opponent reaches a Match Point, and their opponent manages to tie with them, a "Deuce" is called. A Deuce will increase the required amount of points to win by 2. |
| In | Ins are when the ball or shuttlecock lands within the boundary of the court. It is the opposite of an Out. Points from Ins are usually awarded to the team on the opposite side of the court. |
| Love | Refers to a score of zero in racket sports like Badminton and Tennis. |
| Match Point | When a player or opponent reaches one point prior to the required points to win a match, they will receive a "Match Point" notification during the round. Managing to score during this round causes the player or opponent to win. |
| Out | Outs are when the ball or shuttlecock lands outside the boundary of the court. It is the opposite of an In. Points from Outs are usually awarded to the team on the side where the ball or shuttlecock landed. |
| Rally | Refers to the continuous back and forth of offensive attacks and defensive plays between the two teams. Managing to have multiple back and forths without a score being made will cause a "Long-Rally" Point Multiplier to appear. |
| Return | A swing or action made by the opposite team or player after a serve. |
| Server | Refers to the player who is given the game ball to start a round with a shot. |
| Set | Setting refers to "setting up" a player's partner player. After a bump, a player Sets the ball for the other player to spike by sending the ball flying high, allowing the player partner to rise up for a quick Spike. |
| Spike | Offensive action that occurs after a "Set", which sends the ball into a straight, downwards direction that can only be defended against with a "Bump" or a Block. |
| Quick Attack* | Refers to a player preemptively jumping just before their teammate can Set the ball, resulting in a quick Spike. |
Terms marked with an asterisk (*) are exclusive to Nintendo Switch Sports and aren't included in the sport's real-life terminology.
| Jump to Section | ||
|---|---|---|
| Volleyball |
Badminton |
Bowling |
| Soccer |
Chambara |
Tennis |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Badminton Racket | Refers to primary Equipment used to play in Badminton. |
| Deuce | When a player or opponent reaches a Match Point, and their opponent manages to tie with them, a "Deuce" is called. A Deuce will increase the required amount of points to win by 2. |
| Drop Shot | A "short" shot that can be performed to cause the Shuttlecock to fall gently past the net. |
| In | Ins are when the ball or shuttlecock lands within the boundary of the court. It is the opposite of an Out. Points from Ins are usually awarded to the team on the opposite side of the court. |
| Match Point | When a player or opponent reaches one point prior to the required points to win a match, they will receive a "Match Point" notification during the round. Managing to score during this round causes the player or opponent to win. |
| Out | Outs are when the ball or shuttlecock lands outside the boundary of the court. It is the opposite of an In. Points from Outs are usually awarded to the team on the side where the ball or shuttlecock landed. |
| Overhead Shot | A shot that sends the shuttlecock flying high towards the opponent. |
| Rally | Refers to the continuous back and forth of offensive attacks and defensive plays between the two teams. Managing to have multiple back and forths without a score being made will cause a "Long-Rally" Point Multiplier to appear. |
| Server | Refers to the player who will start a match or round by sending the Shuttlecock to their opponent's side of the court. |
| Shuttlecock | Refers to the "Game Ball" used in Badminton. |
| Smash | Refers to a Shuttlecock that is hit while in its apex, causing the Shuttlecock to have a golden hue – this allows it to speed downwards faster. |
| Super Smash* | When the Shuttlecock is hit by the opponent and receives a purple flow while flying up high, hitting it with a Smash will cause a "Super Smash", which is a much more aggressive form of a Smash that is harder to defend against. |
Terms marked with an asterisk (*) are exclusive to Nintendo Switch Sports and aren't included in the sport's real-life terminology.
| Jump to Section | ||
|---|---|---|
| Volleyball |
Badminton |
Bowling |
| Soccer |
Chambara |
Tennis |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Bowling Ball | Primary Equipment used to play in Bowling. |
| Bowling Pin | The primary target that players must "knock-down" with their Bowling Ball. |
| Finals | FInal Round of a Bowling match where players compete for the Top Spot. The player with the highest point total wins the match. |
| Gutterball | When the bowling ball lands in the gutter, causing the player to receive no points. |
| Standard Mode* | "Regular" mode for Bowling, where there are no obstacles on the bowling floor. |
| Semi-finals | Second-to-last Round of a Bowling match where players who survive Round 2 compete for the Top 3 positions. Players not in the Top 3 are eliminated. |
| Spare | When the first roll of the Bowling Ball leaves one or more Bowling Pins standing, knocking these remaining Pins down on the second roll will cause a "Spare". |
| Special Mode* | Special mode for Bowling that introduces several obstacles on the bowling floor that players must roll their Bowling Ball through in order to hit the Pins. |
| Split Spare | When the first roll of the Bowling Ball leaves behind two or more Bowling Pins standing with significant space separating them, knocking these down on the second roll will produce a "Split Spare". |
| Strike | Knock-downs of all 10 Bowling Pins on the first roll of the Bowling Ball per set will cause a "Strike". |
Terms marked with an asterisk (*) are exclusive to Nintendo Switch Sports and aren't included in the sport's real-life terminology.
| Jump to Section | ||
|---|---|---|
| Volleyball |
Badminton |
Bowling |
| Soccer |
Chambara |
Tennis |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Assist | Refers to a player who passes the game ball to another player who scores a Goal. |
| Diving Header | A "dive" done by a player to hit the game ball with their head, pushing the ball forwards with great speed. |
| Extra Time | Refers to the match extension that occurs when the timer ends and both teams' scores are tied. Will end if one team scores a point. |
| Goal | Refers to when the ball has been kicked into the opponent's goal post, giving the team who pushed the ball in the point. |
| Golden Ball* | Random form of the ball that gives bonus points to the team who manages to push the ball into their opponent's goal post. |
| Kickoff | Refers to the moment when the ball is first kicked into play. |
| Kicks | Strikes performed by the player against the game ball to push it in directions the player chooses. |
| Knockout | A type of win that occurs when a team gains a four-point lead. Acts as a mercy rule for the losing team. |
| Passing | Action performed by a player when kicking the game ball towards a teammate. |
Terms marked with an asterisk (*) are exclusive to Nintendo Switch Sports and aren't included in the sport's real-life terminology.
| Jump to Section | ||
|---|---|---|
| Volleyball |
Badminton |
Bowling |
| Soccer |
Chambara |
Tennis |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Draw | Point in a match where neither player can knock off the other off of the platform. When a Draw is reached in a match winning round, this will result in a Final Round where the platform is decreased in size. |
| Guard | Defensive move that prevents players from registering Strikes against the player. |
| Strike | Attack moves that passes an opponent's defenses, which knocks them a small step back. |
| Thrust | A type of attack that sends opponents far back. |
Terms marked with an asterisk (*) are exclusive to Nintendo Switch Sports and aren't included in the sport's real-life terminology.
| Jump to Section | ||
|---|---|---|
| Volleyball |
Badminton |
Bowling |
| Soccer |
Chambara |
Tennis |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Backspin | Underhand swing with the Joy-Con that causes the ball to be shot with speed. |
| Break Point | When a player is one point away from a winning round. |
| Deuce | When a player or opponent reaches a Match Point, and their opponent manages to tie with them, a "Deuce" is called. A Deuce will increase the required amount of points to win by 2. |
| Double Bounce | When a the ball bounces on the ground twice and the opposite team receives the point. |
| In | Ins are when the ball or shuttlecock lands within the boundary of the court. It is the opposite of an Out. Points from Ins are usually awarded to the team on the opposite side of the court. |
| Lob | Shot against the ball that causes the ball to fly high towards the opponent's field. |
| Love | Refers to a score of zero in racket sports like Badminton and Tennis. |
| Out | Outs are when the ball or shuttlecock lands outside the boundary of the court. It is the opposite of an In. Points from Outs are usually awarded to the team on the side where the ball or shuttlecock landed. |
| Rally | Refers to the continuous back and forth of offensive attacks and defensive plays between the two teams. Managing to have multiple back and forths without a score being made will cause a "Long-Rally" Point Multiplier to appear. |
| Return | A swing or action made by the opposite team or player after a serve. |
| Rocket Serve* | Refers to hitting the ball during a serve at its highest point to cause the ball to speed down the field. |
| Server | Refers to the player who is given the Tennis Ball to make the first "Shot" to start a round. |
| Shots | Refers to "hitting" the ball when it enters the player's field. |
| Smashes | Refers to shots against the ball while it is at its apex height, which causes it to speed down towards the opponent's field with speed. |
| Tennis Ball | Refers to the game ball used in a game of Tennis. |
| Tennis Racket | Primary Equipment used in a game of Tennis. |
| Topspin | Overhand swing with the Joy-Con that causes the ball to be shot with speed. |
Terms marked with an asterisk (*) are exclusive to Nintendo Switch Sports and aren't included in the sport's real-life terminology.
Glossary: All Sports Terminology
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