How to Play

Learn the ropes of Nintendo Switch Sports Tennis! Discover how to serve, swing, slice, and lob your way to victory with this easy-to-follow guide.

Alright, let's get you set up for some Nintendo Switch Sports Tennis! It's pretty intuitive once you get the hang of it. First off, you're going to hold the Joy-Con (that's your Wiimote equivalent) like you would a real tennis racket. Make sure the front of the controller is facing you.

The game actually handles all the player movement for you, which is super nice – no need to worry about running around the court!

Serving: To get the ball in play, you have a couple of options. You can either press the A button to toss the ball up, or you can swing the Joy-Con vertically. Once the ball is tossed, swing the controller downwards to serve. Pro-tip: if you swing when the ball is at its absolute highest point, you can get a really powerful serve!

Strokes: There are two main types of swings: forehand and backhand. A forehand is when your palm is facing forward as you make contact with the ball. A backhand is when your arm is on the other side, so your palm is facing outward.

Lobs and Slices: Want to change up your shots? Hitting the ball with an upward motion (low to high) will make it a lob, sending it high into the air. On the other hand, hitting the ball with a downward motion (high to low) will give it a slice. Slices make the ball travel faster, while lobs tend to slow it down.

Direction: This is all about your timing! If you hit the ball really early in its trajectory, it'll go more to the left. If you hit it later, it'll go more to the right. Nail the timing just right, and you'll send it straight down the line.

Net Play: If you're playing as the net player, you'll control your swing similarly to how you would if you were at the back of the court. Just swing the Joy-Con when the ball comes near you. This is super useful for those quick net shots!