Can You Unlock More Games on Nintendo Switch Sports?

The short answer is – absolutely! While the base Nintendo Switch Sports package features six sports (soccer, volleyball, bowling, tennis, badminton and chambara), there are multiple ways to expand beyond that initial lineup by unlocking additional games.

As a passionate Nintendo fan and content creator myself, I‘ve been researching all the ins and outs of how to access more sports. In this guide, I‘ll show you the confirmed and rumored methods to add to your Nintendo Switch Sports repertoire.

Unlocking Official New Games

First and foremost, Nintendo has already announced that golf will be added as a free update later in 2022, bringing the total number of available sports to seven.

This new golf mode, arriving during the holiday season, will include 21 holes adapted from the fan-favorite Wii Sports series. It even adds a unique battle golf format called Survival Golf where eight players compete simultaneously to avoid elimination.

So by year‘s end, gamers will automatically get access to golf as long as they download the patch. Expect enjoyable nostalgia plus new twists perfect for friendly competition!

Future Games Teased

In interviews, Nintendo developers have hinted they are open to expanding Nintendo Switch Sports with new sports over time based on fan feedback.

Data miners digging into the game code have uncovered additional evidence suggesting that sports like baseball, water sports, track athletics, and even Origami may eventually make their way onto Nintendo Switch Sports.

Nothing is guaranteed, but Nintendo does have a long history of introducing new surprise sports via free updates years after launch, as we saw with both Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort. So the chances seem high!

As a long-time gamer myself, I‘d love to eventually see fan favorites like baseball and boxing added to deepen the content. We may even get brand new experimental sports designed from the ground up for the unique motion control capabilities of the Nintendo Switch and Joy-Cons.

The sky‘s the limit – the solid foundation of the existing Switch Sports makes the title a perfect vessel for showcasing both beloved and all-new sports using the signature Nintendo charm and polish.

Unlocking Achievement Rewards

Beyond the free game additions provided by Nintendo over time, you can also unlock new game titles by completing in-game achievements and earning rewards.

Titles are special nametags that display under your Nintendo Switch Sports avatar, reflecting your accomplishments and mastery of different challenges.

Here‘s a quick overview of how it works:

  • Each sport features a progression track with four reward tiers – Rookie, Pro, Champion, and Legend
  • Tiers are unlocked by winning a set number of online matches – e.g. 5 wins to turn Pro status
  • New name titles come with each tier, themed appropriately – like "Soccer Legend"
  • Unique title designs and colors signify the specific sport and level of prestige

To give you a sense of scope, the current known unlockables based on data mining findings include:

  • 6 sports x 4 tiers per sport = 24 total unlockable titles

So by dominating online matches across all included sports, you can proudly display up to 24 rare titles to show your multi-sport prowess!

The number will only grow larger as more official sports get introduced like the upcoming golf mode too.

Here is a quick cheat sheet on how many online match wins are believed to be required per tier, per sport:

SportRookieProChampionLegend
Soccer5102050
Volleyball5101530
Bowling381525
Tennis351020
Chambara351020
Badminton351020

As you can see, Rookie and Pro titles take just a few matches to unlock across the entire Switch Sports suite – making them very attainable goals.

But living up to the true "Legend" or Champion" names will take dedication to mastering each activity online!

Personally, I‘m aiming to become a "Volleyball Legend" first based on my early match performance – the 50+ wins for Soccer Legend will take more grinding! What about you – which sport and title will be your first target?

The Collection: Unlocking Rewards

Aside from online match victories, the other main way to unlock content in Nintendo Switch Sports is by earning Collection Points.

  • Collection Points are gained from any online matches or gameplay hours
  • After each match, you‘ll get a summary of Collection Points earned
  • Points accumulate into different tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum)
  • Higher tiers require exponentially more points to progress
  • Each point threshold passed unlocks new cosmetic rewards

Unlike the online win titles covered earlier, Collection unlockables are mostly fun customization pieces for your in-game avatar – hairstyles, outfits, accessories, etc.

However, data miners have discovered mysterious references to additional sports and modes hidden among these collectibles as well…

For example, files referencing something called Target Smash have been located, suggesting it could be unlocked by reaching a certain Collection level.

Target Smash sounds like it could be a homage to the fan favorite Target Smash mini-game from Super Smash Bros – using Switch Sports ball and disc projectiles to rack up points by smashing distant targets.

Additionally, snippets of code labeled Bubble Football have been unearthed – possibly implying a football/soccer mode played inside zany encasing bubbles!

Of course, these hidden game modes have not been publicly confirmed by Nintendo yet. But their presence in the game code keeps hope alive that reaching higher Collection tiers over months of dedicated play could randomly award you with entire new sports!

It may take upwards of 500-1000 hours of total multiplayer gameplay to reach the upper Silver or Gold collection levels based on early estimates. So unlocking these rumored games won‘t come easy – but the payoff could be huge!

Personally, the thrill of possibly discovering secret new activities is motivation enough to keep revisiting Nintendo Switch Sports daily aiming for those milestones, even if it takes months of commitment.

That sense of delayed gratification ultimately makes achievements feel more rewarding. And it aligns with Nintendo‘s vision for Switch Sports as an ever-growing platform full of surprise content for years to come.

Master Mode: Offline Practice With Rewards?

Interestingly, Nintendo also snuck in an offline-focused Single Player mode dubbed Master Mode shortly after launch.

On the surface, Master Mode simply lets you play through the six core sports solo to sharpen your skills without online pressure.

But here‘s the exciting part – data miners found code suggesting you can also continue unlocking Collection Points and Cosmetic Rewards even in offline Master Mode!

This seems to imply Switch Sports can actually be fully completed and unlocked through offline play alone if desired – great news for gamers lacking consistent internet access.

Granted, we still don‘t know how Collection Point payout rates might differ between online and offline. Perhaps offline grinding is slower.

However, the ability to continue making progress with costumes, titles and potentially secret sports while playing offline is a welcome revelation for completionist gamers like myself.

It lets the Nintendo Switch Sports party continue even without WiFi!

The developers likely included Master Mode collection point support realizing that fans relish unlocking everything – regardless whether they play online multiplayer or solo. So kudos to Nintendo for catering to all audiences with this addition.

Personally, I‘m thrilled to unlock new hairdos or name titles from the couch even when internet issues arise!

The Road Ahead: Nintendo Switch Sports‘ Content Future

If Nintendo follows previous patterns, we should expect a long tail of free sports and mode updates continually enhancing Switch Sports for years post launch.

Wii Sports received multiple new sports for literally over half a decade after release, capped by a final Golf update in 2009. That longevity extended playtime from months into entire childhoods for some!

Wii Sports Resort took a similar approach, continually expanding its lineup all the way until bowling was added in 2017 – a full eight years later!

Will Switch Sports manage to repeat or outdo that legacy? Let‘s breakdown the evidence.

Year 1: Golf + More?

As mentioned, golf arrives this holiday 2022 as update number one. Nintendo could stop there…but that seems unlikely and even wasteful considering the strong foundations in place.

So what else might 2023 have in store? Diving deeper into the code reveals work-in-progress files for equipment like baseball bats, boxing gloves, snowboards and swim gear alongside other snippets referring to track-and-field. Any and all of those sports would seamlessly slide into Switch Sports‘ simple pick-up-and-play formula.

With 7 Wii Sports activities yet to be reimagined on Switch (baseball, boxing, canoeing, cycling, power cruising, wakeboarding and frisbee) plus another 3 from Wii Sports Resort (archery, basketball, table tennis), Nintendo will be spoiled for choice selecting what classic sport might reemerge next.

My early bet is baseball given its accessibility and family-friendly reputation – plus requiring less new animation than say, boxing. But a water sport like wakeboarding could also take advantage of Joy-Con motion in fun ways. I‘d be thrilled by any surprise sport reveal!

Years 2-3: Steady Growth

Assuming the title keeps selling well thanks to its newcomer-friendly appeal, we could realistically see 1-2 new sports added annually through 2024-2025 alongside continual content updates.

This gradual evolution – buoyed by a likely Switch successor unveiling by 2024 to extend momentum – would bring the total sports count into double digits after three years to eclipse even Wii Sports Resort‘s selection.

Years 4-5: Hardware Transition

History indicates Switch Sports could still keep growing even during the latter half of its lifespan by taking a page from Wii Sports Resort‘s decade of support.

Let‘s fantasize and say Nintendo launches new Switch hardware in 2026 equipped with advanced motion tracking, haptic feedback or even VR. This could pave the way for revived Switch Sports content throughout a 2-3 year hardware transition period.

Wacky new joystick-free sports tailored exclusively for upcoming controllers seem inevitable. Nintendo has a tradition of leveraging new hardware launches to demonstrate innovation after all – whether motion controls before or cardboard toys more recently.

I‘d personally love to smack virtual home runs using true-to-life baseball swing detection or score soccer goals by actually running in place wearing sensor-packed leg straps. Fishing, dancing or stunt sports could all thrive with extra tracking points or force feedback as well.

Come 2028-2029, that not-yet-announced Switch successor would then presumably be ready to receive a proper built-from-scratch sequel fully embracing its capabilities. Rinse and repeat for the generation after that!

If all goes well, our Nintendo Switch Sports 2022 foundation could thus feasibly furnish active gaming fans with continual content for 6+ years as its predecessors did – maybe even an entire console generation lifecycle from start to finish.

That‘s the best case scenario. Regardless, it‘s a very safe bet that more free expansions are coming beyond just golf to incrementally improve the experience over months and years.

Verdict: Sports Games Unlocking Bonanza!

In closing, I‘m thrilled by Nintendo Switch Sports‘ immense short and long-term potential to uncover new games through various earning methods.

The built-in Achievements and Collections systems incentivize daily play sessions chasing after particularly alluring cosmetic and name tag rewards. This engenders strong replay value not reliant on any promised updates.

Yet the likely ongoing flow of new sports and game modes via periodic updates should further expand engagement horizons for months or years as well based on Nintendo‘s admirable legacy.

Factor in the option to grind certain rewards even offline thanks to Master Mode, and Nintendo Switch Sports truly becomes an embarrassment of unlockable riches no matter your connectivity status, skill level or play style preference.

So whether trying to master soccer only to learn volleyball fundamentals next or simply customizing a signature avatar look through accumulated cosmetics, the diversity of goals here keeps boredom at bay.

In my view as an avid gamer and content creator, Nintendo Switch Sports is clearly designed for longevity as a living platform primed for continual evolution. I‘m overjoyed imagining what wacky new activities could emerge years down the line!

For now, the built-in achievement paths offer plenty of motivation to keep perfecting my bowling form or foreign tennis swings. And the welcoming gameplay makes it easy to rope in family or friends for bonus progression too.

With so many rewards already available plusmore on the horizon, Switch Sports provides almost endless replay value – the exact hallmark of any successful service-style title.

Well done, Nintendo! My sports gaming calendar will stay penciled with daily Switch Sports sessions for the indefinite future even without new announcements guaranteed.

Although let‘s be honest…I‘ll be celebrating loudly the moment we get to suit up with new sports like baseball or go scuba diving too!

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