Nintendo Switch Sports Chambara Tips

Nintendo Switch Sports Chambara Tips
Images via Nintendo

Written by 

Dylan Tate

Published 

19th May 2022 17:27

Nintendo Switch Sports chambara is a classic Wii Sports experience with a fresh coat of paint. Known as swordplay in Wii Sports Resort, this event has returned, now with the option for players to grind their way to the top of the Nintendo Switch Sports Pro League. Here are five tips that will help players aim to be the best in Nintendo Switch Sports chambara.

Fancy some tips for other games in Switch Sports? Check out these guides:

Nintendo Switch Sports Chambara Tips: How To Guard

Instructions for how to guard in Nintendo Switch Sports chambara.
Click to enlarge

Guarding opponents’ strikes is crucial for succeeding in Nintendo Switch Sports chambara. Not only does guarding prevent the player from taking knockback, but it also briefly stuns the opponent. As a result, guarding prevents the perfect opportunity for the player to counter attack and get their own offense started.

In order to guard, the player must press ZR or ZL, depending on which Joy-Con they are holding. Additionally, players can dictate which direction they block by holding their Joy-Con in a different direction. To successfully guard a hit, the Sportsmate must hold their sword in the opposite direction of that swing.

Thus, blocking a vertical slice requires guarding horizontally, while blocking a horizontal slice requires guarding vertically. Likewise, characters in this game can swing diagonally and diagonal swings must be blocked with a perpendicular diagonal guard.

On the flip side, players can break through their opponents defenses by striking parallel to their guards. This means that players can hit an opponent who is guarding vertically with a vertical strike, or hit an opponent who is guarding horizontally with a horizontal strike. 

Nintendo Switch Sports Chambara Tips: How To Thrust

 

Alongside the regular directional sword swings, there is a special manoeuvre in Nintendo Switch Sports chambara known as thrusting. To perform a thrust, the player must hold their Joy-Con flat and push it forward. 

Thrusts deal more knockback than regular swings, but can be blocked by any guard stance. As a result, players must make sure that their opponents do not have a blue aura around their sword, which indicates a guard, before they launch a thrust attack.

In general, players have to be very strategic with their attacks, as rapid attacks decrease in power with repeated use. For this reason, it is important for players to pick up on their opponents’ defensive habits and adapt their offensive play accordingly.

 

Nintendo Switch Sports Chambara Tips: Charge Sword

Sportsmates with Charge Swords fight in Nintendo Switch Sports chambara.
Click to enlarge

There are three types of swords players can choose to use in Nintendo Switch Sports chambara. The most basic sword deals the greatest knockback of the three. However, players can access special abilities if they can learn to master the other sword types.

The charge sword is a useful tool for defensive players, as it builds up energy everytime the player successfully guards an incoming attack. Players can then unleash this energy with a charge strike by holding L or R (depending on which Joy-Con they are using) while swinging the Joy-Con.

Charge strikes deal greater knockback than typical strikes. In addition, players can hold L or R while performing the thrust motion to execute a charge thrust. This will send opponents even further away, putting the player in a better position to push them off of the platform and win the match.

Nintendo Switch Sports Chambara Tips: Twin Swords

Sportsmates with twin swords fight in Nintendo Switch Sports chambara.
Click to enlarge

The other sword type in Nintendo Switch Sports chambara is the twin swords. As its name suggests, using the twin swords allows the player to use both Joy-Con controllers in order to brandish two swords at once.

Players using the twin swords can attack or guard with either sword, allowing them to mix up their stance and continually keep their opponents guessing. However, the player cannot guard with one sword and attack with another at the same time, which means they will still need to be strategic when it comes to picking their times to attack.

While wielding the twin swords, players have a metre that builds up over time. When the metre is at full power, the player can swing both Joy-Con controllers at the same time to perform a powerful spinning strike. Similarly, the full metre allows the player to thrust with both Joy-Con controllers at the same time in order to perform a twin thrust.

Ultimately, all three sword types have their own unique sets of advantages. Players should consider practicing to see which sword is the best fit for them in the game’s offline Trial Mode. They can even earn points toward Nintendo Switch Sports unlockables in the process.

Nintendo Switch Sports Chambara Tips: Sudden Death

A Sportsmate knocks their opponent off the platform in Nintendo Switch Sports chambara.
Click to enlarge

To win in Nintendo Switch Sports chambara, the player must win two rounds by knocking their opponent into the water within 45 seconds. However, if both players remain on the platform after 45 seconds, that round will be a draw. The game goes into sudden death if three rounds end in a draw.

During sudden death, the platform shrinks drastically, meaning players will be knocked into the water after only two hits. As a result, it is in the player’s best interest to play defensively while constantly mixing up their guard stance. If the player can coax the opponent into hitting their guard, they will have the chance to counter attack and will be more likely to earn a quick victory.

 

Dylan Tate is an alumnus of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a gaming journalist with a love for Nintendo esports, particularly Super Smash Bros. and Pokémon.

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