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To set up a two-player Tennis match in Nintendo Switch Sports on one console, start the game, choose local play, select “Two Players” when asked how many people will play on that system, then follow the controller prompts and choose Tennis. Nintendo confirms that Tennis supports playing with a friend on the same system.
This guide is for two people sharing one Nintendo Switch, not for connecting separate systems. The menu wording can resemble Nintendo’s LAN setup, so choosing the correct player count and mode is the key to getting both players into the same match.
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What do you need before you start?
You need Nintendo Switch Sports, one Nintendo Switch system, and controllers that the game supports for Tennis. Nintendo’s official game page identifies Tennis as a same-system activity, so two people can play together locally without bringing a second console into the setup.
Nintendo lists Joy-Con controller configurations among the supported options, but compatibility varies by sport and the cited FAQ does not specify the exact Tennis allocation. Follow the controller instructions shown in the game; do not assume that every configuration will work or that you need to buy an extra pair. The prompt that appears for Tennis is the authority for which controllers to connect and how to assign them.
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For the best supported experience, connect the console to a TV and use TV Mode. Nintendo says the game does not support Handheld Mode. Its FAQ recommends TV Mode for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch OLED Model, and Nintendo Switch 2. If the console is sitting in handheld mode, change the setup before troubleshooting controllers or restarting the match.
Quick pre-match checklist
- The game is installed and launched from the console’s HOME Menu.
- Both people are playing on the same Nintendo Switch system.
- You have the controllers that the Tennis prompt accepts.
- The console is connected to a TV in TV Mode.
- You intend to use local play, rather than LAN or online play.
There is no need to arrange Nintendo Switch Online membership for this one-console local match. Nintendo’s membership requirement applies when you select online play, not when two people share one system.
How do you start a two-player Tennis match on one console?
- Open the game. From the Nintendo Switch HOME Menu, start Nintendo Switch Sports and wait for its opening menus to load.
- Choose the local-play option. Select the option for people playing on this Nintendo Switch system. Do not choose an option intended to connect separate consoles unless that is your goal.
- Set the player count for this console. When the game asks how many people will play on the system, choose “Two Players.” Nintendo’s LAN instructions use the choices “Single Player” or “Two Players” for this per-console decision. For two people sharing one system, choose “Two Players.”
- Assign controllers. Follow each on-screen controller prompt. Connect, wake, or separate the controllers exactly as the game requests, then confirm the assignment when prompted. The game may present the controller step before the sport-selection step, so complete it rather than trying to skip ahead.
- Choose Tennis. Continue through the sport-selection screens and select Tennis. Follow any remaining prompts until the match begins.
- Confirm both players are present. Before starting play, check that the screen shows the two-player setup you intended. If only one player appears, back out to the local setup and repeat the player-count selection.
Nintendo’s official game page identifies Tennis as playable with a friend on the same system. The LAN-play instructions also describe the per-console player selection and sport-selection flow, though LAN play is for connecting multiple consoles rather than a couch match on one system.
What does “Two Players” mean in this menu?
“Two Players” is the number of people playing on that particular console. It does not mean two consoles, two online accounts, or two players joining a LAN session. If both people are sitting in front of one Switch, select the local option and set that console to Two Players.
“Single Player” is the appropriate per-console choice when only one person will play on that system. Selecting it for a two-person couch match can leave the second person out of the Tennis setup, even if a second controller is later connected. Return to the player-count screen rather than trying to fix that mismatch from inside the sport.
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The wording comes from Nintendo’s per-console setup guidance. It is useful even when you are not using LAN, because it describes how the game counts players attached to one system. The important distinction is that the same player-count choice appears in a multi-console context, while your match uses only one console and local play.
Which controllers and display mode should you use?
Use the controller configuration accepted by the game’s Tennis prompt. Nintendo’s FAQ lists Joy-Con among supported controller types but cautions that supported configurations depend on the sport. Because the cited FAQ does not give the exact Tennis allocation, this guide does not prescribe a particular number of Joy-Con or claim that a specific split will always work.
Instead, let the game identify the required arrangement. If it asks you to pair a controller, press the requested buttons and wait for the confirmation. If it asks for separate controllers, detach or assign them as directed. Both players should complete the prompt before you continue to the Tennis selection.
Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers and Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controllers are not compatible with Nintendo Switch Sports, according to Nintendo’s FAQ. Do not use a Pro Controller as a substitute when the game is waiting for a supported Tennis controller. A Joy-Con configuration that the game accepts is the safer choice, and the in-game message is still the final check for the sport.
TV Mode versus Handheld Mode
Play in TV Mode rather than Handheld Mode. Nintendo states, “Nintendo Switch Sports does not support Handheld Mode.” That distinction matters even though the match is local; local play does not mean the game can be played with the console held in handheld mode.
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Place the console in its dock, connect it to the television, and use the controllers requested by the game. Nintendo recommends TV Mode for the best experience on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch OLED Model, and Nintendo Switch 2. If you are already in TV Mode and the game still displays a controller warning, revisit the controller assignment rather than changing the player count.
Do you need Nintendo Switch Online for this match?
No membership is required for the one-console local setup described here. Nintendo’s FAQ says an active Nintendo Switch Online membership is required for online play; that requirement applies if you choose to play online, not to the local match between people sharing one system.
This means you should not purchase or renew a membership solely to start the local Tennis flow. If you later switch to an online mode, the requirement changes: an active Nintendo Switch Online membership is then needed. Keep the two situations separate when planning a session or explaining why one menu may ask for membership while the local option does not.
Local play, LAN play, and online play compared
| Mode | What it connects | Player-count guidance | Membership note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local, one console | Two people sharing one Nintendo Switch | Select “Two Players” for that console | No Nintendo Switch Online membership for this local flow |
| LAN | Multiple Nintendo Switch systems on a local network | Nintendo’s instructions allow up to two players on each console and up to eight players total in that LAN setup | Use Nintendo’s LAN instructions for the separate-console process |
| Online | Players connecting through an online mode | Follow the game’s online lobby and player prompts | An active Nintendo Switch Online membership is required |
Only the first row applies to the couch match in this guide. LAN is not a faster name for local play: it is a different arrangement that involves multiple consoles. The maximum of two players per console and eight total belongs to Nintendo’s LAN instructions and is not a requirement for two people using one system.
What if the game does not start a two-player match?
- The game shows one player: Return to the local-play setup and make sure you selected “Two Players” for this console, not “Single Player.” Connecting another controller after choosing Single Player may not change the player count that was set for the session.
- You selected a multi-console option by mistake: Back out and choose local play for people using this console. LAN setup is only needed when separate Nintendo Switch systems are participating.
- A controller is not accepted: Follow the Tennis controller prompt exactly. Try a supported Joy-Con configuration and remove any Pro Controller from the setup, because Nintendo says Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers and Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controllers are not compatible.
- You are trying to play in handheld mode: Switch to TV Mode. The game does not support Handheld Mode, and Nintendo recommends TV Mode for the supported Switch models.
- Only one person reaches the sport screen: Stop before selecting Tennis, return to the player-count screen, and set the console to Two Players. Then repeat the controller assignment for both people.
- The game keeps asking for a controller: Leave the prompt open while the requested Joy-Con is connected or paired. Do not infer the Tennis allocation from another sport; Nintendo warns that supported configurations depend on the sport.
- You expected online membership to solve a local issue: Membership is relevant to online play, not the one-console local flow. Fix the local player count, controller assignment, or display mode instead.
- You meant to play from separate consoles: That is a different setup. Use Nintendo’s LAN-play instructions for the multi-console flow; local two-player play on one console does not require LAN setup.
For the official compatibility and display guidance, consult Nintendo’s Nintendo Switch Sports FAQ.
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Should you buy another pair of Joy-Con?
Not automatically. Nintendo confirms Joy-Con support, but the cited FAQ does not state the precise Tennis controller allocation. That means an extra pair may or may not be useful depending on what your current setup and the Tennis prompt accept. Check the in-game instruction before spending money.
The game itself is the required product for this setup. Nintendo’s official product page identifies Nintendo Switch Sports for Nintendo Switch and specifically mentions same-system Tennis play. If you do not own the game, obtain the game through a current Nintendo retail or digital channel; any listing, price, or affiliate availability should be checked at the time of purchase.
Joy-Con is a conditional accessory consideration, not a guaranteed purchase requirement. Nintendo’s controller guidance supports Joy-Con but leaves the exact Tennis allocation to the sport-specific prompt. Avoid buying a controller solely because a generic two-player guide says you need one; first see what your console and the game already accept.
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A reliable order for setting up a couch match
For a repeatable setup, use the same order every time: TV first, game second, local mode third, player count fourth, controllers fifth, and Tennis last. This sequence separates the three choices that are easiest to confuse:
- Where are players connected? Choose local play when both are on one system.
- How many players are on this system? Choose Two Players.
- Which sport? Choose Tennis after the controller assignment.
If a friend arrives while the game is already open, it is usually clearer to return to the local setup screen and make the player count explicit than to connect a controller midway through another mode. The objective is not merely to pair a second controller; it is to start the session with two players assigned to the same console.
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Questions to settle before you press Start
- Are both players using this one Nintendo Switch, rather than separate systems?
- Is the console in TV Mode?
- Did the setup screen say Two Players?
- Did each person complete the controller prompt?
- Did you select Tennis only after both players were assigned?
- Are you avoiding unsupported Pro Controllers?
- Are you treating Nintendo Switch Online as an online-only requirement?
Answering these questions prevents most setup detours without changing any gameplay settings. If all seven answers are correct and the game still does not proceed, repeat the local setup from the beginning and follow the exact controller message displayed for Tennis.
Frequently asked setup questions
The following answers keep the one-console Tennis flow separate from Nintendo’s other multiplayer options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can two people play Nintendo Switch Sports Tennis on Nintendo Switch 2?
Yes, Tennis is listed as playable with a friend on the same system, and Nintendo’s FAQ includes Nintendo Switch 2 among the systems for which it recommends TV Mode. Use the game’s controller prompt to confirm the supported setup for your match.
Can two people play on one Nintendo Switch without Nintendo Switch Online?
Yes. The local one-console setup does not require an active Nintendo Switch Online membership. Nintendo says that membership is required for online play.
What should I select for two people sharing one console?
Choose the local-play option, then select “Two Players” when the game asks how many people will play on that Nintendo Switch system. Continue through controller assignment and select Tennis.
Can I use a Switch Pro Controller for Nintendo Switch Sports Tennis?
No. Nintendo says Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers and Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controllers are not compatible with Nintendo Switch Sports. Follow the Tennis prompt for the supported Joy-Con configuration.
Does Nintendo Switch Sports work in handheld mode?
No. Nintendo states, “Nintendo Switch Sports does not support Handheld Mode.” Use TV Mode; Nintendo recommends it for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch OLED Model, and Nintendo Switch 2.
The Bottom Line
For two-player Tennis on one Nintendo Switch, choose local play, set the console to “Two Players,” follow the game’s controller assignment, and select Tennis. Use TV Mode because Handheld Mode is unsupported. Nintendo Switch Online is needed for online play only, and Pro Controllers are not compatible.
