A game of quick reflexes and sharp decision-making, Chambara rewards players who can rapidly change up their attack styles and attack angles to keep their opponents on their toes. While each of the three swords featured in the Chambara mini-game of Nintendo Switch Sports can thwack an opponent off-stage with relative ease, all three have tangible benefits to the flow of different gameplay areas.
One such sword type, however, presents upsides that directly improve Chambara’s most critical area of competition: the counter-play involved in blocking. This type of strength places it head-and-shoulders above its contemporaries when it comes to long-term efficacy and potential wins earned against any other sword type.
Twin Swords: Two is better than one
When compared to the default Sword, playing Chambara with the Twin Swords allows players to make use of a second sword when blocking and swinging. While only one of these two swords can be used to block or swing at a given time, as indicated by the blue shimmer around the active sword, players can readily switch between which sword they want to use when blocking or swinging.
The only Chambara sword to utilize both Joycons, each sword can be independently positioned throughout the course of a round. When blocking, this allows the player to have two separate swords in two different blocking positions, allowing them to simultaneously cover both angles, switching between them to account for incoming strikes by pressing each respective Joycon’s Z button.
When on the offensive, however, effectively utilizing both swords can take multiple forms, in the sense that opponents can’t counter a Twin Blade strike until one of the two blades have been swung. For example, players can position their right sword for a three o’clock diagonal strike and their left for a horizontal swipe, leaving the target responsible for blocking both angles at the same time. From this position, the offending player can choose to use either blade as a decoy, swiping with whichever one their opponent seems less aptly positioned to counter.
Related: How to unlock the multi sport queue in Nintendo Switch Sports
