: The eShop version eliminates the need to swap physical cartridges, keeping the game permanently accessible on the console dashboard.

: Certain cosmetic items, character customization gear, and weekly multiplayer reward pools are tied directly to active online profiles and digital network syncing.

No unique NSP is branded as "eShop Exclusive" by Nintendo. In piracy circles, the term is used to signal that the game requires eShop patches or that the provided dump came from a digital purchase rather than a cartridge.

: The fan favorites return with refined physics and updated visuals.

The confusion over exclusivity often stems from the digital pirated scene. In the world of files, which are digital dumps of eShop titles, "eShop Exclusive" simply indicates that the source of a pirated copy is the digital store's files, rather than a physical cartridge. While a small number of games are truly exclusive to the eShop (with no physical release), Nintendo Switch Sports is not one of them.

Both formats contain the same title NCAs/contents but differ in distribution and installation method.

In many regions, buying just the game software without the physical leg strap accessory is an eShop exclusive option.