Special items are hidden rewards in Nintendo Switch Sports (2022) that you unlock by doing specific things during play. They include Rookie outfits, Golden outfits, Crowns, the Friendly Look pair and the Basketball set, and none of them come from the points shop. Each one is a fixed goal, so you can work through the whole set one sport at a time.
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Rookie Wear
Golden Wear
Crowns
Friend Pair
Basketball Set
How Special Items Work in Nintendo Switch Sports
Special items are hidden rewards, and each one has its own unlock rule. Some ask you to finish a set number of matches, some ask for a strong score or a win against a Powerhouse opponent, and some need a second player. Knowing the rule for each one before you play saves you from playing matches that won't count.
Play Globally is the online mode, and Play Locally is for playing on one console. The weekly collection rewards you buy with Play Globally points are a separate system, so they aren't special items.
How to Get Rookie Outfits
Rookie outfits reward you for getting used to a sport. Finish 15 matches of that sport in Play Globally or Play Locally, and its Rookie outfit unlocks. Each sport counts separately, so matches in soccer won't help with tennis.
Matches played with Play with Friends don't count, and a match you restart doesn't count either. That makes Rookie outfits a good early goal, since you'll be playing plenty of matches anyway while you learn a sport.
How to Unlock Golden Outfits
Golden outfits come from Play Locally only, and they reward skill rather than time spent. Each sport has its own Golden outfit with its own target. For most sports, you need to beat a Powerhouse CPU in Volleyball, Badminton, Soccer, Chambara, Tennis or Basketball. Lower CPU levels don't count, so the win has to come against a Powerhouse opponent.
Bowling and Golf don't use a CPU win. Bowling needs a score of 200 or more in one game, and Golf needs a round of -1 or better on an 18-hole course. Since all of these happen in Play Locally, you can earn them without going online.
How to Unlock Sport Crowns in Pro League
Crowns come from Pro League, the ranked mode for each sport, and you earn one by reaching A rank, the top rank in that sport's Pro League. Each sport has its own Pro League, so each Crown is earned there. Turn on Play Pro in the Options menu before you play, since the Crown doesn't count without it.
If you've already reached A rank, play one Pro League match with Play Pro on, and the Crown unlocks. Because a Crown marks a top rank rather than a number of matches, it's a reward for consistent play in that sport.
How to Unlock the Friendly Look Pair
The Friendly Look pair is built for playing together, so you need a second player on the same console. Play 30 online matches in Play Globally with two players selected on one console. Any sport counts, and the second player can be a Guest. Play Locally and Play with Friends matches don't count toward it.
A single Nintendo Switch Online membership on the console is enough, so you don't need one for each player.
How to Unlock the Basketball Set
The Basketball Set is made up of a Basketball Outfit and a Basketball Outfit (Sleeve). Both unlock after you finish one Basketball match in Play Globally or Play Locally. Play with Friends doesn't count for this set, so play the match in one of the other two modes.
Basketball also has its own Rookie outfit, Golden outfit and Crown, and they follow the same rules as in the other sports. The Basketball Set is one of the quickest items to get, so it's a good first target if you want an early unlock.
FAQ
What golf score unlocks the Golden golf outfit?
Golf scores are measured against par, the number of strokes a course is set up to take. Finishing at -1 means one stroke under that total, so the golden outfit asks for a round at least that good. A round that finishes lower than -1 also counts.
Can one Basketball match unlock the Basketball Set and count toward its Rookie outfit?
Yes. A single finished Basketball match in Play Globally or Play Locally unlocks the Basketball Set, and that same match counts toward the 15 matches for the Basketball Rookie outfit.
Do I have to win matches to get Rookie outfits?
No. The rule asks you to finish matches, not win them, so you don't need a winning record to build up your Rookie outfit count.