At their best, NPCs are a game’s driving force—the vehicle that elevates a narrative from good to great, the beating heart of a world that would otherwise be devoid of charm. At their worst, theymislead—guiding players away from their objectives and disrupting the oh-so-crucial rhythm of gameplay.
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The NPCs ofSports Storyfall somewhere in between, mostly adding wit and humor but sometimes spreading confusion in a complex quest that attempts to replicate the successes of its predecessor,Golf Story. Nevertheless, these are the characters you won’t want to miss as you traverse through the Rustling Vale, the Wildlands, and more.
10The Pirates: Buccaneers Of Land And Sea
These swashbuckling rascals are a recurring presence in your Sports Story experience, first making landfall as cannon-blasting beach invaders during the opening phase of the game.
Dealing in doubloons and measuring distances in nautical miles,the pirateshail from the Wildlands and play by a different set of rules than you, a so-called “Tamelander” who might end up relying on their ingenuity more than you expect. They have a softer side, though: when the Wildlands get too harsh they head ashore to spend their orange tokens and otherwise kick back on a relaxing holiday.
9The Iron Dragons: Rustling Vale’s Trash Talkers
Despite their propensity to slash sunflowers with samurai swords and bang on golf carts with baseball bats, this mildly incompetent gang menacing the Rustling Vale is more bark than bite. Apparently, they’ve purchased the Vale’s golf course, and you’ve been tasked with figuring out who in their right mind could have sold it to these “miscreants.”
But this Yakuza-adjacent menagerie doesn’t seem to have shaken the resolve of the town’s resident farmers and lumberjacks—they’re mostly ambivalent to the newcomers’ rowdy antics. Chat up the locals, and you’ll learn a thing or two about how to handle them.
8The Slybeaks: All-Seeing, All-Knowing
These “dangerously intelligent”winged residentsof the Rustling Vale know a thing or two about drama. Feared but respected by the locals, you’ll rarely complete a conversation without being told that they “know too much” about what’s happening in the town.
They’ve been locked up in cages throughout the area and could use some help getting free, but despite this rough treatment, they appear to have at least one ally who truly appreciates their cunning. Locate them and team up with Scooter the Slybeak for some much-needed assistance unlocking the Vale’s deepest secrets.
7Moon: The Little Sister You Didn’t Ask For
If there was a list of the coolest NPC names in Sports Story, Moon would undoubtedly rank near the top. As the third and final member of your team for the PureStrike Open, Moon is a kid golf prodigy who seems to spend more time training than experiencing the simple joys of childhood.
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Once she’s escaped her strict father’s watchful eye and befriended Lara, you can show her how to have a good time at the Skygolf Arcade in the mall. Just don’t let her convince you to get matching penguin tattoos.
6Robert The Best: A Braggadocious Pretty Boy
The Royal Gardens’ most arrogant knight-in-waiting, Robert the Best holds down the fort—or, more accurately, the castle—in the Queen’s absence. This aspiring “Sir” enjoys nothing more than creating obstacles along your path to meeting the Queen, and never believes that you could ever have completed his challenges fair and square.
Try to stay in his good graces, though, because he’s looking for a reason to behead the next cheater he finds. While you can’t fault the guy for wanting to protect the integrity of his Queen’s kingdom, some might say he takes his duties just a tad too seriously.
5The Codsworth Family
“Codsworths don’t forget,” but they do happen to be approximately six months overdue paying a tribute of fish to one certain vengeful overlord. The talk of the town is that nobody returns from the job, but if anyone can, it’s a Codsworth.
You can find the family ofanglershanging out in their dockside bungalow just across the water from the Pelican Waters Pro Shop. Coraline, Elsworth, and their son Chase may live a humble life, but their connection to the waters imbues them with a depth of wisdom to which few other Sports Story NPCs can lay claim.
4The Queen: A Spirited Ruler
Like with many Sports Story NPCs, you’ll quickly discover that there’s more to the Queen than meets the eye… that is… once you actually get to meet her. But once you do, you’ll learn just how much she has to offer in response to your efforts to alert her about PureStrike’s not-so-pure motives.
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Not only is the Queen a smart ruler, she’s got by far the coolest pad in all of Sports Story. Castle? Check. On-site mini golf? You bet. A fully-staffed café just steps from her throne room? Obviously. Once you enter her castle, you won’t want to leave. For a Sports Story royal, life is good.
3Ron: The Eco-Conscious Barista
Ron might just be the most stand-up guy in all the Wildlands. He runs Ron’s RRR, which he claims is “the world’s first and only 100 percent reclaimed café.” So, what is he reclaiming, you ask?
Well, if Ron is to be believed, he recycles dehydrated Royal Roast Runoff coffee from the Queen’s castle café, rehydrates it, and serves it at drastically lower prices than what you can find outside the Wildlands. Hang out for a bit and order a drink; you’ll feel good supporting a local business with your hard-earned cash.
2The GWRGA Club: Endurance Or Nothing
Dripping from head to toe in the sleekest sports attire, this high-octane group of endurance athletes just can’t seem to sit still. But if you’ve ever experienced the blissful clarity ofrunner’s high, you’ll sympathize with the GWRGA’s enthusiasm for perpetual motion.
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You can find some of the members at their meeting place in the back room of the Wildlands Saloon. Proving your superior endurance is the key to joining this exclusive club and enjoying its benefits. You’ll need to source your own fashionable outfit, however, that doesn’t seem to be included.
1Monty Wheeler: The Endearing Teacher
Clad in his blue and white jacket and rocking a sweatband across his forehead, Monty Wheeler is the veteran drills instructor at the Tennis Academy. To his students, he’s Mr. Wheeler, and in his decade-long tenure at the academy, he hasn’t encountered a pupil more talented than the legendary Josie Berkenborsch.
Ask Mr. Wheeler about Josie, and he’ll reminisce about his dedication to drills, as well as how they both share a love for porridge. His motto is ABD, which stands forAlways Be Drillin’,and that’s exactly what you’ll be busy doing as long as you’re under his wing.
