Typically, you get one point for each pin you knock down, and you get two rolls to knock down all ten pins in that frame. But things get a little wacky when you add in strikes and spares.
A strike is when you knock down all pins in the first roll. An X will go on your scoring sheet, but you won’t get a score for that frame quite yet—you’ll need to roll two more times before scoring is determined. You’ll get 10 points + “some bonus points” depending on what your next two rolls are.
A spare is when you knock down all ten pins in a frame after two rolls. Scoring for spares is similar to strikes except that the bonus only comes from the next roll (not the next two rolls).
That’s a lot to think about, but you don’t worry—the Nintendo Switch Sports game will keep track of the scoring and points for you!