5 Essential Accessories for New Nintendo Switch Owners | Gamer Guidance
The Holiday season is quickly approaching. Soon, shoppers will be flooding department stores searching for gifts for their loved ones. The Nintendo Switch has been on the market for seven months now and will be celebrating its first Christmas season. No doubt about it; the Nintendo Switch will be one of the hottest Christmas gifts this year. Parents, siblings and significant others may be wandering which accessories are essential to purchasing alongside the Nintendo Switch this year. I’m here to help you out.
While the Nintendo Switch is an excellent console/handheld, there are some items that I highly recommend you purchase to get the most out of it. Before I get started, I do want to point out that most, if not all, of these accessories are technically optional. Yes, a Nintendo Switch console and a few games will certainly get you started. However, in order to protect the console and utilize all of its features, the following peripherals are highly recommended.
- HORI Licensed Hard Pouch | $19.99 | Amazon
Protective cases are a dime a dozen for the Nintendo Switch, but many of them are of poor quality. I’ve tested many cases for the Switch and this HORI hard pouch is easily my favorite of the bunch. There are several variations of this pouch, including a plain black variant, Breath of the Wild variant, and my personal favorite, the Splatoon 2 variant (pictured above). Unlike many cases, this one includes a hard exterior that gives a good amount of protection to the handheld. The case includes padding that covers the screen that also holds five Switch game cards. I use this case as my daily driver and highly recommend it due to it’s protection and affordable price.
2. amFilm Tempered Glass Screen Protector | $8.99 | Amazon
Since the launch of the Nintendo Switch, there have been rumors that the dock will scratch your screen. While we still haven’t had a solid answer on this dilemma, there’s plenty of evidence out there that point to it being true. I myself have had scratches along the bezel of my screen where the dock slides onto the screen, so consider me a believer. A screen protector is a great way to help protect the plastic screen and prevent any unwanted scratches. The amFilm tempered glass screen protector is cheap and applies very easily while avoid the obnoxious bubbles that get stuck under plastic screen protectors.
3. MicroSD High Capacity Memory Card | $12.99 | Amazon
The Nintendo Switch comes with 32GB of memory built into the console. This may have sounded like a lot of space back in 2010, but to today’s standards, not so much. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s digital version alone takes up 13GB of that space, and games like NBA 2K18 require a memory card to even play it. If you plan on buying most of your games in physical form, this won’t be much of a problem, but many Switch games are digital only and need more storage space. Simply purchasing a cheap MicroSD card will help expand the memory and store many more games on the handheld. It’s worth noting that the higher the class of the card, the faster it will perform with loading times as well.
4. USB-C to USB 3.0 Cable | $6.99 | Amazon
Nintendo includes a charger in the box with the Switch, but it’s designed to attach to the dock more than anything. It’s a pain in the butt to keep unhooking the charger from the dock in order to carry it around with you. If you want a second charger, it’ll cost you $29.99 for the official Nintendo one. There’s a much more affordable option for charging on-the-go. Simply buy a compatible USB-C to USB 3.0 cable that will plug into the bottom of the Switch and plug the other end into any USB wall charger that comes with almost any modern electronic device such as smart phones and tablets. Works like a charm and will also be compatible with portable battery chargers for those stuck in airports.
5. Nintendo $20 eShop Gift Card | $20.00 | Amazon
Nintendo’s digital game store, known as the eShop, is a host to a plethora of great titles that cannot be purchased in-store. From Golf Story to Stardew Valley and SteamWorld Dig 2, there are plenty of games that Switch owners shouldn’t pass up that are available on the eShop. Get your gamer a head start by purchasing an eShop gift card that will allow them to grab a game or two for their new Nintendo Switch. eShop gift cards come in $10, $20 and $50 variations.
I hope this helps folks out there who plan on picking up a Nintendo Switch for their loved ones. These accessories will gain you some serious cred as a gift giver and will allow your friend or family member to get the most out of their new system. For more information on digital games available on the eShop, check out Nintendo’s website HERE. Also, pay attention to our reviews section for several reviews on indie Switch titles, including the recently released SteamWorld Dig 2.
