So, you just gave in to your inner whimsical child and bought a Nintendo Switch, probably after the enormous showing it got after E3 2019. I’m here to tell you that you’ve made a great purchase, as the Switch is not only a great console, it’s also an amazing handheld. With a great lineup of titles already available for purchase, and many more on the way both for this year and the next, there’s no better time to get a Nintendo Switch.
That said, there are still things you can do to make your enjoyment of your shiny new console all the better. In addition to trying out first-party titles like Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Pokémon: Let's Go, there are also a myriad of accessories that you can get in order to enhance your overall Switch experience – some of them are absolutely necessary, in my opinion.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the best starter accessories you can get for the Nintendo Switch.
NOTE: If you buy something through this post, Player.One may get a share of the sale.
amFilm Tempered Glass Screen Protector
The first order of business is to always get something to protect the Switch’s screen first, as it’s the most sensitive to scratches and the like. For no more than ten bucks, you can get two tempered glass screen protectors from amFilm, which you can use to give the screen of your Switch the protection it needs.
The amFilm tempered glass screen protectors offer 99.9 percent transparency despite its relatively thick size of 0.3mm. It’s highly durable and scratch resistant, with a surfaced hardness of 9H and is topped off with oleophobic coating to reduce fingerprint marks, which is probably one of the most annoying things to come with touchscreens. It’s also quite easy to install and replace should you need to, and comes with a micro-fiber cleaning cloth to wipe it off every once in a while.
SanDisk 128GB Ultra microSDXC UHS-I Memory Card
The next thing you should pick up is a good storage card for your digital purchases. With that in mind, SanDisk makes one of the best microSD cards on the market today, and you can easily get one with a huge capacity of 128GB for around twenty bucks. You can, however, opt into something much smaller, especially if you’re looking into only buying physical releases for the Nintendo Switch.
While you could technically skip this, as the Switch comes with its own built-in memory, it’s ultimately better to store your digital titles on a separate drive from the Switch’s software, as filling the latter up can potentially slow down your system performance. SanDisk Ultra memory cards are also rated A1, which has one of the fastest transfer rates on the platform leading to better loading times overall for your Switch.
One of the best secondary purchases to get for your Nintendo Switch is another pair of Joy-Cons, for two separate and very valid reasons: as back-ups for when you’re charging the other pair, or for simply playing with more players, as two pairs of Joy-Cons allow for up to four players on a single Nintendo Switch console. Each Joy-Con pair is pretty versatile in its own right, and can act as two separate controllers for two players, complete with their own set of controls.
The latter reason above makes a lot of sense when you consider that there are many good party games that you can play right now on the Nintendo Switch, including the king of party games, Super Mario Party. Likewise, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is best played in 4-player split-screen mode as you and your friends compete to see who is the luckiest when it comes to items.
JETech Protective Case for Nintendo Switch
As the Nintendo Switch is played mostly in a portable, handheld mode, it makes a lot of sense to get an accessory which can act like a protective shell, much like cases for smartphones. The JETech protective case is a good first choice for this, as it’s relatively cheap and is incredibly sturdy. The unibody design keeps your whole system in place, and the thick and flexible TPU material can protect your Nintendo Switch from various bumps and bruises while on the go.
The JETech protective case also comes with grooves on the Joy-Cons for a more ergonomic experience, similar to a regular controller. You also get easy access to all the controls and features without needing to remove the case itself, such as the shoulder buttons, the speaker grills, the cartridge slot, the USB-C port and the stand/microSD card slot.
PowerA Joy-Con and Pro Controller Charging Dock
This next one is a great solution assuming that you have multiple Joy-Cons or a Pro Controller. The PowerA Joy-Con and Pro Controller Charging Dock allows you to charge your other controllers while you’re using your Nintendo Switch, giving you time to play more instead of wasting it away recharging. The charging dock fits a pair of Joy-Cons plus one Pro Controller, is relatively small, and a size that you can bring with you if you’re planning on gaming a lot with friends on a trip.
Charging the Joy-Cons is as easy as connecting them to the Switch itself, as all you need to do is slide them downwards to charge and slide upwards to remove. The Pro Controller sits on a USB-C connector, and fits quite snugly in there so there’s no risk of it being displaced. The base of the charging dock is fully weighted to prevent it from tipping over as well.
Mthinkor Switch Battery Backup Power Bank
Gaming on the go can be quite fickle, especially since you’re basically relying on a battery that’s only rated for no more than five to six hours. Given that the Nintendo Switch has a non-removable 4310 mAH battery, you can probably only get something like three to four hours on most games, depending of course on other factors. For those serious with taking their hobby on the go, the Mthinkor Switch battery backup power bank is a must. It basically triples the battery life on your Nintendo Switch, as it has a capacity of 10000 mAH.
It’s also quite simply made and effective, too. The whole unit is just a battery pack assembled upon a frame that hugs the Switch’s body, which means that there is less additional bulk on the unit. You can also very easily detach the main power bank unit from the frame, allowing you to use it as a power bank for other devices like your phone. The power bank can be charged via USB-C, which means that you can charge your Switch while recharging the battery pack via a wall socket.
PowerA Everywhere Messenger Bag
You’ve now got all these accessories, but say you want to bring everything along with you – dock included – for a fun night out with some of your friends. If this is the case, then the PowerA Everywhere Messenger Bag is a must-buy for you. This messenger-style bag can hold the entirety of your Nintendo Switch system, including the console itself, your various cables, the Switch’s charger, the dock, and all other accessories like extra controllers and more. It also comes with a separate and removable internal case that carries the Nintendo Switch with Joy-Cons attached for handheld mode.
The fitted compartments will certainly keep all your components secure, while the large storage space means that you can basically fit in anything you might want without being too bulky, thanks to the messenger-style design of the bag. It’s also quite low-key in terms of design, and can easily pass as a messenger bag if not for the Nintendo Switch logo upfront.
tomtoc Ultra Slim carrying case for Nintendo Switch
If a big carrying case for your entire Nintendo Switch system is a bit too unnecessary for you, then you can always get one that just has room for your handheld Switch and some cartridges. This is where the tomtoc Ultra Slim carrying case comes in. The carrying case boasts a hard, outside shell covered with a very comfortable and premium material that is contoured around the Joy-Cons to prevent unnecessary movement while inside.
Inside, you get room for just your Nintendo Switch handheld system, along with space for ten cartridges. It’s kept together by heavy-duty zippers and can be carried around by its body thanks to the grippy surface, or by using the removable strap. The tomtoc Ultra Slim carrying case has also passed the military standard drop test, which ensures a level of safety for your console against any unwanted drops, bumps and bruises.
Nintendo Switch Adjustable Charging Stand
One of the most disappointing design oversights for the Nintendo Switch is its inability for the console to charg with the Joy-Cons detached and with the stand propped up, as you can’t access the USB-C port. Fortunately, Nintendo released a proprietary adjustable charging stand, which allows you to prop up your Switch on any flat surface while charging it.
This accessory is pretty useful if you’re tired of playing your Switch while in handheld mode, but you still don’t have access to your dock. From a sitting position, the Switch while propped is comparable to a tablet, albeit a very small one. The charging stand also boasts quite the heavy base, so there’s no fear of it tipping over should the table be knocked around.
Lamicall Multi-Angle Nintendo Switch Playstand
If you’re running into the same problem above, but are looking into cheaper solutions, then this one may be for you. The Lamicall Multi-Angle Switch Playstand is a bit different when it comes to design compared to the proprietary Switch charging stand, but it’s still quite effective nonetheless. It’s more skeletal in frame compared to the thick base offered by the Nintendo proprietary offering, but it can be adjusted for height and angle, which means that you can eliminate screen glare altogether. The design is also quite simple, and it can be folded neatly and placed in your pocket when not in use.
The multi-angle Switch stand makes use of two prongs that elevate your Switch to expose the USB-C port underneath, allowing you to charge it while propped on a table. Its functionality also extends from the Switch, as it can be used with a myriad of other devices such as smartphones and tablets, something the proprietary charging stand can’t do.
So, what do you think? Which of these Switch accessories will you be picking up? Let us know and stay tuned for more recommendations from us on the best deals on controllers and other hardware.
