The Nintendo Switch is already an impressive home game console and handheld system, but it can do ev
The Nintendo Switch is a brilliant game system. You can dock it and play it on your TV at home, or you can snap its Joy-Con controllers onto its sides and use it as a handheld gaming device anywhere. It delivers on the promise of its unique concept, and comes with everything you need to use it, right in the box. That’s everything you need, though, and not everything you want.
The Joy-Cons feel comfortable whether attached to the Switch or with the included gamepad-like grip or wrist straps. Its 32GB of onboard storage is enough for at least a few of the excellent games released in its impressive first year. But you want more. A beefier controller. More storage. A faster network connection. An attractive carrying case. A better kickstand.
Well, we have you covered. We’ve gathered some of the best accessories for the Nintendo Switch. There’s something for everyone here, from a $5 metal tab that adds sturdiness and storage to the system, to a $150 handmade-in-America canvas-and-leather carrying bag, and plenty in between (we know a bag that costs half as much as the system it carries isn’t for everyone).
And if you’re wondering what to play on your Switch with all of these accessories, our list of over a dozen must-have Nintendo Switch games can get you started.
This article originally appeared on PCMag.com .
The Joy-Con controllers work well for what they are, and the Joy-Con Grip makes them feel like a decent gamepad, but for the best feel you should upgrade to the Switch Pro Controller. It’s a bit pricey at $70, but it feels so much more solid than the Joy-Cons do, with a far superior direction pad and more satisfying analog sticks, face buttons, and triggers. It’s also wireless and has all of the motion-sensing features of the Joy-Cons, so you can still play games like Splatoon 2 and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild with tilt aiming.
The weakest part of the Switch’s design is the plastic kickstand that covers the microSD card port. It’s flimsy, it snaps off easily, and it doesn’t hold the Switch upright on a table steadily. Fortunately, Nyko has an inexpensive upgrade that solves all of those problems. The Nyko Kick Stand is a metal version of the Switch’s plastic kickstand. It’s more solid, stays attached more securely, works modestly better as a stand, and even has a slot for storing a microSD card.
The Nintendo Switch has 32GB of storage. That’s enough to get you started, but not enough to build up a decent library without constantly uninstalling and downloading games. That’s what the Switch’s microSD card slot is for. It accepts standard microSD cards up to a whopping 2TB (those don’t exist yet), which act as expanded game storage once installed. You can pick up a brand-name 128GB microSD card rated U1 or faster, from a well-established brand like Kingston, Samsung (linked below), or Sandisk, for about $40, or octuple your Switch’s storage with a 256GB card for around $90.
The Switch’s built-in Wi-Fi is perfectly fine when you’re on the go, but if you’re playing online games on your TV, or want to download a big game quickly, a wired connection is preferable. The Nintendo Switch Ethernet Adapter is a simple USB Ethernet adapter that plugs into the Switch’s dock, letting you hook up your Switch directly to your router for the fastest, most stable network connection possible.
Since the Switch has a 3.5mm headphone jack, you can use nearly any headphones or basic, wired gaming headset with the system in handheld mode (or docked, if your cable is long enough). We quite like the Astro Gaming A10 Headset for this, and not just because the company is making a Zelda-themed version. This $60 headset is sturdy, comfortable, and sounds excellent for the price, which is why it’s one of our Editors’ Choice gaming headsets.
If $70 is a bit much to spend on a proper d-pad with the Switch Pro Controller, Hori’s Horipad is a strong alternative for a fraction of the price. It’s wired and doesn’t have motion sensors, but it feels solid in the hands, with full-sized sticks, buttons, and triggers. The direction pad is four buttons like on the Joy-Cons, but a snap-on plus-shaped d-pad lets you use a more classic design.
The Switch is shaping up to be a solid system for competitive fighting games, with the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection available and Dragon Ball FighterZ soon coming (along with several excellent indie games like Pocket Rumble). Hori is one of the biggest names in arcade sticks, and its Real Arcade Pro series is excellent, using its own Hayabusa sticks and buttons. The Switch version of the Real Arcade Pro works with both the Switch and any PC thanks to a helpful toggle on the side, and feels as sturdy and responsive as the Xbox One and PS4 versions.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money for a classic-feeling arcade stick that works with the Switch. 8bitdo’s NES30 Arcade Stick is a Nintendo Entertainment System-themed joystick controller that’s solidly built and works with the Switch (or your PC or smartphone) over Bluetooth. It doesn’t have the same arcade-level stick or buttons as enthusiast-grade fight sticks, but it’s less expensive and works just as well with the Switch’s extensive library of classic Neo-Geo arcade games.
The Switch, with Joy-Cons attached, is relatively easy to fit in a bag. Add the dock, and cables, and spare controllers, and you’re going to run into some clutter. That’s where the PowerA Everywhere Messenger Bag comes in. It’s sturdy nylon, easily holds all of your Switch components and accessories, and has a very reasonable $39.99 asking price.
If you want more style in a Switch case, and perhaps would prefer it be made in America, Waterfield is the name to look out for. These high-end tech cases and bags are attractive, rugged, and made by hand in San Francisco. They’re a bit pricey (the Multiplayer Pro Case is $149), but they look good and can make you feel good about where they come from. For more, check out our list of The Best Nintendo Switch Cases.
