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The best Nintendo Switch accessories can add even more to the fantastic, if hard to find console. If you’ve got a Nintendo Switch, or if you’re hoping to get one for Christmas, it makes sense to enhance it with the perfect add-ons, from accessories for particular games to general protection, grips and of course charging options.
The colourful hybrid console looks set to become the best-selling Nintendo device of all time and has been flying off shelves faster than Nintendo can produce it, but the fun doesn’t stop with the console alone. Whether you’ve opted for the original Nintendo Switch (see our Nintendo Switch review), the Lite (see our Nintendo Switch Lite review) or the new Nintendo Switch OLED model, the best Switch accessories can add more to your gaming experience.
Our list below includes practical gear like a charger and cases, but also some more novel Nintendo Switch accessories. How about turning your Switch into an augmented reality car racing machine, for example? Or switching up (sorry) your home workouts with the Switch Ring Fit Adventure?
If you’re still trying to get hold of a Switch of any kind, keep your eye on our guide to the best Nintendo Switch deals. Switch fans will also want to have the best Nintendo Switch games. Meanwhile, read on for our guide to the best Nintendo Switch accessories. Note that most of these work for all models of the console, but cases need to be selected for your specific model.
Perhaps the best Nintendo Switch accessory of all already comes bundled with the device. It’s just very handy to have an extra pair of them if you want to play with friends. You’re not going to want to tell everyone who comes round to visit to bring their own Joy-Cons with them, so you’ll want to have a spare set for when the opportunity for a multiplayer session arises.
Initially launched in either grey or neon red and blue, the controllers, which can be used connected to the Switch or separated, come in an increasing variety of colours and special editions so you can take your pick. You can buy individual Joy-Cons as well as pairs, but it works out cheaper to buy them in twos.
If you’re not such a fan of the colourful and rather unique Joy-Con controllers that come bundled with the Switch and prefer a more traditional controller, then the Nintendo Switch Pro controller is probably the best Nintendo Switch accessory for you to start with. Although the Joy-Con controllers have a grip and can be untied to form a single device, they don’t have traditional D-pads like you get with the Switch Pro Controller. It’s ergonomically solid and offers motion control, HD rumble and Amiibo support, making it a great alternative. There are several special editions of the controller to match your favourite games.
The Switch’s own controllers above are great devices to pair with the console, but if you’re an old-school Nintendo fan, chances are you’re itching to play the Switch with your GameCube controller. It makes sense. With its multi joystick set up, super responsive D-Pad, and double row of shoulder buttons, the GameCube controller remains one of the most loved controllers of all time, providing more inputs than a lot of other controllers that came before or after.
Fortunately, you can use it with the Switch simply by using a GameCube controller adapter. There are several on the market, but this option from Mayflash is inexpensive and does the job. It supports built-in vibration feedback with no delays with two USB cables making the experience more stable. It works with the Wii U too.
As the Switch’s dedicated fitness accessory, Ring Fit Adventure feels a little like it’s inherited the legacy of the Wii’s Fit Board. However, rather than being simply a gamified exercise class, Ring Fit Adventure adds the extra element of role play into the mix. That might sound a bit odd, but it actually works, and it can be a ton of fun for everyone. Basically, you’re a runner fighting massive monsters, and you have to use physical movements like running, planks, push-ups and yoga poses to gain more power to defeat them.
You slot one half of the Joy-Con into the resistance ring and you strap the other half to your thigh in a holster. Together, they measure how you move and connect your actions to your character’s on the screen. It’s great novel indoor fun, and a lot more entertaining than YouTube exercise classes. Note that to be able to see the action while you play, you’ll want to doc your Switch to your TV, so this isn’t really an option for the Switch Lite.
A Mario Kart game you play in your own home with a real remote control car? Count us in! This Nintendo Switch accessory turns your living room, or anywhere else into a racetrack, which can only be great fun. You simply place the checkpoint arches around the room, then drive the car around to create your own track. The kart has a camera, which live streams its view to your Nintendo Switch console via wifi. When you race you’ll see other rivals on the Switch screen, like a normal Mario Kart game. Neat!
Up to four people can race at once (they’ll each need to buy a car though; the pack only includes one) and there are four-speed levels, with the battery lasting around 90 minutes on the middle speeds. Of course, there are some practical issues with a setup like this. You need a reasonably hard floor or lino – the kart will struggle with rugs and thick-pile carpet – and the more space you have, the better. If you have the right location, then Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit should definitely be on your Christmas list. There’s a Mario set and a Luigi set, so take your pick.
And here’s another great Nintendo Switch accessory for Mario Kart fans: a wireless Joy-Con steering wheel adaptor to let you drive using a wheel rather than the usual controller. It uses the Joy-Con’s motion sensors to give the feeling of really driving a cart. It can take a while to get the hang of, just like driving for real, and the wheels are a little small, but they do enhance the experience of racing games on the Switch.
Best of all, unlike the Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit above, the Joy-Con Wheels come in pairs, so you don’t have to send your friends off to buy their own if you want a multiplayer race. There’s sometimes quite low availability of the official Nintendo Joy-Con Wheels, and they more often come bundled in with the Switch and Mario Kart 8. Various other brands make their own alternatives.
Fancy building cardboard peripherals that work with real games and can be reprogrammed however you like? Nintendo Labo is perhaps the most unusual but also the coolest Nintendo Switch accessory for anyone who wants to get creative. The kits include cardboard cut-outs and other material that needs to be assembled in combination with the Switch console display and Joy-Con controllers to create a ‘Toy-Con’, which can interact with the game software that comes included.
There are several available. The Variety Kit includes five different projects to make: two cars, a fishing rod, a house, a motorbike and a piano. It’s a great way for kids to learn principles of engineering, physics, and basic programming, but it’s great for adults that like building, creating and tinkering with tech too.
The Nintendo Switch is obviously designed as a very portable console, and chances are you’re going to want to take it out of the house. After all, it’s perfect for killing time on a long journey. In this case, you’re going to want a case to protect it. There are lots of options available but this Mumba case is great value for money, offering fual shock and and scratch protection. It has a durable EVA hard shell with a water-resistant surface and it’s easy to carry.
If you’ve opted for the Nintendo Switch Lite, you might want to consider this sharp looking splashproof case from Tomtoc. Slim and light, it perfectly fits the form of the device, even looking like a Nintendo Switch Lite. There’s enough padding to offer protection from knocks and scratches, and the raise areas help to reduce direct pressure on the buttons and joysticks. It’s available in a load of fun colour combinations, matching the colourful style of the Switch itself. There’s an adjustable removable hand strap to make it flexible and comfortable to carry.
Want a bit more grip for your Switch? The Skull & Co. GripCase GripCase is a case option that offers protection plus three sets of replaceable grips that allow you to customise it for your hand size. It also protects the top corners of your Joy-Cons while also giving you larger triggers for the ZL and ZR buttons. You can even dock the Switch without having to remove the case. It’s a great option if people with different size hands use your Switch. The product above is for the original Switch, but there’s also a version for the Switch Lite.
If you’re quickly slipping your Switch in and out of its dock, it can easily pick up scratches on the display screen, so it can make sense to invest in a screen protector for the Nintendo Switch. Of course, you don’t want to pay a huge amount of money for a screen protector, but we think the AmFilm tempered glass screen protector is good value. It’s easy to apply (relatively speaking, you do need to take care to avoid bubbles), and it doesn’t affect the Switch’s touchscreen performance. The price above is for the Switch screen protector, but AmFilm also has a Nintendo Switch Lite screen protector.
If you’re planning to use your console out of the house a lot, then you’ll need a solid, reliable portable charger for your Nintendo Switch. The console’s battery life isn’t at all unreasonable, but it isn’t amazing either, and you can’t guarantee you’ll always be close to a plug socket when it runs own. it makes sense to have backup power on hand (make sure you also pack a USB-C cable, of course). Anker’s one of the most reliable names for portable chargers and this is one of its best, housing a massive 20,100mAh battery. It’s enough to charge your Nintendo Switch several times before it needs a recharge itself. For more options, see our best power banks buying guide.
Once you start to build up your collection of Nintendo Switch games, you’re going to want memory cards to store them on. Sandisk is one of the most recognised manufacturers around, and this range of SD cards even has Nintendo’s own stamp of approval too. With a range of sizes, from 64GB right up to 512GB, they provide read speeds of up to 100mb for fast loading and a minimum 30-year warranty. They even come with Switch-oriented designs, with a mushroom on the 128GB version and an animal crossing leaf on the 512GB.
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