You’ve also got the handheld-only Switch Lite for those that don’t care about gaming on the big screen, and the Switch OLED for those that want to upgrade to the best visual experience possible. All those options come with the potential (and arguably need) for a wealth of accessories. Want to play a lengthy action game on the TV at home? You might want the official Pro Controller. Want to play a motion-controlled racing game? Joy-Con wheels could help. Taking the Switch on a trip? Well, you’ll need a portable battery pack to keep you going and a case to keep the console and your game cartridges safe. Luckily for you, we’ve rounded up the best Switch accessories around to help you find the ones worth buying and make the most of Nintendo’s portable powerhouse.
Best Nintendo Switch accessories 2023
Luckily, Nintendo planned around this by letting the Switch charge via USB-C, which means it’s compatible with a whole range of third-party power banks, some of which hold enough charge to power the Switch’s battery several times over. One recommendation is the Charmast 10,400mAh power bank, but your preference will depend on capacity, ports, size, and more – check out our full ranking of the best power banks for some alternatives. Available in a choice of black or waxed canvas, and sized for either the classic Switch and OLED or a smaller Lite model, this durable case comes with a padded interior to keep your Switch safe, plus an external zipped pocket to hold cables and other bits. If you can afford it, an extra $19 gets you a 10-cartridge game case made out of leather in a matching finish, which will fit neatly inside the main compartment. We also love the simpler slip case WaterField also makes for the Switch, which comes in a few more colours, but it’s the pouch’s extra pocket that makes it the better buy in our eyes. There are all manner of cards to choose from but SanDisk knows how to make an SD card that Nintendo fans will love. Having nabbed the official Nintendo license, the company offers 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, and even 512GB microSDXC cards, coloured and detailed with iconic Nintendo imagery. We’re particular fans of the red 128GB card, complete with a Super Mushroom front and centre, but the Triforce, a Super Star, and the Animal Crossing leaf also feature if you opt for one of the other capacity cards. There are also Apex Legends and Fortnite cards if that’s more up your street. All of these cards are also competitively priced and perfectly fast for your Switch needs, making it easy to take and play more games with you at all times. The Pro Controller is ideal for anyone who finds the Joy-Cons uncomfortable, even with the included grip, and wants to use a pad that’s more similar to both the Xbox One and PS4 controllers – especially for extended sessions. The price point may seem high just for a gamepad but bear in mind that not only does it include motion controls, HD rumble and Amiibo support, it also has best-in-class 40-hour battery life, and it can connect to a PC or Mac to work with compatible games there too. For a little bit more, you can also pick up a version with either a Splatoon 2 or Xenoblade Chronicles 2 design. It offers great wireless audio quality that suits both gameplay and casual music listening, making it a great all-rounder, although the lack of Bluetooth means you probably won’t use it with your phone. The inclusion of a USB-A adaptor makes it compatible with most PCs, Macs and PS4, and it’ll probably be compatible with the USB-C enabled PS5 at launch later this year too. If you want a wireless gaming experience, the ROG Strix Go 2.4 is a decent option. Still, sometimes you might want to have a few more people round for Mario Kart chaos or might want to enjoy multiplayer for games like Arms that require a pair of Joy-Cons for each player. In that case, you’ll want to grab extra controllers. You’ve got plenty of options here – you can buy pairs of controllers or you can buy left and right controllers individually. Just remember that they are different – two left controllers won’t make a pair. Since launch Nintendo has also added more colour options. In addition to the original neon red, neon blue and grey Joy-Cons, you can now buy a pair of neon yellow controllers, a pair with one neon green and one neon pink, a pair with one royal blue and one neon yellow and a pair with one neon purple and one neon orange. We’re fans of this rugged nylon-braided cable from Syncwire, which is tough enough to survive getting dragged around in your bag but there are loads on the market. There’s access to all the standard Switch controls, and it even includes support for motion-based controls like the official Joy-Cons, and as an added benefit, there are three remappable rear-facing buttons that help give you an edge in games like Splatoon and Zelda. It’s wireless, connecting via Bluetooth 5.0, and there’s around 20 hours of battery on offer before it’ll need a top-up via USB-C. It sports the familiar red and blue branding of the most popular Switch colour option, with highlights not only on the analogue sticks but on the rear triggers too. It may not be a Nintendo-branded product, but it certainly won’t look out of place next to the Switch. We haven’t had the chance to test it ourselves but Hori’s Nintendo-approved cartridge case looks like a solid bet. It holds up to a whopping 24 Switch carts, along with two microSD cards for downloaded games. You can get it in clear or black (though, confusingly, even the black version is transparent – it’s just a little darker) and you can’t complain too much about the price. Released to coincide with the release of Mario Kart 8: Deluxe Edition, these are essentially just plastic wheels and anyone who was burned by the similar steering wheel accessory for the Wii might be tempted to steer clear. We’d recommend giving them a second look though. They’re small enough to be portable but big enough to be much more comfortable to hold than a Joy-Con on its own, especially thanks to the larger shoulder buttons – essential for any serious Karter. Even better, you get two of them in a pack, and they don’t cost much, so it’s a small investment for a big upgrade if you expect to play a lot of Mario Kart or other racing games. Tech Advisor’s Deputy Editor, Dom covers everything that runs on electricity, from phones and laptops to wearables, audio, gaming, smart home, and streaming - plus he’s a regular fixture on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel.
