Get a memory card if you’re buying games on the eShop. Get a charging cable for those times you aren’t carrying your cradle around with you.
Get a pro controller for adult gamers.
Having lost plenty of DS and Vita game carts, I’m absolutely in favour of getting a big memory card.
I also recommend one of these, though I admit it could be seen as overkill. Switch batteries will not last for a long flight though.
Oh yeah, well I think the extra charging cable is useful and you’re silly. Checkmate.
So maybe skip the cable, but definitely go for the screen protector. Makes sense.
Unless you’re on the go, or travelling long term. Do you bring the dock with you?
It’s a six dollar cable and amazon delivers it the same day, if he needs it he’ll buy it. I’m really not looking to outfit with every accessory available, just trying to gift a starter kit.
Yeah, but even with the cart some games require a massive amount of storage. I think NBA 2k19 required like 30gig onboard storage.
Most of the indie games are very small, but if you are going to buy some larger 3rd party games, you might use up a lot of storage space without thinking about it.
It is one of the biggest problems I have with Switch gaming, as there are a lot of games on cart that require significant storage space on the system
It is awesome, however, that Nintendo allows for non-proprietary micro-SD cards up to 512gb plus. I got a 128 gb card for less than 50 bucks and have been set for a while.
Sure, because you want to stop playing in the middle of having fun to go do that.
Depends on how you use it. If you are going to spend most of your time away from the dock, like I do, the cable is a fine idea, but easily obtainable, as noted.
I highly recommend this:
https://www.amazon.com/amFilm-Tempered-Screen-Protector-Nintendo-Switch/dp/B01N3ASPNV
Yeah, that’s the one the Wirecutter recommends. Already on my list.
We agree on the glass screen protection. That’s what I use.
Whether you need that cable or not is entirely dependent on your lifestyle I guess? I do not travel long term. I’m a single father of three. I can’t leave for more than a couple days at a time. When we went to Indy last year, I used the cable that came with the Pro Controller to charge the Switch (or the Pro Controller). When the Switch leaves the house, we rarely exhaust the battery and then it gets back into the dock when we get home.
We play on the TV more than on the go by like an 80 - 20 split if I had to guess? I like console games on the big screen. The portable usage is mainly because I enjoy playing arcade games with a vertical orientation with the Switch vertically oriented. I might do more of that when the Flip Grip arrives.
Anyway, for what @stusser was asking, as a gift for a friend, everything is in the box. Even the screen protector is arguable IMO. Many people don’t get one and don’t do any damage to the screen, especially if they rarely play it portable. I’d still recommend that though. @stusser, let the friend know he’ll get a cable if he buys a Pro Controller. I like the $10 eshop card as a throw in because it encourages discussion after the gift giving to find out what they spent it on. :)
Sure, as a gift, just get them the Switch. That’s plenty generous.
I don’t take the dock with me while traveling and am always looking for ways to consolidate chargers and cables.
- I travel enough that I dislike detaching the power cable from the dock and ruining all the cable routing I did
- 95% of my play time is not docked
- The supplied charger is bulky and awkward compared to a cable and multi purpose power brick when traveling
- I can now use that same cable with the various power bricks I own to further charge the switch while traveling as well as usb power slots on airplanes
- I ended up buying a cable with a 90 bend as well because I frequently play while charging and the way the straight cable juts out of the bottom is a minor annoyance to me.
So for the < $10 I spent on the cable I am guessing it’s going to become my favorite single accessory for the switch. Will see. Diablo 3 is the first game I have really spent time on the switch with, otherwise the console would have gone unused except for my son and Lego City Detective game. I bought Zelda for it but ended up playing that game emulated on the PC in it’s entirety.
It’s relatively tiny (3300 mAh) but I use this:
it only delivers 1 amp but it will work with an USB A to C. It’s small and good for travel use. I carry it around on my bag sometimes. it’s fairly small, about as long as your fingers.
That’s a lot!
Haha yeah! But 70% don’t. Just helping you to make an informed decision. ;)
As a primarily docked person, the only essential accessory to me is the Pro Controller. Even a big mem card is becoming less essential since prices for the cartridges are far lower than prices on the eShop for the most part (in Au).
I am the 20%
I don’t think I’ve ever used it mobile.
Sure 70% don’t use it primarially as a handheld, but only 20% don’t really use that functionality.
Which, honestly, is about what I’d expect. I imagine it’s a great device for ‘wife wants to watch something on Netflix, I’d rather play Zelda’, which I’m sure boosts the numbers
It is, truly, a form factor for the modern day. And I mean that sincerely.
That was a big part of the reason I bought Diablo 3 on it, and another reason why the dock is mostly but not entirely useless for me.
Here’s my recommended power bank. It’s fast and capable enough to charge the Switch, but also compact and light enough to easily fit in a bag, with enough capacity to fully recharge your phone a few times too: