{"id":59215,"date":"2017-12-26T16:52:55","date_gmt":"2017-12-27T00:52:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cookiesandclogs.com\/?p=59215"},"modified":"2018-01-02T14:16:06","modified_gmt":"2018-01-02T22:16:06","slug":"basic-nintendo-switch-accessories-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cookiesandclogs.com\/basic-nintendo-switch-accessories-games\/","title":{"rendered":"Just the Basics: Getting Started w\/ Nintendo Switch Accessories & Games"},"content":{"rendered":"
Last month, Frans and I finally bit the bullet and bought a Nintendo Switch. Though we tried the system out when it was first released in March<\/a>, we just weren\u2019t ready to make the, well, switch at that point. But, with new games being phased out for the Wii U that we had<\/a>, we decided it was a good idea to upgrade. Buying the gaming console<\/a> is only the first step, though. Next, we needed games to play on it and basic accessories. Let\u2019s start with the accessories. An absurd number of Nintendo Switch accessories can be found online and in stores, but only a few are really needed to get started with. <\/p>\n (For easy reference, I compiled links for several of the products at the end of this post.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Extra Controllers<\/strong><\/p>\n The Nintendo Switch comes with two Joy-Con controllers for either one- or two-player action. If you want more than two players to play at the same time, though, you need to purchase extra controllers. You can always get another set of Joy-Con controllers<\/a> (about $80). Keep in mind that those have to be charged either on the console, using a more expensive battery pack option, or on a separate charger. Also, those Joy-con controllers are tiny and pretty uncomfortable for long play periods. Since we only have three people in our family and we usually only play with 1-2 people at a time, we decided to get the following.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Travel Case<\/strong><\/p>\n The Nintendo Switch is primarily advertised as a portable gaming system. But, if you plan on bringing the Nintendo Switch with you anywhere, you\u2019ll want to protect it with a sturdy travel case<\/a> that can also hold games. For longer trips, you might want to look into bringing a portable battery pack<\/a> too (must be USB-C).<\/p>\n Screen Protector<\/strong><\/p>\n I am a huge fan of screen protectors (always have them on our 3DS systems<\/a>) and, with online claims that the dock might scratch the console screen (which may or may not be true), I\u2019d rather be safe than sorry. Before even trying to dock our console, I put a tempered glass screen protector<\/a> on it. It doesn\u2019t hurt and I figured it would protect the plastic screen while we were traveling.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Of course, the gaming console will do you little good without any video games to play on it. Several noteworthy games are already available for the Nintendo Switch with many more to come in 2018. Now, your game collection may differ from what we have if you like RPG, sports, or fighting games (people LOVE The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild<\/a> but I haven’t tried it yet). Also, if you have a membership to Costco or a similar warehouse store, make sure to check their game availability as we found games to be about $10 less than everywhere else.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We\u2019re still getting used to the Nintendo Switch but, so far, we like it. We haven\u2019t experienced any lag when playing games, the controllers are responsive, and graphics have improved. It\u2019s also easy to change between tv, tabletop, and handheld modes, though we mostly keep the console<\/a> docked and play on our home television. I can\u2019t wait to see what 2018 will bring for new Nintendo Switch accessories and games (especially the Yoshi one).<\/p>\nBasic Nintendo Switch Accessories<\/h3>\n
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\nThe Pro Controller<\/a> is so much more comfortable to use for long periods and better for bigger hands. Also has haptic feedback, a motion sensor, is wireless, and holds power for a long time. This is a MUST HAVE for bigger “man” hands!<\/li>\n
\nThese slide-in grips<\/a> make the individual Joy-Cons actually usable for adult hands (when turned sideways). Larger L and R buttons allow for effortless drifting in Mario Kart.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nFamily Friendly Nintendo Switch Games for Kids and Adults<\/h3>\n
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\nSame tracks as Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U but now with a couple extra power-ups, customizations, and characters. You can also have two power-ups instead of just one. The gameplay is so much smoother!<\/li>\n
\nLoved the creativity of the game but it didn\u2019t dawn on me until later that the hat actually possesses people\/things. Yeah, I wasn\u2019t cool with that\u2026<\/li>\n
\nThe Tetris levels feed my inner kid, but the Puyo Puyo family battles we have are hilarious and intense (MultiPlayer Arcade, Versus)! The story (Adventure Mode) is super slow and boring so I would skip that use a code to unlock the extra characters and alternate voices.<\/li>\n
\nWe\u2019ve been playing games from this serie<\/a>s for a few years now and I use it for my cardio. There are only a few new songs we like but the fact that Joy-Con controllers \u201crumble\u201d to the beat is pretty helpful. The game comes with three free months of Just Dance Unlimited<\/a>. If you have littles, there\u2019s a new \u201cKids\u201d mode they might enjoy.<\/li>\n
\nTons of fun and a lot of laughs figuring out the puzzles. Gameplay can be kind of slow since there\u2019s no real \u201caction\u201d happening. We can only do a few puzzles at a time in each sitting.<\/li>\n
\nOne game we bought but quickly returned (unopened) was Splatoon 2. We really enjoyed playing this at the release tour event in San Francisco<\/a> but didn’t realize then that the game is really only one-player. To play with more people, you have to have additional consoles or play online. This is a super fun game but the whole one-player thing was a real deal breaker for us since we got it to play as a family.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nWhat are your top Nintendo Switch must-haves?<\/h3>\n