What do I need to know before buying a Switch
Getting a Switch has been an overall good purchase in my opinion. The best part is the ability to easily switch between a hand held console and TV console.
Switching back and forth isn’t something I thought I’d use much but do get a lot of use out of now. Multiplayer games is the main reason we got one in the first place. However, it is a first rate hand held gaming console.
What I wish I knew before buying a Nintendo Switch is some games are more expensive, the joycons are fragile, and the online gaming isn’t free.
Not all games are more expensive, mostly the ones from Nintendo. Plenty of $5 games are fun. For example, Party Party Time is about as much fun as Super Mario Party.
The fragile joy cons really depend on who’s using them. They don’t hold up to abuse such as throwing them across the room. Or heavily mashing on the buttons or stick.
That being said we have 6 joy cons and 4 have had no issues. They’re used by girls who are very gentile. The other ones have had some drift issues. Nintendo repairs issues with joy cons for free in the USA. So on the one hand they are a bit fragile. On the other hand Nintendo offers free repairs.
Switch Games
The Switch comes with everything you need to play games. Except games that is. Some are free and others have demo versions. Before you buy a Switch give some thought about what games to add to your cart.
Games are available in digital or physical versions. Digital games are downloaded immediately after buying them. Physical versions are cartridge based. Which are bought at a store or ordered online.
The price is the same for either version. The advantage of a digital version is you can redownload it at any time. The disadvantage is 10 or 20 years from now it might not be available.
While a physical cartridge can’t be taken away. It’s inconvenient waiting for it to arrive or finding out it isn’t stocked at your local store.
We have an even split of cartridges and digital games. It came down to which was more convenient at the time.
While Nintendo has the most family friendly games in my experience. They also have many shooting and battle games too if you like those type of games.
We like co-op, puzzle, party, and racing games. There’s no shortage of these games for the Switch.
Switch Accessories
Before you buy a Switch, there are some accessories to consider. A hard carrying case an indispensable accessory. Being portable is one of the best features of the Switch.
A hard carrying case is crucial for taking it on trips. It also is a great place to store game cartridges. One of the best accessories for our Switch.
However, it wasn’t the first accessory we got for our Switch. Extra controllers were our first priority since et only comes with two. The Nintendo Joy Cons are expensive but worth it. We tried four different cheap Joy Cons and every single one hand problems.
A pro controller is a less expensive option. You won’t have any problems with off brand pro controllers like we did with off brand Joy Cons.
A SD memory card is another accessory you should consider when buying a Switch. We have a 64 GB SD card and it has been adequate for our needs. A 128 GB SD card would be nice but I’m sure 512 GB is overkill.
Switch Services
Nintendo offers online services for the Switch. This service provides online play for popular games. Nintendo Online isn’t required to play games. Still, if you want to play against real people instead of the built in bots it isn’t terribly expensive.
In my opinion, charging even a small amount for online play is greedy since it’s free everywhere else. Plus, online play is laggy, especially when it uses wireless. Newer Switches come with a wired docking station.
As for the online play we don’t use it since we have a full house of local players. We don’t bother with the online play and still enjoy all our games.
Summary
Knowing the basics of a Switch is important before buying one. Having an idea of the games, accessories, and services for a Switch is a good idea as well. This info helps inform your decision.
Before you buy a Switch, the good things you need to know are many multiplayer games are great fun, screen shots are easy, and it takes up little space.
The games and accessories add a financial burden. However, we have no regrets buying our Switch.
FAQ
What do I need to know before buying a Switch brought to you by David M.
I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.
