Nintendo gift guide
What a year it's been for Nintendo. After the humiliation of Wii U - a fun console that nobody understood - came the triumph of Nintendo Switch, a console that fits everybody's lives perfectly and has some of the best Nintendo games in generations.
Nintendo Switch
$299, but spend a bit more for extras
Srsly. If your giftee hasn't got one of these and you have the readies, don't delay. This is the best show in town. You'll want to throw The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in on top as a minimum, and we'd recommend a carry case and screen protector so they get the full benefit of the system's portability without the fear of leaving scratches on the surprisingly delicate front surface. This is the holiday gift, if you ask us.
Colored Joy-Cons
$79 or more depending on availability
You may need to hit the auction sites to find the ones you want, but the Splatoon 2 Joy-Con or the Neon Yellow versions are very nice upgrades for anyone in your life who already has the Switch bug. They have the added advantage of resolving the early issues that sometimes affected the left Joy-Con at launch, too.
Switch Pro Controller
$69
You know, we're a bit partial to slouching on the sofa, one Joy-Con in each hand at our side, almost entirely limp as we luxuriate into Switch gaming at home. Not only does it feel good, but it also acts as an amusing riposte to the healthy living espoused by the more energetic Wii a decade ago. However, we recently gave in and tried the Switch Pro Controller, and, wow, Nintendo has gotten its mojo back with this stuff. The Pro Controller is a great way to play Switch games at home and saves you having to constantly unclip the Joy-Con. If the recipient is lacking this piece of kit, they will definitely thank you.
Games
There seems little chance that anyone with a Nintendo Switch doesn't already own The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, so don't go with that, but Super Mario Odyssey is an absolute shoo-in, and if you fancy getting a little more exotic, the recent ports of Skyrim and LA Noire offer something very different to the core Nintendo titles, and it's a pleasure to be able to take these experiences on the go. Anyone who gets them this holiday will thank you.
Bonus Round: Nintendo 2DS XL
$149
Nintendo Switch may have taken over as the default portable games system in our lives, but Nintendo's other handheld is still a fantastic platform to own, with a catalogue of titles that grew to include a brilliant Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga remake just recently. The 2DS XL is a superb refinement, released earlier this year, that is compatible with epic numbers of games past and present.
