Best Accessories for Nintendo Switch

When gifting or receiving a new Nintendo Switch, make sure you brush up on some of the best accessories to pair with your console.

Morgan Shaver
Writer

When you purchase a Nintendo Switch as a gift, you may find yourself wondering what some of the best accessories are. Should you add a controller to the gift? What about a Micro SD? Are there any must-have items that can help enhance the Nintendo Switch experience as a whole? To help answer these questions and more, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide on the best accessories to buy for Nintendo Switch!

Best Accessories for Nintendo Switch

Accessories for Nintendo Switch
Below, you'll find a list featuring the best accessories for Nintendo Switch!
© Nintendo

Micro SD Card for Nintendo Switch

One of the best accessories to buy for Nintendo Switch is without a doubt a Micro SD card. The Nintendo Switch has an internal storage space of 32GB which will feel extremely limited to someone who’s used to the 500GB and 1TB hard drives of the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. While many Nintendo Switch games are sold as physical copies, thereby reducing the amount of storage space needed, most people will eventually need to grab a Micro SD.

With a Micro SD, you can expand the storage capacity on your Nintendo Switch. Note that the Nintendo Switch isn’t capable of reading multiple different Micro SD, meaning you can’t swap between cards for different games. Instead, it’s recommended that you buy the largest Micro SD that you can afford to ensure that all of your files are stored in the same location.

Micro SD cards for Nintendo Switch
Micro SD cards can help expand the storage space of your Nintendo Switch, making them one of the best accessories to buy when giving the console as a gift.
© Nintendo

We have guides on how to transfer data from your Switch over to a Micro SD, along with an overview of which Micro SD cards to buy for Nintendo Switch. In general, you want look for a card with fast read and write speeds, as well as a card with a decent amount of storage. As such, we don’t recommend purchasing a Micro SD under 64GB. Ideally, you’ll want to try and grab one with 128GB, 200GB, 256GB, or even 400GB of space if you can.

Looking for a quick recommendation on which Micro SD to get? Below, we’ve listed some of the best Micro SD for Nintendo Switch!

Protective Case for Nintendo Switch

Carrying case for Nintendo Switch
To keep your Nintendo Switch safe, you'll want to buy a protective carrying case.
© Nintendo

Along with a Micro SD card, one of the next best accessories to get for Nintendo Switch is a protective carrying case. As with all electronic devices, the Nintendo Switch is fragile and susceptible to damage. When buying a new phone, you’ll likely pick out a case to avoid cracking your screen, and the same rule should apply when buying a Nintendo Switch.

Even if you don’t plan on bringing it with you on-the-go, it’s still a good idea to have some form of protective gear for your Switch because let’s face it… accidents happen, even in the comfort of our own home. When shopping for cases, there are quite a few options to choose from with some sporting a fancy design, and others including storage space for your game cartridges.

Wondering what type of protective case to get for your Nintendo Switch? Below, we’ve listed some recommended cases that’ll help keep your Nintendo Switch safe!

Pro Controller for Nintendo Switch

Pro Controller for Nintendo Switch
When adding additional controllers to your Nintendo Switch purchase, we highly recommend grabbing a Pro Controller.
© Nintendo

When looking at the best accessories for Nintendo Switch, you may find yourself browsing through different controller options. The Nintendo Switch comes with a pair of Joy-Con controllers in the box, though Joy-Con controllers aren’t your only option. If you have other members of the family who will be playing multiplayer games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, you’ll want to have a couple extra controllers on hand.

Alternatively, if you or your gift recipient plans on putting hundreds of hours into games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, you may want to look into more “comfortable” controller options. For this, we recommend buying a Pro Controller, though there are other equally viable controller options which we’ll get into a little farther down on our list.

Why do we recommend the Pro Controller as the first choice? Well, it has to do with comfort, design, and the fact that the Pro Controller is wireless. There are plenty of fun, uniquely designed controllers for Nintendo Switch out there, but many share the same drawback in being wired. With a wired controller, you’re restricted to the length of that wire.

If the wire doesn’t extend far enough back, you could find yourself seated on the floor rather than your favorite spot on the couch. After buying the Pro Controller, we’ve come to find it’s our go-to option for most of the game we own, even above the stock Joy-Con Controllers. So, if you’re really gunning for a second controller option with your Nintendo Switch purchase, we couldn’t recommend the Pro Controller more.

Wondering what cosmetic options are available with the Pro Controller? Check out our links below!

GameCube Controller and Adapter for Nintendo Switch

GameCube controller for Nintendo Switch
For fans of fighting games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, you may want to buy a GameCube controller for your Nintendo Switch.
© Nintendo

Speaking of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, one of the best accessories to get for fans of fighting games on Nintendo Switch is the GameCube controller. When compared to the Joy-Cons, or even the Pro Controller, the GameCube style controller can feel a lot more responsive when playing games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Alternatively, if you’re buying a Nintendo Switch for a fan of retro gaming, the GameCube controller offers a fun throwback vibe. Growing up, we had a GameCube so we were overjoyed to be able to purchase one that’s compatible for our Nintendo Switch. One thing to keep in mind is that some GameCube controllers for Nintendo Switch require you also purchase a special Adapter.

Note this doesn’t apply to all GameCube controllers, just the wired ones. With this GameCube Adapter, though, you can feasibly use any wired GameCube controller with your Nintendo Switch, making the addition worth it if you own multiple GameCube controllers. While the gift of a GameCube controller for Nintendo Switch may not be for everyone, it’s certainly a cool option to consider this holiday season.

To get a better idea of what to buy, we’ve listed some GameCube controller options for Nintendo Switch below as well as the special Adapter you’ll need.

Other Controller Options for Nintendo Switch

Wired controller for Nintendo Switch
There are quite a few controller options on the market for Nintendo Switch from spare Joy-Cons to wired controllers with custom designs.
© PowerA

We’ve run through the Pro Controller and GameCube controller for Nintendo Switch, but when looking for the best accessories to pair with your Nintendo Switch, you may want to look at other controller options. Ideally, you’ll want to look for wireless controllers as these offer the most range of movement.

You can also purchase extra Joy-Con controllers as each individual Joy-Con has the ability to work as its own standalone controller. Of course, when working with a limited budget, the wired controllers are less expensive and work just as well as their wireless counterparts. There are a multitude of design options out there, meaning you should be able to find something for everyone on your list no matter how picky they are.

To help you out, we’ve put together a list featuring some of the best alternative controller options for Nintendo Switch.

The list above is more for giftable accessories, but it’s worth noting there are quite a few accessories available for Nintendo Switch owners. On Nintendo’s website, they have a full list of Nintendo Switch peripherals that you can buy in order to enhance your Nintendo Switch experience.

When reviewing that list, standouts include charging docks for your controllers including Joy-Cons and Pro Controllers, replacement wrist straps for Joy-Cons, a Joy-Con wheel set, and cosmetic skins for your console.

By reading through this guide, you should now know the best accessories to buy when giving a Nintendo Switch as a gift during the holidays!

Writer

Morgan is a writer, indie game lover, and socially awkward coffee addict. Need something? Morgan can be reached at morgan.shaver@allgamers.com or if you like, you can say hello using GIFs on Twitter.

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