Best Nintendo Switch Accessories in 2018

By now, you've probably already discovered that to use your Switch connected to your TV set, you need the Dock, which is super inconvenient if you're headed to Grandma's house for the weekend. Instead of packing that big old Dock, plus the power supply, get TNP's HDMI adapter. It's got a USB-C cable to connect to your Switch, plus a USB-C port, a USB-A port, and an HDMI port so you can connect all of your needed travel peripherals, including a portable battery pack. It's way more convenient to take this tiny adapter and a couple of cords than to try to fit your entire Switch TV set up in your bag.

The Switch's biggest shortcoming is its online chat function in the Nintendo Switch Online app. For one thing, it only works with Splatoon 2. Another is the fact that you can't use online chatting at all directly from the Switch. You have to use a second device, like an iPhone. Here's where SteelSeries saves the day. They updated their most popular headset, the Arctis 3 with Bluetooth support. Not only that, but they also made the Arctis 3 capable of combining audio from two different devices. So, you can plug them directly into your Switch for in-game audio, plus connect them to your iPhone via Bluetooth so you can talk to friends through your preferred online chat channels like Discord. It's truly the best of both worlds.

The Arctis 3 Bluetooth currently only comes in black and costs about $150, but you can get the Ski Goggle Suspension band in your favorite colors separately.

Waterfield's answer to the game case is an exquisite example of how you can look like a grown-up but play like a kid. The Arcade Gaming Case is a beautiful designer bag made of full-grain leather (let me tell you, this leather feels so nice!) with a soft plush lining. It's big enough to fit your Switch tablet (with the Joy-Cons detatched), a Hori Compact PlayStand, your Joy-Cons, all your necessary cables, and more. I managed to fit all of the above, plus my Mophie Powerstation XXL (which is a monolith itself) comfortably. It looks so good over your shoulder like a satchel but also carries around briefcase style thanks to the leather handle on top.

It's a pricey investment at $110, but it is the perfect accessory for the stylish Switch gamer on the go. It comes in black ballistic nylon with black leather, black ballistic nylon with chocolate leather, and my personal favorite, waxed canvas with chocolate leather.

While Nintendo's new Joy-Con setup looks like a lot of fun, when I'm at home on the couch looking to spend a Saturday in Breath of the Wild, I'm going to reach for the Pro Controller.

Not only is the look and feel similar to what exists right now for the Wii U, but the Switch Pro Controller is going to offer a bigger battery and has an NFC receiver baked in for Amiibo support. It's also ready for motion controls as well, so this $69 controller will make a solid alternative when portable as well.

If you're going to get a Pro Controller, you might as well go all in and get the nice charging dock Nyko makes for it. Normally the Pro Controller charges over USB-C, but this dock gives you a set of magnetic pins instead. You just drop the Controller in the dock when not in use, and that way it's always charged when you need it.

Nyko is asking $20 (on sale for $16.60) for the Charge Block Pro, and it's well worth it if you plan to use the Pro Controller a lot!

If you've been playing Minecraft: Nintendo Edition, you may have discovered that you can't split your Joy-Con controller to share with a friend in multiplayer mode. Looks like it's time to invest in that second L/R Joy-Con pack. These Joy-Cons are almost as elusive as the Switch itself, especially the neon model, but they are still available at some places, and restock faster than the Switch.

I know, you could just get a Pro Controller instead of dropping another $79 on these (on sale for $69), but I think it's a better investment to get a second pair of Joy-Cons because you can split them into four controllers for epic multiplayer games.

Your Joy-Cons don't have a charger outside of what you get on the actual Nintendo Switch, and that can be a problem if you've got multiple pairs of controllers and don't always connect them to your console. Fortunately, Orbeet makes a nice 4-in-1 charger with 2 additional USB ports for charging Pro Controllers.

It'll only set you back $15, and you never have to worry about your extra Joy-Cons being dead when it's time to game. Perfect!

Stop giggling, that's what these are actually called! A number of talented folks out there have started making and selling simple cloth covers for the front part of Nintendo Switch Docks, adding a little bit of style and protection to your setup. There are a bunch of different designs, but more importantly these $17 Dock Socks keep the Switch display from being accidentally scratched by the plastic edges of the Switch Dock.

Check them out; you're sure to find a design that works for you. Or, you can always make one yourself

If you've been playing a lot of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with friends, you've probably already discovered that using a single Joy-Con horizontally starts to hurt your hands pretty fast. Myriann makes a cover for your Joy-Con controllers that make them more like a mini version of the Grip for each side. The horizontal design makes it easy for you to access the L and R buttons, which is important for drifting and throwing items in Mario Kart Deluxe 8.

The base also has grippy extensions, which give your hands a comfortable place to rest while you're racing your buddy for the top spot. Not bad for $11.

Screen protectors add a glossy surface to the Switch display, which is not ideal for a portable gaming system. Keeping the display safe when this tablet is not in its dock should be handled the same way we handle any other tablet — with a good folio case.

BD&A offers a snap-on folio that covers the display when not in use and gives the Switch a few more options when in its kickstand mode for portable gameplay. If you plan to travel a lot with your Switch, this $24 accessory (on sale for $16) is perfect for keeping it safe.

If your Switch is traveling with you on extended journeys, you may want a full travel case so you can stick it inside a larger bag.

The official Nintendo-made case lets you store a Switch with a Joy-Con and offers a 3DS-style elastic holster that stores up to 14 game cards. It also comes with a microfiber cleaning cloth, which probably has the Switch logo on it somewhere. For $15, you can't ask for much more.

If you plan to buy a lot of the Switch Game Cards, you can either keep the games stored in their not-quite pocketable cases, or you can look into a $10 Game Card Case that lets you keep your whole library in one compact place.

HORI makes a slim Game Card Case that holds 24 games, which should take you a little while to fill up. It even has space for memory cards, just in case you need to swap.

When you've got your Switch in the dock and connected to the TV, your game time is perfect. You can grind your mats for hours without worrying about battery drain. But if you're playing in mobile mode, you've got to add some recharge time. Unfortunately, Nintendo didn't think about where the charging port is located when designing the Switch in tabletop mode.

That port is on the bottom, which is inaccessible when the Switch is propped up on a table with the kickstand. HORI's $13 Compact Playstand raises the Switch up off the ground with a cutout for the charging cable so you can keep your game going while it's juicing up. Plus, the stand collapses down flat so you can take it on the go without it taking up too much space.

Some of us don't want Wi-Fi getting in the way of our online gameplay, and while Switch doesn't offer an Ethernet port in the tablet itself there's a way to make sure you're wired when connected to the dock.

This $30 USB to Ethernet adapter will keep you off of those unstable wireless connections and ready to game on a good old LAN.