An Essential Nintendo Gift Guide For The Switch Gamer

Every year, you rely on the gift card as your go-to present for the holidays. And every year, you feel a little guilty. Sure, a gift card works just as a good as cash, but like cash, it lacks the warmth of a handpicked present.

If you want to impress the gamer on your list, here's your chance to improve your gift-giving reputation. This guide can help you find an amazing gift that matches their love of the Switch perfectly. From stylized accessories to practical gaming enhancements, this list is fully stocked with the best gifts you can give a Nintendo fan this year.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Nintendo's releasing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on December 7. This down-and-out battle royale game pits all their favorite Nintendo characters against each other, plus a few new faces from Splatoon, Metroid, Castlevania, and Donkey Kong. There are some new stages to expect with Ultimate's release too, totaling more than 100 stages altogether. Pre-orders started back when the game was first announced in June during the industry's annual E3, so it's something you'll want to add to your cart soon.

If you catch this guide early enough, you can also pre-order the special Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Limited Edition Bundle. It comes with the game, a Smash-themed GameCube controller, and an adapter that lets up to four GameCube controllers connect with the Switch.

Pro Controller

The Joy-Con infuse a sense of fun to any Switch game, but their design can be hard on the average gamer's hands. They're quite small and delicate, making them awkward to handle when you're an adult player.

The Switch Pro Controller gives players a little space to manoeuver when executing an elaborate button combo. It's considerably larger than even the two Joy-Con combined, and its design is reminiscent of older Nintendo controllers. It has an ergonomic D-pad and button set as well as two analogue toggles to provide a better grip and more precise onscreen movements.

A Black Matrix Switch Skin

Nintendo didn't give gamers a lot of options in terms of the Switch's design. They could opt for the all-black set or pick one of the whimsically colored consoles. They, like the Joy-Con, add a child-like glee to the Switch's gameplay. Unfortunately, few adult players appreciate the look of the neon green or pink Joy-Con.

By comparison, a black matrix Switch skin from dbrand offers a sophisticated way to personalize the console. Its matte black honeycomb design offers more than just a unique look for the Switch. Each hexagon is individually texturized to enhance the grip of the Switch. Of course, if they aren't the rugged type, the dbrand skin catalogue caters to a variety of styles. You can customize one for the person on your list and still expect the same grip-enhancing properties.

A Charge-Friendly Play Stand

The beauty of the Switch is its flexibility. It's a handheld device and an at-home console. There's also an in-between phase that lets players take a jaunt in Hyrule while the Switch is in its tabletop mode. Much like any device stand, it orients the Switch upright - making it easier to play multi-player games.

There's only one problem. Using the official Nintendo kickstand, they can't play and charge their switch at the same time. In a surprisingly obvious design oversight, Nintendo made a stand that obstructed the charging port. Once the battery drains, they'll have to stop playing their Switch in tabletop until they can dock it or charge it separately.

The portable HORI Compact Play Stand is a multi-angle kickstand for the Switch that offers easy access to the charging port. It also improves access to the air vents to help prevent overheating, an issue that could be the reason why some Switches are bending or curving.

A Super Organized Carrying Case

If you spend any time Googling what Switch owners use to transport their console from Point A to Point B, you would uncover a large group of people who sling their Switches in woolen socks. Though it's an economical way to carry the Switch, a sock isn't the safest or stylish method available.

Your present can offer them a secure and organized way to carry the console, so they can retire their sock back to the sock drawer. The ButterFox Carrying Case would complement a black matrix Switch skin perfectly. It's made out of a durable nylon that withstands the worst wear and tear. It also comes with convenient compartments, so your gamer can store their games, USB cord, and backup Joy-Con in addition to the console itself.

A Portable Battery

Nintendo says a Switch can last more than six hours if played under the optimum conditions. What those conditions are can be a challenge to figure out. According to Trusted Reviews, the Switch will last anywhere between 2 hours and 45 minutes to 3 hours and 15 minutes while playing Breath of the Wild, the Switch's most popular game.

This kind of battery life won't stand up to the toughest commutes unless you give your loved one a portable battery. Anker is a trusted name in portable battery packs. Its PowerCore+ adds an extra 15 hours of playing time. Its USB cords are also multi-purpose, so your gamer can use it to power other tech, including phones, laptops, and tablets.

Let's compare a power bank, a Switch skin, and the newest Smash Bros. game left under the tree to a gift card. While the gift card could technically buy these items, it means your loved one has to go out and purchase them. They're robbed of the chance to unwrap a fun gift you picked especially for them. Rather than foisting the holiday shopping task on the gamer on your list, wrap up one of these Switch-ready presents to show how much you really care. You'll earn their respect when you leave any of these options under the tree.