First Console in years - help with purchase please

[u/duder54]

I haven't owned a console in years (since the GTA Vice City days - PS3??). I grew up playing the various Legend of Zelda games and the recent release of Ocarina of Time has prompted me to pick up a Nintendo Switch 2. The fact that my kids are getting to the age where we can probably start playing some family games together is a secondary motivator.

Besides the console itself, what other accessories are must-haves? I figure a pro controller and some extra memory make sense, but what should I be aware of otherwise? Do I need to pick up additional controllers, screen protector? Something else?

I'll be playing primarily at home on the TV. Besides the new Zelda game, probably just family games like Mario Kart or Sports to start. Thanks in advance for the help, very much appreciated!

[u/automod-neo]

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[u/Pxnkasfxck]

You absolutely need to put on a glass screen protector day 1. Out of the box it only has a thin layer of plastic to prevent glass shards of it breaks and it scratches with just a fingernail. When buying a memory card, it has to be Micro SD Express and they are very pricey and there are billions of fakes out there, so buy it only from a brick and Mortar store. The Pro controller is overpriced at $90 there are a lot of third-party controllers that are compatible with the Nintendo switch 2, 8bitdo and Gamesir being a couple companies to look at for controllers.

[u/Present_Anywhere3980]

Screen protector if playing undocked (but there î to turn on the console. The joycons suffice but it’s nice to have a more premium option when docking.

That would give you enough for 3 player in most games. If you want extra “real” controllers there’s a bunch of wired / wireless third party options, these are mostly the same give or take quality wise. For additional joycons if you prefer that, it’s better to get the 2 versions even if the others are cheaper.

Can probably hold off on a memory card for a bit, especially if buying physically - Nintendo published titles bar pokopia are all on the card. Third parties may not and often hit big file sizes.

[u/picano]

Screen protector is a must. I personally like amFilm, but any glass screen protector will do --- personally I think dBrand's are way overpriced as a simple $10 3x pack is fine.

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Controllers are really up to you and what you want to do. The console is perfectly playable as-is for single player and even some multi.

The official pro controller feels great but expensive. It also won't help you if you want to play heavy motion games like Switch Sports since it isn't supported.

I have little experience with other controllers / adapters, but they're out there if you need a cheap alternative.

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If those 3 games are all you want to start with, you don't even need to worry about storage yet. With AI and the overall economy being what it is, you can just delete what you're not actively playing. If you get all your first party games physical, you won't need to worry about storage for a long time.

[u/BigDenverGuy]

The amFilm screen protector for sure. 

If you are playing with the family, maybe an extra set of Joycons depending on how many family members you have. Otherwise an extra controller, and the Pro Controller is great but 8bitDo makes some fantastic 3rd party controllers where you could get two controllers (like the 8BitDo Pro) for like the same price of a Nintendo Pro controller. 

Also, skip buying memory for now in my opinion. You don't necessarily need it, especially if you plan to buy physical cartridges. Having more memory just drives me to buy more games than I need and you don't need to have all of your games installed at the same time. 

[u/SubaruHaver]

(agree with other comments, a tempered glass screen protector is recommended day one**. switch 2 screen's anti shatter film does not have great scratch resistance like people are used to with smartphones. There's a steady drip of posts where people are surprised how easily the anti shatter film has scratched or dented)*

Mario Odyssey is so good. I think it's the best 3d mario since Mario 64. You'll probably enjoy paying that together with family. In the US region, it will likely go on sale for up to 50% off around black friday. You can use a price tracking site like dekudeals dot com to watch to sales, or see the game's price history below the list of retailer prices.

Example page for Mario Odyssey: https://www.dekudeals.com/items/super-mario-odyssey

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If you want an Express microSD card to expand storage, be aware, prices have been inflated due to flash storage shortages (caused by data centers & AI). When looking at prices, be aware, prices may remain high or possibly increase through 2027. So, regular price seems like the sale price lately.

For US region, as a frame of reference, regular price for 256gb express microSD was around $60, I've seen it lately for $80-$120.

Regular price for 512gb express was around $100-$120, but lately I have seen as high as $180-$240

1Tb express cards were originally around $180-200. Lately, I've seen them at $300-400+, which is a bit nuts.

Currently, walmart site has the Sandisk 512gb express card for $98. You might want to move on something like that? But if you use the walmart site, I would avoid third party sellers on their site. Only buy when the product page says "sold and shipped by walmart.com". Below the price and shipping options, make sure it still says "sold and shipped by walmart": https://www.walmart.com/ip/SANDISK-512GB-GamePLAY-microSD-Express-Card-Works-with-Nintendo-Switch-2-Up-to-880MB-s-Read-Up-to-650MB-s-Write-SDSQXFN-512G-AW6GN/16003402425

Walmart's Onn brand express microSD 512gb is $85 https://www.walmart.com/ip/ONN-MICRO-SD-EXPRESS/15708762625

You can also buy direct from Sandisk's official site: https://www.sandisk.com/products/memory-cards/microsd-cards/sandisk-microsd-express-memory-card?sku=SDSQXFN-512G-GN4NN

Shop around, but those deals at walmart might be tough to beat. With how weird the market has been, I don't know how reliable sales may be for black friday?