What is Nintendo Switch?
Image: Nintendo Life This is the original model. The Nintendo Switch launched on 3rd March 2017 . An internal revision, with improved battery life, was launched in 2019.
How does Nintendo Switch work?
The Switch comes with a dock which you can hook up to your TV and play on the big screen, or you can switch things up and play it on the go by taking it out of the dock and playing it handheld. You can also play the Switch in tabletop mode, placing the small screen on a desk and disconnecting the Joy-Con to play.
Depending on what game you're playing, the Nintendo Switch battery can last anywhere between three hours to nine hours. This also depends on whether you're playing on the older Switch model or newer Switch model.
To tell whether you have an older or newer Nintendo Switch model, check the model number on the back of the console — HAC-001 (-01) represents the newer model, while HAC-001 is the older one. The two versions are the same otherwise, with no difference in price, specs, or screen quality.
You can buy the Nintendo Switch in two different standard sets — one with Blue and Red Joy-Con, and another with Grey Joy-Con. A brand new Nintendo Switch will cost £279.99 / $299.99 USD .
What is the Nintendo Switch Lite?
Image: Nintendo Life The Nintendo Switch Lite is a smaller, portable-only version of the Switch that's much easier to take out and play on the go. The Switch Lite launched on 20th September 2019 in three different colours — Light Blue, Yellow, and Grey — and two more colours, Pink and Blue, have been released since.
The Switch Lite is much smaller and lighter than the other two models, but the trade-off is that you cannot dock this Switch and play it on a TV. You also cannot use it in tabletop mode — this is a handheld-only device.
Priced at £199.99 / $199.99 USD , it's the cheapest of the three models, and great for smaller hands, too.
What is the Nintendo Switch OLED?
Image: Nintendo Life The newest model of the three Switches, the OLED launched on 8th October 2021 alongside Metroid Dread . This model is similar to the standard model, except it has a bigger screen, a bigger flipstand, more internal memory, and an OLED screen as opposed to an LCD screen.
Standard bundles for the Switch OLED come in White or Neon Blue and Red. with various Special Edition versions also available, including Splatoon 3 and Tears of the Kingdom .
The OLED is the most expensive of the three models, retailing at £329.99 / $349.99 USD .
Nintendo Switch: Features
Docked, handheld, or tabletop play
Image: Nintendo Life The Switch's main selling point — at least for the standard and OLED models — is that there is a variety of ways you can play them.
The Switch and the OLED come with a dock, which you can connect to your TV or monitor to play any game you want on the TV. Alternatively, undock your Switch, unclip that flip stand, and prop it up on your table so you can play on the small screen using a Pro Controller or your Joy-Con.
The most-popular way to play though is in the palm of your hands. Your Switch can be used like a portable console, meaning you can play your favourite Switch games wherever you want. Just undock the Switch and attach some Joy-Con and you're ready to go.
Note: the Nintendo Switch Lite can only be played in handheld mode — that's what it's designed for, after all!
LCD / OLED touchscreen
Yes, you read that right — touchscreen. The Nintendo Switch family of systems all come with touchscreen capabilities. Not many games use the touchscreen, however, but you can use it on the home menu, at least...?
In terms of screen types, the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch Lite have an LCD screen, while the OLED comes with... an OLED screen! The OLED screen is bigger and brighter than the LCD screen on the other two models. Have a look at our guide below for more details on those screen differences.
Motion controls
Image: Nintendo Life Another feature that's perhaps a bit underutilised with the Nintendo Switch is motion or gyro controls. This is only available on the Switch or the OLED, and motion controls are not capable on the Switch Lite.
The Nintendo Switch Joy-Con have a gyro sensor, which tracks how you're holding the controllers. The in-built accelerometer, then, tracks your movement. there's also the IR camera on the bottom of the right-hand Joy-Con, which detects your movement and physical objects in front of you.
Some games use motion controls, such as Nintendo Switch Sports , Ring Fit Adventure , and Pokémon Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! but there are games where motion controls are optional, such as Breath of the Wild .
Image: Nintendo Life Taking screenshots is the new thing with social media and video games. You no longer need a bunch of fancy tech to share your favourite shots from video games — you can now do it from the comfort of your armchair.
The screenshot button is on the bottom-left of your Joy-Con, or the left side of the Pro Controller. All you have to do is press the button and, just like that, your screenshot is saved to your Switch's memory. If you want to send them to social media or your PC, we can tell you just how to do that:
Sleep mode
Another aspect of modern gaming that's become more widespread, but with the Nintendo Switch being portable, this is a doubly useful thing to remember.
Sleep or Rest Mode allows you to turn the screen off on your Nintendo Switch without closing down your game. you can either access this by holding down the Home button or by simply pressing the 'Off' button on your Switch.
Nintendo Switch: Games
Image: Nintendo Life What games are on Nintendo Switch? Well, Nintendo has built up an impressive library of games for Switch since 2017, and it just keeps growing! If you're looking for something to play on the new system, there's plenty to choose from for more information refer to our Best Switch Games guides.
What are the best Nintendo Switch games?
Now that's a loaded question. The answer is going to be different depending on what video games someone likes, but there is a range of quality titles on the Switch. No shortage, even!
Obviously, first-party titles and exclusives are going to be the biggest draw on the Nintendo Switch. We're talking about games such as Super Mario Odyssey , The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Metroid Dread, Animal Crossing New Horizons , and Fire Emblem: Three Houses , just to name a few.
Of course, all of these are wildly different genres — if you don't like strategy RPGs, then Fire Emblem probably won't be for you. Luckily, we have a huge range of guides covering different genres and series. We've listed a few examples below, but head on over to our Best Switch Games hub for all the recommendations you'll ever need.
More Nintendo Switch Games Guides
How much do Nintendo Switch games cost?
Image: Nintendo Life The short answer? It varies depending on the game.
The long answer: most first-party Nintendo Switch games will be a higher price than games developed by independent studios. Physical games for Nintendo-developed or published games, for example, usually cost around £54.99 / $59.99 USD . However, Nintendo has been dabbling in the realms of higher-priced games, starting with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which retailed at $69.99 USD .
On the other hand, there are lots of indie games that range from as little as $5.99 or less to $39.99. Plus, things go on sale all the time on the eShop, so it's worth keeping an eye out.
If it's affordable games you're after, though, read on...
Can Nintendo Switch Lite play all games?
No, the Switch Lite cannot play every single game on Nintendo Switch, and that's because of the lack of motion control capabilities.
As the system is handheld-only, that means you can't play titles that don't support handheld mode. We have a complete list of games that aren't compatible with the Lite below.
Backwards Compatibility
Image: Nintendo Life The Nintendo Switch is not backwards compatible with any other console, meaning if you want to play a game from another Nintendo system, you'll need to have the console it works on. Or a remaster, port, or remake.
Alternatively, it could be available on the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service.
Switch Game Compatibility And Game Sharing Guides
Nintendo Switch: Controllers
Joy-Con
Image: Nintendo Life The Joy-Con are the default controllers that come with your Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch OLED. These little controllers can be used on the system itself, attached to the console, as individual controllers, or as one bigger controller unit. Joy-Con come in a wide variety of colours, and you can mix and match the left and right ones, too. Complete with HD rumble, motion controls, and built-in amiibo functionality, they do pretty much everything.
For everything you need to know about these controllers, as well as alternatives, have a look at the below guides, which cover how to fix Joy-Con Drift, how to connect controllers, and what the best controllers are for the Nintendo Switch.
More Joy-Con and Switch Hardware Guides and FAQs
Pro Controller
Image: Nintendo Life The other first-party controller you'll want to be aware of is the Pro Controller. If you play your Switch on the TV a lot, then this more traditional controller may well be the one for you.
The Pro Controller is just like the Joy-Con, featuring HD rumble, amiibo functionality, and motion controls (yes, really). But it's designed to feel more like a standard controller.
Nintendo Switch: eShop
Image: Nintendo Life The Nintendo Switch eShop is the place to download digital games for the Nintendo Switch.
Using either a credit or debit card or Nintendo Switch eShop Credit, you can purchase and download all sorts of games for the Nintendo Switch. This is often the place to get indie titles, as many of these don't have a physical release, but you can get basically everything off of the eShop.
Nintendo Switch: Online
Image: Nintendo Life Nintendo Switch Online is the company's subscription service which enables online play in games that have that mode and also offers access to a variety of classic Nintendo games. Online multiplayer games such as F-Zero 99 and Tetris 99 are also available to play through the service.
There are two tiers to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service, and we'll be going over both of them below. If it's prices, Cloud Saves, or simply knowing about the Missions & Rewards scheme, check out our guides below:
Nintendo Switch Online - What games do I get?
Image: Nintendo Life The Standard Nintendo Switch Online subscription will get you access to:
Online Play NES Games SNES Games Game Boy / Color Games Save Data Cloud Nintendo Switch Online App Exclusive Offers
Image: Nintendo Life The pricier Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription will get you everything in the standard subscription, as well as a whole bunch of extras:
All Nintendo Switch Online games
We have a range of lists covering all Nintendo Switch Online titles below:
Nintendo Switch: Accessories
Image: Nintendo Life There are multiple first and third-party accessories that you can pick up for all models of the Nintendo Switch, and not just controllers.
Vital items such as a carry case and SD cards to expand your memory, or even just different controllers or portable monitors to enhance your gaming experience on the go.
Nintendo Switch: UI
Groups
Image: Nintendo Life You can collect your Nintendo Switch library of games in 'Groups', often referred to as Folders.
Doing this is a nice little way of curating genre-specific groups, remakes, or perhaps just Nintendo first-party titles. We have some tips on how to set Groups up below:
Firmware Updates
For a full history of updates since the launch of the original console in March 2017, check out our Nintendo Switch System Update History - Full Switch Firmware Guide .
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the newest Nintendo Switch?
The Switch OLED is the latest version of the Switch at the time of writing.
What are the benefits of having a Nintendo Switch?
It's portable but also docks to your TV, it's built for local multiplayer games, and it's the only console where you can find and play Nintendo-developed games.
Is Nintendo Switch meant for kids?
Not exclusively, although as with the majority of Nintendo's output, it's very family-friendly, which means it's an ideal console for younger gamers. Check out our Best Switch Games for Kids
Can Nintendo Switch play on TV?
Yes, Switch and Switch OLED can both be played on TV using the dock. However...
Can a Nintendo Switch Lite connect to a TV?
Switch Lite cannot be played on your TV .You cannot play games on the TV with a Switch Lite - - a Switch Lite cannot be docked.
Can you connect Switch Lite to a monitor?
Nope, Switch Lite will not output to a TV, monitor, or any other type of external screen.
And that wraps up our Ultimate Nintendo Switch guide . Let us know in the comments section below if you've got any suggestions, tips, or questions about the new Switch.
Up Next: First-time Setup
