Fan Creates Homemade Switch Mini Console, Beating Nintendo To The Punch

20% smaller?! My hands can barely cope with the size the handheld is now!

Nintendo lawyers are on their way

That's about what I would expect of a Switch Mini like smaller size and less weight, no docking, no rumble. But man, that is one ugly design

Interesting! Does anyone have an opinion on whether or not it would make sense to make the Joy-Cons non-detachable for a potential Switch Mini? I would think that could sacrifice some important aspects of playing certain games, but I admit I don't have any broad knowledge on the topic.

I'd expect the Switch Mini to be even smaller TBH.

But damn, anyone who literally builds their own gaming system, especially one like the Switch (i.e. not a gaming PC in a box like PS/Xbox), is seriously talented.

congrats on the nice engineering, but did it have to be such an ugly pattern/color choice?

Personally, I'd like to use a Switch Mini for mods and such. I'd probably get banned from playing online, but it's a small price to pay. 🙂

@Rafke Could you link me to that? Sounds funny.

I still think the switch lite will be smaller (5 inch display instead of 6) and will probably have non detachable joy cons but still retain dockable mode.
What I am sure of though is that they won't remove touch functionality like this guy did, and they'll probably remove the kick stand just to shave a few centimeters off the overall size of the device. Maybe they'll bring back transparent designs of the 2ds too?

Nintendo: Release the mini and take my money!

Not sure 'Great' is the description i would use. That design Mario Kart design thing is terrible.

While this guy has some engineering talent, I definitely would not call that thing even “pretty great.” I think it looks pretty awful. The cut off joy con are particularly eye raising. 🤨

I was thinking the other day, the only thing I would like as an upgrade for my switch, outside of more power/better screen, would be some sort of built in clamshell. The 3DS/DS I could just close and chuck in my back in a pinch, whilst the switch I have to pack away properly for fear of scuffing up the screen. Doesn't need to be a big hard plastic one, one like most tablets have would be great and could double as a kickstand. I can just flip it over, it'd click into place and chuck the system in my bag!

I don't want or need a bunch of features removed (and still find the idea that they would do that for younger/casual audiences weird given it then means other products specifically for those audiences such as Labo, Mario Party, Starlink and 1-2-Switch become completely incompatible with the system as a result) and I don't need it to be smaller.

Still too big to put into normal pocket - the official one sure to be smaller.

He's got some great talent to make that. But is lacking in taste, that colour scheme choice is bizarre.....

Damn, it's so ugly. Looks like Nintendo Switch Pajamas.

Ugly and with problems...
Good try although..

To me it just looks like someone used patterned tape and stuck everything together =0p kudos for the effort though; perhaps they'll do a mark 2 version?

awesome, it would've been so much better if he had some kind of 3d printed case instead of that... papery thing

Yeah but we don't actually need a Switch size variant

Does it work though?
Edit: And it does!

i just dont see nintendo removing the removable joycons...and i highly doubt they will do away with docking...thats a freaking 3ds at this point with better graphics...it also negates the whole "switch" part of the name...the whole point of the switch is use it where you want when you want...and making it just a handheld is dumb and i just cant see nintendo doing that.

Sacrificing everything interesting with the Switch for a slightly smaller and lighter body? No thanks.😐 And for transportation it's even bigger, because you can't remove the Joy-Cons anymore.
What Nintendo should do (sometimes in the future): Keep the current model of the Switch, sell it without the dock, HDMI-cable and Joy-Con-grip for 199€. Then bring a new version with everything included, higher resolution screen, better CPU/GPU, 6GB (or more) of RAM, 64GB (or more) of Memory and sell it for 299€. The formfactor is the same with both models, so you can use accessories with both without problems.

I don’t know why people are making such a big deal out of the fact that a proof of concept machine thrown together by a guy in a shed doesn’t reach their aesthetic standards.

It proves the concept. Remarkably well. And that’s all that matters.

If this is what can be achieved by questionable-wrapping-dude, imagine what can be achieved by the actual makers of the Switch.

Fantastic video.

That's cool that people do these things. To me, I'd be disappointed if the Switch mini ends up like that. Not small enough to be portable. The square bottom looks uncomfortable and I other than difficulty for him, I'm not sure why it wouldn't have touch and rumble. That said, ultimately price will decide if I'm interested in the mini. To me it better be $100 off the standard Switch or it's just not worth it.

That design looks aweful... No offence.

Oh god that looks horrendous. Pretty cool he made one though. But still... He probably shouldn't go down the path of design if he made that thinking it looked great.

Looks horrific

@HerroThar It is popular opinion that the main way to lower the cost will be to get rid of the joycons.

Switch Vita will almost certainly be smaller than a Switch, think Vita size.

And for those thinking a Vita is too small, most kids have played on smaller systems than that the past 30 years. And the new smaller system will almost certainly be aimed at kids, if not w/ SSM2 then w/ Pokemon S&S.

30 year anniversary of GB this year, maybe Nintendo will want to celebrate w/ a Switchboy? Or maybe a SwitchLGBTQ?

@MajinSoul When the article said "and it looks pretty great", I didn't expect it to be such a hideous monstrosity.

@rjejr "Switch Vita will almost certainly be smaller than a Switch"

I'm sorry.. Switch Vita?

Also, the Vita wasn't too small. It was just poorly designed and had an uncomfortable shape for me.

This thing is hideous, the design is terrible, the always undocked joycons, lack of touch screen, no rumble... It's awful. And if his determination of whether or not it's "small enough" is based around it fitting in that Fisher Price teddy bear backpack, there's a problem and it's not the Switch.

Wow, just wow. I mean wow.

@EasyDaRon No worries, I did say kudos for the effort; it was a first glance look à la Luke Skywalker with the Milllenium Falcon =0p I guess we're spoilt these days as we're often treated to new and exciting methods of squeezing tech into smaller modules (see Wii in a tin) or with the use of 3D printer to make new housing for the electronics. Apologies if you think I was being rude about the Creator's efforts.

This is the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen

Nintendo already laid those rumors to rest. Besides, hd rumble was a selling point for the switch. Losing that feature might be counter productive.

Maybe I'm giving NL too much credit but I'd imagine when they say "looks pretty great", they mean "wow this dude just made a prototype Switch that is 20% smaller by himself in his spare time!", and not "this is very aesthetically and ergonomically appealing to my non-biased eyes and perfectly emulates the feature set and design standards of the original". The amount of comments ragging on the design is insane, as if Vince himself didn't acknowledge how stupid it looks from the get-go with the line "look at it in all its sellotape glory".

This is just a random dude's rudimentary predictive prototype of what a Switch mini could look like. It isn't the fruits of Nintendo's entire design team lmao, why can't we just appreciate fellow fans making goofy stuff that most of us wouldn't even begin to know how to build

You can see there was a lot of work in finding the ugliest colour for this. I'd be curious to see how badly it overheats in dock mode if it can even be docked.

@Deltath I decided a few days ago to call it the Switch Vita b/c I got sick of typing Switchboy, Switch Mini, Switch Lite, Switch Go, Switch Portable, every single article about the rumoured new Switch. Have to call it something until Nintneod announces it.

I choose Switch Vita b/c I do think it will look similar to a Vita. As its' the 30 year anniversary it could look like a Gameboy Advance so calling it "Switch Advance" would be really cool, but people might mistake that Advance description to mean mawr pwr. And while I do like SwitchBoy I just don't think that name it going to fly in 2019. In no small part due to this guy. No spokesperson job for AP.

https://sports.yahoo.com/interview-adrian-peterson-admits-still-uses-switch-discipline-children-224322609.html

@EasyDaRon

There's already a 7" model for people like you. A 6" is not significantly different in size and is pointless. As the Switch fully replaces 3ds I think they need a portable model. If that doesn't appeal to you fine. As a collecter, I just picked up a 3.5" Sega Nomad and it's pleasant to play on. Though a portable Switch might be able to push 4-5" inches as electronic form factors are smaller in general and the key to me is to make a portable version.

Doesn't explain how people are doing random games that are from pc like five nights at freddys or super mario sunshine gamecube

That looks like a hot mess...

That is one ugly design, better to leave all the design crap to Nintendo unless you're like Ben Heck and could actually design things to work properly.

@rjejr What is that Pokeball looking thingy

This guy needs a 3D printer and an ETSY account.

@YANDMAN It is extremely ugly, and has compromised usability for size.

I'm sure people will tell me "but it's homemade". To that i'd say, there are plenty of homemade mods out there that don't look like a child drew them with crayon and then cut them out with a rusty saw.

This does not look pocket size at all lol.

Wow, that is freaking hideous.

Seriously? Looks like all he did was wrap a switch up. It's not even smaller really.

If you look closely you can tell its duct tape. Very ugly duct tape

I mean, that's a good way to use a bunch of broken Switches... but it's ugly and ghetto as all heck.

Why would they do that?! 😧

Looks bloody awful

@Ogbert Even with clamshell consoles and devices I still use a case because I don't want them to scratch in my backpack. But if you only care about the screen not getting damage then it would be a solution to have a clamshell switch. For me, the design is good as it is.

The switch mini should have a smaller screen to make it even more portable than this prototype. But it should be dockable and have detachable joycons. Maybe the joycons could be smaller too but have the same size rails as the OG one. That way one COULD attach the bigger joycons to the smaller switch, even though it would look a bit silly.

@molliolli182 yeah I do still have a case for my 3DS but if I’m waiting for say a train or bus I could just close it and chuck it in my bag to sort out properly later if I didn’t have time to but it back properly. I dont feel I can do that with my Switch, there’s a whole system of zips and Velcro straps and such to put it away so I tend to not bring it out in those situations like I did the 3DS.

It’s a minor thing, probably not a widely thought about one to be fair!

@Mr_Horizon I have to agree. Perhaps they only intended to make one for themselves and that is it. It would look way more sleek with a different color pallet though.

Kind of looks like it was wrapped up in colored duct tape.

@Audiogore0733 PokeWalker, included with HeartGold/SoulSilver for the DS (and apparently having it intact raises the game's already high resale value singnificantly).
Too bad I lent mine to my niece and then it went lost forever.

Nice. I dig the Lisa Frank blue leopard spots.

Doesn't look much smaller then the switch though.

@Audiogore0733 Good question. I was kinda wondering that myself, but not enough to make any effort. But since you asked, apparently it's a Pokewalker. I knew I recognized it, my son has that game, but he got it used so we never had the Pokewalker or the box.

Minus the skin, that's roughly what I think a Switch Mini would possibly look like. I'd be surprised if they turned the Switch into 3DS-esque dimensions, and even if they did, I'm sure it would be more akin to the XL then the OG. Sounds like we're gonna get some entertainment if they do announce a Switch Mini.

@SuperJoon You know the current switch is about the largest portable console ever right? – with the exception of the Gear Gear maybe.

It's kinda strange how life changes every year...

@rjejr awesome I might get one for my game collection

@Audiogore0733 Good luck finding one, it was out like 10 years ago. Though I suppose in the internet age everything is really just a click away.

@Ogbert Yeah I definitely understand. The 3DS is small enough to even fit in most of my coats' pockets if I need to quickly toss it somewhere. Can't do it with the switch, not because of the screen but also because the size. I wonder when will Nintendo jump into the world of foldable screens. Maybe 2030 when they are cheap enough? A handheld console could definitely benefit from a foldable screen.