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I'm a non gamer so after some advice on what to buy. 3 kids, 9, 7 and 4.5 so I'm thinking it's a good time to get a family console and that's the switch. So what do I need? I'm thinking :
Option 1. One switch package with mario, another game like sports, a pair of extra joycons
Option 2. One switch package with Mario, one switch package with sports
Option 2 I guess it's quite a bit more costly but means 2 kids could play each other without it being hooked to the tv.
Are there other options I should consider?
What else do I need? What subscriptions etc? What is needed to hook to the tv? What about charging? Do these bits all come in the bundles? What about carry cases or screen stands?
Thanks for helping!
Just to throw a spanner in the works: Switch 2 is a few months away and strong rumours of backwards compatibility. Won't be released before Christmas though.
The OLED Switch has a much better stand so two or three can easily play on the screen at a table away from the TV.
Mario Kart and Mario Wonder both great for 3 or 4 way multiplayer (with extra controller obvs.) with the age differences of your kids.
If you want two consoles playing the same game, you usually need two copies of the game.
It comes with all you need to play with TV / away from TV. Batteries most definitely included!
Untitled Goose Game is a hilarious two player game.
Pikmin 4 is way better than the tedium that the Pokemon games are and has a co-op mode.
Treat yourself to Sniper Elite 4. The novelty never wears off shooting Nazis.
I’d get a switch + a second set of joy cons in another colourway. That means you can play ‘serious’ games as two player but still play 4 player on some stuff (Mario Kart, Mario Wonder etc).
Mario Kart almost essential for family races.
Mario Odyssey great but really only one player (a second player can be the hat but it’s not really a two player game).
Mario Wonder has a proper 2p Co-op game.
You can get a very good zip pouch for the switch + games + controllers from all sorts of places for under £15 which is worthwhile if you are thinking of taking it out and about.
We got the non OLED one and since it’s docked for playing on the big TV 95% of the time, that’s completely fine (for us).
Sh yes of course, console to console gaming would need a second copy of the game, oops.
Superficial, that sounds like the just use I imagine we want.
Tbh, unless there are any 2 console packages then option 1 as a gateway to option 2 is only the pair of joycons more costly.... I think.
We're thinking of a switch this Christmas. It'll be my first foray into consoles since the PlayStation. The last game I played was warcraft 2 and the only games I currently play are minesweeper and freecell .
Generic Switch controllers are pretty cheap on Amazon. We bought 4 for playing Mariocart as a family on the TV.
The switch is a great family console. I’d buy a pro controller as well as some extra joy cons. Mario Kart is great, Zelda may capture their imagination too. Stickman is fantastic fun too, love playing that with the kids.
I have a switch game with about 30 sega games on it.
Can’t remember how much it cost but it wasn’t a terrible price.
Been well played though.
.
Pro controller is much better than two Joycons on a handle for playing docked.
So it's looking like one switch package with Mario cart, a couple of pro controllers, and another couple of games, Mario wonder and sport perhaps. That should make a fun family Christmas I hope.
If the kids really get into it then extra switches can come for birthdays perhaps.
My two (5 and 8) love Mario Wonders and Mario Kart. I've got Zelda TOTK, which is ace, Wrecked, pretty good, Doom and WRC which is too much of a simulator for me.
So my 7yo just sampled Mario kart at a friend's for the first time...OK, the switch is sealed for Christmas!
This seems a decent deal,
£299 for the console, 12 months subscription, Mario key, sports and Minecraft.
Add in 4 generic pro controllers (~4x£15) and Mario bro wonders (£40) and Christmas sorted for £400. Then if they really get hooked and we find a growing need to use on the move we could get a second, or maybe a switch 2, come birthday time.
Double post.
If you want a decent controller but don't want to pay Nintendo prices the 8bitdo Ultimate gets a very good write up. Alternatively they make adapters to use existing controller with your switch.
Not necessarily applicable to your use case but thought I'd mention for anyone else looking at this.
I can't comment on the Switch, but
the 8bitdo Ultimate gets a very good write up
You've likely never heard of them but 8BitDo are absolutely killing it on the retro gaming scene with stuff like modern wireless equivalents to the old Sega controllers. It's default answer to "what controller?"
Good thread, it's helped me decide to get a Switch for the grandson!
Slightly annoying that the Switch 2 is out after Christmas but what you gonna do? 🙂
We also used to have an old (second-hand) Wii.
Games were pennies from Cex and I preferred the playability of Mario kart.
Boys used to get a good workout on a rainy day playing Wii Sports and Olympics. Just make sure they always use the controller leash.
Thread revival.
In the end I explained to the kids that the better switch [2] was coming and we decided to hold off and bought the 2 recently. I also bought 4 is the 8bitdo 2c ultimate controllers. All good for Mario kart which is lots of fun and for pokemon violet.
We also have Mario jamboree and some of the mini games need the motion control of the joycon 2s. So it seems i need 2 more joycons or something, plus a way to charge them.
With 3 kids (a few weeks off 10, a few days off 8, and 5yo) iI can see us getting a second switch in the future ... this time next year maybe. If I did that we'd have 2 more joycons.... would that make the additional ones I need now surplus?
Switch 1 joycons are compatible with switch 2 for play, and cheaper. Aftermarket switch 1 joycons cheaper still. But need a charging dock or grip
Joycons still have drift, so a bit frustrating on some games.
Other factors?
Basically the question is, what do I look to buy now to allow 4 to play the jamboree mini games? And i guess future games that use the motion control?
Oh and argos have a deal on for 2 older switch games for 20 quid, suggestions on a couple of titles very welcome! I thought maybe Mario and Rabbids kingdom battle, and Rayman legends ?
I'm waiting for the switch 2 to appear on a workplace points redemption site. Original switch is available so I'll remain in a holding position until the switch 2 appears.
https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Disney-Speedstorm-2171068.html is a free to play karting game, it's supposed to play much smoother on the Switch 2.
It's become my new arcade racing game of choice in the last month, not buying anything with real currency, mix of the daily special event rewards; world tournaments (which have some races that can be attempted twice daily to get all rewards); online solo/team.
I've got it on my Android Mobile, gaming pc and our PS5, where I've linked up my same account to each platform. Yet to download and try it on our Switch 1.
Okay Hive, the kids have the switch 2 and are enjoying Mario kart and pokemon. Super.
I thought it might be good to pass the time on long car journeys if the 3 of them could play mariokart..... that means play together or else the argument and fights would be unbearable.
That means a portable monitor screen and linking the switch to it. Not as easy as just plugging these things together though as it seems nintendo have locked the switch 2 down quite tightly and at the moment there are no sanctioned solutions beyond the dock. It also seems the switch 2 is very sensitive to input voltage. So chances of getting it working seem remote!
My complex solution seems to be:
-Cigarette lighter power adapter with multiple usb 5v outputs, one being 100w and stable enough for the switch 2 (unlikely)
-Cabletime do a cable to replace the dock. It takes the power via USB c and connects to the switch and outputs hdmi to a screen
- portable screen, also powered by usbc coming from the cigarette power adapter
- or better still, 2 screens so I can put one on the back of both front seats allowing all 3 kids to see a screen well, put hdmi output from the switch to a splitter (also powered) and on to both screens.
So the cigarette power adapter would have to power the switch (100w) 2 screens (2x10w ?) And an hdmi splitter (10w)
Chances if getting it to work before giving up...not high!
I'm better saving my money toward a second switch 2 probably.
I'm rambling.... if anyone has any cool setups for kids to use switches in the back of the car feel free to tell me 😁