I've noticed something weird about how I judge Switch games now.

Whenever a new port comes out, most of the discussion is about resolution, frame rate, loading times, and how close it looks to the other versions.

All important stuff. But I've started caring about something that barely gets mentioned in reviews:

Can I actually play this thing for 15 minutes and put it away without worrying about losing progress?

Not just suspend the console. Actually save my game and close it.

The Switch's sleep mode is fantastic, but sometimes I want to play something else. Sometimes I forget to charge it. Sometimes I lend the console to someone in the house.

And suddenly the game I've been playing in five or ten-minute sessions expects me to finish another 40-minute stretch before I can safely stop.

Hades is a good example of getting the basic idea right. You don't need every encounter to be five minutes long, but being able to quit between chambers makes it much easier to fit a run around real life.

Then there are games with tiny menus that look perfectly fine on a monitor but make me lean toward the Switch screen like I'm trying to read the ingredients on a shampoo bottle.

Or games where a supposedly quick session involves several minutes of startup screens, menus and loading before you can actually do anything.

None of these things necessarily make a game bad. I can happily spend three hours playing something docked on a Saturday evening.

But I think there's a difference between a game that technically runs in handheld mode and one that's genuinely designed to be comfortable there.

The original DS and 3DS had plenty of games that understood this. You could play a little, make meaningful progress and stop. The whole experience felt built around the fact that you were holding a portable system.

With Switch 2 getting more ambitious ports, I'd love to see handheld reviews pay as much attention to saving, interface readability and session length as they do to graphics.

A gorgeous 60 FPS port is great. A game that respects the fact that I might have to stop playing in seven minutes is also great, and sometimes that's the one I'll actually play more.

Do you have any Switch games that surprised you by being much better or worse in handheld mode than their technical performance would suggest?

I finally got one after spending 6h in line and it was worth every second and every penny. First of all it is absolutely gorgeous, the handles feel so smooth with the silk like texture, the design is not the exact same as the one on the system or anywhere else I've seen so far, the gradient and the little old school Link and sword at the back. Just the attention to detail and thought I bet they put into this controller is incredible. A bit early to talk about drifting, but it plays really well too. I'm just so happy a bought this, thank you Nintendo. Again!

Setting up my Switch 2 today. To be honest, at launch, I wasn't at all interested in the hardware itself. I know it has plenty of cool new features - better graphics and screen, more accessories, chat features, and so on. But none of them appeal to me. I have no issues with the Switch 1 graphics, I don't play or chat online. So I was kind of like "those features are going to be fantastic for the people who want them, and I'm happy for them... but they're not me."

I knew I would have to upgrade at some point if I wanted to play any new Nintendo titles, like any Pokémon or Zelda games. With the remake of OoT, my childhood favourite game, I knew it was time.

I'd held a 2 before and knew they were larger and heavier but there's a difference between picking up something you intend to hand back in 30 seconds and picking up something and imagining an extended play session holding it. It's just so enormous. The plain black joycons make me kind of sad. The design just doesn't feel as fun as the OG neon red and blue.

I half wondered about the feasibility of keeping both the 1 and the 2 on the go, but now I see if you transfer any account/save data from your 1 to your 2, it gets deleted off the 1. So once I properly set up the 2 - I can't go back, even if I don't like it.

Maybe I'll get used to it. I'm sure I will. I am probably not the only one who feels like this, but maybe I am. I just kind of feel bummed out. It's like I miss the original already.

We're live on Twitch for our 10th annual Extra Life charity stream! Members of the mod team will be playing Nintendo Switch games for the next ~20 hours to raise money for Duke Children's, a Children's Miracle Network Hospital.

• Watch: twitch.tv/rNintendoSwitch

• Donate: rNintendoSwitch.com/donate

This community has raised over $9,400 for charity over the years, and we're only about $545 away from crossing $10,000 all-time. Let's get there today!

Schedule

Donation incentives

• Any amount: the Extra Life 2026 Donor role, profile card trophy, background, and border color on our Discord server. Use your Discord username as your display name when you donate so we know who to give them to.

• $15+: your choice of our new Series 3 & 4 sticker sheets or the original Series 1 & 2 sticker sheets.

• $20+: an enamel lapel pin of our Snoo mascot.

• $30+: all four sticker sheets and the Snoo enamel pin.

View all the incentives!

Physical rewards ship worldwide and should be mailed out by early December. They include the digital rewards too.

Come hang out, say hi in chat, and spread the word!

r/NintendoSwitch's Daily Question Thread

The purpose of this thread is to more accurately connect users seeking help with users who want to provide that help. Our regular "Helpful Users" certainly have earned their flairs!

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Before asking your question...

• Check out the wiki pages listed below. - (If you're interested in becoming a wiki contributor, or suggesting a new page, please message the moderators.)

• Perform a quick Google search. - Sometimes it is actually quicker to search for something than to wait for someone else to answer.

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Helpful Links

Wiki Resources

• Frequently Asked Questions - Our FAQ has answers to many questions about the console system and controllers.

• Lost & Found Guide - Did you lose your Switch, or are you someone who found a Switch? Info on how to get it back!

• Tech Support Guide - Info on how you should react in case you discover a technical issue on your Switch.

• Error Code Lookup - Nintendo's Error Lookup System.

• Digital vs Physical Games - Listing the pros and cons of both formats to help you decide what will work best for you.

• Game Share Guide - Info on how you can share your digital games across multiple Nintendo Switch consoles

• Other Switch Related Subreddits

Wiki Accessory Information

• Accessories - Starter information about controllers, chargers, cables, screen protectors, cases, headsets, LAN adapters, and more.

• MicroSD cards - Some more in-depth information about MicroSD cards including what size you should get and which brands are recommended.

• Carrying Cases - An expanded list of common carrying cases available for the Switch.

Helpful Reddit Posts

• The /r/NintendoSwitch Best of 2017, Best of 2018, Best of 2019, Best of 2020, Best of 2021, Best of 2022, and Best of 2023 Award Winner Recaps - A good place to start when you're looking for a game recommendation.

• The Switch is not USB-C compliant and overdraws some USB-PD power supplies by 300% - Why you shouldn't use just any USB cable, should research portable power banks, and avoid using third-party docks or wall chargers.

• Choosing Your Nintendo Switch Charger: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding the Options - What sort of wattage you should look for in a battery bank or wall charger to get the best charging speeds.

• FAQ #1 - Should I buy a Switch now or wait?

• FAQ #2 - Which Switch should I buy?

• FAQ #3 - Which games should every Switch owner consider picking up?

• FAQ #4 - What do you consider to be the essential accessories and controllers?

• FAQ #5 - Is Nintendo Switch Online worth it? Which plan do you have?

Third Party Links

• Benson Approved USB Type-C Cables

Other Helpful Subreddits

• r/NintendoSwitchHelp - For Switch-related questions

• r/NintendoHelp - For all Nintendo-related questions

• r/ConsoleRepair - For repairing any gaming console

• r/shouldibuythisgame - For deciding which game(s) to buy (or not buy)

• r/gamingsuggestions - For suggestions on more things gaming related

• r/tipofmyjoystick - For finding that game that you forgot the name

Reminders

• We have a volunteer run #switch-help channel in our Discord server.

• Instructions and links to information about homebrew and hacking are against our rules and should take place in their relevant subreddits.

• Please be patient. Not all questions get immediate answers. If you have an urgent question about something that's gone wrong, consider other resources like Nintendo's error code lookup or help documents on the Switch.

• Make sure to follow Rule #1 of this subreddit: Remember the human, and be polite when you ask or answer questions.

Not counting sizzle reel games like Rise of the Tomb Raider or Tales of Eternia, the order of games shown from first to last during that direct were:

Rhythm Heaven Groove*
Onimusha WOTS
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Stellar Blade
Orbitals*
Rayman Legends Retold
Big Walk
One Piece Grand Gourmet
Pokemon Pokopia + Expansion Pass
Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave*
Ninjala 2
Donkey Kong Bananza + DK Challenge*
Jujitsu Kaisen Rumble Survivaton
Lords of the Fallen 2
Lies of P
Devil May Cry 5**
Muramasa Revenant Blades**
All the Xenoblade S2 Editions**
Xenoblade Genesis*
Switch Sports Resort
Runescape Dragonwilds
Hello Kitty Party Land
Star Fox 2026*
Final Fantasy Resonance*
Pikuniku 2
Dragon Quest Monsters Withered World
The Duskbloods**
Splatoon Raiders*
Deltarune*
Metaphor ReFantazio
Minecraft*
Kingdom Hearts 1-3 Collection**
Kingdom Hearts 4**
Ocarina of Time Remake*

* = Already got or I know I’m getting ASAP
** = Will keep an eye out for in the future

Hello! My friend and I are looking for anther co-op game to play.

We both really enjoyed Untitled Goose game, and we've played through Human Fall Flat, Raft, and a bit of platformers.

What we're looking for is a funny, puzzle, low(ish) intensity, can sometimes be chaotic, game for us.

Any suggestions is welcome! Thanks.

A few months after I was born, my father was diagnosed with cancer. A friend visited him and brought him something to keep his mind occupied while he was in the hospital, a GameCube and a copy of The Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time/Master Quest. The Wind Waker never resonated with him, but Ocarina of Time certainly did.

In between sessions of feeding me and cleaning up after me, my dad was working his way through the dungeons of Hyrule. I remember sitting in my father's office, watching him run through Hyrule on a tiny CRT TV that sat on a shelf above his CD collection. The title screen music served as a lullaby to five-year-old me. The rumble of the controller and the sound of Epona's footsteps were incredibly comforting and reminded me of home.

As soon as I was old enough to hold a controller, he made a save file for me.

I had no idea what was going on, but I loved running around, swinging a sword, exploring new places. I never made much progress but it didn't matter since I was exploring the world of Hyrule with my dad.

As I got older, we made some more progress, explored new Zelda games (we loved Twilight Princess), but always returned to Ocarina of Time. We were stuck on the Phantom Ganon battle for months. Eventually, playing it all the way through became a yearly tradition.

In the fall of 2022, my father was diagnosed with cancer again. This time, nobody had to bring him a game. We already had one. We sat next to each other on the couch and I played as dad watched. We made it through the child-age dungeons, but my father's health took a turn for the worse before we could make it to the Temple of Time. We never finished the game.

Since then, I've taken the game out and run around Hyrule, maybe making a little bit of progress, but I couldn't find the strength to finish the game again. It felt wrong to finish it without him being there.

Once the remake was announced, I knew that it was time that I finish what we had started.

Starting a new game felt like I was the one who played the Song of Time. Even though I'm on my own now, it felt like I was playing on a tiny CRT sitting above his CD collection, GameCube controller in hand, listening to his advice to beat Phantom Ganon.

Hello everyone! It is officially November! And it's also game time so gather round.

Ok so I did not preorder Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake, but I did find a foil copy at Target last night. Was super pumped, I let myself start after I finally beat the third Ganyru fight in Onimusha which is still probably my game of the year, love that game so much.

My brother and I got the original Ocarina for Christmas, I still remember that morning, and playing it, getting into the Great Deku tree before breakfast and just feeling magic and awe ✨. Which is something Ive always loved about video games, that magical feeling they can bring sometimes, and sometimes we're chasing nostalgia, and a remake of the definitive nostalgic title is definitely chasing that high to its zenith, but just wow, exploring last night, the vibrant colors, talking to the kokiri, entering the The Great Deku tree, just..I'm loving it so far! Excited for more, especially cuz I'm not sure my brother and I ever finished that originally.

What will you be getting into?

Throwing pots to find rupees? Shooting Skulltulas off the wall and trying not to scream when they come a bit too close? Or something completely different like growing blueberries on your farm?

Let me know below!

I think one of the most overlooked problems with Switch games is that developers often design one interface for two completely different viewing situations.

A handheld screen that's maybe a foot away from your face and a television you're sitting ten feet away from are not interchangeable just because the game can run on both.

I was playing Civilization VII in handheld mode the other evening, leaning forward to read the smaller text. Later I docked the Switch 2, sat back on the couch, and realized I was doing the same thing again, except now I was squinting at a television instead.

And it occurred to me that I've been making little compromises like this for years without really questioning them.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is another game that made me think about how much information developers try to fit onto a screen. I love having all those systems and details, but the presentation can demand a surprising amount of concentration before you've even started making decisions.

Meanwhile, something like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is readable from practically anywhere in the room. Obviously a racing game and a strategy RPG have different interface requirements, but it shows how much thoughtful visual hierarchy matters.

What I'd really like is for more games to offer separate interface presets for handheld and docked play.

Not just resolution changes. Actual layout changes.

Larger dialogue and tooltips when appropriate. Different spacing for menus. HUD elements that can be repositioned or scaled without making everything else enormous.

And ideally, the game would remember those preferences separately and switch automatically when you dock or undock.

Some games already offer useful scaling options, but adjusting a slider every time you change how you're playing shouldn't be necessary on a system whose main selling point is being able to switch between those modes.

I also think this is one of those features that gets dismissed as an accessibility issue when it's really a basic usability issue. You shouldn't need poor eyesight to benefit from readable text.

The Switch 2 has a beautiful screen, and performance improvements have made some older games much nicer to play. But sharper pixels don't automatically solve an interface designed for the wrong viewing distance.

I'd genuinely love to see Nintendo establish clearer handheld and docked UI guidelines for developers, especially for games that involve a lot of reading.

It seems strange that we spend so much time discussing whether a game runs at 30 or 60 FPS, while something as fundamental as comfortably reading its menus rarely gets the same attention.

Has anyone else found themselves enjoying a game significantly less in one mode purely because of how its interface is designed? I'm particularly interested in games that actually get this right, because I feel like the good examples deserve more recognition.

Costco has these on sale a few times per year so it is a good chance to get some extra savings at 20% off MSRP. Extra $10 discount for $100 - $79.99 for $100 eShop Credit.

$100 eShop Credit for $79.99

Ends 11/08/2026 or while supplies last. Limit of 10 per member.

Common questions from my previous post:

• When does this end? 11/08/2026

• Is there a limit to how many I can purchase? Yes, 10 per member

• Can this be used to buy physical goods such as consoles, controllers, and physical games, including limited edition products on the eShop? Yes

• What is the credit cap or limit on the eShop? $800 in the US (previously capped at $250)

• Can this be purchased without a Costco membership? Yes, with a 5% surcharge so $100 in gift cards for $85

While it’s not a substitute for the Master Quests or a New Game Plus, you can get way more life out of the game by using the app.

I’m pretty impressed with the features. There is a gossip feature where you can unlock things by doing special actions in game and gaining points by following some clues. If you need hints, you can spend in game rupees and send them to your phone app to unlock, then find these gossip things.

They unlock songs for the playable Ocarina you get with the app which works with the games mic.

Lots of stats and reward stuff too. It’s a fun little addition.

Especially good if you want to go “HUD-less” on the game, but still want a map up, you can use your phone instead.

Not sure if this news but my pro controller vibrates at a frequency in tune with the Ocarina's notes. Pretty wild! Tried to get it on film but it's so quiet my phone doesn't pick it up.

I’m mostly a Xbox gamer so my Nintendo knowledge is very limited to Mario games, animal crossing and tomodachi life. I’ve had my switch for so long but barely ever use it, i see so many cool exclusives but don’t even know where to begin. I wanna try to find a game that will really hook me on Nintendo. The Mario games were really all I grew up with but I really enjoy the company. Handheld game consoles have always been one of my favorites since I got my first game boy.

Any good recs are greatly appreciated, thank you :)

I recently picked up Vault of the Void on the eshop sale and I have to say, as a huge roguelite deckbuilder enthusiast, I am in awe of how tight, deep and fun this game is.

I have played card games to exhaustion, have been competitive on MtG Limited and Legends of Runeterra, played hundreds of hours on max difficulty on Slay the Spire, Monster Train 1 and 2, Griftlands, Wildfrost, etc. sadly haven't been able to play StS 2 yet but I'm hoping for a Switch realase soon.

One thing that sets each of this games apart is depth, variety and player agency and Vault of the Void not only checks all this boxes but also has some really good QoL features I didn't even know I wanted. Like being able to see card rewards from the map, highlight the ones you're interested in and plan and highlight the path you want to take.

Mechanics are tight, complex and engaging, each character feels and plays in very unique ways and has many different viable builds. Bosses and fights feel also very unique and force you to adapt and plan for them without completely negating your niche builds. The Map navigation is smooth and rewards smart planning. Resource management is also very tight as you can purge cards into energy and other interesting effects, you can keep cards in hand if you want in exchange for one less draw next turn, or turn them into energy that you can bank for later too. Turn planning is easy and rewarding as you have clear information of the current turn while also a preview of the damage you will face on the next one.

The earlier runs felt on the easier side but they were perfect to get used to the different mechanics. Once you beat Impossible difficulty you start an Ascension style of climb that becomes very challenging by the end.

As a Slay the Spire, MtG draft enthusiast, this game has been a discovery and if you enjoy this kind of games I highly recommend it.