Despite somewhat rocky beginnings, the Nintendo Switch has gone on to become one of the most successful consoles of all time.

Thanks to a unique and innovative central gimmick that allows players to choose whether they want to enjoy the console in handheld or docked mode, as well as an extensive software library containing some of the best games of all time, the Switch has cemented its place in gaming history.

When you unbox the Switch, you’ll get everything you need to start enjoying your console right away – assuming, that is, you bought a bundle that also contains a game, because the Switch doesn’t come with any kind of free pack-in game a la Wii Sports.

That doesn’t mean you can’t improve your Switch gaming experience with some extra peripherals, though, so without further ado, let’s look at the top 15 best Nintendo Switch accessories you can buy right now.

1. Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

• Material: Plastic
• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch

Nintendo’s official Pro Controller is the best additional peripheral you can pick up for your Switch right now.

The Joy-Cons that the console comes with are perfectly satisfactory, but depending on the shape of your hands or the length of time for which you intend to play, they might not be ideally comfortable.

That’s where the Pro Controller comes in. It’s got a much more typical design, meaning it feels just as good to hold and use as the standard Xbox and PlayStation offerings do.

What’s more, unlike most third-party Switch controllers, it supports HD Rumble, so you’ll get the same immersive vibration as you would if you were using the Joy-Cons to play.

If you’re intending to do any serious gaming on your Switch and you’re mostly going to be using the console in docked mode, then we’d strongly recommend picking up a Pro Controller.

The price of these peripherals can run a little steep, so try to spot one on sale if you can, but even if you can’t, the controller should last you for a while, so it represents good value for money.

2. 8bitdo Ultimate Controller with Charging Dock

• Material: Plastic
• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch

This third-party controller offering from 8bitdo might not come with HD Rumble, but it packs a huge amount of value into a reasonably-priced offering that’s perfect as an additional controller or a Pro Controller replacement.

Unlike Nintendo’s official peripheral, the 8bitdo Ultimate features Hall effect joysticks, which should mean that you won’t have to deal with annoying stick drift as the controller ages.

Stick drift happens due to the internal components of your controller getting damaged over time, but due to the way the 8bitdo Ultimate is built, the internals shouldn’t be vulnerable to this irritating problem.

You’ll also find a whole lot of other bells and whistles on this controller, including two additional back buttons that you can remap any way you like using the corresponding software app on PC.

The official Switch Pro Controller might be the best pound-for-pound controller for the Switch, but if you’re looking for longevity and you don’t mind buying third-party, then the 8bitdo Ultimate Controller is your best bet by far.

It even comes with its very own charging dock, so you don’t have to use a cable to keep the battery topped up!

3. Hori Split Pad Pro

• Material: Plastic
• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch

Let’s face it: the standard Switch Joy-Cons aren’t hugely comfortable to use for long periods of time, especially if you happen to have larger hands.

That’s where the Hori Split Pad Pro comes in. It works as a replacement for your Joy-Cons, so you can slot the two halves of this controller onto your Switch and use them in portable mode.

You’re essentially getting the full controller experience from a set of Joy-Con replacements here, so if you’ve ever been playing your Switch and started feeling the familiar stings of cramp, this controller should go a long way towards fixing the problem.

Bear in mind you won’t be able to use this controller in docked mode, so it’ll serve you best if you find yourself mostly enjoying your Switch in handheld mode. It’s also not compatible with the Switch Lite for obvious reasons (the Joy-Cons don’t detach).

Much like other third-party Switch controllers, Hori’s Split Pad Pro features remappable rear paddles, as well as a turbo button to help you outperform your opponents in fighting games and other competitive titles.

If you’re going to be doing a lot of portable Switch gaming, you need to pick this one up as soon as possible.

4. RDS Deluxe Console Storage Case

• Material: Fabric layer
• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch

The Switch is designed to be travelled with, and that’s why you need a solid, high-quality travelling case when you’re taking it with you on holiday or even just to a friend’s house.

The RDS Deluxe Console Storage Case is officially licensed by Nintendo, so even though it isn’t actually produced by the Big N itself, you know you’re still getting a high-quality product here.

Naturally, there’s plenty of space for your console itself, and the case is compatible with both the standard Switch and the OLED model, so it doesn’t matter which type of screen you’ve got.

As well as the space for your console, this case also includes room for an extra pair of Joy-Cons, a Pro Controller, and even a charging stand, making it a great all-purpose solution for keeping your Switch safe and charged.

There’s also space for a charging adapter, an HDMI cable, and several games. Suffice it to say that you’re not going to run out of things to do on even the most boring work trip if you’ve got this case with you (and a Switch to put inside it, of course). 

5. Razer Barracuda X

• Material: Plastic, covered with mesh fabric
• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch

A great headset is essential for your Switch, especially if you’re going to be doing a lot of portable gaming or if you live in a household where it’s important not to disturb others.

The Razer Barracuda X represents a great mixture of value for money and audio quality; despite its relatively low price point, it can still compete with some of the best headsets on the market when it comes to sound.

You can connect the Barracuda X to your Switch via USB-C connection if you like, and it’s also compatible with Bluetooth (although connecting via the latter could introduce audio lag to your gaming session).

The headset also supports multiple connections, which means you can hook it up to both your Switch and your phone if you’re expecting an important call. It’ll even swap to your phone automatically when a call comes in!

With solid battery life, great sound, and even a decent microphone so your friends can hear you when you’re making important play calls, the Razer Barracuda X is the best Switch headset out there for most gamers.

6. Hori Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe

• Material: Plastic
• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch

Hori’s is a recognisable name in the world of Switch accessories, so there’s a good chance that if there’s an essential peripheral you must own for the console, Hori is behind that peripheral.

So it goes with the Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe, which is one of the Switch’s only decent racing wheels for those who want to take their experience above and beyond the standard Joy-Con waggling.

The Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe comes complete with a set of pedals and a 270-degree turning radius, so it’s designed to emulate real-life race cars, making it ideal for more serious racing gaming sessions.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t use this wheel with Mario Kart as well if you want to; after all, just because the game is cartoony and fun, that doesn’t make it any less immersive for a true racing aficionado.

The Hori Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe also comes with a mounting clamp so you can lock it into place, as well as a set of tactile buttons and a full-sized racing wheel design.

If you’re serious about racing on the Switch, you need this wheel as part of your setup.

7. Anker PowerCore 20100 Power Bank

• Material: High-quality ethylene vinyl acetate
• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch

There’s nothing worse than your Switch suddenly running out of battery when you’re about to take on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s final boss or defeat an opponent in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Picking up the Anker PowerCore 20100 can go a long way towards ensuring that won’t happen. As Anker points out, the bank “weighs as little as a can of soup”, but it’s hugely useful for keeping your Switch’s battery topped up.

This power bank boasts a battery capacity of 20,000mAh, which gives it more than enough juice to charge your Switch a couple of times over before it needs to recharge.

It’s got a USB-C port built into it as well, which means it’ll charge your Switch at a reasonable rate. Of course, nothing beats the official mains charger, but in a pinch, this power bank could be a lifesaver (for your console, that is).

Naturally, since this is a universal power bank, you can also power up your other devices with it, including phones, tablets, and anything else that connects via USB. You’ll wonder how you ever left home without it!

8. Skull & Co Screen Protector

• Material: Tempered glass
• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch

It’s important to make sure that your Switch’s screen is adequately protected from the slings and arrows of day-to-day life, and like many other things when it comes to the Switch, this goes double if you’re mostly a portable gamer.

Skull & Co’s excellent Switch screen protectors are constructed from tempered glass (like many other screen protectors), so they’re a lot less flimsy than their film alternatives.

Make sure you pick up the right screen protector; the standard Switch and the OLED model have differently-sized screens, and Skull & Co make screen protectors for both models, but they’re not universal.

At any rate, these screen protectors fit snugly over your Switch’s screen and should help to keep it safe against dust, scratches, and anything else that might damage its display, accidentally or otherwise.

They won’t stop your screen cracking if you happen to drop the console, of course, so you still need to make sure you treat your Switch with respect and care, but they will serve as a great bastion against surface damage, so make sure your Switch is equipped with one next time you take a long trip with it.

9. Genki Covert Dock

• Material: Plastic
• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch

Do you feel like the standard Switch dock is just a little too conspicuous? Would you prefer a dock that sits quietly in a power adapter socket and doesn’t clutter up your room? If so, you need the Genki Covert Dock.

This tiny little device is a real marvel. It contains a USB-A port, a USB-C port, and an HDMI port, which is everything you should need to keep your Switch operational and even to connect an additional peripheral.

What’s more, it’s significantly smaller than the original Switch dock, so if you find yourself strapped for space, then this is an ideal solution to keep your TV table free of extraneous clutter.

Of course, the Genki Covert Dock is also an excellent choice if you’re planning to travel, because it barely takes up any space in a backpack or even in your pocket.

Naturally, since this is essentially a universal dock with three connector ports, it’ll also work for other devices, including the Steam Deck, as well as smartphones and tablets, making it an excellent universal charger to take with you on trips. 

This dock will make you wonder why the standard Switch dock is so bulky.

10. Venom Quad Charging Station

• Material: Plastic
• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch

It’s all very well keeping your Joy-Cons charged while they’re connected to the Switch, but what if you want to charge an additional set or even two additional sets?

Well, that’s where the Venom Quad Charging Station comes in. This handy little dock has slots for four Joy-Cons, or two pairs, so you can keep all of your controllers topped up at any given time.

It also features lights that show you whether your controllers are charged or not, meaning you can easily tell at a glance whether it’s time to take them off the dock and start schooling your friends at Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Like the Switch itself, the Joy-Cons should effortlessly slot onto this dock, and they should be easily removable as well, so you shouldn’t have any trouble setting up your controllers for charging.

The overall space footprint for this dock is pretty low as well; you’ll barely even notice it’s there, so it’s perfect if you don’t have a lot of room for additional Switch accessories and peripherals.

Of course, your mileage may vary on whether you actually need a Joy-Con charging station or not, but if you do, this is the one to go for.

11. Kingston Canvas Go Plus microSD Card

• Material: Alloy
• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch

The Switch’s default storage capacity is pretty puny, especially if you’re going to be installing a lot of games at once. Even the OLED model’s 64GB of internal storage probably isn’t going to cut it.

If you’re finding that you’ve just got too many games for your Switch to handle, then you should pick up a microSD card, and the Kingston Canvas Go Plus is the best card on the market right now.

Its transfer rates far outstrip the Switch’s recommendations, and it comes in a variety of different sizes according to your needs, although we’d strongly recommend going for the highest capacity you can possibly afford for future-proofing reasons.

What more need be said about a microSD card? This Kingston offering more than does the job; it’ll slot nicely into your Switch, store whatever games, files, and other things you need, and give you peace of mind so you don’t have to worry about your console filling up.

This is really just a recommendation to pick up a microSD card for your Switch posthaste, but for our money, you won’t find better value than the Canvas Go Plus.

12. Skull & Co NeoGrip

• Material: Polycarbonate
• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch

Holding the Switch in portable mode for long periods of time can get somewhat uncomfortable, can’t it? That’s where the Skull & Co NeoGrip comes in; it’s intended to help take the pressure off your hands.

The grip slots onto the back of your console and comes with a variety of different options, so if you don’t find the default grip comfortable, there’s bound to be something else that works for you.

Unlike some other Switch console grips, you can dock your console while the NeoGrip is connected, so you don’t even need to remove it when you put your console back in its “bed” for charging.

Bear in mind, however, that the NeoGrip is “not dockable with the OG Switch dock”, according to Skull & Co, so you’ll need to be using the updated dock model if you want to dock your console with the grip.

The kickstand is fully accessible while you’re using this grip, and it supports both the OLED model and the original Switch, although it doesn’t appear to work with the Switch Lite, likely because of the console’s altered dimensions.

This is a comfortable, satisfying Switch grip that should save you a lot of pain and hassle while you’re playing in portable mode.

13. Nintendo Switch Online membership

The jury’s out on whether or not this actually counts as an accessory, but given that we think it’s pretty much an essential part of being a Switch owner, we’re going to include it here.

Nintendo Switch Online is among the cheapest offerings when it comes to signing up for additional online services for a console ecosystem, but it delivers outsized benefits, in our opinion.

Of course, you’ll need Switch Online if you want to access online multiplayer in games like Splatoon 3 or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (although you won’t need it for free-to-play games like Fortnite).

It also allows access to a range of old-school NES, SNES, and Game Boy games, and if you add the (admittedly more costly) Expansion Pack, you’ll also get Game Boy Advance, Genesis, and Nintendo 64 games to enjoy.

Adding that extra benefit will also give you access to DLC for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Splatoon 2, so it’s well worth it if you play any of those games.

The baseline Nintendo Switch Online membership is pretty much a must-have, and it’s reasonably cheap for a year’s subscription, too.

14. Subsonic Joy-Con Comfort Grips

• Material: Plastic
• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch

If you’ve ever used the Switch’s Joy-Cons on their side, then you’ll know that they can be pretty uncomfortable, especially for gamers with larger hands.

The Joy-Con Comfort Grips from Subsonic go a long way towards alleviating that problem. They fit snugly around your Joy-Cons and allow you to hold them without giving yourself a hard time.

You might not be able to find the right colours to match your Joy-Cons, but if you can get over that little aesthetic hurdle, these are essential purchases if you’re going to be playing a lot of multiplayer Switch games.

All you need to do is slot the Joy-Con into the grip, and voila – it’s ready to go. You can still use the SL and SR buttons on top of the controller, too, so you can still enjoy games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

That’s really all there is to it; these are simple purchases, and they’re not going to set the world on fire, but they serve an important purpose, so pick them up if you’ve ever found yourself cursing the tiny Joy-Con in your hands.  

15. 8bitdo Wireless USB Adapter

Have you ever had a non-gaming friend round to enjoy some Switch games, only for them to ask why your PlayStation or Xbox controllers can’t be used with your Switch?

You may scoff and tell them that’s just the way it is, but the fact is that with the 8bitdo Wireless USB adapter, that’s not the way it has to be at all.

Connecting this handy adapter to your console’s dock will, according to 8bitdo, allow you to “connect nearly all wireless controllers” to your machine.

This means that if you’ve got DualSense controllers, Xbox peripherals, or pretty much any other controllers handy, you can use them with your Switch, no questions asked. Useful, right?