Is the Nintendo Switch worth it? Reasons to buy the handheld console in 2023
How does the console, which launched in 2017, hold up more than five years on?
It's been almost six years since Nintendo released the successor to the iconic Wii. The Switch came out in 2017, and it introduced a new hybrid way of playing video games. The fact that we could play it on our huge TV, then carry on playing on the train, was pretty revolutionary for the time.
And with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as a launch title, with hindsight it was bound to succeed! But what about in 2023? Is the Switch still worth buying if you haven't managed to but one in the years since?
There have been a few nifty reincarnations of the console over the years, from the Switch Lite to the Nintendo Switch OLED that dropped a couple of years ago. So we know for sure that there are a few more options, but is the console as a whole still relevant?
Let's take a look...
Looking for a saving? Take a look at the best Nintendo Switch offers and the Made For Mums guide to the best Nintendo Switch games for families. Or, take a pick of the best Xbox Series X deals on consoles, bundles and games.
Is the Nintendo Switch worth it? Here's what we think
Put simply, yes, the Nintendo Switch is worth it. We'd heartily recommend buying one.
Why do we recommend it? Well, firstly, there is no other handheld console out there to seriously rival it right now, giving Nintendo the absolute run of the market with its three equally cracking versions of the Switch.
The world has opened up again in 2023, too, and if we're heading out and travelling once more, the Nintendo Switch is realistically our only option for great gaming on the go (unless you want to fork out even more on a Steam Deck).
The Switch Lite really comes into its own in this instance. The lightweight, handheld-only console is easily slipped into a bag or suitcase and at less than £200, it offers a whole lot of gaming for a lower price.
Downloading games from the Nintendo eShop is also really easy whether at home or away - there's no need to faff with endless game cartridges and their cases (unless you really like collecting lumps of plastic, that is).
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And then, of course, there's the option of being able to use your classic Switch or OLED for party games like Mario Party and Mario Kart if you have people over - and we're still all as competitive (maybe even worse?) as when we first got our hands on the console in 2017.
Taking the spotlight off Mario for a hot second, buying a Switch now doesn't mean you're just stuck with the back catalogue of games that've come out for the console in the past five years, either.
Nintendo released even more iconic games just this year. Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom dropped back in May, wowing Zelda fans, and last month's brilliant Mario Wonder. There's also still DLC being made for Mario Kart, and a port for Hogwarts Legacy released today. It feels like the Switch is still very much alive and kicking in 2023.
And with no Nintendo console successor in sight, we recon the era of the Switch will continue for a while.
That's not to give the back catalogue of amazing games that have already been released for the Switch a bad rep, though. Even now, we're still reaching for iconic titles like Mario Kart, Zelda: Breath of The Wild and Animal Crossing, and indie faves such as Stardew Valley, Untitled Goose Game and Hollow Knight. Also, how can we not mention the entire library of Pokemon games on offer?
We're firmly team Nintendo Switch, and reckon you should join us.
Check out our Nintendo Switch OLED review to learn more about that high-end option with the nicest screen available, or peruse the deals below if you're already convinced!
While we've got you... reckon you're a Mario master? Try our quiz below!
Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
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