Nintendo Switch advice

[NoNintendoNinja]

My ten year old wants a Nintendo Switch so he can play online with friends. Fortnite in particular as he says he cannot play this on his ipad.

I literally know nothing about gaming and consoles (we bought him the ipad as we thought this meant he could now game with friends). When I look at the Nintendo store I see a whole load of things I do not understand.

Can anyone help? What is the basic console I should be buying?

You can play it on a switch. You can download the game from the game store. Not sure if it's free or not.
You also need an a online account, which with Nintendo is only £3.49 ish a month or something like £14 for a year. A bargain compared to other devices.

You can get the console that plugs in to the TV and you remove the remotes, and you can also play that version on the tablet. Or you get a handheld one where the remotes don't come off.

I'd go for the one that plugs in to the TV as you can get so many good family games as well. You can't play a lot of Nintendo games with the handheld only version.

Agree, it's worth getting the full version Switch that can be a tv or handheld console rather than the Lite version if you can afford it. You need the Switch Online subscription to play with friends but you may get a few months free in the box.

Double check that the friends he wants to play with have Switches though.

Fortnite is a good one as it’s multi platform sk he will be able to play online with his friends no matter what device they are using

So, for example, this: Nintendo Switch (Neon Red/Neon blue) : Amazon.co.uk: PC & Video Games will have everything you need in the box (apart from the game but you can buy it via the online Nintendo store to download, or you can buy it separately as a physical card in a box if you think you might want to sell on the game later on).

But it's worth checking out whether there are "bundle" editions where you get a game included (usually a code for the online download) as they're often much the same price.

Could be worth checking out eBay for a secondhand one as well.

Thanks for the advice and especially the link from @ditalini . Lord, its expensive isn't it.

I think I see now from the comments on here. When I went to the online store and it said ' nintendo switch red plus supermario' it meant you are getting a free game? I thought it meant this was a switch just for that game, and was thinking , what? Do I have to buy a switch for each game?!?

So basically there is a console and then you buy games that you can play on that?

Get the full switch, not the lite (budget permitting). You also don’t need an online pass to play Fortnite with friends as someone else has said it doesn’t matter which system friends have as Fortnite is across them all. Cool thing about a switch it family can play things like just dance together.

Yes, they usually bundle in a game with the console. Super Mario is quite a good one

You can play Fortnite for free (with other players) without a Nintendo subscription, just need to set up a Nintendo/epic games account. You might find the subscription worth having though as you can download other games.
Once you've bought a switch (& headset with a mic!) it's worth downloading the switch parent app on your phone so that you can set screen time & permissions etc.

If its to game with friends then you may aswell get a ps5 or xbox. He will be asking for one before long.

The switch doesn't compare to them for online gaming and graphics.

Fortnite is terrible on switch.

I was wondering about this. I just saw a thing saying switch for ages 7, switch for ages 12.. So is a switch just a kids thing? Would I be better getting an x-box. I mean, I am already upgrading from ipad to games console, I don't want to have to upgrade to a different games console in a few years.

If he is on an xbox and friends on a switch, will he still be able to play with them?

I was told on here to get it from Tesco as they replace when there is a problem.

Xbox and PS5 are more your online games, but more shooting grown up ones. Depends on how much gaming you want him to do and if you follow age guidelines.

Nintendo is not just for kids.

We have a switch and a ps5. It's only since my DS turned 15-16 that the switch got less use. And when there's kids round, they all still play on it together.

Also the switch is portable so you can take it on holiday which is great. Not sure what the pp means about the graphics thing - Fortnite isn't exactly superb on the graphics front!

I'd buy direct from Nintendo. If you have a problem with your joycons (the controllers) they replace them free of charge. They'll do it wherever you bought them from but you don't have to find your proof of purchase if you bought from them direct.

I also play on the switch.

My 16 year old loves the switch but he does most of his serious gaming on the pc and doesn't bother with xbox or playstation.

It really does matter what his friends are using for most games.

Yeah we have a switch and a ps5
I love the switch especially zelda and animal crossing. Give it a go yourself op, you may surprise yourself

You absolutely do NOT need any subscription to play fort nite on switch with his friends.

My son plays with his every day - we definitely do not pay for anything!

You can play fortnight on a pc, switch is not needed but you do need the epic games account.

Youngest DS recently bought himself a Switch light and plays Fortnite and Rocket League on it. If you want to hold off getting a full games console for a bit thats a cheaper option. If you want something that will last longer I would get an Xbox or Playstation.

Thanks everyone, that is really helpful!