Buying a Nintendo Switch Lite for 8YO - what do I need?

[evtheria]

We are getting DS8 a Nintendo Switch Lite for his birthday. Not getting the Switch, for various reasons, though I have read the pros and cons in discussions on here.

What do I need to buy? The actual Switch Lite itself, obviously, but what else? A case, if anyone can recommend a cheap but good one...

Memory card? How large/much space will he need?
Is there a basic 'Must Have 5 Games' list for his age group? He loves Pokémon but has never played any of its online games.
Is it worth giving him a Nintendo eShop gift card?

If it matters, we try to really limit how much "online" time he has, I wish things were like the old days when you had your Nintendo DS and the cartridges, nothing else!

Thank you so much for helping me with my foolproof shopping list!

The first thing you need is the parental controls app. My son has had his 2 years and I've only just found out about the app. I'm such a dimwit! It's great at limiting hours I cant help with much else. My son is all about the Minecraft!

DD6 loves her switch, we have a selection of games so a couple she pays by herself and the rest are family games together on the big screen for a Saturday night game night

To games for us are

Harry Potter Lego
Lego city
Mario kart
Mario party
Pokémon

That is really helpful! I just assumed I could fiddle with the settings, like a kids tablet.

Are all those games fine to play on the Lite?

They sound right up his street, I did just assume 'okay: Mario Bros, anything Pokémon, Lego' but worry he'll miss out on some amazing new game for young kids.

@evtheria to be honest I've only just Google's and learnt the lite is handheld only. We have the one you can also use on the family tv so we can okay together, I'd double check but they should be ok. However I'd not Reccomnend Mario party for handheld only as it's more like an interactive board game with the motion sensor controllers to play the game so even if there is a handheld version it wouldn't be as much fun

I'm sure you have your reasons but I'd look at the switch that is compatible with tv also as it opens up more family games to play together

*play together

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a great game - really recommend it.

Anything that requires the controllers to be detached like switch sports, ring for and probably Mario party won't work with the lite, the requirements should be on the games packaging or listing if buying online. I've attached a photo from back of splatoon box to show what to look for. It shows you there what the different compatible play modes for splatoon are.

Memory cards. I bought a 32gb one that was wayyyyy too small at first not realising how massive some of the games are, both nyself and dd have this 128gb one but we both prefer to buy premium titles on cartridge, if you're planning on buying digital copies instead I'd try and go for the largest compatible with the lite. I don't know if your gonna let him play free to play things like Fortnite and fall guys etc but they take up a lot of memory.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07KXQX3S3?psc=1&ref=ppxpoppmobbbasin_title

I have a case in this material and style but plain blue. Screen protector too.

www.amazon.co.uk/JINGDU-Carrying-Protective-Protector-Strap（Pokemon/dp/B096RZQ748/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=3R9YHRM643QPL&keywords=switch+lite+case&qid=1681814868&sprefix=switch+lite+case%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-3

I prefer to buy physical copies rather than digital versions as it means I can buy the premium titles much cheaper pre owned or new at various shops when they have sales. the exclusive to Nintendo titles can be sold or treaded in when finished with and you can't do that with digital titles.

I have the lite. (Dd has the normal one but shares it if I want to play ones I can't on lite.

My most played games, the ones I come back to over and over on my lite are

Animal Crossing.

Minecraft.
Mario Kart.
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Odyssy.
Zelda breath of the wild.
Splatoon 2
Fall Guys

I've heard nothing but good things about the Pokémon games but I've not played them myself.

@WavingAtTheClouds Wow - this was such a helpful comment and exactly what I needed, thank you for taking the time to explain! Feeling a lot more confident about buying the basics so it's all ready to play.

Thanks to all who have offered suggestions and advice!

Have bought:

• the Switch Lite
• an orzly grip case
• glass screen protector
• an orzly bag to carry it and game cards
• a Sandisk 128GB memory card
• Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Mario Odyssey, and Big Brain Academy (suggested other titles to relatives asking what they could give him)

This was a very big spend for us so the explanations and tips on here are really appreciated. Picking everything up this weekend so I can spend a couple of days setting up the parental controls and watching videos on how it all works.

One other thing, but it's not essential by any means is a Nintendo switch online subscription, it would be needed if he ever want to play online with other friends but the basic package also comes with the ability to play back catalogued of older Nintendo platforms if you install the game boy, Nintendo entertainment system and SNES apps from the Nintendo store so he could play all the old Mario games etc.

It's £3.49 a month or £17.99 for the year. I tend to just pay a month here and there when I know I'm gonna be playing with mates and Nintendo make it very easy to turn auto renew off on the purchase page. I don't play online all the time and after the first month the novelty of playing the retro games is lost so a whole year at a time isn't good value for me. There's also a weeks free trial and that's enough to see if it's something useful or ti have a play if the back catalogue.

There's also a more expensive online subscription that can only be bought as a 12 month sub at £30+ it includes access to some other back catalogues and also some expansion packs for some games - I think splatoon, Mario kart and animal crossing so as he doesn't have those games it's probably not worth it at all. You can also purchase the dlc for those games on their own if he did end up wanting them in the future, which is what we do because I don't want to have renew yearly subs just to play dlc when it's cheaper in the long run to do a one off separate purchase.

Neither are necessary though and what you've got him already sounds brill. He's a lucky boy.

I would be tempted to wait for the online subscription and save it maybe for a Christmas present? Extends the life of the gift as give access to loads of back catalogue and he may appreciate the ability to play online with friends more when he is a bit older