Nintendo Switch things

Anh-Thi Dinh
These are my personal notes and experiences with Switch. If you find something wrong or there are other things that are better, feel free to comment.

Good to know

  1. Buy the physical version if you are a collector / want to sell this game later / want to share it with friends.
  1. Buy the digital version if you aren't good at keeping things / don't want to sell / afraid of damaging the card / too lazy to change the card between games.
  1. You cannot transfer data from one user to another user! However, you can transfer data between consoles, between consoles and server. In other words, the save state is bound to the user.
  1. You should buy games with different accoutns in case you want to sell them later.
  1. Don't buy a big bag (used for both switch and dock), just buy the bag for switch (and its small accessories). When you go somewhere, don't take with you the dock, just the switch with an adapter (which has the same function as the dock).
  1. Your credit card / paypal account must have the same country as the country you are using on your nintendo account. In this case, use eShop cards. Buy them on amazon or eneba.
  1. Eneba.
  1. DekuDeals (create an account + add alert for the price drop).
  1. eshops-prices

Share your games with friends and share the money

  1. Suppose you have an account A that contains all your games.
  1. Suppose your friend has account B.
  1. You and your friend should add A to your consoles. Your friend's console should be the primary console for A and yours is the secondary.
  1. You and your friend need to play in different accounts. You play on A and your friend plays on B.
What you both can do:
  1. Play the same game at the same time.
  1. Data is saved upon your own accounts (your account is A, your friend's is B).
  1. If you both subscribe to nintendo online service, you can play together.

Create a new account?

You create a new Nintendo account and want to use it (as a primary) in your current console.
  1. Create a new nintendo account (w.r.t. the country you want).
  1. Setting up the privacy (2 steps verification, for example).
  1. On your console, go to System Settings > User > Add User > Create New User
  1. After creating > choose the option to link this user to the account you have recently created.
  1. That's it!

Use mouse and keyboard with switch?

For example, for playing FPS games. Just use the PXN K5 Pro adapter. But note that, the gaming experience this way is not as good as you imagine. Be careful before you buy this adapter!
Fact: I returned the adapter and used a good controller instead (mine is an Xbox controller).

Using switch without dock?

Just buy an adapter (USB-C to HDMI & USB-A & USB-C), I use Y Team's.
Be careful: make sure the adapter you buy work with the switch !!!

Connect Xbox / PS4 / PS5 Controller to Switch?

  1. Buy an adapter. I use MAYFLASH Magic NS Wireless Bluetooth Controller.
  1. (Just follow the instruction on the adapter)
  1. Connect the adapter to the switch and switch to "Switch mode" (red light).
  1. Make sure the light on the adapter is blinking (pairing mode).
  1. Turn on the controller and put it in pairing mode.
  1. Wait.
  1. That's it!

Should you buy a third-party Joy-con?

DO NOT! Rather buy Nintendo's because they are easy to pair and have a long battery life! I know they are expensive but they are worth it!
Except the case you wanna play the game like FPS, Fifa, they need some thing like Controller Pro. You cannot play well with default joy-con (my personal experience). I didn't try any of them, Hori Split Pad Pro may be a good option.

Pair bluetooth speakers when playing many bluetooth controllers

Usually, we cannot connect the switch to the bluetooth speaker when playing with multiple bluetooth controllers. Proceed as follows:
  1. Buy a Bluetooth transceiver (I use EasyULT). It has a USB output and a 3.5 input.
  1. Make sure the speaker is turned off.
  1. Connect the transceiver to the switch dock via USB (or another power source, to keep it on).
  1. Connect the audio cable to both the switch and the transceiver. From now on, the switch will assume you are using a speaker with a 3.5 jack.
  1. Switch the transceiver to TX mode ("Transmit mode") so that audio can be transmitted from the switch to the speaker.
  1. Click the main button of the transceiver to switch to the "search for bluetooth speaker" mode.
  1. Turn on the bluetooth speaker (I use JBL Flip 5), and put it into pairing mode.
  1. Wait.
  1. Make sure the bluetooth speaker is well connected to the transceiver.
  1. That's it!
  1. If you have done everything but the sound still doesn't appear, try restarting the speaker and resetting the pairing mode.

Buy games from other regions

To buy games from other regions (e.g. US games while in France), you can use eShop Gift cards, but this can be inconvenient. Alternatively, link a US PayPal account to your Nintendo account.
Since creating a US PayPal account requires a US address or bank card, one solution is to ask a trusted US-based friend or family member to add your card to their PayPal account. Then, link this PayPal to your US Nintendo account, ensuring you select only your card for purchases.