Nintendo Switch is getting all-new accessories soon

During today's livestreamed Nintendo Direct event, Nintendo was kind enough to take a break from previews of ARMS and Splatoon 2 to sprinkle in details of new Nintendo Switch accessories coming out later this summer.

The most eye-catching piece of gear Nintendo unveiled was a bright new color for its Joy-Con controllers. Joining the ranks of blue, red, and the more toned-down grey is the Neon Yellow Joy-Con, which launches alongside a matching strap on June 16.

The Neon Yellow Joy-Con will retail for $79.99/£69.99 for a pair, and $7.99/£4.99 for the strap — a good thing to have in handy when flinging your arms wildly during ARMS, which launches the same day as the lemonade-colored Joy-Con. 

Need more juice?

The next bit of Switch merch Nintendo revealed is a bit of an oddball. The makers of Mario announced a AA battery-powered attachment for Joy-Con controllers to keep them running longer.

While we don't mind the extra juice, the battery packs are an odd fit because the Joy-Cons already charge up when attached to the Switch in portable mode, and are often otherwise locked in the Joy-Con Grip accessory whenever the Switch is played like a conventional console.

Perhaps this accessory is intended to also provide a better grip for playing ARMS, as the battery-powered attachment is also set to launch on June 16 for ¥3,280, (about $30, £24, AU$40).

Now, if only Nintendo released a battery pack for the Switch itself. Longer-lasting controllers are fine and all, but we don't feel the Switch's 2.5 hours of playtime will be able to sustain us when Splatoon 2 hits stores.

Meet me at the docks

Finally, the last piece of hardware news is the announcement of a standalone dock for your Nintendo Switch. 

Despite reports of some docks becoming warped and needing replacement, this standalone product isn't just a potential backup if something goes wrong.

For Switch owners with multiple TV sets, an additional dock can take a lot of hassle out of moving your Zelda session to another room. Just remove the Switch from the first dock, slide it into the spare one attached to the other TV and you're playing again without skipping a beat.

That said, that convenience comes at a hefty fee. A spare dock will cost a whopping $89.99 (about £70, AU$120) when it goes on sale May 19.

Miss today's Nintendo Direct? You can catch up on all the announcements in the video below:

• How to fix the most common Nintendo Switch issues

April 13, 2017 at 07:57AM
Parker Wilhelm