Summary
You might want a Nintendo Switch, but do youneedone? If you have a relatively modern phone, you already have a more powerful handheld in your pocket. All you need is a telescopic game controller to get a Switch-like experience on your phone, and in many ways, you’ll be better off for it.
Phone Controllers Are More Comfortable Than Joy-Cons
The Nintendo Switch is a portable handheld, but that portability comes with some sacrifices. Joysticks aren’t as large as they could be. Shoulder triggers are a bit shallow. The grips aren’t as comfortable to hold for hours at a time. That’s why many Switch owners get a separate controller for longer play sessions when they’re at home, or purchasebulky third-party Joy-Cons.
There’s a style of gamepad out there known as a telescopic game controller, which stretches to cradle your phone in the middle, much like the Switch unit fits between two Joy-Cons. Many (if not most) telescopic controllers are more comfortable than the Switch’s built-in controls, because there’s no assumption that this controller will always be attached to your phone. It can be a little bit thicker since it will spend most of its time in a desk or in a bag.
Some controllers like theRazer Kishi Ultimatefeel like you’re holding an extra wide Xbox or PlayStation controller (though you can opt for the cheaperRazer Kishi v2if you want something more akin to holding a Switch). TheGameSir G8is a less expensive option with many of the same strengths. There’s even aPlayStation version of the well-received Backbone controller, if you’re more comfortable with Sony’s controls than Nintendo’s or Microsoft’s.
Enjoy Your Phone’s Far Superior Screen
The Nintendo Switch’s 6.2 inch 1280 by 720 LCD wasn’t impressive at the time the console launched and is even less so now. The console’s hardware has been static except for anewer OLED modelthat did not bump up the resolution. Meanwhile, phones have steadily improved year after year. If you have the base Samsung Galaxy S24, you have a 6.2-inch 2340 by 1080 OLED panel. For most of us, our phone is the best-looking, most pixel-dense screen in our home.
Try downloading a game for the Switch and for your phone and take note of the difference. It doesn’t have to be a demanding title. TryDead Cells. On your phone, the visuals are crisper. If you have a high-end phone with an OLED display, you’ll likely also have smoother animations due to higher refresh rates. Blacks will be blacker, and colors will look more vibrant overall.
Phones Pack More Horsepower
The screen isn’t the only area where your phone is the more capable device. The Switch has a modified NVIDIA Tegra X1 processor, a chip that launched in 2017. Enter that chip into a benchmarking tool andcompare itto a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. It’s night and day.
The Switch has 4GB of RAM. Mid-range phones have 8GB. Many high-end phones now come with 12GB (some even 16). The Switch maxes out at 64GB of eMMC internal memory, which determines how many games you may store and also impacts load times. Phones now use faster UFS storage with much faster transfer speeds, and even budget phones tend to come with 256GB of space.
In short, phones are faster than they were in 2017. The Switch isn’t.
Mobile Ports Cost Less, and Subscriptions Are Even Cheaper
Nintendo Switch games still go for over $50, even if they’re over five years old.Mario Kartand theLegend of Zeldaare the kind of games thatrarely go on sale or have a price cut. Yet even third-party indie games cost more on Nintendo’s system. you’re able to unlock the full version ofCoromonfor around $5 on a mobile phone versus getting the same game for $20 from theNintendo eShop.
Subscription services likeApple ArcadeandGoogle Play Passmake it possible to play games for even less. You get access to thousands of games for a few bucks a month. Sure, most of these titles lack the depth of many Switch games, especially Nintendo’s first-party efforts, but it’s still a far more affordable way to enjoy mobile gaming. you may alsoadd a Netflix subscriptionto snag even more games.
Let’s return toDead Cellsfor a moment. The Android version costs $8.99 in thePlay Store, and you can get itfree as part of a Netflix subscription. On a Switch, the same gamestarts at $25, before you add any expansions.
Cloud and Local Streaming Lets You Play Games a Switch Can’t Handle
So what about those big budget games? This is the biggest advantage the Switch has over mobile phones. Its library is filled with a better selection of deep, immersive titles. That is where cloud and remote gaming come in to fill the void.
Cloud gaming comes with caveats. You need both a fast internet connection and fast Wi-Fi. This puts it out of reach for many, and it also isn’t ideal when away from home (5G isn’t always fast or stable enough). But if you have the right setup at home, cloud gaming feels native. This is the way I game these days, and the vast majority of the time, I don’t give any thought to the fact that I’m streaming.
With cloud gaming, you’re effectively trading your Switch for both a PC and an Xbox, with additional mobile games to boot. Just like the Switch, you’re able to also connect your phone to a large monitor or TV, so you aren’t restricted to the smaller screen.
And just in case you already own a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or a gaming PC running Steam you can use companion mobile apps to play remotely over your home network with even less latency.
Don’t Forget Emulation
Nintendo isn’t keen on your attempting to emulate Switch games, as the company showed by getting the popular Yuzu emulator shut down. Still, it tends to turn more of a blind eye to emulating older software. It’s not easy to turn your phone into a Switch, but you can easily run your favorite Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64 games.
Emulation has long been a strength of Android, but now that Apple allows emulators into the App Store, you canembrace emulation regardless of which phone you have. Concerned about the legality of emulating old games?Here’s what the lawyers say.
Your Console Improves With Every Phone Upgrade
People who have stuck with the Switch since day one have been using the console for over half a decade before getting word of a follow-up. That’s a long time to wait for new hardware.
Your phone isn’t quite so stuck in stasis. Even if you don’t replace your phone every year or even every other year, you’ve likely replaced it at least once since the Switch debuted. If you’re a mobile gamer, every time you upgrade your phone, your gaming experience gets a boost. Old games often feel fresh again.
You get the novelty of playing a game on an OLED with a 120Hz refresh rate, a phone with curved edges, or the interior screen of a book-style foldable. As Nintendo knows better than anyone, people like revisiting old games with new hardware.
Even More Portable Than a Switch
A Switch is lightweight and portable, but your phone is inherently even more so. It’s always with you, and dedicated game controllers don’t add much space. You can toss them in a bag with less concern because a controller getting banged around isn’t nearly as high-stakes as something scratching up your Switch.
Or you can keep multiple controllers in separate places, since many of them aren’t all that expensive. If you primarily play games in the same spots, you can keep one by the sofa and another in your car. That way, all you need to have on you is your phone. Get acouple of controller clipsand you’re good to go.
It’s said that the best camera is the one you have on you. The same is true of game consoles. Get yourself a telescopic controller and let your best game console be your phone.
