nintendo-switch-total-cost

The Nintendo Switch is yet to ship but is now getting enmeshed in controversies and one of such is the several additional charges that are imminent once you buy the Switch.

The Nintendo Switch carries a $300 price tag which some might find moderate for a handheld gaming device with lots of features. However, apart from the $300, there are other things you’ll need to pay for in order to be able to fully enjoy it. And yes, it’s not just games alone.

As a matter of fact, the $300 price is just for the Nintendo Switch console itself, the Joy-Con grip, power adapter and HDMI cable. But the Joy-Con grip controller needed for controlling the system when using with the TV needs to be charged, and that requires a separate charging grip which costs $30. They can be charged, though, when they are plugged into the tablet.

Apart from that, there is a Pro Controller which looks like a normal game pad that isn’t included in the box and it costs $70. Surprisingly, this is more expensive than the PlayStation DualShock and Xbox controllers which is said to be more superior.

nintendo-switch-controller

If you are in need of an extra pair of the Joy-Con, then you’ll have to cough out $80, but it’s $50 for either the left or the right Joy Con.

The Nintendo Switch Dock which does nothing but house the tablet costs $90. You can move the Switch dock if you want to, but in order to enjoy the ease of moving only the tablet, in case you want one in the bedroom and another in the gaming room for instance, you’ll have to cough out $90 for another one. You might as well do away with that one and endure the inconvenience of transferring the dock.

Another snag that might put a hole in your pocket is that the Nintendo Switch comes with no games pre-installed inside. At $300, you can do nothing with the Switch. You’ll need to buy games before the console becomes useful. Some costs as low as $20 for a game software, while others go for as much as $50 to $60.

Furthermore, you’ll also need an external SD card as the modest internal memory may not be enough to download more than one game, depending on the game’s size. Players may also need to pay to access online components of games beginning this fall. The exact price isn’t known but Sony and Microsoft charge between $50 and $60 a year, so we really won’t expect anything less than that.

Nintendo Switch

Looking at the specs over again, I was reminded about the Switch’s 32GB hard drive, where a Zelda download and install will take up over half of that by itself. It’s clear that the Nintendo Switch’s internal storage will need expanding over time, and that requires micro SD cards that can range from $40 to potentially hundreds of dollars for the higher capacity ones. On launch day, it will have games like Human Resource Machine, Skylanders Imaginators, World of Goo, Just Dance 2017, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Bomberman R, and Little Inferno, etc.

While most consoles allow the option of a larger aftermarket hard drive, the Nintendo Switch with a storage space a fraction of the size of its competitors, it’s almost mandatory.

Of course, you can just settle with the bare bones setup and enjoy playing the game on your own. But somewhere down the line, you’d probably have to buy some of these.

When you finally piece all the expensive stuff you’d need to buy before the Nintendo Switch becomes fully functional, you may have to rethink your decision and opt for an alternative instead.

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