With the holiday season coming right around the corner, many of us wonder what gifts to ask for or what to give to our family members. Well in my mind I believe the Nintendo Switch is the perfect gift for almost anybody!

The Switch is a game console released in 2017 by the Japanese company Nintendo, previous makers of the DS and the Wii. It is a hybrid console that can be used for either home play on  TV or you can use it portably and take it wherever you may need. It has wireless Joy-Con controllers that can attach and detach from the system to support a handheld style of gaming or as remotes to play separately.

The Switch runs for a hefty price of $300 but with many features to make up for it. Another version of the console called the Switch Lite was released last year for $200 and it is a version that is only handheld for those who are looking for a smaller and more portable experience. 

As of now, there are many popular games to play that are available either physically or digitally. Some popular games include Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing New Horizons, Cuphead and Smash Bros Ultimate. Since there are many games to play, lots of these could appeal to numerous audiences and there will always be a certain game for any member of your family or friends. Not to mention, most have a multiplayer option where all you would need is a separate joy-con to play with your best friends and family. 

Senior Addison Wilson said that New Horizons is currently her pick for her favorite game at the moment. “It’s so much fun because there’s many things you could do on it like visit friends’ islands and discover new hobbies,” Wilson said. 

With a Switch, you can also purchase a membership that allows you to globally communicate with players around the world and also gives you many features that can be quite useful and fun. One impressive note is the Nintendo Switch Online feature that gives you unlimited access to play classic Nintendo Entertainment System titles like Super Mario World,  Kirby’s Dream Land, and The Legend of Zelda (1986). The online feature is a well thought out service that appeals to both new and vintage fans alike. 

Honestly one of the best features of the Switch in my opinion is how easily you can take it with you and play your favorite games on the go. The system is approximately 9 inches long and 4 inches wide which allows it to be easily moved around your home or on any trip. The battery lasts about 4.5 hours to 9.5 hours which allows you to play on it without having to make many charging stops. 

Another fantastic feature is that the game system has an internal storage of 32 GB which can be expanded upon by getting a micro SDHC card. There are so many features that allow the console to be adapted to any style of playing and is certainly a comfortable piece of equipment for anybody to use.

“(The Switch) is very practical to have and take with you wherever you go…plus there are so many cool games that can be played on it that can’t be played on other devices,” said senior Angelica De Cima.

All in all, Nintendo really knocked the ball out of the park with this game console, and playing it really gave me the same feelings of joy and nostalgia as older games from my childhood. While there are many options for gifts especially now during the era we live in with technology constantly updating and changing, I recommend a gift that would give a sense of comfort and fun, especially during times like this.