Nintendo’s First Official Switch Joy-Con Charging Stand Launches Today (Cappy Not Included)

Nintendo has handled followers to quite a few surprising surprises this 12 months, together with Princess Zelda because the playable character in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, the upcoming revival of the Mario & Luigi RPG sequence, and the primary official Switch Joy-Con charging stand. Wait, what? However it’s controversial that final shock is the largest, albeit least thrilling, of the three because the Nintendo Switch has been accessible for over seven years.

Nonetheless, in case you’ve been patiently ready since 2017 for a first-party Switch charging stand, now’s your likelihood to purchase one. Nintendo’s Joy-Con Two-Manner Charging Stand launched right this moment, October 17, and is on the market for $30 at a number of main retailers.

$30

Introduced in July, Nintendo’s first-party charging stand prices $30 and is on the market at Best Buy, Target, and GameStop. You won’t find it on store shelves at the moment, but you can order it online and pick it up at your local Best Buy in a week or so.

It’s described as a “two-way” device, meaning you can charge your controllers while connected to the stand or while playing. The actual charger is basically the official Joy-Con grip without the handles. You’re essentially turning a pair of Joy-Con controllers into a single USB-C wired controller. It’s remarkable that Nintendo hasn’t released its own Joy-Con charging stand until 2024, a year that has been filled with speculation around the Nintendo Switch’s successor. But perhaps Joy-Con controllers and this stand will be compatible with the Switch 2.

Though this is the first official Joy-Con charging stand, it’s not the first Joy-Con charger designed by Nintendo. The now-discontinued Joy-Con Charging Grip was one of many few first-party equipment launched alongside the Switch in 2017. A alternative for the usual Joy-Con grip that got here with the console, it additionally charged your controllers whereas enjoying. You possibly can discuss with that as a one-way Joy-Con charger, although the inclusion of ergonomic handles was a pleasant bonus. This new two-way choice drops the grip and provides the stand.

If you would like the unique Joy-Con Charging Grip, you will get a preowned one for $20 at GameStop. Alternatively, you might snag a brand new Japanese version at Amazon for $32–it’ll work simply advantageous with North American Joy-Con controllers.

The Joy-Con Two-Manner Charging Stand is the primary of its sort made by Nintendo, nevertheless it’s not the one charging station with the Nintendo seal of approval.

There is not any scarcity of third-party charging stations for Joy-Con controllers, however solely a choose few are formally licensed by Nintendo. A kind of licensed choices is PowerA’s Joy-Con Charging Dock, which initially bought for $30 however is now accessible for under $20 at Amazon. This one is able to charging 4 Joy-Con controllers without delay. Hori also has a similar charging station supporting 4 Joy-Con controllers for $30.

So if you’re serious about grabbing a Joy-Con charging stand over the vacations, you may have to choose between charging 4 controllers without delay or solely charging two with the additional advantage of with the ability to play when you replenish your batteries.

Nintendo’s Two-Manner Charging Stand will in all probability be pretty common this vacation just because it is sensible. It’s going to in all probability be some of the widespread equipment gifted alongside new consoles. If you happen to’re seeking to purchase a Nintendo Switch as a present this 12 months, Nintendo launched two vacation bundles this 12 months. The Nintendo Switch OLED is bundled with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and 12 months of Switch On-line for $350 (valued at $430). The identical bundle with the common Switch console is on the market for $300 (valued at $380).

If you wish to pair your new charging stand or vacation bundle with further controllers, Walmart has the Neon Pink/Blue Joy-Con for $65 (was $80) and Neon Purple/Orange for $66 (was $80).

Switch Joy-Con controllers are handy for a lot of multiplayer video games, however there are higher controllers on the market. Try our roundup of one of the best Nintendo Switch controllers in 2024, which is led by Nintendo’s Pro Controller and 8BitDo’s Bluetooth Ultimate Controller for docked play in your TV. For moveable gaming, we suggest Hori’s Split Pad Pro and CRKD’s Nitro Deck.