The Fastsnail Switch 2 Protective Case is my go-to cheap alternative to dbrand's premium offering | Review

Fastsnail Switch 2 accessories have been on my radar for a while (my gaming radar, if you will), and that's just not because of the adorable image the brand name conjures up in my over-imaginative head.

Similar to JSAUX, Fastsnail is known for launching more affordable accessories for handhelds that stick to plain, all-black designs to keep costs low, but still replicate some of the more premium features of its pricier counterparts. The three parts that make up this case resemble those of the dbrand Switch 2 Killswitch, but at just $26.99 / £20.99, it's a far more affordable alternative for those on a budget.

So long as you install it properly, which is a bit more fiddly than I'd like, this is a great piece of kit. The grips are comfortable, the lid keeps the Switch 2 display safe and protected, and the game storage is incredibly handy. Adding the case to the handheld does render some of the device buttons practically useless, but it's a great dock-friendly Switch 2 case for those without the $79.99+ to spend on more costly alternatives.

Design

To start, there's the frame that attaches to the middle section of the console. This part hangs over the top edge of the device and is made up of an all-black colored TPU material. The middle section of it is made up of transparent plastic, which allows the Switch 2-branding to peek through.

It's one of my favorite design aspects of the entire case. Fastsnail could have easily opted to obscure the Switch 2 logo on the back of the handheld for its own branding. Instead, the frame is plastered with silver design accents that deliberately bring attention to, and make space for, the official Nintendo logo. The frame also allows for full use of the kickstand and all the ports and vents found on the console.

The second part that makes up the case is the ergonomic TPU grips. These slip over the Switch 2 Joy-Con controllers to swap the flat backs for easy-to-grip handles. Each side of these handles features a textured line pattern, and they're fully compatible even when the controllers are detached.

The protective cover is the third and last section that makes up the entirety of the case. It features silver marking on the front, which matches those found on the back, and makes it appear like an accessory that popped right out of the iconic 90s anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. If it were available in a green and purple colorway, I'd almost mistake it for an officially licensed bit of anime tech.

The underside of this cover includes storage for up to 12 Switch and Switch 2 games and microSD Express cards, which is made up of a foam insert. Unlike the game storage found on cases like the Hori Gengar and Mimikyu Switch 2 case, there's no additional protection keeping the games securely in place. If you're pretty clumsy like I am, any big drops can pop the carts out, but the foam is sturdy enough to get the job done if it doesn't get in harm's way.

Features

The Fastnail Switch 2 Protective Case isn't a typical carrying case that you take on the go. Instead, the 33.2 x 14.7 x 4.2 cm accessory can slip onto the console in order to keep it protected, while also changing its form ever so slightly to make it more comfortable to hold.

The main section stays out of the way of most of the ports of the console, from the vents, charging ports, and the game card slot, and adds its own power and volume buttons on top of the originals. With full use of the kickstand, the frame of the case itself is pretty much purely there for protection, as the back is entirely covered to prevent any unwanted cosmetic damage.

It's the grips that are the most significant part of the case. When attached, they make holding the Switch 2 feel more in line with the Steam Deck, in terms of comfort and weight. Instead of the flat backs of the Joy-Cons, the grips are much larger and give your hands a more natural wedge to curl around. They also fit perfectly under the case's cover, so long as you don't have any thumb grips attached to the Joy-Cons.

The case is also available in a model with an attachable 10,000mAh powerbank, which can be kept securely in place at the back of the device. However, I wasn't provided with that version for this review.

Performance

Fastsnail's Switch 2 Protective case comes with an image accompanying instructions on how to install the case properly, and I'm glad they're there. Losing them can result in some very uncomfortable situations.

The embossed edges of the grips need to line up perfectly with the edges of the frame all around the device. Without these in place, the cut-out recesses of the top sections of the grips can dig into your skin, which I discovered when taking out the case from its packaging for the very first time. Fortunately, once I had installed everything as per Fastsnail's instructions, this issue never arose again.

The only additional qualms I had came with the buttons. The frame leaves cut-out areas so that the vents can still pump out hot air, and so you can charge the handheld without issue. However, the added bulk on top of the power and volume buttons requires pressing down harder than you'd need to if your Switch 2 were naked and case-free.

The worst contender for this is the volume buttons. I followed the Fastnail instructions to a T, and yet the volume buttons are so bad that they were pretty much rendered useless. This was a huge pain as I have a chronic illness that primarily affects the joints in my hands, and so it was an even tougher job than normal to try and lower the sound of my villagers in Animal Crossing New Horizons singing their little hearts out outside the Residents Services building on my island.

To get around this, I had to slip the frame off with every use. Eventually, during testing, I ended up adjusting the volume to an estimated level and hoped it would be what I wanted for all the gaming sessions ahead. It wasn't an ideal solution, but it's a small price to pay for an accessory that's so cheap and offers up more than it takes away. Fortunately, this was the only time I had to remove anything, as this case is fully dockable, so long as you remember to take off the front cover.

The Joy-Con grips are definitely the biggest draw to this case. They make the Switch 2 controllers feel a lot heavier but, as someone who switches between the Ninty handheld and the heavy Steam Deck every other day, I got used to the feeling pretty quickly. The added weight is easy to ignore once you feel the curve of the grips, which feels perfectly moulded to the palm of my hands. My fingers curled so naturally that I had zero pins and needle sensations - something which happens on the regular when I'm using the Joy-Cons traditionally.

The case, with or without the screen over, also caused no abrasions or damage to my handheld. I still typically prefer an everyday carrying case as they tend to take up less space in my backpack, but the included cover meant I didn't have to worry about the state of the display each time I took the Switch 2 on the go. Something not found on all slip-on cases.

Should you buy the Fastsnail Switch 2 Case?

The $26.99 / £20.99 Fastsnail Switch 2 Protective Case feels more premium than its low price lets on.

It shares a lot in common with dbrand's KillSwitch Switch 2 case, including the grips, a protective cover with game and microSD Express card storage, and a frame that protects the back of the console, but that $79.99 price point is nowhere in sight.

It's not a perfect case, as no matter how perfectly you install the frame around the handheld, the added bulk over the on-board controls makes them harder to press, and in the case of the volume controls, almost impossible to press at all. Yet that's easy to overlook when the rest of it is extremely comfortable to hold, doesn't need to be removed when playing in docked mode, and when you can factor in and appreciate its simple yet anime sci-fi aesthetic design accents.

While its MSRP is cheap enough, this case is also prone to discounts that make it easier to find at the $20 mark. If you're after a low-cost case that sits on the Switch 2 itself and you can't quite budget for dbrand's version, this is one I'd recommend for you - so long as you don't mind changing the volume in the system settings.

How I tested the FASTSNAIL Switch 2 Protective Case

The Fastsnail Switch 2 Protective Case became my only case for my Ninty handheld during two weeks of testing, so I could put it through its paces for this review. In that time, I used the case to play through a range of games, including Animal Crossing New Horizons Switch 2 Edition, Pokemon Legends Z-A, and titles via the Nintendo Switch Online game library, including the Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue team.

I took the case with me everywhere I went, which included from room to room in my house, while playing docked mode in my livingroom, and out into the city to see how it faired when being carried on the go, and what it did to my pricey bit of Nintendo tech. For more information on how we test accessories for the Nintendo Switch 2, check out our full GamesRadar+ Hardware policy.

For more Switch 2 accessories, check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch headsets, the best Nintendo Switch 2 cameras, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express Cards.