It's been 5 months since the Nintendo Switch 2 came into existence, and I've got my hands on a ludicrous amount of cases in that time. Softshell, hardshell, and those large all-in-one carrying bad boys that can store everything down to the dock, but they haven't been quite as flashy and funky as this PlayTrek Mario Bricks Travel Case.
Available today for $29.99 / £19.99, the Nintendo Switch 2 case is officially licensed by Nintendo and takes full advantage of it. The case is one of the most colorful out there, featuring a Mario Brick design, colorful straps, and matching interior features. Turtle Beach could have easily left it there, and I'd have been happy to waltz my handheld around in the easy-to-carry accessory, but they went a step further by adding a "flip to reveal" lenticular design that shows off a hidden Mario image - and I'm obsessed.
If you have no clue what I mean when I say "lenticular," that's okay. Our team's own Duncan Robertson wasn't entirely sure either when they wrote about the new Turtle Beach Switch 2 controllers either. The lenticular effect of this case basically means that the design or image that you see changes depending on your viewing angle.
Looking at the case from one side will make it appear as though it's just covered in a simple Mario brick design, but looking at it from another will reveal a cute bit of Mario art instead. The bricks of this case change to show off our favorite mustachioed plumber as he jumps in the air to defeat some pesky Goombas, as it's just as adorable as it is cool.
Turtle Beach could have easily stuck with the Mario art and left that as is, but the lenticular feature makes it stand out from the rest of the many, many cases on the market now. While this effect is purely on the top outer half of the hardshell, the rest of it is just as colorful. The little silicon handle on top, which makes it easy to carry from room to room, is bright red and green, and there's a red edge to the zip to make it even more bright and vivid.
One of my favorite aspects of its design, which cements it as the best-looking Switch 2 case I've tested so far, is the back of the case. You'll rarely see it when the case is plopped down on your coffee table, but it's made up of this iconic Mario-red leather-like fabric, with a big yellow 'Super Mario' logo bang in the center. I've been playing Mario games for over 30 years, and it all feels entirely on brand, and something that looks the part when sat next to my plethora of Mario merch and accessories.
This case doesn't just look great either. It's made up of a durable EVA molded hardshell and TPU-coated polyester exterior, so my Switch 2 has felt extremely safe and protected in the little over a week I've had it by my side. On the inside, it also closely resembles the Belkin Carrying Case with the myriad of storage options, which was a relief to discover, as the Belkin alternative is one of the best cases I've used so far.
After unzipping the case (even the zip is a bright and colorful yellow and blue), there's plenty of storage to be found, and a flap of protective fabric that sits in the center. The top of the flap is home to the storage for up to 12 games, which is comprised of two strips of blue elastic. For my case, the elastic is sewn a little too tight, so it was a bit more difficult to pop games in than in a case like the Belkin Charging Case. That being said, even on a closer inspection, it doesn't feel so tight that I need to worry about the safety of my Switch and Switch 2 games.
The case also provides a little fabric mesh pocket, which is deal for storing smaller accessories like a spare set of Switch 2 Joy-Con rails. Honestly, I recommend just having a pair on you at all times as I managed to lose my original so quicky, which is why I was more than pleased to see the pouch included.
If Super Mario isn't your thing, Turtle Beach has also launched a Donkey Kong model with the same funky 'flip to reveal' design. I was fortunately enough to also take a look at the case, but as hardened Mario fan I was more drawn to the model I've been yapping on about today.
The style and build materials are almost identical, but there's a jungle design on the front featuring DK and Diddy Kong running through a flock of trees. All the extra details, like the game storage and the zip edges are now green and not blue, to tie in with the rest of the design.
Both the PlayTrek Mario Bricks and Donkey Kong Switch 2 Travel Cases are available for $29.99 / £19.99 from Turtle Beach and select retailers. If you want one, I recommend grabbing them as soon as you can, as they've already sold out entirely at the Turtle Beach storefront despite dropping this very day - that's a lot of shoppers who have a great sense of style, if I do say so myself.
- View all Turtle Beach Switch 2 cases at Amazon
- Turtle Beach PlayTrek Travel Case Donkey Kong | $29.99 at Amazon
Our guide to the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories is full of the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers and the best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express cards that we recommend adding to your new Ninty gaming setup.
