Around this time each year, I'm approached by friends and family to help give advice as to what gifts they should be grabbing for the Nintendo fans in their lives.
You'd think I'd be bored of it by now, but it's honestly nice to use my years of being a hardware reviewer and my lifetime as a Nintendo nerd to recommend gadgets I know would bring a smile to any Ninty-fans face, and this year the Turtle Beach Animal Crossing Switch 2 accessories are going to be the first thing I bring up.
Starting from $24.99 (via Amazon), the range consists of two cases and two matching controllers, and so naturally, you need to make sure your giftee has a Switch 2 and loves Animal Crossing first and foremost. If they do, they're bound to be as obsessed with these goodies as I am, and I'm here to give you the lowdown as to what makes these cute (and affordable) accessories worth spending your hard-earned bells on and popping under the tree this holiday.
KK Slider & Timmy and Tommy PlayTrek Switch 2 cases
There are two cases available in this range: a KK Slider design and a Timmy and Tommy design.
If your loved one prefers the cute and cozy look, the KK Slider PlayTrek Case is definitely my go-to pick. It actually happens to be my favorite piece from this entire set, and it's not only draped in a cute blue and purple design that blends in well with my pink gaming room (and will with any other cute-decorated setups), but the design glows in the dark.
Yeah, you heard me right: the little stars and moons sprinkled across the hard-shell case glow. I love a good gimmick, and while it may have been more apt to place star-gazer Celeste on the case rather than KK Slider, the effect is as magical as it is adorable in person. The design is also complemented by neat little details, including a matching purple carrying handle, purple and blue zipper, and purple interiors to tie everything together.
If your loved one is more into Animal Crossing merch of the nature variety, the Timmy and Tommy design is going to be more their thing. It swaps the cool-toned hues for a pastel green background and little illustrations of two tanuki wearing their little New Horizons shirts. The design is then paired with a brown carrying handle and a beige zipper, which give off the perfect earth-toned vibes I've long associated with the Animal Crossing game series.
These cases don't just look the part, but they're pretty robust too. The inside contains space for the handheld, up to 12 physical games, and there's a zip-up fabric mesh pouch for smaller goodies, like a few pairs of thumb grips and some Joy-Con controller straps, or at least that's what I store in them. There's also plenty of room to place a Nintendo eShop gift card inside one of the cases, should you want to go the extra mile this holiday season. You can always provide the exact amount needed for a Nintendo Switch Online subscription so your loved one can get access to the New Horizons DLC if they don't already have it. Just a thought.
KK Slider & Timmy and Tommy Rematch Switch 2 controllers
I have yet to add Nintendo's Switch 2 Pro controller to my setup, as I instead rely on Turtle Beach's more affordable Rematch controllers. With a $64.99 MSRP, they are far more accessible than the $89 required for the first-party Switch 2 controller, and these new KK Slider and Timmy and Tommy designs are just the latest in this line of fabulous Pro pad alternatives.
While I'm sure anyone would love to get the Pro pad under the tree, neither its default nor its Resident Evil or Zelda designs feel quite as dazzling as these Animal Crossing versions. For one, each contains a hidden RGB feature, which is sure to go down well if your loved one loves that gamified look. If you opt for the KK Slider version, the sky of stars, the crescent moon, and even the two music notes near KK on the right grip light up with color, and it's a gorgeous sight to behold. The Timmy and Tommy Rematch gamepad is even more of a spectacle. At a glance, the controller opts for a green faceplate that matches perfectly with the same shade as the case. However, the touch of any button reveals a sea of Animal Crossing-themed icons, showing leaf, house, and tree designs shining under a rainbow glow. It's a stunning and illuminating feast for the eyes.
In the controller's case, it's actually my favorite, as the effect is hidden in plain sight, which makes the payoff all the more memorable. Better yet, the face and shoulder buttons are draped in a beige colorway that carries on that earth-toned theme. They almost look wooden, and that feels perfectly Animal Crossing to me. Yet while these pads are flashy, they are missing some of the best features of the Pro alternative.
For one, there's no NFC reading tech here. If your loved one has amassed the entirety of the Animal Crossing amiibo as I have, they'll have to use a third-party accessory or switch to the Joy-Cons to tap any figure in-game. That being said, these officially licensed pads still provide the same 40-hour battery life, the same spread of buttons (including two sets of shoulder buttons and back paddles), and they're just as easy to pair as Nintendo's pricier pad.
The best part is that they've also taken a bit of a discount in the weeks since their initial release. While each retails for $64.99 / £54.99, you can find them for just $49.99 / £42.57 at Amazon, which is more than reasonable for the features on offer. With Black Friday on the horizon, there's every chance their prices for the controllers (and the cases above) will drop even further, but I'd recommend you pick them up now while stock lasts, as cute Nintendo accessories tend to be the first go-to when the holidays are near.
Want more Switch 2 accessories? Check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch headsets, the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express Cards.
