Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • GTA 6 cover art revealed
  • Summer Preview
  • Prime Day deals
  • Best gaming tech
  • New Games 2026
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Platforms
  2. Nintendo
  3. Nintendo Switch

Here's everything inside the Nintendo Switch box

Features
By Louise Blain published 23 February 2017

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Switch on

It's only a matter of weeks until you can get into your very own Nintendo Switch box but if you can't wait to see what's inside, we've cracked ours open and emptied out its guts. Ok, that sounded a lot more romantic in my head. Regardless, here's everything you get inside the Nintendo Switch box and some nice close up shots of the Joy-Cons, dock, and oh-so-shiny screen. Good luck with those fingerprints. 

Oh, and here's what doesn't come in the Nintendo Switch box and where you should get the extra bits at the best price. 

First look

Open up and you'll see the Joy-Cons wrapped up snug and the Switch console itself. Currently there's only two varieties of Joy-Con, grey and neon, but expect Nintendo to release new designs and pairs that'll be able to completely change the look of your Switch and let you play multiplayer without just having to use the Joy-Con halves. Oh, and if they release Pikachu yellow, I'm so in. 

Latest Videos From
Watch full video here:

Going in

One layer down and there's all kinds of mysterious wrapped items. It's all pretty simple though. Under the instructions, you've got two wires. One is the USB-C to adapter charging cable and the other is a traditional HDMI to HDMI for when you want to plug into your TV via the dock. All will be revealed about what the others are in the next slide. 

Unboxed

So here it is, everything in the Nintendo Switch box. That mysterious wrapped middle item from the last slide is the Joy-Con grip for sliding in both controllers to play in a more traditional style, while the Nintendo Switch dock was on the right hand side. 

You may like
  • Image of the Nintendo Switch OLED on a table with a headset and gaming earbuds siting around it, taken by writer Rosalie Newcombe. The best Nintendo Switch accessories 2026: all the top gadgets for your consoles
  • Nintendo Switch cases on a wooden table The best Nintendo Switch case: keep your console protected
  • Close up photo of the right Joy-Con 2 controller sitting on top of a Switch 2 case, with microSD Express card and gaming earbud case to its right. The best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories 2026: my top gadgets for your every day carry

There are also two wrist straps for the Joy-Cons for when things get a little too exciting during 1-2 Switch. You don't want a 2006-style Wiimote through the TV situation because you were milking too hard. The wrist straps themselves snap onto the Joy-Cons with a satisfying click and the two buttons on the outside mean you don't lose any functionality. 

Wireless wonder

And here it all is without any pesky cellophane. It's a nice simple set up so you won't be losing any parts. Chances are you'll spend most of your time with the Switch on the go, so you can just slot the Joy Cons onto the sides of the screen and not worry about piling masses of stuff into a carry case. 

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

It just clicks

It's exceptionally easy to slide each Joy-Con onto the screen and you'll know when it's right as there's a satisfying click. To release, there's a button on the back that you need to hold while you slide it off.  

Two ways to play

Here's the first controller set up you'll probably find yourself using. One Joy-Con on each side means you can just settle down with what finally feels like a good size of handheld console. If you get bored of that though, there's always an alternative. 

Grip up the rule book

The Joy-Con grip means you can play in a more traditional gaming position. They both slide onto the empty shell, again with a satisfying click as they bolt into place. And what happens when you pop them both in....?

You may like
  • Image of the Nintendo Switch OLED on a table with a headset and gaming earbuds siting around it, taken by writer Rosalie Newcombe. The best Nintendo Switch accessories 2026: all the top gadgets for your consoles
  • Nintendo Switch cases on a wooden table The best Nintendo Switch case: keep your console protected
  • Close up photo of the right Joy-Con 2 controller sitting on top of a Switch 2 case, with microSD Express card and gaming earbud case to its right. The best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories 2026: my top gadgets for your every day carry

D'awwwwwg

Yep, it looks like an adorable pooch. The plastic Nintendo good boy that comes in the box doesn't charge your Joy-Cons but does mean you can settle down to play in a comfortable position. 

Dock and load

Here's where you'll pop a game card into the Switch. It's on the top right of the main console and is nice and enclosed to make sure the card stays snug. It's also worth nothing that the 3.5mm headphone jack being up here next to the game card means your wire shouldn't get in the way when you're playing on the go as you can just dangle it down the back. It also means you can stand it up on the kickstand and not have to worry about your headphones. 

Ports in a storm

The ports are safely hidden away on the dock via a panel that flips down. Here you'll find the HDMI out for sending the signal to the TV, a USB port and the AC adapter port. The adapter port is a USB-C so you can use the power cable to charge both the Nintendo Switch itself and the dock, depending on how you want to play. It's worth noting that to charge the Joy-Cons you have to slot them onto the sides of the screen itself unless you buy the separate charging grip. 

Card games

The console doesn't come with any games but when you do inevitably invest in some physical media, here's what the cartridge looks like. It's a cute little offering and comes in a surprisingly large box that looks a bit like a Vita case. 

Some scale

And here's the card with the Switch itself. The size means you'll be able to fit stacks of them with you when you're travelling but all you probably care about is Breath of the Wild.... 

Louise Blain
Louise Blain
Social Links Navigation
Freelance Writer

Louise Blain is a journalist and broadcaster specialising in gaming, technology, and entertainment. She is the presenter of BBC Radio 3’s monthly Sound of Gaming show and has a weekly consumer tech slot on BBC Radio Scotland. She can also be found on BBC Radio 4, BBC Five Live, Netflix UK's YouTube Channel, and on The Evolution of Horror podcast. As well as her work on GamesRadar, Louise writes for NME, T3, and TechRadar. When she’s not working, you can probably find her watching horror movies or playing an Assassin’s Creed game and getting distracted by Photo Mode.

Read more
Image of the Nintendo Switch OLED on a table with a headset and gaming earbuds siting around it, taken by writer Rosalie Newcombe.
Nintendo Switch The best Nintendo Switch accessories 2026: all the top gadgets for your consoles
 
 
Nintendo Switch cases on a wooden table
Nintendo Switch The best Nintendo Switch case: keep your console protected
 
 
Close up photo of the right Joy-Con 2 controller sitting on top of a Switch 2 case, with microSD Express card and gaming earbud case to its right.
Accessories The best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories 2026: my top gadgets for your every day carry
 
 
Official marketing image of the elago Switch game case laying on a white desk.
Accessories This mini elago Game Boy is designed to store your Switch games and not play them, but I fear I'd lose this cute keyring
 
 
Photo of a spread of Switch 2 accessories and the handheld sitting on a coffee table.
Accessories One year on, these are the Switch 2 accessories that keep me coming back to Nintendo's newest handheld
 
 
Photo of the Turtle Beach PlayTrek case sitting next to the left side of the Switch 2 and its dock.
Accessories All-In-One Switch 2 cases are my vacation must-have, and this Turtle Beach 2-in-1 option is a great place to start
 
 
Latest in Nintendo Switch
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear After almost 25 years, Metal Gear Solid 2 players are still finding secrets
 
 
Image of a bunch of gaming accessories on a blue GamesRadar+ background.
Accessories You deserve to get in some gaming time this summer, and these travel-friendly gadgets will help with that
 
 
Rize, one of the DBD killers, puts her hands to her face and smiles with glee after killing a survivor with a mori.
Horror Games The best DBD killers to unlock next
 
 
South of Midnight
Games Amid closures and layoffs, global games market has apparently passed $200 billion in yearly revenue
 
 
Mr Freeze grins in Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
Adventure Games Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight features the late Kevin Conroy
 
 
Vampire Survivors
Fortnite Vampire Survivors devs are "reviewing" its Fortnite crossover as Epic goes big on gen AI
 
 
Latest in Features
Claire Redfield is grabbed from behind in Resident Evil Veronica by a figure in a gas mask, with the orange GamesRadar+ Summer Preview 2026 frame
Resident Evil I'm glad Resident Evil Veronica will have a "reimagined story" – remakes need reinvention to survive
 
 
Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2
Live Action Shows What time is Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 releasing on Netflix?
 
 
Tom Holland as Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Marvel Movies Who is Spider-Man: Brand New Day's mystery villain? Our 5 biggest theories, from Mister Negative to Jean Grey
 
 
Image of a bunch of gaming accessories on a blue GamesRadar+ background.
Accessories You deserve to get in some gaming time this summer, and these travel-friendly gadgets will help with that
 
 
Lego Rivendell, Millennium Falcon, Eevee, and Piranha Plant divided by white lines
Hardware These top-rated Lego sets are the ones that you should prioritize this Prime Day
 
 
Spyro in Spyro: A Realm Beyond trailer
Adventure Games "Going independent meant taking a massive, massive risk": How Toys for Bob split off from Activision and Xbox to help guide Spyro to A Realm Beyond
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Elden Ring: Nightreign
    1
    With no major updates in sight, Elden Ring Nightreign fan creates surprisingly fun endless runner
  2. 2
    Stellar Blade diehard begins multi-year quest to kill the final boss every day until Blood Rain and Evie finally arrive
  3. 3
    After almost 25 years, Metal Gear Solid 2 players are still finding secrets
  4. 4
    We've been waiting so long for GTA 6 that someone just found another GTA 4 swingset glitch after 18 years
  5. 5
    Persona 6 boss wants his games to be like "poison," something "that shakes people's values or gives them something to think about"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...