By Dayna McAlpine

Published: Tuesday, 17 January 2023 at 12:00 am


It’s been five years since we first got our hands on the Nintendo Switch, but is the popular handheld console still worth buying now in 2023? If you’ve been debating whether to splash out on the console, you’ll be pleased to hear that we’ve got the answer for you.

When it comes to the Nintedo Switch you’ve got three options to choose from: the classic Nintendo Switch, the compact Nintendo Switch Lite and the company’s latest offering, the Nintendo Switch OLED.

We tested their latest, the Nintendo Switch OLED, when it came out in 2021. In the upgraded version of the original console, the main new feature is the 7-inch OLED screen, which is bigger and brighter than the previous Switch screens.

It also comes armed with a redesigned dock (which now includes an ethernet port) and a bigger kickstand on the back, making it sturdier and less clunky than the OG.

The classic Nintendo Switch console usually retails somewhere around the £259 mark, while the Lite comes in at £199.99.

Meanwhile, the OLED comes in at around £300 depending on whether you opt for a bundle with games.

But is that price worth paying for any of the consoles? Keep reading to find out!

Is the Nintendo Switch worth it? Here’s what we think

Put simply, yes, the Nintendo Switch is worth it. We’d heartily recommend buying one.

You can currently get the Nintendo Switch classic model for £259 on Amazon, the Lite version for £199 on Amazon or the brand new OLED version for £298 on Amazon.

Why do we recommend it? Well, firstly, there is no other handheld console out there to seriously rival it right now, giving Nintendo the absolute run of the market with its three equally cracking versions of the Switch.

The world is opening up again in 2023 too, and if we’re heading out and travelling once more, the Nintendo Switch is realistically our only option for great gaming on the go (unless you want to fork out even more on a Steam Deck).

The Switch Lite really comes into its own in this instance – the lightweight, handheld-only console is easily slipped into a bag or suitcase and at £200, it offers a whole lot of gaming for a lower price.

Downloading games from the Nintendo eShop is also really easy whether at home or away – there’s no need to faff with endless game cartridges and their cases (unless you really like collecting lumps of plastic, that is).

And then of course, there’s the option of being able to use your classic Switch or OLED for party games like Mario Party and Mario Kart if you have people over – and we’re still all as competitive (maybe even worse?) as when we first got our hands on the console in 2017.

Taking the spotlight off Mario for a hot second, buying a Switch now doesn’t mean you’re just stuck with the back catalogue of games that’ve come out for the console in the past five years, either.