Sure as the sun rises every morning, people will always modify new products to fit their style, solve issues they have encountered, or just to be cool. The Nintendo Switch is already an interesting mix of home console and portable gaming machine that has a lot of detachable parts, making it a prime target for modders.
I've done some sleuthing around the web and found some extremely impressive Nintendo Switch mods that people have made; here are some of my favorites!
Note: Modding your Nintendo Switch — or any of its components — like the example below, could cause severe damage to your console or other accessories. If you're going attempt these or any other mods, know you are doing so at your own risk and may potentially void any warranty. We also want to point out that mods found on Thingiverse are meant to be used by those with access to 3D printers. If you don't have one, see if someone who owns one can help you.
N64 Nintendo Switch Dock
Do you have a broken N64 lying around the house? Reddit user tettzan77 did and decided to repurpose the old console into a new dock for his Nintendo Switch.
It's cool to see the old generation of Nintendo gaming come together with the newest generation in perfect harmony.
Do yourself a favor, though; don't do this to a working N64. tettzan77 had to reassure several other Reddit users it was broken multiple times to escape the virtual pitchforks and torches.
Zelda NES Cartridge Dock
YouTuber Kevin Kenson modified an old NES cartridge into another retro-themed dock that harkens back to Nintendo's roots.
Special screwdrivers, tiny screws, and a lot of patience goes into making this mod, but there is no questioning how cool this looks. Any big Legend of Zelda fan would love to have a mod like this.
Nintendo Switch Travel Dock
While some docks are meant to make your Nintendo Switch look cool, this dock helps make traveling with it a much better ordeal. There exists a Thingiverse schematic created by WeSalvaro that'll get you on your way toward a small travel-friendly Switch dock. You'll need to use the USB-C cable and an HDMI cable with the dock, but that's a small price to pay for not having to lug around the one that comes with the Switch.
SNES colorful Joy-Con buttons
Wish your right Joy-Con had a little more color? Youtuber JordiPower shows you how to switch out the black A, B, X, Y buttons on your Joy-Con with multi-colored Nintendo 3DS buttons.
I like the look of this mod when it's all finished, and it makes me wish Nintendo would release a set of Joy-Cons that would have colored buttons. We can also dream for tomorrow, but for now, modders will prevail!
Clear Nintendo Switch Mod
If you want to pay homage to the transparent Game Boy Advance or the Nintendo 64 controller, the Clear Nintendo Switch mod is a great idea for you. With the transparent Switch as well as the clear joy cons, this mod is one of my favorites.
Kevin Kenson will show you how the Switch itself looks, and it looks great! Just be aware that it may take a few tries for you to get it perfect, and it's something you shouldn't attempt unless you're familiar with this kind of mod.
Classic D-Pad
A lot of people were lamenting the loss of a proper directional pad on the Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons, but luckily modders have come to the rescue.
If you head over to Thingiverse, you can download the 3D printer files needed to print the small plastic part and grab directions on how to install the d-pad.
Increased Bluetooth range of Joy-Cons
In a quest to find out what was causing the left Joy-Con connectivity problems, YouTube channel Spawn Wave not only fixed the issues but also increased the range of the Bluetooth connection to 40 feet!
This is a highly risky mod to attempt yourself; however, the usefulness can't be questioned.
Have you come across any cool Nintendo Switch mods?
Share them with the community in the comments below!
Updated August 2018: We've added a custom dock that makes traveling with your Switch much easier!
