I've always admired the special edition versions of consoles that become available over the years. However, I'm usually a first adopter and buy the initial console upon release. So when limited-edition versions come out, like for the Nintendo Switch, it just doesn't make sense for me to buy multiple Switch consoles when I'm usually the only person playing in in our house.
There's still a handful of inexpensive ways to fancy up your Switch without breaking the bank. Here's what I decided to do in May and June of 2020.
Vinyl Stickers & Thumb Grips
Since it's just my husband and I using our Nintendo Switch, we were still rocking a set of the original gray joy-con controllers from our purchase in 2017! (Joy-con drift hasn't hit these yet, fingers crossed...)
I found some pretty neat vinyl stickers from Switch Skin, a shop on Etsy that sells skins, decals and accessories. Thanks to my memories of wearing brightly colored windbreaker jackets as a kid, I went with a 90's retro style skin to cover the joy-cons. (This shop also sells decals for the entire part of the Switch.)
Once I sat down to put the vinyl decals on, I realized how old and banged up my original joy-cons had become. A little "paint" fancied them right up! They became nice and shiny!
I also bought some Animal Crossing-inspired thumb grips from belugadesign on Etsy. The thumb grips install easily and give a nice feel when playing the Switch.
Handmade Sleeve
I'm writing this from the United States during the Covid-19 pandemic, which means from a gaming perspective I have been dragging the Switch around the house a lot. It's not sitting in its safe little dock in my basement. It's winding up on the couch, a table, the floor, etc. So I thought I should do something to give it a little bit of protection.
An internet friend of mine sells crocheted items online (Stitching Sunflower on Etsy) and has always been open to my oddball requests. This time I contacted her to see if she could do some sort of sleeve for my Switch. She found a rainbow colored yarn that matched my Switch's new vinyl stickers and was able to crochet me a sleeve that would keep my Switch nice and snug and safe from nicks. I even got a little anime bunny face with puffy paint, so it's extra cute!
And there we go! My Nintendo Switch feels shiny and new without breaking the bank.