How the Nintendo Switch Scratches & 3 Ways to Prevent It

Everyone loves buying new things. No one appreciates having to buy those new things again and again. In the last few years, the build quality of smartphones and tablets has gotten better. It’s improved because there’s a real thirst for a smartphone that you don’t necessarily need to put into a case or a tablet that won’t break the first time that you drop it. Solid reports of Nintendo Switch scratches indicate that Nintendo didn’t get the memo.

Nintendo Switch scratches don’t seem to be isolated. Across the world, users are reporting that the video game system picks up blemishes with ease. That’s a huge problem. The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and Joy-Con Grip are great but most gamers will likely spend a lot of their time away from the television. After all, the Nintendo Switch is great for curling up on the couch or playing a game in public. Scratches on your screen can ruin what’s otherwise a nice mobile gaming experience. It’s not a problem that today’s other popular video game consoles have. The original Xbox One was a scratch and scuff magnet, but it wasn’t meant to be moved that often. The PS4 doesn’t have a scratch problem at all.

Now is the time to protect against Nintendo Switch scratches.

Read: 9 Exciting Things the Nintendo Switch Can Do

If you have a Nintendo Switch, you can’t afford to ignore all these reports of scratches. Don’t wait for blemishes and scuffs to appear on your new console. Gear up now and protect against them.

Where Nintendo Switch Scratches & Scuffs Are Coming From

Before you can protect your system against scratches, you have to understand what is causing them.

First, there are the usual things. Nintendo Switch’s 6.2-inch touchscreen display makes it vulnerable to sharp objects, just like your smartphone. You absolutely don’t want to go dumping the Nintendo Switch into a bag with other devices or objects unprotected. As the Nintendo Switch consists of three different parts, you have more to worry about than just its display. The Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers that you attach to each side of the console are said to have a problem with scuffing too. You’ll want to keep – especially the Neon colored versions – away from abrasive surfaces.

Read: 7 Nintendo Switch Tips & Tricks

Surprisingly, the other sure-fire way to end up with Nintendo Switch scratches is to keep docking and undocking the Nintendo Switch from your television set. To be clear, this isn’t said to be caused by some second-hand dock from an accessory maker. These users maintain that their console’s screen was scratched by the official Nintendo Switch Dock. Those that have had this happen are encouraging everyone to use the included dock carefully.

How to Prevent Nintendo Switch Scratches & Scuffs from Happening

The entire Nintendo Switch community is rallying around three main ways to protect your Nintendo Switch from surface-level damage.

Prevent Nintendo Switch scratches on your screen by adding a screen protector to it. Accessory makers offer glass and film protection, both of which will still allow your console to sense taps on its multi-touch display. Gotta Be Mobile has a collection of the best Nintendo Switch screen protectors of all kinds. Many of them are available on Amazon, meaning you don’t have to head out to a retail store to pick one up. They’ll arrive on your doorstep in a few days.

The Hori Nintendo Switch Screen Protector.

The second way to prevent Nintendo Switch scratches is to get a cover. This will ensure that your display isn’t ruined when dropping the console into a bag. Nintendo makes its own Hybrid Cover that protects the body of the console. The flap on this case folds back to act as a kickstand. It’s one of the many cases included in Gotta Be Mobile’s Best Nintendo Switch Cases round-up.

The Orzly Nintendo Switch Cover at Amazon will protect your screen too, but you’ll need to keep taking it and other cases off every time you want to use the Nintendo Switch Dock. That’s not ideal. A zipper pouch might be your best option. They offer some protection for carrying the console and you don’t have to worry about stripping something off it every time you want to connect it. The Nintendo Switch Premium Console Case, also available at Amazon, can handle this.

The Orzly Nintendo Switch Cover.

As for preventing the included dock from causing Nintendo Switch scratches, there’s no consensus on that just yet. r/NintendoSwitch community members are adding fabric around the front of the dock to prevent scratches and scrapes on the screen. This should work. You could go with a screen protector for this issue too.

A dock sock made by a friend of an r/NintendoSwitch community member
mmmmetroid. / NintendoSwitch Reddit Community

Good luck trying to prevent Nintendo Switch scratches and scrapes. With an accessory or two, you should be able to prevent your console from getting damaged. Without this to worry about, you can focus on the mountain of Nintendo Switch games all making their way to the console during 2017.

Sonic Forces

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Featuring three protagonists, Sonic Forces will offer platforming and an all-new story when it arrives on video game consoles – including the Nintendo Switch – in 2017. We know that Sonic Forces lets gamers create their own characters. Players must base this character on one of seven different classes that come with their own advantages and abilities. Sonic Team calls these custom characters "Avatars," and there are hundreds of cosmetic items for Sonic Forces players to add some style to their creation. You can skip the custom character mode and enjoy two generations of Sonic game play: 2.5D and 3D. The 2.5D mode offers the classic side-scrolling Sonic experience from your childhood. 3D Mode plays more like Sonic Unleashed. All game worlds and characters are three-dimensional, just like they would be in a modern game.

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