Nintendo Switch gets some jazzy new Joy-Con colors this year
Pros and Cons
It's turning into a big year of Nintendo hardware. Two years after the Nintendo Switch first released, we now know we're getting a handheld-only Switch Lite console, a renewed Switch model with double the battery life – and now even some new Joy-Con controller colors, for more aesthetic improvements.
Nintendo of America announced the new Joy-Cons on Twitter, with Blue/Neon Yellow and Neon Purple/Neon Orange options. They'll cost $79.99 (about £65, AU$115), the same as previous Joy-Con colors, and will be available from October 4, 2019.
Customize your #NintendoSwitch even more with these new Joy-Con colors – Blue/Neon Yellow and Neon Purple/Neon Orange. Available beginning 10/4 for $79.99. #MyWayToPlay pic.twitter.com/231TcnnTG2July 17, 2019
You can already get Joy-Cons in yellow, but the blue coloring is one we haven't seen before – and commentators on Twitter were quick to point out comparisons to paint-bucket shooter Splatoon's bright color scheme.
Sure, you're not getting any technical improvements here, and it's a bit depressing not to see any price reduction on hardware that's a couple of years old now. There are also a lot of reports coming in about controller 'drift', with the Joy-Cons tracking the camera angle slowly off in a random direction despite the thumbstick not being used.
But if you're looking for some jazzy new colors to give your current Switch – or battery-enhanced model – a makeover, it's nice to have some options. (Don't forget, though, you can sidestep all these small Joy-Cons with a premium Nintendo Switch Pro controller.)
- Nintendo Switch vs Switch Lite: which console is better?
- Or check out the best Switch games you can play right now
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Henry is a freelance technology journalist, and former News & Features Editor for TechRadar, where he specialized in home entertainment gadgets such as TVs, projectors, soundbars, and smart speakers. Other bylines include Edge, T3, iMore, GamesRadar, NBC News, Healthline, and The Times.