How many players can play at the same time on Switch?
The Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular consoles to have been released in the past. It can be played on the go, in hand-held mode, or it can be played from the comfort of a couch in docked mode. Because the Switch can be played on the go, it gives the impression that it is a single-player console and, unlike an Xbox or PlayStation, only one person can play on it at a time. This isn’t true. The Nintendo Switch supports up to four players.
Multiple players on Nintendo Switch
If you look at the physical make-up of a Switch, it doesn’t give away that it supports multiple players. Out of the box, it comes with controllers for two players. You can install games from the Nintendo eStore that support multiple players. If you want more than two players to be able to play on a single Switch, you will need to buy additional controllers for them.
Multiple player requirements
For multiple players to play on the same Switch, you need;
- Controllers for each player
- A game that supports multiple players (not all games do). These games will support local play and they will be playable with only one of the joycons that come with the game. The second joycon can be used by the second player
How multiple players play on the same Switch
The trick is connecting the controllers and getting the right game. Make sure the game you want to play doesn’t require both joycons to play. You can check this from the game’s description.
- For two players, simply separate the joycons from the console by pressing the button on the back. Connect the strap for each joycon to it. Open the game you want to play, and it will allow two players to join it.
- For four players, you need to first buy another pair of joycons. The joycons, like the ones that come with the Switch, can each be used as a stand alone controller. This means that a pair of joycons is actually two controllers.
- You need to connect the second pair of controllers to your Switch. This can be done by connecting them physically to the Switch or by pressing the connect button on the controller. The new controllers will not disconnect the pair that was originally connected to them.
- Once the controllers have been connected, open the game and start playing.
Conclusion
The Switch is popular for lots of reasons and its easy portability is one of them. That said, it’s also a fairly affordable console that can support up to four players and that is truly impressive. You will need to spend a little extra for a second pair of controllers but if you like to game in groups, it’s worth the purchase. If you have a second Switch lying around, you can use its controllers as well.
