Traveling with Your Nintendo Switch

Part 1: Preparing Your Nintendo Switch for Travel

Ensuring Smooth Connectivity with Hotel WiFi

When booking a hotel, thoroughly research their internet policies to avoid unwanted fees or slowed connectivity. Many hotels now charge daily fees for WiFi access or limit bandwidth for streaming and gaming. It’s best to choose accommodations with unlimited high-speed connectivity included.

Downloading Games, Updates, and Cloud Saves

Before starting your trip, spend time downloading any games, game updates, or Nintendo Switch Online cloud saves you expect to want access to offline. Download game updates while still connected to a reliable home network to avoid wasting mobile data. Ensure all your key games and saves will be immediately available without an internet connection once on the go.

Protecting Your Valuable Nintendo Switch Console

Invest in a durable carrying case specifically designed for the Nintendo Switch with space for games, the console, and accessories like headphones. The official Nintendo Switch carrying case or a high quality third party case offers padding and structure for drops and bumps during travel. Protect your investment by safely securing it during flights, car rides, and more.

Part 2: Connecting Your Nintendo Switch While Traveling

Bridging Your Nintendo Switch to Hotel WiFi with Your Laptop

For hotels requiring login credentials or additional steps to access WiFi, you can use your laptop as an internet bridge. Simply connect your laptop to the hotel network and create a mobile hotspot your Nintendo Switch can then access without dealing with sign-ins. This bypasses many connectivity issues and lets you focus on gaming.

Relying on Your Smartphone’s Mobile Hotspot

If hotels or accommodations lack WiFi, use your phone’s mobile hotspot to keep your Nintendo Switch connected while away from reliable networks. Ensure you have an unlimited data plan or sufficient high-speed hotspot allotment to download updates, back up saves to the cloud, and play online games during trips. Test speeds before gaming to avoid lag or latency issues.

Part 3: Extending Your Nintendo Switch Battery Life

Notoriously Short Battery Life Requires Preparedness

The Nintendo Switch has mediocre battery life averaging only 3 hours when gaming actively. Bring a portable, high capacity power bank and USB-C cable to easily charge on extended flights, road trips, or anywhere without easy access to an outlet. Test multiple battery packs to find the highest capacity option for maximum play time between charges.

Avoiding Drain While Idle or in Sleep Mode

Put your Nintendo Switch into sleep mode by pressing the power button when taking breaks to conserve battery. Disable WiFi when not actively downloading or online to prevent the system from idling unnecessarily. Close all running apps completely when done to optimize battery usage during travels with intermittent play sessions.

Emergency Charging Options When Truly Unplugged

As a last resort backup plan, invest in a large external battery like Anker PowerCore or RavPower with enough capacity to fully charge your Switch 2-3 times. External batteries allow charging anywhere outlets are unavailable for extended periods. Planning options like these remedies battery anxiety when away from stable power sources.

Part 4: Accessing Nintendo Switch Online Features While Traveling

Nintendo Switch Online Subscription Unlocks Key Services

An active Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to play most games online, back up save data to the cloud, and access classic NES and Super NES titles through their online library. Costing only $20 annually, the subscription enables multiplayer functionality and mitigates losing progress if your console is lost or damaged.

Alternative Online Options for Select Titles

A few popular games like Fortnite, Rocket League and Minecraft do not require a Nintendo Switch Online membership to play online as they leverage independent servers. Check individual titles’ online requirements, as you may be able to enjoy certain competitive multiplayer games without the paid subscription while traveling.

Making the Most of Cloud Saves

Use the Switch Online cloud backup feature to upload your most recent saves for key games before trips in case your console is lost, damaged or save data corrupts. Test restoring cloud saves on a different Switch to ensure your progress will be available wherever you play. Consider extra cloud backups before lengthy trips for added protection.

Part 5: Enjoying Your Nintendo Switch While in Transit

Lengthy Flights Made for Downloaded Games

Offline single-player Nintendo Switch games are perfect for occupying yourself during long flights when WiFi may be spotty or unavailable. Fully download immersive titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey or Animal Crossing in advance for hours of distraction-free portable gaming at 30,000 feet.

Road Trips and Train Rides Also Benefit from Downloads

Similar to flights, downloading games in advance allows gaming without internet dependencies on road trips passing through rural areas with limited connectivity or on trains where constant motion impacts WiFi quality. Optimize your digital library for fully offline-capable games suitable for intermittent play sessions away from home WiFi.

Adjust Screen Brightness Based on Environment

Be considerate of others by lowering Nintendo Switch screen brightness in low-light situations like night flights or when passengers near you are sleeping. Raise the brightness outside or in well-lit areas so you can easily see details. Adjust audio levels appropriately as well depending on your surroundings.

Part 6: Extending Your Access to Online Features

Nintendo Switch Online Allows a Week Offline

With an active Nintendo Switch Online membership, players can access online services like cloud saves and classic game libraries for up to 7 days without an internet connection before requiring reconnection. Simply syncing to WiFi elsewhere resets this 7 day offline window, extending functionality.

Prepare for Outages Beyond a Week

To maintain online privileges beyond the 7 day window, preload games, saves and content ensuring entertainment if realistically offline longer. Understand limitations to avoid disappointment if expecting services without connection. Alternatively, hotspots circumvent offline restrictions but use cellular data.

International Travel May Impact Online Access

Travelling abroad could mean lost access if out of the 7 day window in locations lacking stable connections to refresh. Ensure entertainment options require minimal or no internet dependency if risking extended outage periods in remote areas with unreliable networks.

Part 7: Data Usage and International Travel Considerations

Review Mobile Carrier’s International Plans and Coverage

Before leaving the country, verify your cellular provider supports international roaming in destinations and understand potential costs. Prepaying for a data package ensures affordable usage abroad versus high per MB rates. Coverage maps show which countries have reliable 4G LTE compatibility with your device.

Mitigate Mobile Hotspot and Online Gaming Data Drain

To minimize costly mobile data abroad, only use hotspots when absolutely necessary and avoid large downloads or multiplayer online sessions using significant bandwidth. Rely more on previously downloaded single-player titles. Turn off automatic game/system updates and use hotel/airport WiFi when available.

Nintendo Switch is Region Locked

Games are coded for specific regions which may impact play in other countries. While the console is not region locked, games themselves are, so titles from foreign eShop stores likely won’t function properly away from their intended market. Carefully consider library region before international trips.

Part 8: Tips for Smooth Online Gaming While Traveling

Test Mobile Hotspot Speeds Before Competitive Play

Mobile hotspots can introduce latency detrimentally impacting fast-paced online games. Always test speeds/stability first by downloading a small file to gauge real-world performance before queueing for matches that could be ruined by lag or disconnections. Switch to WiFi when possible.

Locate Areas with Optimal Signal Strength

Hotel rooms sometimes have weak signals hindering online gaming. Scout alternate common areas like lobbies that may have superior reception for cellular devices. Signal meters help identify spots to set up temporarily for stable matches away from interfering construction.

Prioritize Single-Player if Connection is Uncertain

When connectivity depends on an unpredictable mobile hotspot, safely opt for non-competitive offline games instead of risking ruined online experiences. Adjust expectations based on reliability to maximize portable Nintendo Switch enjoyment while traveling.