Michael Crider
If there’s one thing that Nintendo fans like, it’s arguing over which character Smash Bros should add next. But if there are two things they like, then the next one is making new Nintendo systems look like old Nintendo systems. An upcoming dock does that (sort of) for the Switch, while also adding new capabilities.
The Brook SW Dock Power-Bay is one of several redesigns of Nintendo’s clunky dock for the original Switch, which shaves down all that plastic into something more like a stand-up phone charger. But this one does so while looking like a tiny, flattened-out GameCube—note the stylized lines on the top, the white port bay on the front, and the teensie-weensie carrying handle on the back. Anyone who remembers their boxy buddy from the early 2000s will want to press the eject and power buttons.
But this dock isn’t just a cosmetic upgrade over Nintendo’s, it also adds some extra capability. In addition to moving two USB ports to the front of the device for easy access, you can plug in two original GameCube controllers (still popular with Smash Bros fans). The dock also includes the Bluetooth audio that Nintendo still refuses to enable on the Switch for some reason. There are some thoughtful design choices, too: that handle can come off the back and attach to the bottom, propping up the dock at two alternate angles.
The SW Dock Power-Bay is going on sale in June for $55. That’s pricey by the standards of third-party docks, but still much less than Nintendo charges for a second dock.
Source: Book Accessory via Gizmodo, Nintendo Life
