It took almost three years, but Nintendo has finally realised it might be a good idea to start selling an official stylus for the Switch console.
Currently listed only on the Nintendo UK store, the peripheral will go on sale on February 3 for just £6.99, which is cheaper than many of the third-party options out there.
The company is advertising compatibility with Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training and Super Mario Maker 2. On the product page, Nintendo said the “stylus is the perfect tool for sketching out the Super Mario course you’ve always dreamed of in handheld mode.”
Given gamers have had to use their fingers to move level items into the perfect position until now, we’d imagine the stylus will be an essential purchase for Mario Maker owners – especially at such an attractive price point compared with other official Switch accessories.
Nintendo, obviously, points out the stylus isn’t compatible when the Switch is docked, mainly because you won’t be able to see the screen anyway.
Related: Best Nintendo Switch games
In many ways, it’s a surprise Nintendo has waited as long as it has to launch an official stylus for its groundbreaking handheld console. The stylus was shipped in the box with the Nintendo Wii U and the 3DS handheld console and, given the Switch is effectively a hybrid of those two consoles (minus the 3D display), it’s unclear why Nintendo held off for so long.
Right now, Nintendo is enabling Brits to pre-order the stylus ahead of its release early next month, but is currently limiting stock to one per customer. Nintendo is yet to announce any more compatible games for the system, but many gamers may deploy it for navigation in an effort to keep those grubby paws off that capacitive touchscreen.
Will you be snapping up a Switch stylus when it goes on sale next month? Or have you survived perfectly well without one until now? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.