Fortnite for Nintendo Switch review: Still great, even on the Switch. Nintendo…

The new Fortnite-themed Nintendo Switch console was previously only available in Europe.

Though Cyber Monday tends to have a lot of the same deals we saw on Black Friday, it’s still brought some surprises today, and one of the biggest was Nintendo’s Fortnite-edition Nintendo Switch, which is making its way to the US for the first time for Cyber Monday. Previously only available in Europe, the Fortnite Wildcat Bundle includes a unique design and comes with some Fortnite bonuses as well. After going live last night at midnight, the Fortnite Nintendo Switch is currently back in stock at Amazon, though it’s sold out at Walmart, GameStop, and Best Buy. This is a limited-time restock and it’s not clear how long the Fortnite Switch will be available, but Nintendo’s website says “available while supplies last.”

Nintendo Switch Fortnite Wildcat Bundle

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Similar to the Animal Crossing: New Horizons special-edition Switch console, the Fortnite model has a design that stands out. The bundle comes with a unique Joy-Con color scheme as well as imagery from the game on both the back of the console and the dock. It’s currently only in stock at Amazon, but you should hurry because it’s been selling out quickly all day.

In addition to the sweet design, the bundle also comes with Fortnite goodies. You’ll get three outfits and a trio of Back Blings as well as 2,000 V-Bucks to spend in the in-game store. Fortnite is also pre-installed on the console, though it’s free-to-play anyway.

For more deals, check out our roundup of the best Cyber Monday gaming deals. And if you’re looking for games to pair with the Fortnite-themed Switch, we’ve compiled a list of the best Cyber Monday Nintendo Switch game deals, too.

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Fortnite for Nintendo Switch review: Still great, even on the Switch

Bottom line: Fortnite remains top of its class on the Nintendo Switch, maintaining it’s 100 player insanity while making considerable visual and performance downgrades.

Pros

• Crossplay and cross-progression
• Fortnite’s gameplay remains intact, both docked and in handheld mode
• Gyro controls

Cons

• – The visuals and performance take a hit
• – Microtransactions border on predatory
• – Hard to play competitively on the Switch

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Back in 2018, I had a chance to play Fortnite on the Nintendo Switch at E3, and I was impressed by what I tried out. At the time, Fortnite was on the cusp of its third season and was already soaring in popularity. When it was finally available for public consumption, however, I started to notice the blemishes I missed on the trade floor, especially when docked. And as the seasons went on and morphed Fortnite’s map into the complex battle arena it is now, the shortcomings of the Switch version began to stick out even more.

Epic Games could’ve left the Switch version out to dry, and continued focusing on the other platforms, but it seems like the developers were dedicated to making Fortnite playable on the Nintendo Switch. Now at the start of Chapter 2, Season 6, Fortnite has become a grandiose space opera that has successfully blended popular video games, movies, TV shows, popular memes, music, dances, and even real-life people, into an absurdist fever dream that is very playable on the Nintendo Switch.

Fortnite for Switch: The greatest crossover of all time

If you haven’t played Fortnite, then I can only assume you’ve been living under a rock for the last four years, in which case, welcome back. For the uninitiated, Fortnite is a battle royal game that pits you against 99 other players as you fight to survive on an ever-shrinking map. Fortnite wasn’t the first popular battle royal game — that honor is held by the unfortunately named PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, but Fortnite has definitely done it better, constantly changing the game and introducing new game mechanics, lore, and plenty of cosmetics and emotes with every season.

Since its humble beginnings as a rip-off of PUBG, Fortnite has introduced vehicles, crafting, concerts, community mods, quests, challenges, and lore to tie everything together. The game has evolved so much that it’s almost unrecognizable when compared to how it launched, but the constant state of flux that the game exists in is what keeps Fortnite fresh. It’s easy to see why it’s insanely popular with just about every demographic. It has also managed to avoid pay-to-win practices, though it’s chock full of in-app purchases.

Just like Fortnite’s ever-changing map, the Switch version of Fortnite has morphed since its 2018 debut. Like many Switch ports, the visuals take a hit as well as the framerate. The resolution hovers just over 720p while the FPS has a cap of 30. The numbers are the same in handheld mode, though the smaller screen masks the muddy textures that are apparent when playing docked. One new feature is the addition of gyro control, which offers a good amount of control once you get the hang of it. Also, you’ll want to get yourself a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller because the Joy-Cons don’t really cut it for an action game like this.

I mentioned before that Fortnite’s visuals and performance takes a hit on the Switch, and while I think it’s more stable than it has ever been, it’s by far the ugliest version of the game. Even mobile players experience cleaner visuals and better performance. Certain omissions, like the ability to record clips, takes away from the showboating nature of the game, in my opinion.

All in all, Fortnite works on the Nintendo Switch pretty well, and is one of the best free-to-play games on the console, no doubt. While the visual downgrade hurts a bit, the game’s core gameplay holds together, and the cross-progression makes the Switch version an extension of the game we all know and love, rather than a hard restart like Apex Legends. For better or worse, Fortnite has carved its place in video game history and has plenty in the tank to keep it relevant for years to come.

Fortnite is still relevant as it’s ever been, and there’s no better time to drop in than now, especially since the latest season has started. The Nintendo Switch version is competent and playable, and that’s all you really want from your uber-popular battle royal game.

How to Download and Play Fortnite on Nintendo Switch

Brad Stephenson is a freelance tech and geek culture writer with 12 years’ experience. He writes about Windows 10, Xbox One, and cryptocurrency.

Jessica Kormos is a writer and editor with 15 years’ experience writing articles, copy, and UX content for Tecca.com, Rosenfeld Media, and many others.

What to Know

• On your Switch, log in to your Nintendo account and go to Nintendo eShop Fortnite Free Download Free Download Close.
• To link your Epic Games account, create or sign in to your account on EpicGames.com and select Connected Accounts Connect Fortnite.

This article explains how to download Fortnite on the original Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch Lite. It also explains how to create and link an Epic Games account and how to add Nintendo Switch friends to Fortnite.

How to Download Fortnite on Nintendo Switch

Epic Games’ popular battle royale video game Fortnite is completely free to play on the Nintendo Switch. Like all digital Switch titles, it must be claimed and downloaded from the first-party eShop app. Here’s how to download and install Fortnite on Nintendo’s hybrid home console.

If you have multiple accounts on your Switch, make sure you’re logged into the one you want to play Fortnite on.

To open the Nintendo eShop, tap on its orange icon or select it and press A.

Highlight Search from the left menu and type “Fortnite.”

As you type, the on-screen keyboard displays word prompts above the letter keys. You can tap these to auto-complete words without having to type them out completely, but it still might be easier if you use a USB keyboard and mouse with your Switch.

Tap Search or press the button on your Nintendo Switch controller.

Tap Fortnite when it appears.

Tap Free Download or highlight the icon and press A.

Fortnite is a “freemium” (a.k.a free-to-play) video game, meaning you don’t have to buy it to play it. This is why the button says “Free Download” instead of the usual “Proceed to Purchase.”

You’re shown a confirmation screen. Select Free Download.

Select Close to exit the Nintendo Switch eShop or select Continue Shopping to keep it open and view other video game listings.

You don’t need to keep your Nintendo Switch fully powered on downloading Fortnite after purchasing it within the eShop. The game continues to download when the console is placed in Sleep Mode.

A Fortnite icon appears on the Nintendo Switch Home screen immediately. It flickers slightly, and a download progress bar appears along its bottom while it’s downloading and installing.

A video game download may pause if you use an app or another game that requires an internet connection. If you’re thinking of playing while you wait, make sure you only play offline.

While waiting for the game to download, create and link your Epic Game account, following the steps below.

How to Create and Link an Epic Games Account

With Fortnite downloaded, you’re almost ready to play. There are still a few more things to do before you can dive right in, though. First, you need to create and/or link your Epic Games account to your Nintendo Switch.

An Epic Games account is required to play, and it’s used to save all game progress and user data to the Cloud and sync it across devices. This means you can use your same Fortnite progress and friends list on mobile, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and the Playstation 4.

If you already have an Epic Games account, sign into it on the Epic Games website and proceed to Step 7.

Select Sign In.

Select Sign Up.

Fill in the required fields and select Create Account.

It’s a good idea to make your Display Name the same or similar to your username on your Nintendo Switch and other consoles so your friends can recognize you.

From the left menu, select Connected Accounts.

Select Connect under all of the video game networks you wish to play Fortnite on with the same account.

If multiple people use your computer and Nintendo Switch, make sure you’re connecting the correct accounts.

Tap the Fortnite icon on your Nintendo Switch Home screen to open the game.

The game loads after a minute or two, and eventually you’re shown a welcome screen. Press A to continue.

Fortnite is infamous for taking a long time to load, so don’t worry if you think it’s taking too long.

You should receive a user agreement. Make sure to read it, then press Y to accept.

When the game finishes loading, it automatically imports your Epic Games data into the Nintendo Switch version of Fortnite. Because you already linked your accounts on the Epic Games website, you don’t need to log into your Epic Games account on your Switch.

How to Add Nintendo Switch Friends to Fortnite

To play with your Nintendo Switch friends in Fortnite, you need to add their Epic Games accounts to your Epic Games friends list within the game.

Epic Games powers pretty much all aspects of Fortnite, including player communications, matchmaking, and online games. The Nintendo Switch Online service isn’t used at all and isn’t needed to play Fortnite online.

Here’s how to import your Nintendo Switch friends within Fortnite:

• With the Fortnite game open, press the – button on the left side of your controller.

Press Y.

Highlight the button next to Enter Epic Name or Email and press A.

Enter your friend’s Epic Games username or their associated email address.

Supported Fortnite Switch Control Options

Due to the number of actions required during a game of Fortnite, it’s impossible to play with just one Joy-Con on the Nintendo Switch.

The following play style controls are supported in Fortnite on Nintendo Switch consoles:

• Two Joy-Cons within a Joy-Con Grip.
• Two Joy-Cons connected to the Switch console and played in handheld mode.
• Two separated Joy-Cons, with one in each hand.
• One Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.

Detailed instructions on which buttons perform which actions can be viewed and changed in the main menu by pressing once, A once, and R four times.

The easiest way to get free Fortnite skins on Switch is to play Battle Royal mode and win V-Bucks. You can also get free skins as part of bundles in the Nintendo eShop.

You’ll regularly get free V-Bucks if you purchase the Fortnite Battle Pass. Of course, you must pay for the Battle Pass, but the rewards you get are better than just buying V-Bucks outright.

In the Switch web browser, log in to your Epic Games account, go to Account Info, enter a new name next to Display Name, then select Save Changes. You can only change your Fortnite name once every two weeks.

To change Fortnite accounts on Switch, add a new user profile to your Switch. When you open Fortnite with the new profile, you’ll be prompted to log in to an account.

No. Fortnite for Switch doesn’t support split screen, so two people can’t play at once on the same console.

Nintendo Switch Console Set V2. Fortnite

Met de Nintendo Switch console kun jij altijd overal spelen met wie en waar je maar wilt. Of het nu thuis, op straat, in de auto, op het vliegveld, in de trein bij je vrienden of online mét je vrienden. Met de Nintendo Switch console zijn de mogelijkheden eindeloos. Dit komt omdat de Nintendo Switch afwijkt van andere consoles door de manier hoe je deze kunt gebruiken.

De drie speelstijlen van de Nintendo Switch

De Nintendo Switch bestaat uit drie onderdelen. Het scherm, de controllers en het docking station. Door deze drie met elkaar te combineren kom je tot de volgende speelstijlen:

• TV stijlZet het scherm in het dockingstation en haal de controllers (Joy-Cons) los. Nu kun je via je TV scherm jouw favoriete Switch Games spelen
• TafelstijlGeen TV in de buurt? Geen probleem. Haal de Joy-Cons los van het scherm en klik de ingebouwde stand achterop het scherm open. Nu kun je het scherm op een tafel zetten en zo met twee spelers tegelijk spelen
• HandheldSluit de Joy-Con controllers weer via het kliksysteem aan je switch en gebruik de Nintendo Switch als een handheld. Net zoals een 3DS console. Handig voor onderweg!

V2 Nintendo Switch console

Dit product is de V2 variant van de Nintendo Switch. Degene welke als tweede is uitgebracht. Met een accuduur van 4,5 tot 9 uur kun jij met deze console gemakkelijk uren speelplezier hebben. De andere modellen zijn: V1 de Nintendo Switch van de introductie van de Switch met een wat kortere accuduur en V3 de Nintendo Switch uit 2021 met een vernieuwd OLED scherm.

Wat zit er in dit Nintendo Switch pakket?

Wat kun je verwachten wanneer je deze Nintendo Switch aanschaft. In dit pakket ontvang je alles wat je nodig hebt:

• Nintendo Switch Dock. FortniteOplaadstation voor de Switch en houder voor wanneer je op een TV wilt spelen
• Nintendo Switch SchermTouchscreen scherm, V2 variant
• Joy-Con controllersGele Fortnite linker Joy-ConBlauwe Fortnite rechter Joy-Con
• Joy-Con GripOm de Joy-Con controllers in te klikken wanneer je het scherm in een dock hebt zitten
• Twee polsbandjesTwee Joy-Con straps met polsband welke je op de Joy-Con controllers kunt klikken wanneer je met meerdere mensen tegelijk speelt
• AC-Adapter. Stroomkabel om je Nintendo Switch (eventueel via je Dock) mee op te laden
• HDMI kabel

Verder ontvang je standaard 2 maanden garantie. Je kunt er voor kiezen om deze tegen een meerprijs te verhogen naar 12 maanden.Ben je niet tevreden binnen 14 dagen? Dan krijg je je geld terug!

Let op: De originele doos van de Switch zit alleen bij het pakket als deze erbij te bestellen is. Deze wordt dus niet standaard meegeleverd.

De classificaties van de Nintendo Switch:

Vijf sterren Onze tweedehands Switch consoles met 5 sterren zijn visueel in uitstekende staat. Het scherm en de behuizing hebben geen tot zeer lichte gebruikssporen. Als er al gebruikssporen aanwezig zijn, worden deze niet als hinderlijk ervaren en deze zijn niet zichtbaar tijdens het spelen.

Vier sterren ☆ Onze tweedehands Switch consoles met 4 sterren zijn visueel in goede staat. Het scherm en de behuizing kunnen lichte gebruikssporen bevatten. Deze gebruikerssporen zijn niet hinderlijk tijdens het spelen en niet tot nauwelijks zichtbaar tijdens het spelen.

Drie sterren ☆☆ Onze tweedehands Switch consoles met 3 sterren bevatten gebruikssporen op het scherm en/of de behuizing. Deze gebruikssporen kunnen licht zichtbaar zijn tijdens het spelen. De Switch zelf werkt technisch perfect.

Twee sterren ☆☆☆ Onze tweedehands Switch consoles met 2 sterren bevatten zeer duidelijke gebruikssporen op het scherm en/of de behuizing. Als je van plan bent te spelen op de TV dan is dit geen enkel probleem en zullen de beschadigingen niet van invloed zijn. Deze gebruikssporen zullen zichtbaar zijn tijdens het handheld spelen. Het product zelf werkt perfect.

Nintendo Switch Fortnite Edition bundle is now up for pre-order

The Nintendo Switch Fortnite Edition is now available, with pre-orders live at a number of UK retailers today. That means you can get your hands on the limited edition console ahead of the October 30 release date, and make sure you get the standard £279.99 price at the same time.

If you’ve been holding out on Nintendo Switch deals over the past few weeks and you have a penchant for the battle royale, you might want to take a look at this soon. The Nintendo Switch Fortnite Edition is likely to move quickly right now, though you’ll be able to find stock at a number of stores if you move fast.

The Nintendo Switch Fortnite Edition offers up a unique blue and yellow design with a Fortnite decal over the dock as well. With this special edition console, you’re also getting the Wildcat bundle. which means you can unlock the Wildcat outfit with two additional styles, a Sleek Strike Back Bling with two additional styles, and 2000 V-Bucks.

That’s excellent value for a standard price special edition, but these Nintendo Switch deals are moving fast. Pre-order the Fortnite Nintendo Switch at Very, Nintendo, or ShopTo for £279.99 (or Amazon for £299.99).

This is likely to be a main player in this year’s Black Friday deals, so you’ll want to get in ahead of the crowd. Don’t forget, you can also check out all the latest Nintendo Switch bundles available now. or the best Nintendo Switch Lite deals on the shelves.

Nintendo Switch Fortnite Edition deals

Nintendo Switch Fortnite Edition: £279.99 at Very Grab the Fortnite Nintendo Switch for £279.99 at Very while stock lasts. You’re getting a unique yellow and blue design here, with the Wildcat bundle and 2000 V-Bucks. This pre-order will ship on October 30.

Nintendo Switch deals

Looking for the regular old Switch? You’ll find the cheapest from around the web just below.

If you need more gear, you’ll find plenty of Pro Controller deals up for grabs, as well as cheap Joy-Con prices. Plus, check out the brand new Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit price right here on TechRadar.

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Tabs is a Deals Editor at TechRadar, bringing you all the latest savings on the tech everyone’s talking about and covering deals on gaming, laptops, tablets and more in the US and UK. Happiest with a DualSense controller in her hand, she’s also contributed to GamesRadar, Tom’s Guide and T3 and specializes in gaming hardware and computing.

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