The Nintendo Switch promotes local multiplayer, featuring Joy-Con controllers that allow two people to play together right out of the box, as well as a split-screen capability on a single device.
For local multiplayer, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe already supports up to eight consoles connected via Wi-Fi. But, in a Splatoon 2 preview this week, Nintendo hinted that the Switch will be capable of true, offline LAN connections as well, with up to 10 docked consoles able to connect over Ethernet.
THE SWITCH WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO CONNECT TO THE LAN IN A TRUE OFFLINE MODE. Of course, this is Nintendo, and you’ll need to add an extra move to make this work. Since the Switch pod requires an Ethernet port, you’ll need an adapter of USB to Ethernet.
While previous Nintendo consoles supported multiplayer via Ethernet, they still relied on Nintendo’s online servers, so even if your internet was down or Nintendo was having a bad day, you’d be out of luck.
This makes the Switch the first Nintendo system to support full LAN play since the GameCube, and it’s just another hint that Nintendo is taking local multiplayer seriously with the Switch this time around.
Splatoon 2 is currently the only game that has been declared to support the functionality, which allows up to eight local fighters and two spectators to join together, but it’s easy to imagine Nintendo bringing the feature to more games in the future.
The Nintendo Switch OLED dock is now available for purchase separately for $70(opens in new tab) / £59.99(opens in new tab), allowing customers to update their existing Switch dock or purchase a spare to use in another room.
Should you invest in the new Nintendo Switch OLED dock, though? Nintendo’s redesigned dock isn’t a huge step forward from the original, but it does include a few enhancements that might make it a desirable purchase for some.
The built-in LAN connection is the most striking feature of the new Nintendo Switch OLED dock. If you want to play online Switch games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Splatoon 2, or Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, you’ll need a wired connection.
Because the Nintendo Switch docks with LAN (Model No. HEG-007) has a built-in LAN connection, it does not require a LAN adapter. A USB LAN adapter is necessary to create a wired internet connection when utilizing a Nintendo Switch dock without a built-in LAN port.
A licensed accessory, such as HORI’s Dual USB playstand for Nintendo Switch Lite, can be used to connect a USB LAN Adapter to the Nintendo Switch Lite. The following LAN Adapters are suggested for Nintendo Switch:
- Wii LAN Adapter (model number RVL 015).
- Wired Internet LAN Adapter for Nintendo Switch by HORI.
The Nintendo Switch system is also compatible with Nintendo Switch dock with LAN (Model No. HEG-007) which is included with the Nintendo Switch – OLED Model system bundles. This dock can be purchased separately.
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