It may be a fickle flaw, but there’s no denying that the kickstand on the Nintendo Switch is not as sturdy or as useful as it could be, which often proves to be an annoying impracticality. With only one rather stiff angle available, plus the irritating fact that the charge input is underneath the unit, a separate stand accessory is an all but essential purchase for any players wanting to make extensive use of the tabletop mode. Hori’s Compact Playstand combines functionality with portability, being foldable and small enough to fit somewhere whilst using it on the go.
When you’re clocking up hundreds of hours or more of Breath of the Wild, it’s more than likely some of that was logged in tabletop or handheld mode. The Hori Switch Compact Playstand has certainly been useful during that time, largely because the stand keeps the system raised, with a gap between the two weight-bearing supports for the charging input to be used. This has been extremely useful just in a home setting, particularly when the main screen has been otherwise occupied with a TV show or something else.
Not having to resign the system to the dock or abandon your Pro Controller for handheld mode when the system needs some juice is certainly a nice perk – though, of course, the system should really have the charging port on top in the first place to make things easier!
Though it does feel a bit flimsy in terms of the actual material, it holds up well to durability tests, with no issues, despite a lot of use at home and on the go. The unit has a smart foldaway mechanism, which you may want to be mindful of, but once closed and stowed, it’s not in any danger whatsoever. It has two flick-out stands that actually hold the Switch itself, which fits snugly and seems fairly secure, with plenty of appropriate space for the fans. Elsewhere, the stand has three choices of angle. One points the system quite acutely toward the ceiling, while the other two offer more reasonable angles, which seem much more comfortable.
It’s surprising how much of a difference the stand makes to playing the Switch in two-player multiplayer situations. The extra height in particular makes a significant difference, allowing both players a much better viewing angle. This also means both people can get closer to the screen, without straining necks or having to slouch. Despite its light construction, when holding the system, it’s very durable.
The stand seems sturdy and resistant to knocks, particularly as the base of the unit seems to have an impressive amount of grip. This is certainly useful for travel situations; for example, playing the Switch on a pull-down table on a train or plane.
