Third-party video game cheating devices have been around almost as long as home consoles themselves, and the newest one for theNintendo Switch, the Switch Up, is available now. Allowing players to cheat their way through a handful ofSwitch titles includingPokemon SwordandShield,Super Mario Odyssey,The Legend of Zelda: Breath of theWild,and more, the Switch Up is essentially the newest iteration of the Game Shark.
The Switch Up is a USB stick that plugs into the Switch dock and, in addition to providing players with cheats and other mods, makes it possible to pair anywireless Bluetooth controllerto the Switch. The product overview video posted to the official Collective Minds Switch Up Game Enhancer YouTube channel shows controllers such as the DualShock 4, the Wii U Pro controller, and the Xbox Elite all pairing to the docked Nintendo console.
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Similar to older third-party cheating devices like the Game Shark or Action Replay, there are a handful of preinstalled mods and cheats that players can access through the Switch Up. Some make certain in-game items easier to collect, such as a mod that automatesshiny Pokemon encounters inPokemon SwordandShield.Other cheats, however, generate powerups and items for the player without any additional input, like infinite arrows, rupees, and stamina inBreath of the Wild.
Controversially, the Switch Up also includes cheats forFortnite, allowing players to have dramatically increased aim-assist as well as other programmed movements that make them harder to hit. Recently, there’s been a movement toban cheating players from plenty of online communities includingFortnite, so those wishing to use the Switch Up to cheat should consider the risks before using it.
In a similar vein, many inthePokemoncommunitydon’t consider Pokemon acquired through cheating as legitimate, so those using the Switch Up for rare Pokemon farming should also consider the risks before doing so. The difference between the cheats included with the Switch Up forFortniteand the mods forSwordandShieldis that inPokemon, the Pokemon are still technically acquired through natural means whereas the Switch Up enhances the player’s abilities inFortnite. InSwordandShield, the Switch Up simply plays the game for the player to minimize playtime spent catching and releasing wild Pokemon in search of shinies.
The list of games supported by the Switch Up currently includesPokemon SwordandShield,Animal Crossing: New Horizons,Fortnite,Super Mario Odyssey, andThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
