Posted in: Games, Review, Video Games | Tagged: CitySlicker, nintendo switch, SFBags, WaterField Designs

Gaming On The Go: Testing Out The WaterField Switch Case

One of the annoying aspects to the Nintendo Switch is that the company promoted it as an awesome traveling system, but offered nothing in terms of a carrying case with the system. There's a separate accessory you can purchase, but looking at it for myself at Target, you could tell it was the thinnest of materials and didn't really explain how it was "protecting the screen." Plus, it doesn't do anything for accessories, like the oh-so-needed power cord to recharge when the battery starts to go. So I've been in search of a case that could hold my system and the essentials, and I think I finally found it in WaterField Designs.

We hit the company up for one to review and received this case called the CitySlicker Case. Ours was this lovely shade of blue that looks like it could be anything, so would-be thieves don't know what they're trying to snag. The case itself is made from a ballistic material that feels like it could take a bit of a beating and withstand water damage like rain or spilled drinks. The flap is made from a thick piece of leather that's soft to the touch and handles well when carrying. There's also a small strap on the bottom that has a double use for me. The first is to loop my finger into it to make pulling out the system easier. The second is so that it can be attached or looped around something for easy carry as you walk or carry with other materials. The design itself felt like it was made so that even if I dropped it from a decent height to the floor, it would take the bump and protect everything inside.

When you lift the flap up, you see that it's held in place by tow high-powered magnets in the shape of buttons. They don't fasten into place like a regular button but snap together with the magnets holding them in place. When secured, I was able to shake the case hard, both empty and full, with the snaps never coming undone. Which means it will take a bit of force to shake the system loose. As a gamer, I'm always paranoid about whether magnets on a case will mess up anything in my game, but these seem relatively harmless considering how much material is between them and the system. When you flip open the flap, the first thing you'll notice is the small carrying case for a selection of physical games. Nintendo fans will be familiar with this design on a lot of third-party products as it makes for easy transport and access for games on the go that you don't have downloaded. The leather slots are made for easy storage and a small slit to push them up for easy access. The only drawback is that you can only carry five at a time, six if you count one in the system itself. When the library becomes bigger that may become a problem to decide what to take with you.

Once you open it up you're greeted with a few things to show how secure the system is. First, the bottom has a 6mm neoprene base, which is designed to keep the system balanced so that there isn't weight being put on the joy-con controllers if they're connected. Next is a red liner that's static free and scratch free, designed to put the face right up against it and protect the glass. The red fabric also acts as a way to clean the screen, which I've seen work to varying degrees, so I'd pack a screen wiper just in case. On either side are pockets, the front designed for smaller things like the USB charging cable, the back for bulkier things like extra games, the bigger charging outlet, headphones, etc.

I took my switch apart to show you how much room you can have on either side and while the joy-con isn't recommended for the front, you can see just how much room you have to carry things you need. The back of the case has an expandable mesh pocket with a zipper, which is designed to carry additional items like the traditional outlet plug. It's a really weird part of the design as many Switch users probably didn't go for the USB cable and only have the outlet plug that comes with their system. I wouldn't have minded an extra two inches of storage space inside for the plug rather than this, but I also get that it's more about being compact than an all-in-one case.

The CitySlicker is mighty impressive and makes for a nice way to carry a Switch around with ease. The only major issue I would call attention to is the eventual weight, as you're basically carrying around eight lbs of electronics when you add up the weight of the case with all your gear. But let's be honest, the Switch wasn't entirely designed to be as compact and portable as the 3DS, so you're dealing with an issue that Nintendo created and now case makers are having to compensate for. If you're super paranoid about breaking your Switch or messing up the screen, this is probably your best option.

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