Cameron Faulkner (he/him) is Polygon’s commerce editor. He began writing about tech and gaming in 2013, and migrated from The Verge in 2023.
After so many years into the Nintendo Switch’s existence, I thought I had seen just about every clever and essential accessory made for the handheld console. It appears that I missed one! Hyperkin may be known most for its loving recreations of Xbox controllers, but I’m enamored by the creation that is the Armor3 “NuType” keyboard that’s pictured above.
This USB wired keyboard is meant to be wedged between Joy-Con controllers so you can more easily type messages in the few games that support text chat. Its real purpose, I feel, is to make it easier to type in Nintendo’s eShop. Two quick notes on the Armor3: it doesn’t charge Joy-Con controllers that are attached to it, and its USB cable is 10-feet long, which should clear the distance between your couch and the Switch dock.
While it’s nowhere near as cool as Nintendo’s official Gamecube controller-meets-keyboard from the early 2000s, I’m happy to live in a world where Hyperkin’s keyboard exists, if only to continue the legacy of whacky-looking peripherals. The Armor3 is also compatible with PS4, PC, and Mac. If you think you’ll find it useful, the keyboard is on sale right now at Amazon, costing $27.60 during a Lightning Deal that’ll last for a limited time (usually $31.94).
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