Technologies

Nintendo Switch 2 Holiday Gift Guide for Parents

If a Switch 2 is on your child’s wishlist this year, this guide will answer all your questions.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is going to be the hot gift this holiday season. As it’s a new console, parents may not know the ins and outs of what they should buy.

You don’t need to rely on a letter to Santa to know which games to give with the Switch 2. I created this guide to answer your most pressing Switch 2 questions and help make holiday shopping a breeze. Keep in mind, many of these items will likely be on sale throughout the holiday season, so get ready to score a deal, too.

Which Switch 2 bundle to buy

Which Switch 2 game to buy for the holidays

Even though the Switch 2 is less than six months old, there’s still a wealth of games available for it, thanks to the console being backward compatible with the original Switch. Figuring out which game to buy with the Switch 2, beyond Mario Kart World, comes down to what kind of gamer the console is for. Here are some of my favorite picks.

The Switch 2 also has a wealth of games from well-known franchises, including:

Star Wars Outlaws ($40)

Sonic X Shadow Generations ($50)

Hogwarts Legacy ($60)

Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 ($70)

Gift ideas for family and friends

For the grandparents or other family members or friends who want to join in on the Switch 2 gift giving, there are plenty of options. One easy choice is more games, either for the Switch 2 games or the original Switch. Here’s CNET’s list of the Best Switch Games.

If the parents have the console and games covered, there are still some gifts that anyone with a Switch 2 will want.

FAQ

Do I need to buy any other cables for the Switch 2?

No. Inside the Switch 2 box is the power adapter for the console, as well as an HDMI cable and a dock to connect it to the TV. The HDMI cable is just shy of 5 feet long, so if you know the Switch 2 will be connected to a TV that’s farther away than that, you’ll need to get a longer cable.

Do I need to buy extra storage for the Switch 2?

The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of built-in storage, and that can fill up quickly if you buy a lot of games. To upgrade the storage, you’ll need to buy microSD Express cards, which are newer and still a little pricey. They do frequently get discounted, though, so just keep an eye on the prices.

Do I need to buy any subscriptions?

If you know the person you’re buying the Switch 2 for wants to play games online with their friends, such as Mario Kart World or Fortnite, then you should also consider a Switch Online subscription. There are two subscription tiers, with the $20 tier providing online access and access to retro NES, SNES and Game Boy titles, while the $50 Switch Online plus Expansion Pack tier adds N64 and Gamecube games, along with upgrade packs to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

What are Switch 2 upgrade packs?

Original Switch games do work on the Switch 2, but they don’t make use of the additional graphical power offered in the newer console. For $10 to $20, a game for the original Switch can be upgraded to a Switch 2 game. Upgrading a game will increase its resolution, smooth out its frame rates, speed up loading times and add other features found only on the Switch 2. Not every game for the original Switch has an upgrade option, and it’s debatable whether some are worth the additional cost. This upgrade is available on the Nintendo eShop on the Switch 2 or Nintendo’s website, and games with the upgrade pack include Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Super Mario Party Jamboree and the upcoming Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Jan. 14

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Jan. 14.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s not too tough, but 8-Across stumped me, so I had to pass on that and fill in the Down answers to solve it. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Abruptly stop texting
Answer: GHOST

6A clue: Shaving kit item
Answer: RAZOR

7A clue: 2024 film role for which Mikey Madison won Best Actress
Answer: ANORA

8A clue: The ancient Chinese used compressed blocks of tea leaves as this
Answer: MONEY

9A clue: Shape of a round chart
Answer: PIE

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Dad’s dad, informally
Answer: GRAMP

2D clue: Capital of Vietnam
Answer: HANOI

3D clue: ___ layer, part of Earth’s atmosphere
Answer: OZONE

4D clue: How you might wake up after sleeping funny
Answer: SORE

5D clue: Cafeteria food carrier
Answer: TRAY

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Technologies

Google Could Revive Last Year’s Bright Pink Color for the Pixel 10a

Google’s upcoming Pixel 10a is expected to launch in February with some new colors, including one popular ask.

The Google Pixel 9a is one of Google’s most affordable Pixel phones, and it includes one of the most frequently requested colors — bright pink. With the Google Pixel 10a rumored to launch in February, we’re already getting a hint at the colors the new model will come in.

According to Roland Quandt, a regular mobile leaker on Bluesky, the Google Pixel is expected to be offered in obsidian (black), berry (pink), fog (light gray), and lavender colors. However, it’s the berry hue that is intriguing customers.

A representative for Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

«I always love to see phones come in vibrant colors, and it’s especially welcome in more budget-friendly options,» said Abrar Al-Heeti, senior technology reporter at CNET. «Yes, we tend to slap a case on our phones anyway, but just knowing your phone touts a bold color can make it feel like more of a statement piece, rather than a bland piece of tech.»

Pink is one of the most requested color options for the Pixel phones. CNET sister site Mashable loved the color when it debuted on the Pixel 9. Phone rivals like Apple and Samsung are usually expected to offer a pink color option in their flagship and midrange phone lineups, so it’s not surprising to see the berry color on the Pixel 10a.

«I’ll say that Google loves having Pixel phones in pink,» said Patrick Holland, CNET managing editor. «The Pixel 9 and 9a come in peony (a bright, bold pink) and the 9 Pro in rose quartz (a more muted pink). The Pixel 10 series lacks any pinkish hues.»

Quandt also says that the Pixel 10a will have 128GB and 256GB storage models, and will launch in mid-February. That’s earlier than expected compared with the Pixel 9a, which was revealed in mid-March 2025 for a launch on April 10. In terms of specifications, we expect the Pixel 10a to be a modest upgrade compared with previous generations. According to leaks, the Pixel 10 is unlikely to feature a newer Tensor G5 chip, and it’s likely to retain the same overall design as the Pixel 9a.

One leaker, Mystic Leaks on Telegram, expressed disappointment and revealed additional specs, including the absence of a telephoto lens, UFS 3.1 storage, a Tensor G4 chip, a 2,000-nit display and no Magic Cue, which is Google’s AI feature for the Pixel 10.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Jan. 14, #948

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Jan. 14 #948.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. The blue category, not the purple one today, expects you to find hidden words in four of the words given in the grid. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: That’s not going anywhere.

Green group hint: End user or customer.

Blue group hint: Ask a meteorologist.

Purple group hint: Not noisy.