Genki’s Switch 2 accessories round two – Review

Among all the accessories we reviewed during the launch of the Switch 2, the most promising-looking ones were coming out of Genki. When we reviewed them, however, they had a few issues—cases that were supposed to be dockable weren’t, and the zipper on one of the cases didn’t work properly. Genki obviously rushed these out (and now we know they possibly never had a real Switch 2 to base them on), but to their credit, they’ve acted quickly to fix things.

From reports online, most people have had their accessories replaced, and new versions are now shipping out. All our review items were from the initial run with these problems. Genki sent us the next batch as well, and the news is mostly positive—most of the issues we noted in our review have now been resolved. We’ll leave that review up, pointing readers here for the updates.

There were also three new items we didn’t get a chance to check out the first time, so we’ve included a review of those as well.

Updated Products

Genki Attack Vector

Probably the most famous Switch 2 case, and in our original review we didn’t have many problems with it, it’s a comfortable grip with multiple options for different hand styles. There’s a MagSafe magnet on the back, meant to attach a battery for longer play sessions. Not sure how many people would actually use it—but it’s there.

The real problem with the grip originally was that it didn’t dock properly. You could jam it in and it would work, sure, but something was off. In this new edition, it docks perfectly—no jamming required, just as intended.

So if you’re after a grip case that actually docks, this is a solid pick.

Genki Sleeper Case

Much like the Attack Vector, the Sleeper Case was actually a really nice case—protective on the outside, with a nice design and a snug fit inside. There was just one problem: the zipper. It would get stuck behind the fabric flap, making opening or closing a hassle.

This time around, it looks like they’ve made some improvements. It’s a little better, but still not perfect. That said, you definitely won’t need to bust out any tools to open it.

New Products

Genki Dual Wield Charging Grips and and Base 

There’s a whole load of these charging grips out there, and they all do their own thing slightly differently. Genki’s version stands out with a unique design featuring a hollow section in the middle, plus a dock included for the price.

The Dual Wield does everything you want: it gives some separation for your Joy-Con 2, puts your wrists at a slight angle to help ease wrist strain, and it charges the Joy-Con 2 as well. The Joy-Con 2 attach magnetically to the grips, but these aren’t the strongest magnets we’ve seen in all the Switch 2 accessories we’ve reviewed so far. There’s a bit of flex, so stronger magnets would have been nice—but you’re not going to lose anything anytime soon. The grips can be charged with a USB-C cable (one is included), but the real appeal is the dock, which is actually a nice piece of kit.

The plinth it sits on is super flat and minimal. When you place the grips on the charger, they attach magnetically and start charging. The LED isn’t overly bright, so it won’t keep you up at night or turn your lounge room into a neon nightmare. There’s also a release button on the front to eject the controllers.

At $70 AUD, you’re getting two charging grips and a Joy-Con 2 charging stand all in one package. The price isn’t unreasonable, though there are plenty of other options available for both.

Genki Force Field 2 + Travel Cover

This second case and grip from Genki is actually one I’m a little surprised by, aside from a few minor niggles. Like the Attack Vector, it comes in a couple of parts, but the Joy-Con 2 grips are attached and tilt backwards if you want to remove the Joy-Con 2.

The Joy-Con 2 are wrapped with a bit more grip in this case too. It’s not extreme ergonomics, but it’s an improvement. There’s also a little surprise hidden in the “wings” of the controller, where you can store a Game Card—though it takes a bit of pressure to remove it. Better than losing a $110 game, at least.

Like the Attack Vector, this case also lets you use the Kickstand while it’s on, and you can dock the system with the case as well. This is impressive considering how much of the Switch 2 is covered by the case. Aside from the top left and right of the console, you’ve got full protection. There’s just one small annoyance on the front: a bit of a gap at the bottom left and right of the Joy-Con, where my palms pressed against the edges. Otherwise, this is a surprisingly good case—almost perfect.

One complaint about the Switch—and now the Switch 2—form factor has been that, unlike the DS and 3DS, there’s no way to protect the screen just by closing the system. The Force Field 2 addresses this with a (optional) Travel Cover that snaps onto the front of the system, giving it a frosted look. This travel cover also works with the Attack Vector grip.

The Force Field 2 is a pretty slim case. It can fit into Genki’s Sleeper Case and probably most other cases as well. So, if you’re looking for something that protects on the go, can also fit into another protector, and allows docking at home, the Force Field 2 might be for you.

Genki Energy Pack

So with the Switch 2’s extra power and bigger screen, one thing that’s a little disappointing is the battery life. Now there are countless options out there for extending the system’s life, at all price ranges and various form factors.

The Genki Energy Pack does things a little differently—well it can, but at its heart it’s just a battery pack with 10,000mAh. The design of it is really interesting and can be used a few different ways. This 30W pocket charger is something of a little beast; for the compact size, you can charge a Switch 2, an iPhone via MagSafe, or any other USB-C device rather quickly. At least in theory.

This small battery pack has a little display too that shows you how fast your device is charging, whether you choose to stick it to your phone or plug in a device via the included flat USB-C cable. However, packing a lot of cells into such a small device has some downsides. This thing gets warm and only holds the max charging speed for a short time before it starts to slow down—something you can see on the screen. When it is cool, it charges fast. It charged my iPhone at the max 20W it’s able to with this spec, and the Switch 2 charged while I played with no worries either. On paper, you should be able to charge a Switch 2 twice, but in reality the heat will slow things down, and it’ll be inefficient and never get that. 

The red magnetic side and casing are aluminium, so it does its job in trying to keep things as cool as possible. The grippy texture on the other side is great, although the little pattern gets dust stuck in it quite easily. The screen is bright enough and updates often enough to be useful. 

So why even bother with the wireless charging, especially with the Switch 2, which doesn’t have it or the magnets required to use it? Well, that’s where Genki’s Attack Vector case comes in, because that does have a MagSafe ring on it, so you can mount this battery to the back of your Switch 2, plug it in, and keep on playing. Although holding the Switch 2 up with the weight of this battery as well might not be for everyone. 

I’ve been eying off some sort of magnetic battery for my phone for a while, and the Energy Pack is certainly a well-made device with a great design. It just gets a little warm, and that warmth slows things down. But that seems to be indicative of this sort of product, so you will lose speed and power due to the heat. However, this does a good job at getting around that with an aluminium chassis, and at least you can easily see what’s going on with the device with the inbuilt screen. As long as you don’t take the advertised charging speeds at face value, there’s a great little unit here. Just shop around, because there’s quite a few of these sort of devices out there, and some of them are quite a bit cheaper.

Genki’s accessories are available via their website, all products bought now will be the updated models. Thanks to Genki for sending these over to check out.