Switch Things to do with a hacked Switch

[JG5009]

After having one for some months and trying many game mods and things I've run into a wall now, what are the actual possibilities of one beyond the "free gaems!!11!"?

Because I just don't think that it allows for that much stuff compared to any other hackable system like the goats PSP/3DS/Vita/Wii/WiiU/PS3, specially considering how locked down everything in the OS is, even more for the complete inability to play online outside of intendo's servers in a non-legit way.

It is a very good upgrade for offline gaming and not dealing with the bs account restrictions for save data, licenses and such, besides mario kart/smash mods but that's about it imo.

 

[Goshikk]

A hacked switch gives you three good possibilities

>free games
>emulation
>homebrew (diablo, doom etc)

you can also get cool themes

there really isn't much more to do other than that... i'm sorry

 

[middler]

Maybe I come from a different school of thought when it comes to Jailbreaking/hacking a device. Its not so much about what you are able to do with it, as it is the freedom to do everything that it can do. If the only device you owned was your switch and you were finally able to unlock it, its "limitations" wouldn't be so limited. When I jailbroke my PSP in the long long ago it transformed from a highly restricted gaming device into my laptop/organizer/word processor/fansub viewer to name only a few.
Is a hacked Switch as useful to me right now as my PSP was back then? Not at all. But a jailbroken device, no matter how capable it might be, is just that, broken free of the restrictions that were put on it, and on you.

 

[JG5009]

A hacked switch gives you three good possibilities

>free games
>emulation
>homebrew (diablo, doom etc)

you can also get cool themes

there really isn't much more to do other than that... i'm sorry

I ignored emulation since I got better setups for that already, the only thing that my other systems don't have is N64 and Saturn, but both, while possible, are quite convoluted to set up, and I feel I could get a better experience in a different platform anyway.

 

[χKai]

 

[JG5009]

Already have it, makes TotK finally playable

Post automatically merged: Nov 30, 2025

Maybe I come from a different school of thought when it comes to Jailbreaking/hacking a device. Its not so much about what you are able to do with it, as it is the freedom to do everything that it can do. If the only device you owned was your switch and you were finally able to unlock it, its "limitations" wouldn't be so limited. When I jailbroke my PSP in the long long ago it transformed from a highly restricted gaming device into my laptop/organizer/word processor/fansub viewer to name only a few.
Is a hacked Switch as useful to me right now as my PSP was back then? Not at all. But a jailbroken device, no matter how capable it might be, is just that, broken free of the restrictions that were put on it, and on you.

But yeah, I might be overreacting and expecting things to be crazier.

Post automatically merged: Nov 30, 2025

Anyways, I'll share some things worth checking out, whether emulating or in real hardware:

This improves Origami King a lot, the subtle changes all over give it a unique personality, very deserved for a good game like this.

https://www.ctgpdx.com/
CTGP DX, just the fresh new content that MK8 needs once again, the CT selection is quite good, just a bit lacking currently since many newer CTs aren't yet added.

The YKW4++ fan translation, there's few fan-translations available and this is the most important one (A pair of Trails games rereleases are the other notable ones)

 

[Elwiwi]

Getting banned

 

[ZEGA ZONICZEGA ZONIC's icon]

Getting banned

 

[Mr. SyS]

Running Android which can lead to one of the weirdest emulation situations I've ever heard of. A switch emulating a switch.

 

[otogirisou]

what are the actual possibilities of one beyond the "free gaems!!11!"?

donate it to someone. to me, for example.

 

[χKai]

Right but
Do you know about  other mods

 

[JPchicre]

There are a ton of mods for Mario Odyssey and BOTW/TOTK unfortunately my knowledge is limited to only knowing of their existence. But you could check on the GameBanana site, it tends to host pages for console games including a mods page.

 

[Sumea]

Running Android which can lead to one of the weirdest emulation situations I've ever heard of. A switch emulating a switch.

Lakka.

 

[hardcoretyphoon hardcoretyphoon]

I have a modded switch and yeah. I wish i could get more use out of it, i thought there would be more to do. I mostly just use it as a retroarch machine. Modded switches can do custom themes and non-nintendo controllers which is cool. I've even used my switch as an e-book reader in a pinch...

 

[LiberoVulpesLiberoVulpes's icon]

Play DOA Xtreme 3, for the "plot" obviously.

 

[JG5009]

I have a modded switch and yeah. I wish i could get more use out of it, i thought there would be more to do. I mostly just use it as a retroarch machine. Modded switches can do custom themes and non-nintendo controllers which is cool. I've even used my switch as an e-book reader in a pinch...

Something I really want to see is Dolphin in there, it ain't happening for years but sure it is a possibility, either that or the 3D all-stars emulator thing gets cracked first, (perhaps better dreamcast emulation as well, those would elevate it more)

 

[hardcoretyphoon hardcoretyphoon]

Something I really want to see is Dolphin in there, it ain't happening for years but sure it is a possibility, either that or the 3D all-stars emulator thing gets cracked first, (perhaps better dreamcast emulation as well, those would elevate it more)

Dolphin would be really cool. Its a shame nintendo locked the switch down like crazy. I wish It had as much as a scene as the PSP did back in the day. Also, the topic of hacking 3D all stars made me remember that theres an injector for the Cotton remaster to use its saturn emulator

 

[Turbo Kid]

Switch emulation is starting to make having a hacked Switch kind of irrelevant. There are some games that I still need a Switch to run, but otherwise I'm just using my Odin2 Portal with Citron and Eden.

 

[Sumea]

Switch emulation is starting to make having a hacked Switch kind of irrelevant. There are some games that I still need a Switch to run, but otherwise I'm just using my Odin2 Portal with Citron and Eden.

Well, aside that switch is actually portable or semi movable.
I emulate on my switch because if I want, I can plop it next to my bed, grab a controller, any wireless 8bitdo and play Phantasy Star IV with a 6 button MD pad looking at the cutest tiniest "TV" from the depth of my corner of pillows until I am done and we have to figure out did I sleep or did the console autosleep before battery died.

 

[DjQuick2008]

heard ninbendo dont like the modding scene. bancakes.

 

[Sumea]

heard ninbendo dont like the modding scene. bancakes.

"So you gone ahead and banned me from worthless online service that overcharges for the privilege that I was not keen on anyway, and banned me from buying more of your products digitally, limiting my ways to get games on the system to the illegal one. Damn, you got me, what will I do now?"

 

[Turbo Kid]

Well, aside that switch is actually portable or semi movable.
I emulate on my switch because if I want, I can plop it next to my bed, grab a controller, any wireless 8bitdo and play Phantasy Star IV with a 6 button MD pad looking at the cutest tiniest "TV" from the depth of my corner of pillows until I am done and we have to figure out did I sleep or did the console autosleep before battery died.

But we access now to handheld devices that are better than the Switch, and I'm not talking about the heavy, bulky, Steamdeck. Chinese android devices are super comfortable, especially with a grip accessory. I'm actually disappointed when I can't run a game on my Odin2 Portal or Retroid Pocket 5 because it doesn't play nice with the emulators. My Switch oled is so uncomfortable to play games on. The dpad sucks too unless you have a third party joycon you can use instead like a hori product.

Nintendo and Valve are so clueless and companies in China are pumping out android devices that are far more comfortable to hold than Switches and Steamdecks. The light weight and ergonomics just blow them away

 

[Ikagura]

Heard ninbendo dont like the modding scene.

The guarantee is over for any consoles when they're being modded.

 

[iisoide]

The first thing to do with a hacked Switch is to run. Miyamoto already has five snipers going to your location.

 

[Guinea]

One thing you could do is mail it in to Nintendo with a note that provides all of your information, and a summary of how many games you've pirated, concluding it with an apology and letting them know you'll accept any reprecussions for hacking it.