Nyko Technologies announced that they have a new clear case for the Nintendo Switch that adds a D-pad on top of the segmented buttons on the left Joy-Con. What this does is create the embodiment of a traditional D-pad for the Nintendo Switch on the left Joy-Con.

The case itself is entirely clear and has cutouts for all the other buttons on both the left and right side of the Switch, including openings for the left and right analog sticks, the plus and minus buttons, the screenshot share button, the home button, and the face buttons on the right Joy-Con.

You can get an idea of what the case looks like while the Switch is in handheld mode with the press shot below.

In addition to adding the D-pad to the Switch and offering protection while in handheld mode, the case also comes with three cartridge slots for when you take the Switch with you for portability.

There are two slots on the back of the right Joy-Con and one slot on the back of the left Joy-Con cover.

And for those of you wondering, yes you can detach the left and right Joy-Cons while they have the coverings on them. So you can dock the Switch and play in TV Mode, while also still using the clear case covering with the D-pad extension for the left Joy-Con. You can see how it detaches/attaches to the Joy-Cons in the demonstration image below.

Overall the functionality is simple but effective.

The ability to add a proper D-pad to the left Joy-Con is nice, but the big question is if this nifty little accessory is worth $12.99?

Yes, this clear case covering clocks in at $12.99 over on the Nyko online store and the Amazon store.

I’m a bit torn on this because I do believe that the Switch could use a proper D-pad on the left Joy-Con when playing single-player games or while both Joy-Cons are attached to the system in handheld mode. However, do I think it’s worth $12.99? Personally? Not really. However, if you’re prone to dropping your Switch or scratching your Switch, or you just don’t want a lot of grime, grease, dirt, or bacteria on it, I can see how the Nyko cover could come in handy.

If you want to learn more you can visit the official Nyko website.

As mentioned, the accessory is currently available right now from participating e-tailers.