The Genki hardware is something I didn’t know I needed until I hooked it up and understood its capabilities. It’s an inexpensive solution to an inflexible problem across several platforms. If you have the dough, then you need to pick this up. Just keep it out of the reach of young kids or you might be picking another one up.
Whoever created this needs some sort of award for solving multiple problems.
Since the beginning of time, or at least the mid-80s, Nintendo has tried to always take control of their hardware. First, it was the lockout chip that was required before developers were an officially crowned Nintendo member (that gold star on the box of NES games is no joke). Then they made sure that countries were selling games ONLY in their own countries, which was a trend back in the 90s for all console companies. Finally, they kept/maintained control over all hardware used with the Nintendo Switch, which I’m sure has a financial reason attached to it. Nintendo is a company that is drenched in old traditions, but those traditions have built them enough capital to take chances, and to make developers/gamers a bit irate.
Much like the church group that made a Noah’s Ark adventure from the backbone of a Wolfenstein game for a Nintendo system without Nintendo’s permission, there is hope for unapproved Bluetooth headset hardware and the Switch.
The Genki piece of hardware works with your Switch to help bypass any issues you may have with connecting Bluetooth hardware to Nintendo’s portable beauty. In addition, it helps improve the experience with that Bluetooth device in several ways. For such an innocent piece of hardware, it does some pretty remarkable things on the Switch, as well as other platforms.
Design
Upon opening the Genki case, which comes in essentially what could be identified as a Nintendo Switch game box, the hardware is separated into three pieces. You have the main adapter, a 3.5mm mic, and a USB adapter for the dock. Each work together, though two are only necessary for mobile moments with the Switch. The Genki Audio Adapter hooks right into the USB-C port on the bottom of the Switch, features two buttons (blue on the left, red on the right) and an additional USB-C female on the bottom (for charging through it). Once you attach the sucker to the Switch, you simply hold down either blue/red and wait for the discovery light to begin rapidly blinking. Then you hold down the discovery button on your headset and it simply sees it and connects. That is it. It’s as if someone thought it would be neat to include ACTUAL Bluetooth functionality on the Switch, and then they did it.
As for the other two pieces, the tiny 3.5mm mic goes into the 3.5mm input of the Switch, and sits there comfortably. The USB to USB-C adapter is flawlessly simple to work through, as it provides you with a method to connect your Genki audio device into the Switch’s dock. The design of the entire piece just absolutely flows well and feels secure.
The only hitch in this design is the fear of losing any of these items. For me, I wouldn’t trust my children to maintain any of this, but I would probably still buy it for them.
Functionality
Easy. Peasy. Lemon Squeasy. As mentioned above, simply clicking on the left or right button (Blue/Red) of the audio adapter will gain you instant Bluetooth 5 access to add a device. The fact that you can add two pairs of headphones on one Bluetooth 5 piece of hardware is nothing short of ‘the best reason to purchase this’. Being able to hook BT headphones up and play my kids in Smash Bros., while blocking their noise out, is enough for me to want this sucker. Having the ability to use the system as a mic and having the option to switch back and forth between mobile and docked makes the process easier and the price point justified ($49.99).
It’s a device that no Switch owner should live without. It’s also compatible with the PS4 (you have no idea how great this is — Sony is picky about Bluetooth headphone access), Mac, PC, and Android.
Overall
The Genki hardware is something I didn’t know I needed until I hooked it up and understood its capabilities. It’s an inexpensive solution to an inflexible problem across several platforms. If you have the dough, then you need to pick this up. Just keep it out of the reach of young kids or you might be picking another one up.
