Advertisement

Nintendo will have a Switch app to help with parental controls

Set time limits, daily use and game-rating restrictions.

Nintendo dropped all the official details on its new Switch console that's set to arrive in March while most of us were sleeping. Along with a truckload of hardware and software info, the company also has an app for Android and iOS to help parents keep tabs on their child's gaming habit. The appropriately named Nintendo Switch Parental Controls mobile software will allow you to set time limits for playing sessions and more.

When time is up, the system will show an alert in the top left corner of the screen, even if they're midrace in Mario Kart. Those alerts will continue to display how far over the limit a player has gone until the session ends. There is an option to have Switch automatically go into sleep mode when the time limit is reached, should the need arise. You can also set different time limits based on the day of the week, which means you can let your kids play longer on the weekends.

The Parental Controls app provides a monthly report of how long your kids spent playing specific games. Restrictions are available for games based on age rating, and you can disable online play and social-media features as you see fit. Parental controls on Switch apply to the entire system rather than individual players, so keep that in mind if you're looking to establish some ground rules in your living room.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from Nintendo's Switch event.