Nintendo Switch Lite is a safer choice for kid gamers than a smartphone

Leaving the soot-filled city of Joburg for the golden fields of the Free State, I noticed that time was passing at a more rapid pace then I usually experience on a road trip. The "are we there yet" syndrome was taking longer than expected to set in.

While I could have attributed this to maturity, I knew that it was actually thanks to the addition of a new companion, Link, who was also on a journey - a search for Zelda, hero of the popular action-adventure video-game franchise created by Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, and available on my new hand-held Nintendo Switch Lite.

The new console is everything it says on the box - a mobile, entry-level intro to the Nintendo family. It has the same specs as the original Switch but because it's a strictly hand-held device, it's lighter, smaller and more colourful than before and reminds me of the Gameboy I used to play in the '90s - then the staple for any cool kid on the go.

Twenty-four years ago the block-styled gaming system, with its green pixeled screen transported millions of kids to imaginary worlds beyond the back seat of the car.

Today, some people may question the need for a dedicated mobile gaming system when cellphones are so smart, all encompassing and freely available. Why not just let kids download another candy coloured puzzle game or new Angry Birds instalment directly onto the phone?

The answer is simple. The Nintendo Switch Lite is a safe space for kids to play - and there's no chance that your child's finger slips and she's suddenly wading in a quagmire of nasty content available on the Internet. Here, no-one of devious intention can find you. Mario and Zelda are your safe, exciting and entertaining playmates on this fun, portable device that's lighter on the wallet than other gaming systems.

3 COOL GAMES TO PLAY ON YOUR SWITCH LITE THIS SUMMER

SPYRO, REIGNITED TRILOGY

What could be more fun than a purple dragon on a mission? This 21-year-old game franchise has been given a jazzy polish to make it the perfect starting point for a summer of hand-held fun. The updated characters feel like they've jumped out of a cartoon into your game, which requires you to navigate the Spyro world while completing challenging puzzles.

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: LINK'S AWAKENING

Another classic rebooted, but Link is even cuter than before. The plush, candy-coloured environment is great to explore using the bright, fresh little console. Link's Awakening sees Link washed up on shore of the mysterious Koholint Island and tasked with gathering eight magical musical instruments to awaken the Wind Fish and return home.

ASTRAL CHAIN

The young at heart will love this stylish game that plays out like an action film. Go on a fast and electrifying ride as you try to save the planet, while kicking butt in the apocalyptic world of 2078, with a creature from another dimension as your battle partner.

On the brink of extinction, the last remnants of humanity have retreated to the Ark, a fortified megacity built on top of a man-made island. But, according to kotaku.com, humanity can't catch a break, and finds itself set upon by Chimera, creatures from the astral plane who kidnap citizens and spread crimson corruption.

The world's last hope is a special police force known as Neuron. Neuron has figured out how to capture and harness the power of the Chimera, transforming them into Legions, living weapons bound to human operators through chains of an astral variety. 

• The recommended retail price for the Nintendo Switch Lite is R3,999.