A closer look at the Switch 2 Pro Controller and why it’s one of Nintendo’s best
I’m maybe a little bit late here – when I play my Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, I do so almost entirely in handheld mode. Portability and versatility are very important in my opinion, but there’s one aspect of the Nintendo 2 that ensures I play it docked at least every once in a while: the Pro Controller. Big price tag aside, it’s a big upgrade over the original Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and an infinitely better option for playing in docked mode than the standard Joy-Con 2 option.
One thing you’ll notice right when you pick up the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller is how ergonomically sound it is. All of the buttons feel like they’re in the right place – with the Joy-Con and Joy-Con 2, it’s sometimes a little tricky to reach for certain buttons given the layout of those controllers. With the new controller, just about every button is easily in reach, and every single one feels responsive and of high quality. In case you’re playing a game with an odd control scheme, you can actually map two buttons on the back of the pro controller however you please. For example, you could remap the swim and shoot buttons in Splatoon 3 to the back of the controller if you really wanted to. I haven’t used this functionality for much just yet, but it definitely comes in handy.
Another point to touch on here are the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller’s control sticks. They, too, feel much better than their Joy-Con equivalents, but they are lacking the hall effect sticks that other consoles tend to include. The Joy-Con 2 don’t have hall effect control sticks because the magnetism would affect their ability to snap to the console. The Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller obviously doesn’t need to snap to the console, so it’s kind of strange that they don’t have hall effect control sticks. That said, they’re still very responsive and easy to use. I personally prefer equipping my pro controller with thumb grips – they’re not for everyone, but I find that they make the pro controller even more comfortable to use. I use the Savage Raven set, which are pretty solid for the asking price.
A big selling point of the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller is its battery life. It lasts for around 40 hours on a single charge – while I do mostly play in handheld, I’ve played in docked mode more than a few times and I have never had to charge the controller once since Nintendo Switch 2’s launch back in June. It also only takes three and a half hours to reach full charge, which is roughly a 50 percent improvement compared to the original Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. The Switch 2 Pro Controller also has an audio jack that you can hook up headphones to, and this is actually the first time a Nintendo controller has included that functionality.
There are a few flaws with the controller, but none of them (bar one) are things you’ll run into on a regular basis. The big one is the price: it released for $84.99, but was recently bumped up to $89.99 due to tariffs. That’s a pretty hefty price tag for a controller, but on the plus side, you’ll probably only ever need one. I’m not sure how well the control sticks will hold up over the course of several years, but for now all seems well and the controller itself is at least of very high quality.
Two more problems: it’s not particularly easy to use on your PC (you need third-party software, generally speaking) and it’s not easy to repair yourself. Most players probably aren’t repairing their own controllers, though, and most players are also probably not buying the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller to use on a computer. Still, these are things to consider if you’re on the fence. There’s also the d-pad, which is definitely a step up from the original Nintendo Switch Pro Controller’s own version – but it’s still not perfect. It’s still rather clicky and makes incorrect inputs if you’re not careful.
Do you think the Switch 2 Pro Controller is the best controller Nintendo has ever released, or can nothing beat the one for GameCube in your opinion? Let us know in the comments down below.
