I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve always had a bit of a weird relationship with theSwitch. While the rest of the world happily embraced its handheld side and took it along with them wherever they went, I almost always stuck to TV mode. To be frank, the only time I used the Switch’s main function is when I was too lazy to move from bed or when I was busting for the loo.
Come on, we’ve all done it.
My refusal to take the Switch out of its dock 90 percent of the time meant that I got a whole lot of use out of its Pro Controllers. Throughout the Switch’s lifetime, I ended up owning six different versions of the original Pro Controller and, while it’s always been my primary way of beating my friends atSmashor never losing atMario Kart(I swear), I’d be hard pressed to call it agoodcontroller.
The original Pro Controller did its job and was far better than the still-too-small Joy-Con Grip, but it didn’t feel like it lived up to its name. One of the main reasons I burned through so many is that it could feel a bit cheap and flimsy under duress.When the Switch 2 was announced and showed clear signs of focusing on power over innovation, I was hopeful that the Pro Controller would follow. Spoiler alert: it absolutely does, and it’s the best way to play a console that’s putting more stock than ever into being played on TVs.
A Simplistic Style That’s Made Up For With A Premium Feel
At first glance, theSwitch 2 Pro Controllerdoesn’t look much different than the one we saw on the original Switch. In fact, I’ll start off on the only negative and say that its look is the only thing that I don’t like – it’s very basic. The Switch 2 itself is going for a more minimalist approach, but the Pro Controller is lacking the orange and blue flair on the analogue sticks, which feels like a missed opportunity. Combine that with the matte black being a total dust and sweat magnet, and the Pro Controller 2 isn’t the most stylish controller.
I’m already dreaming up a wishlist of themed Pro Controllers that’ll get rid of that gripe.
What the Pro Controller lacks in style, it more than makes up for in substance. The first thing I noticed when getting my grubby gamer mitts on its matte plastic is that it feels much more weighty and satisfying to hold than the original, which makes it feel much more like a premium product than the console’s only proper controller.
That weight is matched by thumbsticks that are much more durable. The analogue sticks sadly aren’t hall-effect, but the “smooth-gliding” term that Nintendo’s coined for them certainly seems to be true from the hours I’ve poured into Mario Kart World and Tears of the Kingdom. I’ve not run into any drift problems so far,but it’s early days.
The buttons are the most impressive improvement. That might seem minor, but the original Pro Controller’s buttons were notorious for getting stuck and feeling flimsy. That’s not the case here, as my 30+ hour playtime with the new Pro has resulted in no issues and buttons that feel just as good as when I started using them. And don’t worry, the Pro Controller’s battery is just as reliable as it was last-gen, which is a far cry from the competition.
New Additions And Improvements That Feel Worth The Price Increase
Alongside making some substantial improvements to the core design of the Pro Controller, Nintendo has also added a few new bells and whistles to the Switch 2’s version. The biggest of these are the GL and GR buttons on the back of the controller that can be mapped to whatever button you like for each game.
The new Pro Controller also finally includes a headphone jack, which is another minor but frankly necessary change.
I generally don’t get much use out of extra buttons on gaming controllers and really only used them as an additional drift and item input inMario Kart World, but they’re still a nice addition that I could see myself leaning on more as I go on. Metroid Prime 4 seems like the perfect candidate for them so far, but they’re also completely optional.
The Switch 2 Pro Controller is a massive step up from the Switch version in pretty much every way but, just like with the console itself, those improvements come with a higher cost.At $84.99, the Pro Controller is a pretty expensive upgradethat’s in line with the PS5’s DualSense and only slightly cheaper than a new set of Joy-Con (which are technically two controllers).
That price tag was my biggest sticking point with the Switch 2 Pro Controller before purchasing, but from what I’ve seen so far, it’s more than worth it. Outside of its basic design, the Pro Controller’s massively upgraded core functions and notable quality-of-life improvements have finally vindicated my choice to only play on the TV. You can’t put a price on that.
