I don't know why no one is mentioning this, but the PowerA wireless one is the only way to play Ultimate on the go with a Gamecube controller. That’s the selling point for me. Plus it has almost all the features of a Pro controller so you kill two birds with one stone. EDIT: Yes people, there is another way to do it but it’s a workaround. It’s messy and convoluted, defeating the point of playing portably.
Malik Crim Exactly. There’s a video tutorial floating around so it’s certainly possible but still a workaround. The Pro controller functionality and faithful Gamecube design , in my opinion, outweigh the inconvenience.
It still amazes me how a controller made more than 15 years ago is still being used, and can be used with 4 different generations of consoles (that means that the GC controller can be used with more than half Nintendo home consoles). It's a shame Nintendo didn't tweak some little details when they re released it back when Smash U came out, like a slightly bigger dpad and an extra Z button. That wouldn't have affected the general feel of the controller when playing Smash, but could've improved the experience when used with other games. Hopefully they update the Switch so it becomes fully compatible with the GC adapter so it enables standard rumble for other games as well.
I know. It also amazes me honestly that people still use the GC controller for so much time. My guess is that most people don't want to bother changing and adjusting to a different controller layout and feel they just want to keep playing the same way they started with.
I fully agree with you. I love the Gamecube Controller but it baffles me why they haven’t released an up-to-date version. They could even rebrand it to the Nintendo Elite Gamepad or something just as over-the-top 😁
I'm a little late on this but, I enjoy the original. I have a few of them, specifically for smash. I wouldn't mind an extra z button but every purist would freak out. But I'm glad they're releasing another wave of classic controllers
I’m definitely going with the PowerA Wireless controller if I do buy one, but I would have paid that little extra for the HD Rumble inside of it. Battery life does not suffer much with it, and I’d argue the motion controls drain the battery more. The HD Rumble also adds in that immersion that no other controllers seem to be able to replicate, but that’s just my opinion.
The timing of this video is too perfect. I just received 2 black GameCube controllers today, and have been looking for another colour for myself (to stand out as player one) so just about an hour ago, I looked up every GameCube controller design/colour ever made, and right now I have eBay open, with a listing for an orange controller that I was thinking of buying. Then I open RU-vid and see this video.
Best controller for smash for sure, but if you want to use a gamecube controller for other games the powera wireless is far superior due to sheer fact it has all buttons a modern controller has
I have the Hori , Mario version. Overall great; the joystick is right size, the triggers feel comfortable, the travel on the A button specifically is cringeworthy and loud to say the least, it’s super lightweight and in general I’d say a good option for smash but probably not as great as the original. I really really wish the travel on button A was shorter. Anyway, waiting to try my PDP on January 6th.
Dakota Jacob power a wireless. Hori has a turbo button which isn’t tourney legal, and power a wireless is really good for everything with batteries which i actually prefer.
The travel time of the buttons is important because you want responsive controls - a long travel distance for a button means it takes a bit longer to register the press, which will make it feel less responsive. Talking about responsiveness: It would have been nice to have them tested in an actual game, which would give you a good feel for how responsive they are. This is important especially for the wireless ones, which can have some lag due to the way the radios work.
These are great controllers, I just wish that manufacturers like PowerA and PDP would make some controllers with Analog Triggers that way we could play future racing titles on the switch with ease
Dude this may sound weird but I'm surprised a controller review could be this good, you really convey the important pros and cons in terms of how they'll feel in use.
Amazing video man. This really helps me out about which gamecube controller I want to get for when Smash comes. You've helped me and so many other people by putting in just one video all the decent alternatives in the market. Good stuff as always
In addition to your comparison, I would've loved some *nerdy hardcore info on the INPUT LAG* between all controllers. Obviously, I don't know if this can be tested now or until Smash is released, but this type of information is *very important* to me before deciding which controller to go for, so until then, I'm *sticking with the original.*
Infinity Master depends which game, but for the most part off and game cube controllers have several faults, and for serious play most people would not recommend(sticks don't click as frequently if at all, input lag varies from controller to controller). Going original or ultimate is your best bet. Though original is like $100+.
The lowest input lag would be the Pdp controller as opposed to any of the rest, original has to go through an adaptor which leads to more lag. Best bet however is the powerA wireless cus the lag difference is negligible. All the controllers except the Pdp has 8 frames of lag.
Wulff den did a video about these controllers and tested the input lag. Pro controller is highest, then pdp/hori/powera, then the original has the most due to the adapter
Yeah but his method wasn't very scientific. Check out this video where he demonstrates that most commands on the pro controller register on the same frame as wired GC controller. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fbgQdM6TcEM.html @@boyapollo808
GameCube controllers are great for Mario Kart 8 and Mario Tennis Aces too. Even though I have a couple Wavebirds I will probably pick up the PowerA wireless one. Having the home button, clickable sticks, and L button would be great so it's compatible with all games that support the pro controller. I will probably still use the Pro Controller most often but the GameCube controller feels better to me for certain games like the ones I mentioned above, and I need another controller for that local multiplayer goodness anyhow. No one wants to use a single Joy con around my house.
I don't find them that great for mario kart 8 because the game only detects the digital L and R triggers buttons (not the analog ones) which means you have to fully depress the trigger to register the press, which is not as comfortable or quick IMO.
PhazonLord 4337 fair enough I would have preferred no travel. Hasn’t bothered me in the slightest on Mario Kart though, I could see that being an issue in a shooter games.
@@bazzaro1982 i didn't bother me that much but i really wish it could detect the analog triggers because the GameCube controller is wonderful for mario kart 8 (nothing beats that analog stick, button layout and comfort in your hands), I even enjoy it more that the joycons, just a shame about the triggers.
Something I want to add is that the wireless controller, for me, makes short hopping difficult due to the travel time of the jump buttons. If you are stick jumping that shouldn't be a problem, but for me, it was.
Try the Exlene wireless Gamecube controller for Nintendo Switch (Bluetooth version). It is similar to the Power A, but the batteries are rechargeable and charge via USB-C, and it has basic rumble support. IMO it's the best one around
So I got the mario pdp controller and heres my opinion. I personally love that its bigger and the joysticks are kinda odd I admit but the d pad doesn't bother me. I also sit at a desk so wired is not a problem. Also for $25 in my opinion your getting your most bang for your buck. Plus I love mario 🤷♂️
PowerA has done well on Switch controllers and it seems they’ve pulled out all the stops while keeping it in a fair budget. I may can overlook the travel distance on the face buttons for all the positives. And I love the buffed D pad. Can’t wait!
With the power a wireless you don't have to worry about the mistake of tripping on cords or of your dog pulling the chords while walking past and making your switch fall down.
The only gripe with a Wavebird controller is no rumble because of the batteries needed to power it. But it's a great contoller, it's amazing it's still holding up even to the Switch in 2022
@@cine-ish It's worth it if you plan on playing the game competitively or if you're a veteran who wants to play with the best controller and that happens to be the GameCube controller. To me, the 3rd party controllers are worthless because they aren't as good as a pro controller but is worse than the GameCube controller for what it's intended to be used for.
@@ShallBePurified the wireless PowerA one is pretty faithful to the original end is genuinely better than the pro controller. The input lag is the sams on the switch as the original GC goes through an adaptor. Also, analog buttons are negligible as the switch only has analog inputs for sticks.
Man I just wish we could get support for a gamecube controller WITH rumble for the Switch. I feel spoiled with the HD rumble that the pro controller gives which is why I might end up just playing Smash Ultimate with one of those just to see how HD rumble is implemented. I would love to try a gamecube controller for smash especially since I still own one from when i owned a gamecube but no rumble wouldn't feel as good to me.
I honestly got the PowerA wired GC controller and the wireless PowerA Pro controller for the price of the original Pro controller. Talk about a great buy! That’s my ideal set up for the budget. Thanks for all your info Alex!
I hate that nobody besides Hori realizes that the giant lower buttons on a GAMECUBE controller are L and R, not ZL and ZR. One would naturally expect ZR to be where the Gamecube's Z button is, and ZL on the corresponding side. Unfortunately, Hori does not make a wireless controller. Really hope that changes. I have a PDP Gamecube-style controller for Wii U, and the L/R button prompts in Smash4 drove me absolutely bonkers.
I don't think the ZR/ZL button being where the L and R buttons were is a bad thing. The system doesn't register it as a Gamecube controller but rather a standard controller. It is also easier to use it for modern games with it. Imagine having to constantly remember the trigger and bumper buttons are reversed when playing Splatoon 2. Although I don't know why anyone would play Splatoon 2 with this controller over the pro controller.
@@toasterusedfly yeah bis point is just bullshit. How does make sense to have L and R at the back? Besides the GameCube having them there, but since you're not even playing GC games... wtf?
I own the Power-A Wired Controller just because I prefer wired controllers over wireless (not to knock wireless controllers) and it was the only type I could afford. I absolutely love this controller, it is my go-to controller for everything at home and I love everything about it. I've never felt like anything is wrong with this, I've never had travel situation (except for ZL and ZR while playing Splatoon 2) and it is super comfortable. Highly recommend the Wired Controller for people who want a cheap controller.
You can buy rechargeable batteries. I can't think off my head what or how much but i own 4 (triple AAA) batteries with a charge port that I've had for years.
This is a better method IMO. Cheaper to implement and in 2 years you’re not going to have to replace the battery. Look at my PS4 controllers, 2 of the 4 can’t hold a charge for more than 1 hour. My Xbox One controller is still going strong.
I actually prefer the rechargeable batteries than having a built-in battery which will eventually get weaker and die. I use Eneloop AA's for a lot of stuff, so I've always got an extra pair charged and ready to swap out.
I don't think a good review would skip things like the quality of the analog sticks: how big is the dead zone? It works smoothly with FPS games (aiming)? Do you need to travel a lot? It reach the boundaries of the screen (aiming in games)? Actually, the analog sticks are what kill 99% of third party controllers, and should must be the first thing to pay attention. Grip, battery, cable length, are secondary qualities that don't compensate if the analog sticks sucks.
Hello! I don't understand meaning of 'travel' you're talking about. 1. I'm a Korean, so it's hard to understand. 2. I didn't use gamecube controller (I didn't have chance to play with it even though I have one.) Very much. So... I'm kinda confuse about the travel.
I actually have bought both the official Smash Ulitmate Gamecube Controller, I bought the Wireless PowerA controller as a side one to bring with me while I am travelling as to not ruin the official. The official Gamecube Controller will always be my main for Smash, however I really wanted the PowerA one along side it but I had to choose the official one just because Nintendo made it themselves. I would use the PowerA one mostly for living room setups and putting it in a backpack to bring to short distances (i.e. School)
@coffee the buttons have a lot more travel when you first get it but after a week or 2 of breaking it in its not as bad, idk about the travel in the sticks but they can move more so it makes doing up tilts in smash easier I think
Aparently running on two AA batteries is "a shame"... It's WAY BETTER than an internal battery that just offers a few hours of play and then takes forever to charge, while also wearing down over time. Having 4 rechargable AA batteries that you cycle through is SO MUCH BETTER, they last over 48 hours of constant play, and takes 5 seconds to swap.
Question about the PowerA controllers, do you need to click the ZL and ZR shoulder buttons in completely for an input to register? I would assume so seeing as Switch doesn't support analog triggers, and it's not a huge issue for me personally, but it would be quite nice to know. Also hello!
Awesome video! So I still use all of my GameCube controllers. Even though I do not want to spend any more money on controllers I think I might end up buying the power a wireless. I would have to buy 2 and that's not cheap considering I have all my old controllers, but think of this if you have your switch up on your TV stand and someone walks by because it's happened to me with dogs and Friends trips on the adapter pulling your switch down and it falls. That would not be good. That's why for the first time in a long time I think I should purchase the wireless controller and buy some rechargeable batteries. They have a 30 hour battery life. I just don't want to trip on chords making my switch come tumbling down
I know it's a Super Smash Bros Sin to say this, but I never got to play SSB Melee on Gamecube and as a result never played any SSB on a gamecube controller. Is there any big benefit of the Gamecube controller for SSB over the Switch's pro controller? Or is it more that because people got obsessed with SSB Melee that everyone is used to playing the game on Gamecube?
It will be interesting to see how controllers will work for competitve smash bros since there are more 3rd party controllers. I highly suggest getting the original gamcube controller. C stick is great to use for arial attacks and sholder buttons are great for the sheild and dodge.
if you want to use a regular gc controller but the small c stick bothers you, you can swap it out with a regular gc analog stick no problem. you can even put a c stick where the analog is. they're super easy to open and swap out. you just need a tri wing screw driver
@@egg.6334 no melee is poorly coded garbage. Look at a video sometime, some characters don't have proper hitboxes, some characters have literal infinite combos.
Do you guys remember the GameCube controllers that came put with SSB4? Those are really, really good. The corda are lo g and the analog stick feels way more durable than the original one. The original one feels “springy” but the new one feels right.
You CAN use the og GC controller on pretty much any game that you can use the pro controller for. The main issue is that L is actually L, R is R, and Z is ZR, so you cant play splatoon.
Abdulrahman Mustafa yeah I suppose, also I think a lot current Nintendo fans grew up with the GC controller and so it’s nostalgic for them. But I didn’t so I don’t really care for it. It’s kind of like how my sister only had the n64 controller so still to this day she’s under the false belief that’s it’s the best controller even though most people think it’s crap. And how I grew up on the Wii and so I prefer motion controls which as I’m sure you know is a very unpopular opinion.
Peter Alarcon it just makes to much sense and the layout just works for Smash. In every way. I didn’t even grow up with it, I’m only 15. I still think to this day, the GameCube controller is the best controller in existence. Your sister is weird, and your REALLY weird. I never liked the N64 controller, holding it just doesn’t feel right, and motion controls need to go in the toilet, immediately, just, put those away. They don’t belong in this landscape.
The GameCube c-stick can be replaced. I replaced mine on my of controller with one from a Wii nunchuck. Pretty simple and it makes it great for all games. Only downside is you have to open the controller.
I'm going with the PowerA Wireless, because I can use it in tabletop mode, plus I'll be able to use it in a ton of other games because of the motion controls, such as Splatoon 2. Playing Luigis Mansion 3 with a gamecube controller? Hell yeah!
My Power A has the same travel on the face buttons as the classic GCN one, so I'm not sure what you meant. Both my Power A and the PDP I've used have very good face buttons, the SECOND they depress the input registers, but they're not mushy. Doing quick short hops into aerials and stuff like that is no issue at all. So you could call them clickier than the stock GCN ones, sure, but in terms of travel distance there's either less or the exact same amount. The L and R buttons on the Power A also have slightly less travel distance than the classic GCN ones. Of all the choices for smash, the Power A is the best. It doesn't really have any downsides, unless you just nitpick it. The GCN controller has the most input lag of all of them due to the adapter, which is currently overpriced and hard to find. Considering it's also missing buttons over the other ones, it's objectively the worst choice. The wireless Pro Controller (or a JC controller, if you're crazy) has the least amount of input lag due to a weird Switch quirk. The 3rd most input lag goes to any 3rd party wireless controllers it seems, they don't come out on top like the actual ProCon. The 2nd spot goes to the wired controllers. So the best option is the wired Power A.
This comment was all I needed from a review, why can't youtubers ever do proper reviews like this. I bet his GameCube controller is worn and that's the only reason his face buttons aren't as clicky, which he interprets as input lag. One question I have for you is if the z buttons could be used to reliably short hop (without using an aerial)?
Thanks for this. I'm someone that can only play with the Gamecube controller but it's not because a Melee purist. Melee is the _only_ Smash game I've played so the controller is what I'm used to. I never had a Wii or WiiU and I couldn't get into Sm4sh on the 3DS because it was just _not_ ergonomic to play on. I never even played Smash 64, so this is _literally_ the only way for me to play. I might look into getting one of the wireless for the extra buttons but I still have my original gamecube and controller as a backup. I just wish it were rechagable instead of using batteries though.
Great review, now I’m much more confident that I’ll make the purchase for at least one PowerA wireless for Smash Ultimate. Mayne I’ll get a hori gc controller too. It’s a shame official gccontrollers go for like $120 these days lol. I used to have like 11 of them wtf was i thinking selling so many haha
Thank you, I've already gotten 2 legit gc controllers, and been debating on getting the wireless power-a controller. I would definitely like to have a controller that I'd be able to play any game on the switch with.
I love Nintendo for releasing this! A more modernized gamecube controller with all the shoulder buttons a modern controller has. I LOVE YOU NINTENDO!!!
I want the power a wireless controller since it has all the buttons from the switch pro controller I could use it on any game that’s awesome! Gamecube controller was my favorite Nintendo controller.
The same with Hori! But the wireless one has the advantage of motion controls. But except that, PowerA wired is the same to Hori, except that one has turbo functions as well (if you would ever use it). The Hori ZL + ZR are different though, no analog press, which is preferred by me (and Alex).
having a fixed wire in the back instead of a micro-USB is far better because the port would get wore out, and the c-stick is far better than the normal sized stick for smash
Ordered a powerA wireless. Looks perfect for tablet mode. Don't know how I'd use adapters and things to use OG GameCube controller in tablet mode. Looks way more convenient.
with the other gamecube controllers the travel distance will get better with time, ive played for 150 hours with the pdp one and i noticed the long travel distance too but now it’s been worn down and it’s great
My full setup for smash will be 1 Black Switch Pro Controller, 1 Xenoblade 2 Pro Controller, 1 Smash Pro Ccontroller, 1 Power A Gamecube Wireless controller, and then my 4 Wavebirds hooked into my Wii U Gamecube Adapter. 😊 Can't wait.
I’m sticking with the one releasing alongside Ultimate (basically the Original) because I liked the feel when I used it at a demo and I’ve never had good experiences with wireless controllers other than the Wiimote and the Joy-cons.
I had already ordered the GameCube Adapter and the official Smash Ultimate gamecube controller before PowerA announced the wireless one, so now I have to spend ANOTHER 50 dollars for the wireless one, which isn’t too big a deal because I’m gonna be playing a lot with friends.
Hey Alex!! Hope you are doing great. My fiance is a huge fan of your channel and I would love to surprise him for his Birthday, and for this I'd like to ask a favor of you. You used to have a sparky Pikachu painting as your backdrop/in your background and he has always wanted one just like it. Maybe this is asking a lot but is there any way I could have a photo of it so I may recreate it for his birthday 03 November? He would be so stoked!!!
One thing that irritates me about using a lot of these Gamecube-styled controllers on the switch is how they have "fake" analog triggers. Like, they squish down like they do on the Gamecube, but they don't actually register until you click it. It adds a crap-ton of travel to it and it makes pretty much every game involving them impossible to play well.
I like pdp one I got multiple gamecube pro controllers. And the Shoulder buttons feel nice. Better then orginal ones. And the Analog stick travel don't bother me.
I'll buy a Hori Controller because I like the shoulder buttons most and it offers button swap functions (L/R/ZL/ZR are reversed on a GameCube Controller compared to a Switch Controller so this is actually very useful)
Honestly I like the fight pad pro the shoulder buttons feel sooooo nice and the replaceable caps are really nice. It’s not as bad as he says all the buttons and sticks are really nice build quality and it feels really nice to hold
I'm really curious what a pro smasher would feel about the power A ones. I know the original will win out, but how viable is it for competitive smash on a mid to high level? Also, I wonder how long before someone releases gamcube feeling joycons. Not just colored that way, but matches the layout and feel.
Honestly I’m a button mash person when games get intense so the game cube controller is my go to. Plus I want to feel like I’m holding something so weight and feel is really important because if something is too light it just feels weird to me.
I dont see the problem with no capture button on the gamecube controller, you can just save your replays at the end of the match anyway, if something cool happened, just do that.
Basically what I took from this video: None of these are decent substitutes for an original Gamecube controller. If you don't get the real deal, might as well just use a Switch Pro controller.
I don't know if it's true or not but I heard that the official ones that are coming out the shoulder buttons going to be slightly messed up they're going to feel slightly more springy.
