I remember back from 2019, I heard about the Switch Pro Controller. I was so hyped if me getting it, later at 2021 for Christmas, I got it along with Mario Kart and Ultimate. Words can’t describe how comfortable it feels. My hands do not get tired and it is perfect for me. The Wii U Pro controller was also good, but man the Switch one is better by a milestone.
I only got an official pro controller last year (only had power a before) and I remember being absolutely shocked at the premium feeling of the controller
After I got the Switch Pro Controller...I learned a few things. One, for all those who want a D-Pad, for some games, the D-button Pad is better. A couple examples where Joy-Con is needed, "Tetris 99," "Miko Project Diva," and "Shantae GBA." Rhythm game seem to benefit in general... unless... This was a bit of surprise to me, but the Pro Controller is better for some motion controlled games! I am almost positive it's because it's easier to steady with two hands. A couple of examples of games with motion controls made better with Pro Controller, "Trombone Champ," and "Bit.Trip Beat." So there is no "one controller" to rule them all yet.
I had a third party controller for a couple of years, after drifting got really bad. Then I finally got the Pro controller on a discount, and I honestly love the feel of it more than any Playstation controller. I still think the standard price is too much, but getting the Pro controller is worth it!
I got my first pro controller a week before this vid was uploaded. I’ve had a switch since it was released. Since I’ve been using the pro controller, it is nearly impossible for me to go back to joy-cons. I honestly never had an issue with the joy-cons, but I didn’t realize what I was missing out on.
All of my joy cons and pro controller got drift. I send them to be repaired but Nintendo only repaired the joy cons, so now I have stopped using the Pro controller, and to be honest, the joy cons are still great. I mean, I used them in handheld, but holding separately or in their dock is a bit of a different feeling. But it feels very good, even if not as much as the pro.
My og pro controller lasted only 6 years until the shoulder buttons stopped working, but it survived 2 little cousins and my little brother, which while being mad because i won at smash, he decided to literally smash my controller against the wall and the control didn't suffered any visible damage, today, i keep it as a kind of treasure, he accompanied me through many tournaments, i got it alongside my switch and since then didn't failed a single time
I’m still happily using mine 7 years later. My only gripe is that I can’t play Tetris with it since the D pad seems to not always fire the buttons I’m trying to press.
@@anguset I hear you there. I got the Gulikit controller a year or so ago. I like it in every way above the Switch Pro controller except for the rumble. It doesn't have the HD rumble. The D pad works better on it also.
Drift is pretty easy to fix, especially on the Pro Controller. Most of the time it's caused by white powder on the inside, and you can clear it out just by blowing into the gaps between the round analog stick base and the socket. Rotate it around, blowing into the edges. If that doesn't do it, try a can of compressed air.
I love my Pro Controller but I do hope they improve the D-Pad in the next iteration. Honestly if they just brought back the NES or SNES style D-Pad with the little circle in the middle, I'd be thrilled.
Agreed with most of the video but If you are a 2d fighting enthusiast the bad D-pad is not "minuscule". If you don't care about this kind of games then you're golden. Had mine since early 2018 and no drift and good autonomy.
Tetris is also completely unplayable (pieces immediately drop when you press up, which happens accidentally all the time). You can mod the D-pad to fix the issue, which makes Tetris playable, but it's probably still not good enough for fighting games. The best controller I've found for that is the official six button Mega Drive controller made by Nintendo, which is unfortunately only available in Japan (other regions got the three button version, for some reason, which not only lacks the extra buttons, but the D-pad is not as good as the six button version).
using the same pro controller since first month. unfortunately first one fell off my table about 2 feet and the analog broke. swapped it out at target no problem, been solid since. I hope for the switch Pro controller 2. we get like analog triggers. only thing that keeps it from being my favorite controller. The shape itself is just perfect
My favorite controller ever. I use it even with my Series X with adapter and play my Gamepass games with it. Two cons: d pad is not the best and digital triggers are not optimal for realistic racing games (but for fps games those are so good!).
The Switch Pro Controller was one of the first accessories I got for my Nintendo Switch because I absolutely can’t stand playing games with the Joy-Cons. The only things that prevent it from being as good as the Xbox Series X controller is its digital triggers and the lack of haptic feedback. The HD rumble is nice, but it’s easily outmatched by the PS5 Dualsense’s haptic feedback.
I have eight of them and they are all working great. I basically use the newer ones I have, but I still go back to the one I got on day one and it feels great! I did leave one of them with the joystick pushed one way and it drifts a tiny bit now once in a while and another got messed up after someone with filthy hands abused it at a party. I'm pretty sure I can fix both. The only inherent problem I do believe they have is the D-pad. It's a bit easier to hit the wrong direction than I would like it to be. In games where specific inputs from the D-pad are essential like Tetris this can become a real problem. Even in F-Zero 99 when you're hitting up after a jump you may end up veering sharply in one direction. Nintendo did address this somewhat early on with later versions, but there is a simple mod that pretty much does fix this problem.
@jge135 I have all of them except the Splatoon 2 edition, which I'm working on getting. I actually have 8 Pro Controllers however, since I bought two of the Smash Brothers edition.
All i want is a pro controller that is split in half. Having my hands on the sides of my body are the most comfortable. Nothing aftermarket is good enough.
I WILL NOT FORGIVE WHAT NINTENDO DID TO THE D-PAD OF THE SWITCH NO MATTER WHICH CONTROLLER WE'RE USING! I HOPE THAT THE NINTENDO 4K CONSOLE SHOULD HAVE A MUCH BETTER D-PAD THAN THE SWITCH & BEING JUST LIKE PREVIOUS CONSOLES BEFORE SWITCH!
My oldest Pro controller finally started showing signs of drift, however I can usually fix it by blowing into it and rotating the stick around for a bit, and them it seemingly goes back to normal. Other than that, I use it as often as I can. I use it for all kinds of PC games as well. Even the HD rumble works on PC which I was pleasantly surprised by! Best controller I've ever owned. I have a Gulit Kit KK3 Pro (that you showed of in the vid) pre ordered that'll be coming in next month, and it's mainly because getting the Switch Pro controller to work with every game on PC is sometimes a hassle or won't work. 😂It'll be interesting to compare it and find out which I like better, but as it stands atm, Switch Pro controller is #1 for me.
I bought my Switch day one and the Pro Controller in summer 2017 and all three controllers got analogstick drift at the beginning of last year. Weird "coincidence", right? But the Pro Controller is great otherwise EXCEPT of missing shoulder triggers. The next generation should really have those.
Fun fact about the Switch Pro Controller: It actually uses the exact same battery as non - N3DSXL 3DS systems. This means that the battery inside the pro controller is likely the best way to source a 3DS battery for one that has died. I recently bought the 8Bitdo Ultimate controller with hall effect sticks. The Sticks feel great, but the controller itself isnt nearly as comfortable, and the back sholder buttons have too much resistance for me. The Switch Pro controller is still my favourite.
I still love my wavebird. One of the original wireless controllers, battery life is phenominal, and still works great! Even after all of these years of Smash
This video helped me finally understand why I saw many Splatoon players on RU-vid playing using Pro Controllers (at least based on the controller icons shown in the Switch system menu and Splatoon 2 and 3's onboarding), and Pro Controllers being used at official Nintendo tournaments!! I prefer to play on my Switch using a Joy-Con pair, but recently bought a pre-owned Pro Controller on my local online classifieds for $30 (SGD) to try one out, and the only issue with it was that the grips needed to be cleaned, which I did do since they can be unscrewed and removed. The only other issue was that it didn't have the original Nintendo branded USB cable, but I found through both official Nintendo documentation and a RU-vid video from a game streamer that it's possible to use a USB cable as long as it supoorts both power delivery and data transfer, but it can only be charged through a Switch power adaptor, power adaptor through a dock, or a Switch console itself, so I was able to charge it up using an IKEA USB cable i already had. I had considered getting one of those eXtremeRate rear trigger modifications, but the stock Pro Controller already fits my young adult hands perfectly. (2:47) As a point of comparison, it's priced at $100 in Singapore, and a Joy-Con pair costs $110. Those are offical retail prices. There are some shops here selling grey market imports from Japan and South Korea for around $80 for a Joy-Con pair and around $80-90 for a Pro Controller. (3:13) I'm accustomed to playing using a Joy-Con pair using the grip that comes included with the console, though I had been considering buying a PowerA or Satisfye grip as well. (3:30) It's also worth noting that, because I have both controller types and would pause the video to compare, I can tell that Joey's hands are around the same size as mine but have fatter fingers and thumbs. With my skinnier fingers and thumbs (maybe even overall skinnier hands), it's easier for me to play using Joy-Con with the smaller buttons, but then again, him having a full beard suggests to me that he's older than I am. (3:35) For me, it's different. I can't play games that primarily use the arrow buttons for movement (like Tetris and Puyo Puyo games*, as well as the NSO retro emulators and Arcade Archives titles) as well on a Pro Controller as I do on a Joy-Con pair due to the placement of those arrow buttons. *(not counting Grindstone as, while I do play that, I play it using the touch screen) However, if a game I play instead primarily uses the left control stick for movement, I can play that on both controller types. One notable exception is for Splatoon 2 and 3, where I have a custom button mapping for Joy-Con pairs that swaps the Y and B buttons so that I can have my character jump and fire at the same time without accidentally hitting the right control stick. I don't have to do that on a Pro Controller due to the placement of the right control stick. (4:19) The stick drift is the reason why I'd put my Switch controllers face down or in a case or drawer if I'm not using them for long periods of time. Prior to doing that, I ended up with stick drift on the grey Joy-Con pair I had with my original Switch that I later sold off. Even then, while I intentionally keep the white pair (that I have with my Switch OLED Model) stock, my green and pink pairs have GuliKit NS40 control sticks in them as I do like those and they actually feel more rigid than the stock Nintendo control sticks, especially when playing Splatoon.
I’ve used the smash decal pro controller that came with ultimate on day one. Absolute favorite controller I’ve ever owned, never fails me. PS5 eat your heart out!
Got a pro controller a few months after Switch launch, it's been perfect and never had drift. I got the Zelda TotK special edition pro controller when it came out, and it had drift right out of the box. It really is luck of the draw when it comes to controller troubles.
What issues did you have? I have 8BitDo Pro 2 and had zero issues with it so far though Ive had it only for 6 months and use it only for games where I prefer to use the Dpad (2d games etc). For everything else pro controller is still my main controller.
@Marko-ij4vy mostly it was the the controller disconnecting. It became unusable. Updated firmware, did resets, removed battery but it was always a huge issue
The NS Pro Controller is one of those controllers I SO need to get, but due to its price, we keep going for third party controllers which work fine, but I really want a actual Pro Controller lol
It must be said, it is a very good control and its battery is incredible but also the battery of the Wii U pro control is still GOD with its 80 hours of charge!
It's a very good controller, and I use it for both Switch and PC. The only thing missing is the analog trigger, instead of the on/off trigger. This is a bummer when playing racing games and you'd like to adjust the throttle gently instead of flooring it.
I had stick drift on my left analog stick after 8 months with my Pro Controller. Nintendo fixed it and never had it after that. I just wished Nintendo made an Elite controller with 2 back buttons and a turbo feature. Turbo is not a big deal but I need the 2 back buttons for Splatoon 3.
While my Joy-Cons that I’ve had since 2020 are still fully functional, my Pro Controller is unfortunately drifting for about a year or two now. Most likely because I’ve accidentally dropped it one too many times. Around late last year, my uncle bought me a third-party replacement. No rumble, but it works very well.
The next controller Nintendo should make in their pro style controllers is called the switch legend. normally I will call elite, but I’m gonna leave that only to Xbox Just adding more battery life up to three days or five days plus switchable, analog sticks, and triggers, and not make the d-pad flimay and have some LEDRGB lights that change colors on the buttons and the body. also make the bodies on the controller. Have unique colors like blue, red, orange, purple indigo.
I was a docked user 90% for the first 3-4 years of the Switch, and it was always an amazing experience with the pro controller. That build quality is top notch.
I’m curious what the switch 2 pro controller will be like There’s not much I would improve personally it’s almost perfect However I had stick drift on my first switch pro controller 4 years in I hope they fix any potential drift issues for all controllers
It still lasts so much longer than a Ps5 controller tho, it’s reason enough for me to wanna play a game on the switch rather than on Ps5:P at least the less graphical games, I wouldn’t wanna play GTA VI on the switch lol.
I still have my Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Pro Controller that I got along with that game as a preorder & still use it as my main controller for my Switch. I don't even have my launch Switch anymore, I sold it to a family member because I replaced that Switch with an Animal Crossing V2 Switch. So technically, my Pro Controller is older than my current Switch. I've never had problems with the controller, besides 7 years later still mixing up the BAYX button layout with ABXY a lot (no damaging problems tho). I really love my Pro Controller. I hope if the Switch 2 (if that's the next console) does have different controllers that it'll also have backwards compatibility with these Switch 1 controllers (& games for that matter).
I like the Switch Pro controller, but I really hope it gets an upgrade for Switch 2. Those D-pad issues are absolutely not miniscual; I find they are a constant headache in 2D gaming and menu navigation, and really need a new internal set-up that is more accurate. I *think* I had some drift issues with one of them, but they either fixed themselves, or I switched to my other Pro controller and forgot about them, but if I did have them, the controller lasted WAY longer than my Dual Sense before they showed up.
Switch Pro controllers is one of (if not the) best controllers I’ve ever used. Hoping Switch two they do the following: analog triggers, solid colors of controllers, solid casing (the grips being diff than rest is odd to me), better “Nintendo” Dpad, and maybe the classic Nintendo color ABXY buttons
Amazing controller except... The d pad kinda sucks. The wii and wii u got d pad perfect so that just makes the switch d pad all the more disappointing. I played Zelda 2 last year and had lots of issues with the d pad thinking i clicked one direction when i didn't
It's a good controller, but in my opinion the only thing it really has over the Xbox One controller is gyro. Digital triggers are a deal breaker if you're going to use the thing for certain pc games, the dpad has a rough history with missed inputs, and imho opinion the handles just aren't as ergonomic as the stock Xbone/seriesx/s or even the PS5 controller. Fine for what it is but I usually just use my 8bitdo pro wireless when I play games on my docked switch, haven't touched my pro controller in years.
I like the Switch Pro controller, but I do wish Nintendo or others made adjustable/interchangeable grips for it. I have decently big hands with long fingers and I’ve had the right grip on my pro controller taped up and bulked up a bit for years. I just wish there was more customization even on top of the already good ergonomics.
All it needs is a headphone jack. When I got the Mario collection, Mario 64 & Galaxy didn't feel right. I switched to the pro controller & the extra control stick travel was the precision I was missing on the Joy Cons.
After 7 Years of Nintendo Switch and Pro Controller, these are Reasons why i'm Feel an old sometimes only just as 21. But yeah Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is Still the GOAT, I Really like to Play with Pro Controller Defienitily when I Play on a TV and sometimes I Play a Pc Games with Nintendo Switch Pro Controller like PALWORLD in this Weekend. After 7 Years Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is still the GOAT! I'm so Excited how Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller will looks,I Believe it looks like an Original Nintendo Switch Pro Controller because you can't Change the GOAT! 😎🔥
I’ve only ever bought one of these. I cannot say the same for Xbox and PS4 controllers. It survived my hours of attempts to beat all the MK8D base game time trial ghosts. A real trooper.
Ever since I got my Magnamalo pro controller, it’s been my main controller for games. I only ever use my joycons when playing Super Mario Odyssey or Smash Ultimate.
The D-Pad alone disqualifies it from GOAT status tbh. It’s durable compared to the Joycon, though. But the D-Pad is inexcusable. Tetris is unplayable on it.
The Pro controller doesn't get as much analogue drift, but they do get d-pad drift so you've still got to finish making the controller for Nintendo; if I'm going to do that anyway I might as well do it with split joycons which are more comfortable and go second hand more often so they're cheaper.
D-pads don't drift, but I know what you mean. It's a design flaw…the center post of the D-pad is about 1mm too short, so it often registers unwanted cross axis inputs (for example, pressing left or right can cause it to also touch the up or down contact). It's not too hard to fix, but they definitely need to do a better job next time.
Eh, even with the elephant in the room I'd still take joycons tbh. The pro controller joysticks have some nasty snap-back that's cost me a good number of Smash Ultimate matches. Pro tip, use WD-40 Contact Cleaner (green stripe on can) for joycon drift. I somehow managed to fix my Switch lite with it.
Sooooooo my pro controller I had since maybe early 2020 the right analog stick just started messing up on me recently when I try to look to the right the analog wouldn’t respond I have to kinda force it , but hey I got a good 3,4 years out of it
I forgot when I got my pro controller but i do have to say that its a solid piece of tech. I've abused it so much when i kept on loosing in Splatoon 2 and its still holds up. However the rubber on the left analog stick fall of due to log gaming periods and its showing its wear and tear but still no drift
We have had radically different Pro Controller experiences. Got mine a few months after launch but drift made it unplayable after a few years. Got another one with a few third party alternatives in-between but after the same issue with second one.
I have two pair of Joy cons. I use one pair during regular play on docked mode and the others are always attached to the console, even when undocked. Once the "tv joycons" have low battery I just swap them. I don't ever have to think of charging them.
It's honestly the best controller I've ever used. Comfortable to use and the semi-transparent shell is kinda cool. Plus, can't forget the secret hidden in the right stick. 😆
I love this controller and to this day it's one of my favorites, honestly the only things that leave it to be desired for me is that it doesn't have a P2 input for headphones like other current controllers (I spent a lot of time playing Wii U and PS4 with the headset connected to the controller, so this bothered me a lot when playing docked on the Switch) and the fact that not all PC games have native support. (I can only remember a few like Temtem and Paladins that support button layout and even gyro-aiming in the case of Palatins)
Yea it works for a little while but then comes back and eventually get worse. Its weird that Nintendo is the only company that hasnt figured out analog sticks
I got my Nintendo Switch half a year after it out with a pro controller. After like three years of only using the slide controllers they broke and I started using the pro controller and now I don’t even have the slide controllers anymore.
My personal favorite controller is the GameCube controller because it just feels really good to use, but the Switch Pro Controller is definitely my second favorite controller. Also I agree that Nintendo must be using black magic with that battery life. If someone asked my how quickly the battery died, my response would be it just doesn’t.
As someone who has replaced their pro controller with a progcc v3, the pro controller is NOT the goat. Durability and snapback are an issue, as well as latency for games like smash bros.
Ive went through at least 15 pro controllers. That top left analog falls off each one of them. Some became less responsive after a while. I wish they wouldve made one without the cushion on the analog and just shaped the hard plastic into the shape it has with the rubber. Right now I just use a joycon without the rubber on it. Theyre no longer 59.99 everywhere the price went up.
The one thing i don't particularly enjoy with the pro controller is, that the buttons feel kinda mushy, if you understand me. When I press a button on the pro controller and compare it to my 3ds, it's a night and day difference. I prefer the firm resistance of my new 3ds xl over the pro controller. Everything else is way better so.
I already own two official switch pro controllers, one for two years and the other nearly a month. And so far, neither of them have caught the stick drift, not one bit. I store them in the same packaging whenever I'm not gaming and clean them in case of any dust or sweat. As a result, no sign if any drift effects. It comes to me to believe that many of those who encounter this issue either leave it coated in dust or possibly play too rough with it. Take smash bros, for instance, as it requires an insane amount of strength and intensity when competing against hard-core players. Of course, this is optional. Many can play it casually.
Mine had a sharp edge between the right grip and the central part of the controller. I dropped it fairly often and the connect/power button fell of the board internally and then in 2020 it started drifting. So I ended up buying an 8bitdo ultimate for those hall effect sticks and after some stick surgery gave the pro controller to my sister. The 8bitdo ultimate is a fine controller and is much less of a hassle to use with PC (the input lag when connected via bluetooth is *awful*) but I still miss the feel of the Switch Pro controller. Just not enough to get another one when the Switch 2 is expected so soon and there are very few games left I want to play on Switch. I really hope the Switch 2's pro controller is essentially just a Switch pro controller with some more modern stick tech (yeah, I know it's not gonna happen) and analogue triggers
Nintendo figured out how to make a great dpad almost 40 years ago. It's so weird they managed to mess it up on this controller. Also, we need a headphone jack in the controller!
Gotta admit I really miss the Game Cube controller. It was really wacky, but still really comfortable, which made it stand out. The different shaped buttons with A being huge, B being small, and X and Y being curved also made it even easier (Especially for new gamers) to not press the wrong button by mistake. The Pro controller is really just an XBox controller with swapped buttons, which, another point in favor of the GC, the 2 being so similar really messes with your muscle memory and as a result, for owners of both consoles (Such as me and my sisters) you end up pressing the opposite button that you intended to a LOT. the GC controller was comfortable, fun to look at, and didn't have any dated gimmicks like forcing motion controls for every conceivable action. Truly Nintendo at their peak.
If you like the GCN controller, I recommend the power a wireless GCN controller. It’s basically a pro controller but shaped like the GameCube one and has gyro and more buttons. It’s awesome.
