The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, A Comprehensive Guide to Enhanced Gaming Experience

The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is another top-tier alternative for Switch gamers who hate hand cramps and faulty detection. In my experience, there’s a clear distinction between games with the Pro controller and games without it: the Pro controller makes a difference. It’s not just a gamepad. It’s a doorway into a better gaming experience with high-grade fidelity.

Why Choose the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller?

It can be the difference between a semi-enjoyable experience and a truly pleasurable one when you find a controller that suits you, and the Switch Pro Controller certainly does that well. Here’s why it’s so good.

• Ergonomic Design: The Switch Pro Controller has an ergonomic design with an intuitive layout that feels good in your hands. Its contoured grips and textured handles allow your hands to rest comfortably for extended periods of time, unlike the teeny-tiny Joy-Cons which can start to dig into your palms after a few hours of intense gaming. This makes it easier to enjoy those long gaming sessions, whether you’re on an epic quest across Hyrule in Zelda or going for the rainmaker in Splatoon 3 online. Your hands will thanks you for not having to endure the same gruelling sessions with the Joy-Cons. This controller might just improve your enjoyment without you having to think about it, allowing you to focus on your gameplay and not on your hands.
• HD Rumble: Adds another dimension to your game with realistic vibration that responds to everything you do – from driving on different surfaces to firing weapons to feeling the weight of a physical object.
• Motion Controls: As we’ve said, the Joy-Cons aren’t the only thing with motion controls – the Switch Pro Controller also has motion controls, though they are used less frequently throughout all games, with more emphasis on particular titles, like Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, where you can use the motion controls to aim the bow and arrow, so as to add an extra level of control. Thus the game becomes more interactive, immersive and fun for motion-controls enthusiast It’s always a giant ‘meh’ for people who don’t like to use motion controls, but it’s a welcome addition for more people nonetheless.
• NFC Support: The controller features NFC functionality allowing it to tap into the magic of amiibo figures. Touch an amiibo to the controller and it could unlock extra costumes in Super Mario Odyssey and unique weapons in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, really beating the machine. Amiibo provide a fun, collectable, reward-driven way of playing with your amiibo collection or just something to add extra goodies to your favourite Nintendo games!
• Long battery life: Play for hours on end with the Pro Controller’s long battery life. A single charge can last up to 40 hours (depending on use). On a cross-country RPG trip or in a marathon 20-hour multiplayer session with your friends, the Pro Controller will hold up to your level of play. You never have to worry about constantly recharging your controller in the middle of the game – it’s all about having fun (and scoring that last point), not figuring out why your controller is running out of battery.

The Best of the Best: Top Features of the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

Besides that, goddamn, the Switch Pro Controller is a sweet add-on. Let’s take a closer look at what it delivers beyond the basics.

• responsive buttons: The Pro Controller has very responsive buttons, where with each press of a button your input gets translated into action with such great clarity and with near-instantaneous precision. As you can see in the images in animation below, a button press on the Pro Controller gets recorded with nearly exact precision, and you can see that details about the buttom press such as force and velocity all get recorded – meaning that, if you’re playing a game such as Super Smash Bros Ultimate, every millisecond counts in fast-paced action, making it crucial for the buttons to be reliable and responsive so that you can trust your inputs translate into an action, and thus put you at an advantage. This fine control is essential for those who play competitively, where what little advantage one may have over another player could be the difference between winning or losing.
• The Analog Sticks: As well as being smooth and precise, with the right range of movement, these analog sticks allow for accurate movement and aiming across a range of scenarios: navigating open worlds in Breath of the Wild; nipping, dodging and weaving around a friend’s shells in Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury; battling it out in Splatoon 3; or any number of other games across the wide range of genres available on Nintendo platforms. For precision and comfort, these are really good sticks!
• Advanced Vibration Feedback: HD Rumble is not just more of the same rudimentary vibration that’s been used on every console since the Nintendo 64 debuted with the Rumble Pak in 1996. It is nuanced, textured, detailed Rumble that provides added layers of sensory feedback and richer gameplay experiences.HD Rumble allows players to feel a racing car’s engine as it revs or the satisfying ‘thud’ of each swing of a sword or golf club in a fighting or sports game. 

Who is the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller for?

The Pro Controller is not for every single person who plays video games. It is a controller designed around a very specific type of gamer. Here is who will probably like it.

• A headshot just got easier and more accurate While these admirable qualities mark it out as a masterfully designed controller – gentle in the hand, its shape burnishing into your palms, thumbsticks responsive and silky smooth – in the long-run, the Pro Controller’s excellence comes from its absolute commitment to great ergonomics and precise control. 
• Feel more connected to your movements: It better maps your actual hand movements to what happens on screen when you hold it. The classic, extensor-dominant controller harkens back to pre-video-game controllers, so when you use one for immersive technology or to perform complex steering manoeuvres, you gain more connectivity to your physical actions and movements. 
• Value added features: HD rumble, motion controls and NFC support all add to the sense of immersion and also bring about some amount of needed functionality that really brings the gaming experience to life. Gamers who care a little more about the details and the level of immersion will find that the Pro Controller gamepad has you covered in this area.

Beyond the Switch Pro Controller: Exploring Other Options

The Pro Controller is undeniably great, but you’re not committing to a particular controller when you buy a Switch. In fact, you may find that your primary brand of Switch gameplay actually prefers a different controller altogether. Below are a few I’ve come to admire:

Split Pad Pro Controllers:

• Hori Split Pad Pro: Splits into two halves, an easier grip on the frustrating Joy-Cons.Improves ergonomics overall, also good for smaller hands.If your hands aren’t big enough to deal with a full-sized controller, Hori Split Pad Pro takes hold. As you can see in the title, it splits in two, giving people with smaller hands an easier grip. It’s simpler to store, charges just like normal Joy-Cons, and it holds up great. 
• Nintendo Switch Split Pad Pro (Officially Licensed) An official replacement for your Joy-Cons, the Split Pad Pro from Nintendo is just like the Hori, but feels a bit more premium. Nintendo branding aside, everything that can be said about the Hori can also be said about the Nintendo version. If you like the same split design and extra comfort as a Hori Split Pad Pro, but would pay a little more for the official Nintendo brand, then this is a great choice.

Other Notable Controllers:

• Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel: This racing wheel has been designed to work with Mario Kart but provides you with a more realistic, action-packed driving experience.
• Doyoky Switch Controller: If you’re looking to get into the fun of gaming on the go and want a basic option that yet works just fine – for less than £10 – then buy this controller.

Tips for Choosing the Best Nintendo Switch Controller

In the end, selecting the best controller is all about your personal choices.When choosing, consider:

• Budget: If best, the Pro Controller. More affordable options: the communistic knowledge, available in many colours (black/grey/neon) and with small, standard, or grippy handles (NOTORIOUS), is also available for Nintendo and nice) for Xbox.
• Comfort: Some controllers just focus on ergonomics, while others feel more nostalgic. If it’s about comfort and ease of use, look into the Switch Pro Controller, the Hori Split Pad Pro, or the Nintendo Switch Split Pad Pro.
• Features: If you have must-have features like HD Rumble, motion controls or programmable buttons, now may be the time to think about upgrading. In the mid- to high-end of the aA+ market, you’d want a Gulikit King Kong 2 Pro Controller.
• Game genres: Some of the best controllers you can buy are built for other genres, for example racing wheels for Mario Kart or split pad controllers for more comfortable control.

The Verdict: Is the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Worth It?

Make no mistake, pro gamer or not, the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is a great purchase for any Switch gamer. The unsurpassed craftsmanship, great ergonomics and controls, and the added features that go above and beyond make it a clear stand-out in the market. If you’re a Switch gamer and want an accessory that will make you more immersed with your play, as well as more comfortable in the process, then you’d do well to pick up this controller.

However, if you’re on a budget, or want to take advantage of a certain feature set that isn’t included in the other controllers, it’s worth taking a look. There is a level of decent gamer comfort that you won’t find in knockoff Xbox controllers No matter which controllers one that best fits and adds a bit more gaming.

The best Nintendo Switch controller is simply the one you prefer the feel of and suits your gaming conditions. When you finally get hold of one yourself, experiment to find the configuration that does it for you and your style of gaming.