Nintendo Switch Pro Controller – Review

If you are a gamer who has purchased the Nintendo Switch but don’t want to rely on the traditional Joy-Con and instead would want a beefier gamepad, then the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is perfect for you.

Even though the Joy-Con controllers are one of the Nintendo Switch’s main features that they advertise, they do tend to get quite uncomfortable when you game for longer periods of time, which makes getting a bulkier controller pretty important to make the most out of your long gaming sessions. 

There is no doubt that the Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons are an amazing design that works perfectly with the Switch’s transformable play, but when it comes to long term use then these are definitely not the best options that are out there. The larger gamers out there, that have bigger hands, may also not feel uncomfort when using these because of their small size, so a larger controller is definitely an essential accessory that is worth adding to your gaming setup. 

Now this is where the Pro Controller now steps in, as a perfect rival to Sony’s DualSense Edge as well as the Xbox Wireless Controller. This controller is also one of the most popular accessories that you can purchase for the Nintendo Switch, especially because it is even compatible with the Nintendo Switch OLED. 

The Design

When it comes to the design of the Nintendo Switch, it really isn’t something unique or out of the ordinary. With the Joy-Con, you’ll need to use it a few times in order to even get used to using it but with the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller it’s just your standard two-analogue stick, handle-gripper pad. 

It isn’t too heavy and offers you a great balance when you’re playing, it also has a slightly translucent finish to its plastic casing, which has a circuit board-style pattern etched onto the surface of the controller. Compared to the Joy-Con buttons, the whole controller will be larger, with bigger A,B,X and Y buttons, on the right-hand side of the controller in its traditional diamond formation. Then lastly you’ll also have your traditional two triggers at the back as well as offset analogue sticks on the face of the controller. 

Then if you compare it to the PS4 and Xbox One options that you have, you’ll notice that this one is a little bit more chunky, which could be because of the controllers leading battery life. You can expect to get around 6 or 7 hours of gameplay with a DualShock 4 controller, but with the Nintendo Switch Pro you can get a whopping 40 full hours. This is great because then you won’t need to worry about plugging it in after every single gaming session and you’ll still be able to see a ton of playtime with it. 

The controller is pretty futuristic as well and features a USB-C reversible charging port, which means that you don’t have to think about how you’re going to plug it in. there are also many different colours and design of the exterior surface, the main one is the black one but there are many themed options that have been released from Nintendo over the years, such as controllers for Splatoon 2 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. 

Functionality

Although the Joy-Con pads that come with the Nintendo Switch are definitely innovative, even when you pair them with the optional grip pads they’re still just not as good as other controllers out there. However, the Switch Pro Controller is a lot better. The sticks that this controller has has a really good level of resistance and also have a comfortable offset, and the face buttons also have a good amount of depth to them. Then when it comes to the D-Pad, this is really where the controller shines, as Nintendo has been the best in this bizz, since the days of the NES, which allows for greater precision in 2D side scrollers. 

With the fact that the D-Pad is so great on the Pro Controller, it really shows just how lacking the split-button D-Pad attempt on the right-hand side of the Joy-Con is. 

Just like most things, this controller isn’t perfect, and one of its biggest flaws are its rear trigger. The problem that most gamers have with them is that the rear triggers don’t have as much depth to them as other premium controllers may have, these triggers actually feel a lot more similar to the shoulder buttons than they would deep triggers. Although this may not affect every game, games like shooter and racing titles definitely feel a little bit funky. 

Final Words

All in all, the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is an amazing pad and it’s definitely a must have if you use your Nintendo Switch at home quite often, but is also great for just playing on tabletops wherever. Sadly, this is also one of the most expensive pads that you can purchase for the Nintendo Switch and will set you back $69.99, but there are no other options out there that are able to give you the NFC capabilities as well as the capacious built-in battery capabilities that this one can. In conclusion, this is definitely a premium addition that you can add to your whole Switch set-up.