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Title: Switch 2 Pro Controller review: Nintendo's best gamepad simply costs
too much

Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2025 15:13:30 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/swit...

For as long as I can remember, Nintendo's gamepads have been a core part of
my life. The NES's original rectangular controller was awfully unergonomic,
but I still loved it, and it set me down the path of being a lifelong gaming
and gadget geek. The SNES's rounded gamepad practically defined my childhood.
It's so iconic, you can still see echoes of its layout in most controllers
today. I didn't have much love for the Nintendo 64's triple-armed monstrosity
(or that system in general), but the Gamecube's cartoonishly quirky
controller was fantastic, especially when Nintendo's WaveBird finally made
wireless gaming a reality. And while I didnΓÇÖt like the Wiimote or Wii U
tablet much either, I can respect the swings Nintendo took with both of them.

So, believe me when I say this: The Switch 2 Pro Controller is the best
gamepad Nintendo has ever made. It feels wonderfully ergonomic and luxurious
in your hands, its joysticks are buttery smooth and all of its buttons
deliver excellent feedback. It's a huge step up from the original Switch's
Pro controller, which felt weirdly cheap and plasticky, especially when
rotating its analog sticks. And, as an added bonus, the Switch 2 Pro
controller is also customizable, thanks to two rear buttons that can be
quickly programmed in any game. There's even a 3.5mm jack to plug in wired
headphones, something I've never seen on a Nintendo controller before (but
which has been standard on Xbox and PlayStation systems for decades).

The Switch 2 Pro Controller isn't perfect, though. For one, it costs $85 (up
from its originally announced $80 price, thanks to the Trump administration's
tariffs). I suppose that's not as bad as buying a whole new pair of Joy-Con
2s for $95, and it's not too far off from the PlayStation 5's $75 Dual Sense
2, but it still stings. It's even more painful when you consider that
8Bitdo's excellent Ultimate wireless controller currently costs $50 (down
from a $70 launch price), it works with the Switch 2, has rear buttons and it
features Hall effect joysticks. That means they're impervious to the drifting
problem that plagued the Switch 1's controllers.

While gamers have been begging Nintendo to implement Hall effect sticks for
years, the company still hasn't listened. Both the Joy-Con 2 and Switch 2 Pro
Controller appear to use the same mechanism as the Switch 1's accessories. In
an interview, Nintendo producer Kouichi Kawamoto said the company "redesigned
everything from scratch," for the Joy-Con 2, and from my time with the Pro 2
Controller it also feels significantly different than before. But really, all
I can do is hope and pray it doesn't start drifting. One Reddit user claimed
that their Switch 2 Joy-Cons were drifting right out of the box, but that
doesn't appear to be a widespread issue.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Beyond the pricing and technical disappointments, though, the Switch 2 Pro
Controller is a dream to play with. It seriously leveled-up my Mario Kart
World performance, since it was easier to drift around corners and hop up to
rails without cramping my hands, something that's unavoidable with the Joy-
Con 2. I was able to play for several hours with the new Pro controller and I
didn't notice any pain, and I could also still hold it easily as my palms got
sweaty.

As someone who was raised on every version of Street Fighter 2 on the SNES, I
also had to put the Switch 2 Pro Controller through its paces for fighting
games. And let me tell you, the hadoukens came easily. The controller's D-pad
sits under my left thumb comfortably, and itΓÇÖs a cinch to click and rotate
to perform Street Fighter 2 moves. While playing Soulcalibur 2 (now available
as part of the Gamecube Classics for Nintendo Online subscribers), the Switch
2 Pro controller was also comfortable while holding my right fingers above
the face buttons, similar to an arcade stick. (That's a Soulcalibur technique
I learned on the Dreamcast and never let go.)

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Despite being fine-tuned for Mario Kart, the Switch 2 Pro Controller isn't
ideal for more realistic racing games since it doesn't have analog triggers
like its predecessor. Nintendo engineers have said in interviews that the
company opted for digital triggers since they're quicker to respond. Premium
gamepads like the Xbox Elite have switches that let you choose between quick
trigger modes and long analog presses, so there's clearly a cure for
Nintendo's analog aversion. But implementing that sort of customization also
makes gamepads far more complex and expensive.

At least Nintendo gave us a modicum of customization with the Switch 2 Pro
controllerΓÇÖs rear GL and GR buttons, which sit right above the handle
grips. You can instantly remap their functionality in any game from the
Switch 2ΓÇÖs quick settings menu, making it easier to do things like switch
weapons or jump without moving your thumbs away from the joysticks. I ended
up remapping the drift and action buttons in Mario Kart World to GL and GR,
which helped me avoid reaching up to hit the top trigger buttons. You can
also remap all of the Switch 2 Pro ControllerΓÇÖs buttons from the Switch
2ΓÇÖs accessibility menu, where you can create presets for different titles
too.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

After around 10 hours of playing a variety of games, the Switch 2 Pro
ControllerΓÇÖs battery fell to 82 percent. Nintendo claims it can last up to
40 hours, but unfortunately I havenΓÇÖt been able to play that much during
this review. Based on what IΓÇÖm seeing, though, the gamepad should reach 40
hours easily.

As much as I like the Switch 2 Pro Controller, itΓÇÖs undoubtedly an
extravagance at $85 when 8BitdoΓÇÖs Ultimate gamepad offers even more
features for $50. But if youΓÇÖre a dedicated Nintendo fan, or you just
canΓÇÖt accept third-party controllers, itΓÇÖs also one of the best gamepads
you can buy today.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/swit...
nintendos-best-gamepad-simply-costs-too-much-151330215.html?src=rss

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