Switch 2 Pro Controller review: Nintendo's best gamepad simply costs too much
Posted by Oriccabattery01
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16 Jun 2025 06:30:44 am.
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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 didn’t like the Wiimote or Wii U tablet much either, I can respect the swings Nintendo took with both of them.
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Switch 2 Pro Controller
The Switch 2 Pro controller is clearly the most refined gamepad Nintendo has ever made. It’s just a shame that it’s so expensive and doesn’t have Hall effect sticks.
Pros
- Incredibly smooth joysticks
- Responsive face buttons
- Accurate D-pad
- Comfortable ergonomics
- Customizable rear buttons
Cons
- So expensive
- No Hall effect sticks
- No analog triggers
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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).
Switch 2 Pro Controller
Switch 2 Pro Controller
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 that8Bitdo's excellent Ultimate wireless controllercurrently costs $50 (down from a $70 launch price), it works with the Switch 2, has rear buttonsandit 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 Kawamotosaid 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.
Beyond the pricing and technical disappointments, though, the Switch 2 Pro Controller is a dream to play with. It seriously leveled-up myMario Kart Worldperformance, 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 ofStreet Fighter 2on 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 it’s a cinch to click and rotate to performStreet Fighter 2moves. While playingSoulcalibur 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 aSoulcaliburtechnique I learned on the Dreamcast and never let go.)
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At least Nintendo gave us a modicum of customization with the Switch 2 Pro controller’s rear GL and GR buttons, which sit right above the handle grips. You can instantly remap their functionality in any game from the Switch 2’s 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 Controller’s buttons from the Switch 2’s accessibility menu, where you can create presets for different titles too.
After around 10 hours of playing a variety of games, the Switch 2 Pro Controller’s battery fell to 82 percent. Nintendo claims it can last up to 40 hours, but unfortunately I haven’t been able to play that much during this review. Based on what I’m seeing, though, the gamepad should reach 40 hours easily.
As much as I like the Switch 2 Pro Controller, it’s undoubtedly an extravagance at $85 when 8Bitdo’s Ultimate gamepad offers even more features for $50. But if you’re a dedicated Nintendo fan, or you just can’t accept third-party controllers, it’s also one of the best gamepads you can buy today.
Should you buy the Switch 2 Pro Controller?
You should buy the Switch 2 Pro Controller if you:
- Like the original Switch Pro Controller
- Primarily play docked
- Enjoy extra buttons and button remapping
- Prefer a more quality feel compared to the Joy-Cons
You should not buy the Switch 2 Pro Controller if you:
- Primarily play handheld
- Don't care about back buttons or button remapping
- Don't like controllers that smudge easily
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