After years of speculation and rumors, I finally got to go hands-on with the Nintendo Switch 2 this week in New York.
The new console feels great in hand thanks to its larger size and improved Joy-Cons but playing the Switch 2 in TV mode was one of my highlights from the event and that’s all thanks to the new Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller.
Back when the original Switch launched, I picked up a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller with it as I preferred its larger buttons and full-size thumbsticks over the ones in the Joy-Cons that came with the console. While I appreciated how Nintendo included a Joy-Con Grip in the box for when you didn’t want to play with split Joy-Cons but personally, I wanted a larger controller for longer sessions.
I’ve now spent years testing and reviewing the best Nintendo Switch controllers and while the official Pro Controller always ranked high on my list, I often found myself using other third-party pro controllers instead due to one killer feature many of them had that Nintendo’s lacked.
Now with the Switch 2, I don’t think that will be the case. This is because Nintendo made one crucial upgrade to the Switch 2 Pro Controller that I’ve wanted for years and it was the first thing I noticed when I held it in my hands.
Just as comfortable as the original
If you’ve used the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller before, you’ll be right at home with this new version of the controller for the Switch 2. Its button layout is nearly identical to the original and it feels just as good if not better in hand too.
While I got the upgrade I wanted (more on that later), if you were hoping that the Switch 2 Pro Controller would get analog triggers, you’re out of luck there.
In a Q&A session after my hands-on experience with the Switch 2, the creators of Nintendo’s latest console Kouichi Kawamoto, Takuhiro Dohta and Tetsuya Sasaki explained why they went with digital triggers instead.
Although analog triggers are better in racing games where you need more fine-tuned control, digital triggers are easier to press and respond immediately which is why the new Joy-Cons and Pro Controller feature them instead.
Another upgrade that many people were hoping for was Hall Effect sensors to help prevent stick drift. This hasn’t been officially confirmed or denied by Nintendo yet but the new thumbsticks in the Switch 2 Pro Controller definitely feel better based on my experience.
They’re smoother overall and I really like how responsive they are. These new thumbsticks also return to center even faster when you pull them to one side and then let them go.
In an Ask the Developer post on Nintendo’s site, Kawamoto explains that while the Switch 2 Pro Controller looks almost indistinguishable from the previous controller at first glance, it was completely redesigned from scratch.
"In particular, the left and right control sticks are quieter and don’t make noise, even when they’re moved quickly to the edge," Kawamoto said. "Also, they glide very smoothly, so we've taken to calling them ‘smooth-gliding sticks.’"
Now with more buttons
Besides the new Switch 2 logo, the most notable change on the front of the Switch 2 Pro is the addition of Nintendo’s new C-button between the controller’s D-pad and right thumbstick. Since GameChat is one of the main new features of the Switch 2, it makes sense that the button to access it is front and center. However, I like the fact that Nintendo kept the Switch 2 Pro controller’s Plus, Minus, Home and Screenshot buttons in the same place as they were on the original.
The positioning of this new C-button also makes a great deal of sense given the Switch 2’s UI. When activated, the GameChat menu pops up from the bottom of the Switch 2’s screen or your TV depending on which mode you’re currently using. It’s a small but nice touch which shows how much attention to detail Nintendo put into the Switch 2.
I can’t wait to try out GameChat for myself so that I can stay in touch with my friends even while we’re all playing different games without having to load up Discord or another third-party game chat service. However, the new C-button is far from my favorite Switch 2 Pro Controller feature.
When I first picked up a Switch 2 Pro Controller while playing the demo for Mario Kart World, I couldn’t believe what my fingers found on the back. Right at the top of the controller’s handles, there are now two remappable GL and GR buttons. Of course, they weren’t mapped to anything and I wasn’t able to exit Mario Kart World to set them up, but just knowing they were there immediately got me excited about this new controller.
After playing Mario Kart World, I made my way up the stairs at the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience and I got to try out even more Switch 2 games coming to the new console. I had a lot of fun working my way through all of the various game demos but Donkey Kong Bananza was definitely one of the highlights for me.
Being able to punch my way through the ground, deep down into mountains and even into enemies was really fun and doing so felt very fluid too. During the demo though, I kept wishing B which lets you punch down was mapped to one of these buttons since I used it quite a lot during my short playthrough.
This 'pro' feature needs to be standardized
If you grew up playing video games like I did, your thumbs are likely feeling a bit of wear and tear from all that button mashing. In my case, my right thumb tends to get sore easily which really isn’t conducive for constantly hitting a controller’s face buttons. This is why now I only use controllers with back buttons or back paddles when possible.
I know a lot of people like to map them to L3 and R3 so they don’t have to push in on their controller’s thumbsticks. However, I always map to the face buttons instead. When I’m using a controller with two back buttons, I usually have one mapped to A and the other mapped to B. On controllers with four back buttons or paddles though, I map all of the face buttons to them so that my thumbs never have to leave their thumbsticks.
Back when the PS5 and Xbox Series X launched, I was really surprised that the controllers both consoles shipped with didn’t have back buttons. This was especially true for the PS5 as I thought this was almost a given after Sony released the DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment late into the PS4’s lifespan. To Microsoft’s credit, the Xbox Elite Core controller gives you the option to add four back paddles for a lot less than the more expensive Elite Series 2 controller. Meanwhile, Sony did eventually bring back remappable back buttons to the PS5 with its DualSense Edge controller, though at a much higher price.
Now with the Switch 2, Nintendo is giving players a first-party controller option with back buttons built in. At $109, the Switch 2 Pro Controller will cost around what the Xbox Elite Core controller does. I know some people prefer the smaller buttons on Nintendo’s Joy-Cons and much to my surprise, the new Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip also features GL/GR buttons too and will be available for just $35.
The Switch 2 will cost more than Nintendo’s first hybrid console but like I did when I first got my Switch, there’s no doubt I’ll be picking up a Switch 2 Pro Controller to go with it, especially now that it has the one feature I’ve always wanted in the original.
More from Tom's Guide
- I played over a dozen games on the Switch 2 and I have a surprise favorite so far
- Nintendo Switch 2 vs Nintendo Switch — here’s everything that's new
- I was torn on Switch 2 but this one FromSoftware game just convinced me to pre-order
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
