If you own a Nintendo Switch, you already own a pair of miniature the best PC game controllers.
The console's included Joy-Con gamepads can be connected to just about any PC or Mac that supports Bluetooth, making them a great option for retro games or multiplayer titles that you need a few extra controllers for. If you're looking to add a little Nintendo flair to your favorite PC games, here's how to get started.
How to Pair a Joy-Con to PC and Mac
1. Open your PC's settings menu and select "Bluetooth & other devices." On Mac, select System Preferences > Bluetooth.
2. Select "Add Bluetooth or other device" and click on Bluetooth.
3. Hold down your Joy-Con's sync button, which is the tiny black dot located between the SL and SR buttons.
4. Select Joy-Con from the menu. Your controller will now be paired. For some reason, the Joy-Con's syncing lights continue to flash even when the controller is paired, but as long as you follow these steps, you'll be connected.
As you might expect, Joy-Cons aren't a perfect solution for PC gaming. The controller worked instantly with titles like Tekken 7 and Pocket Rumble, while other games, such as Rise of the Tomb Raider and Rivals of Aether, didn't recognize the gamepad at all. For the titles that did work, I often had to remap the buttons in each game's settings menu -- which makes sense, considering the Joy-Cons have a different button layout than a standard PC controller.
MORE: How to Use Any Controller on PC
Pro Controller and Connected Joy-Cons
If you have Nintendo's more traditional Switch Pro Controller, you can connect it to your computer via Bluetooth by following the same steps as you would to pair a single Joy-Con. Just like with the Joy-Cons themselves, though, not every PC game will work out of the box with a Pro Controller.
There's no easy way to use two Joy-Cons together as a single controller on PC, but you can make it happen with a little bit of technical trickery. As pointed out in this Reddit tutorial, you can use the vJoy application to trick your computer into thinking your Joy-Cons are a regular old PC controller. While you'll have to follow a decent amount of steps and fudge with some settings, you'll be able to use your connected Joy-Cons just like you would with your Switch on your TV.
