Does anyone know any reliable Nintendo Controllers for the Switch?

[Mr_Keroppi]

Hello everyone! Its me again. Today I just wanted to ask if anyone knows any Nintendo Controllers for the switch that are not completely trash? I have been 3 3 pairs of joy cons in 3 years. I am getting a little angry. I have to pay anywhere from 75-90 dollars for a set of joycons that are: Cheaply made, last barely a year, buttons will stop responding in 8 months, the back triggers get stuck after playing Splatoon and Animal Crossing for 6 months, finally they drift and then get fixed and than drift again. I even got one of those Power A controllers and it just stopped working after about 1.5 years. I am just going crazy how my Wii Remotes that I have had since 2012 STILL work and have NO flaws at all after playing with them literally every single day. My Wii U has THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS of hours and my Wii remotes are still fine. I still play Mario kart on it with my parents and guess what the remotes work. They only retailed for $35.99 - $39.99 which is OVER HALF THE PRICE OF A SET OF JOY CONS. I know its just complaining but I hate almost everything but the games on the switch. Even then half the games are poorly made and "finish later games". I just don't understand the appeal of the switch at all anymore. I am tired of saving my money for months and months just to have my controllers break all over again. I am not an adult and my parents also believe that its insanely dumb. I would much rather spend my money on new baking supplies, coloring books, keychains, and more Keroppi stuff but instead I buy controllers that last a few months.

TLDR I am basically asking if anyone knows any good controllers for the switch, I do not care if its a pro controller or a joycon. I am even fine with fake ones at this point if you know that they work and are not over priced.

 

[xSuperMario64x]

if you get Nintendo brand joycons/pro controllers that's your best option in terms of quality.

though I actually have a Power A pro controller and it still works fine after about 2 years (to be fair I don't play my switch constantly so idk if that makes a difference).

you can also consider getting a Mayflash adapter and a first party Gamecube controller, though it won't have a screenshot or home button unfortunately. I think Nintendo actually makes Gamecube controllers specifically for the switch with the home/screenshot buttons so that's also an option.

 

[Mr_Keroppi]

if you get Nintendo brand joycons/pro controllers that's your best option in terms of quality.

though I actually have a Power A pro controller and it still works fine after about 2 years (to be fair I don't play my switch constantly so idk if that makes a difference).

you can also consider getting a Mayflash adapter and a first party Gamecube controller, though it won't have a screenshot or home button unfortunately. I think Nintendo actually makes Gamecube controllers specifically for the switch with the home/screenshot buttons so that's also an option.

I have bought way to many official joy cons so I am not even going to buy anymore as they are a fat waste of money. My Power A stopped working. I miiiight try the official pro controllers with the amiibo reader but they are like 86 dollars..... even they have bad drift reviews and stuff. I might think about it. Thank you so much for sharing your opinion and insight! <3

 

[Croconaw]

I only ever used the Nintendo branded controllers because I’m a brand nazi, lmao. I actually only had the Switch, so I’m not a good person to ask for advice on controllers. All controllers break eventually, though. You may have just had bad luck with the Nintendo brand. I think those are the best in terms of quality. You get what you pay for, after all.

 

[Halloqueen]

I've had an official Pro Controller since December of 2018 and have yet to encounter drift. I purposefully got a Pro Controller back then because of all the reports of people's left Joy-Cons drifting since I didn't want to have to deal with it. I basically haven't touched the Joy-Cons outside of the first few weeks I had the Switch until I got the Pro Controller (and I was playing games on my GameCube controller in the meantime, only using the Joy-Con to hit the home button), so I still have my initial ones.

A friend of mine used to play on drifting Joy-Cons until I recommended the Pro Controller and she hasn't had problems since. I can't guarantee it won't happen eventually to you or us, but I'd say it's worth a shot. It might not be a bad idea to get another pair of Joy-Cons at a later time just strictly for use in any games that require them, like Super Mario Party or Let's Go, Pikachu/Eevee! (or any other games you might have that only use them) and just leave them stored away until you need to use them.

 

[g u a v a]

bought a pro con a few years back and i've played like 600 hours of splatoon on them at least and they're still good as new.

would recommend over joy cons anytime.

 

[your local goomy]

I've only ever used the Hori HORIPAD wired controller and I really enjoy it, if you're ok with wires of course. It's a basic budget controller with some lacking features (no rumble, amiibo support, and I'm nooooot sure about motion controls, I only ever used it for SwSh and AC), but Hori also has the Split Pad Pro if you want something resembling Joycons. But I've only ever heard good things about Nintendo's Pro Controller, so that's just another suggestion.

 

[Mr_Keroppi]

I only ever used the Nintendo branded controllers because I’m a brand nazi, lmao. I actually only had the Switch, so I’m not a good person to ask for advice on controllers. All controllers break eventually, though. You may have just had bad luck with the Nintendo brand. I think those are the best in terms of quality. You get what you pay for, after all.

I think I am just unlucky. All my Wii U and Gamecube controllers work fine after all this time so I keep thinking its the switch. Even my 3DS is in perfect condition. It may just be my switch luck though! Thanks for responding and stay happy

Post automatically merged: Feb 15, 2022

I've had an official Pro Controller since December of 2018 and have yet to encounter drift. I purposefully got a Pro Controller back then because of all the reports of people's left Joy-Cons drifting since I didn't want to have to deal with it. I basically haven't touched the Joy-Cons outside of the first few weeks I had the Switch until I got the Pro Controller (and I was playing games on my GameCube controller in the meantime, only using the Joy-Con to hit the home button), so I still have my initial ones.

A friend of mine used to play on drifting Joy-Cons until I recommended the Pro Controller and she hasn't had problems since. I can't guarantee it won't happen eventually to you or us, but I'd say it's worth a shot. It might not be a bad idea to get another pair of Joy-Cons at a later time just strictly for use in any games that require them, like Super Mario Party or Let's Go, Pikachu/Eevee! (or any other games you might have that only use them) and just leave them stored away until you need to use them.

I might try a Pro Controller! And I should get extra Joycon's just for my games like those. Thanks for your input and I hope your day has been amazing!! <3

Post automatically merged: Feb 15, 2022

I've only ever used the Hori HORIPAD wired controller and I really enjoy it, if you're ok with wires of course. It's a basic budget controller with some lacking features (no rumble, amiibo support, and I'm nooooot sure about motion controls, I only ever used it for SwSh and AC), but Hori also has the Split Pad Pro if you want something resembling Joycons. But I've only ever heard good things about Nintendo's Pro Controller, so that's just another suggestion.

I have a hori wired controller! It didnt have too much to do but it IS STILL PERFECT. I think its AN AMAZING CONTROLLER. The only thing is I play Splatoon with motion so I only used it for ACNH. Its a great controller for people who dont care about motion!

 

[~Kilza~]

I'll echo what some of the other people have said and recommend just getting a Switch Pro Controller. I've had one since December 2018 and it hasn't given me any problems despite using it for hundreds of hours of gameplay in a whole bunch of games. I also find it much comfier to use than the Joy-Cons, lol.

 

[Flicky]

I have two Pro Controllers - the PDP Pikachu controller and the PowerA Animal Crossing (more recent). The PDP controller is much heavier, but I don't think one is better than the other. They both work great!

My Joy-cons are already on their way out, despite not having as much use as the Pro Controllers - drifting is becoming more common, and I find the left analog stick rather stiff. I'm not going to bother replacing them, though. I don't use handheld enough for it to be a problem just yet, so I'll also recommend the other Pro Controller recommendations as well.

 

[ali.di.magix]

A bit of a late response, but I thought I'd add my 2 cents.

I've had 3 wired Power A controller's and none of them have survived more than a couple months, so I definitely don't recommend them. However, they have good customer service as they were happy to provide replacements and offer different options for free. Definitely cheaper, but not a long lasting option in my experience.

I haven't tried PDP controllers, however I did have a wired one for my Xbox. I think that lasted around a year or so before the joystick broke. I got it replaced through EB Games since it was still under warranty and I still had the receipt.

I've had experience with 3 pairs of joycons. 2 pairs have slight drift on them now. The ones I have on my switch don't drift yet, but that's simply because I don't use them that often. Neither of them have bad enough drift for replacement though. However I just don't like using them as I'd rather have a larger controller.

I've had 4 official pro controller's. The first one got really bad drifting after about 6 months. I got that replaced through EB Games. Second one started drifting after 1.5 years. I sent that one to Nintendo for repair, they found that the motherboard was faulty and they sent a new replacement for free. This one is still going strong after a couple years, no problems whatsoever. I also have a Smash edition pro controller that I've had since it released, and this one has is still going okay. It has a tiny bit of drift/unresponsiveness but nothing too major. It's had a hard life of 1000+ hours of splatoon and Fortnite though lol.

Overall, I've had the best experience with the pro controller's and wouldn't try anything else. My advice is to:
- always keep your receipts. Try to claim warranty when you can, or negotiate with the shop you brought it from. If your controller faults after a short amount of time (<2 years) they'll most likely to to repair/replace it for you
- use Nintendo! They have fabulous customer service from my experience, and if they find a manufacturing fault in your item they'll replace it for free. They provide free shipping as well and I think they fix joycons for free nowadays if you're in America
- do NOT tell the retailer you brought it from that it's drifting as they most likely won't do anything about it. A lot of stores don't include drifting in their return policies anymore. Just avoid the word "drift" at all costs lol

Hopefully my experiences may help you!

 

[Mr_Keroppi]

A bit of a late response, but I thought I'd add my 2 cents.

I've had 3 wired Power A controller's and none of them have survived more than a couple months, so I definitely don't recommend them. However, they have good customer service as they were happy to provide replacements and offer different options for free. Definitely cheaper, but not a long lasting option in my experience.

I haven't tried PDP controllers, however I did have a wired one for my Xbox. I think that lasted around a year or so before the joystick broke. I got it replaced through EB Games since it was still under warranty and I still had the receipt.

I've had experience with 3 pairs of joycons. 2 pairs have slight drift on them now. The ones I have on my switch don't drift yet, but that's simply because I don't use them that often. Neither of them have bad enough drift for replacement though. However I just don't like using them as I'd rather have a larger controller.

I've had 4 official pro controller's. The first one got really bad drifting after about 6 months. I got that replaced through EB Games. Second one started drifting after 1.5 years. I sent that one to Nintendo for repair, they found that the motherboard was faulty and they sent a new replacement for free. This one is still going strong after a couple years, no problems whatsoever. I also have a Smash edition pro controller that I've had since it released, and this one has is still going okay. It has a tiny bit of drift/unresponsiveness but nothing too major. It's had a hard life of 1000+ hours of splatoon and Fortnite though lol.

Overall, I've had the best experience with the pro controller's and wouldn't try anything else. My advice is to:
- always keep your receipts. Try to claim warranty when you can, or negotiate with the shop you brought it from. If your controller faults after a short amount of time (<2 years) they'll most likely to to repair/replace it for you
- use Nintendo! They have fabulous customer service from my experience, and if they find a manufacturing fault in your item they'll replace it for free. They provide free shipping as well and I think they fix joycons for free nowadays if you're in America
- do NOT tell the retailer you brought it from that it's drifting as they most likely won't do anything about it. A lot of stores don't include drifting in their return policies anymore. Just avoid the word "drift" at all costs lol

Hopefully my experiences may help you!

Thank you so much for all the information This helps me so much! I really still have been looking to find something reliable! I wish the quality was better but thank you so so so much for all of this amazing info!!!!

 

[RemMomori]

I have this Mytrix pro controller that I have been using for a couple months now and still works great. It's wireless and has motion controls, I have been playing alot of splatoon and animal crossing with it. It's only $35 dollars on amazon. I have the pink version but I'm not sure if there are any other colors.

 

[Mr_Keroppi]

I have this Mytrix pro controller that I have been using for a couple months now and still works great. It's wireless and has motion controls, I have been playing alot of splatoon and animal crossing with it. It's only $35 dollars on amazon. I have the pink version but I'm not sure if there are any other colors.

That sounds amazing! Its also affordable! If there is a green one I am buying!!!

 

[Matt0106]

I got the official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller on a good Black Friday deal in November/December of 2018. My Joy-Cons were drifting and it really did turn me away from playing my Switch, but once I got the Pro Controller, all of that went away. It is probably the best controller I've ever had; it's comfortable, has a nice look, has GREAT analog sticks and the battery life is unmatched. Even though I got mine for like 30% off (was honestly such a steal, still so happy about it to this day), it's still a great controller even at full price. This year will be the fourth year since I bought it, and it is still going strong.

I now also have two new pairs of Joy-Cons though, and they've been doing well *knocks on wood*; I think what helped was having that Pro Controller for more intensive games like Splatoon 2 and Smash Bros., and then I would strictly use the Joy-Cons for portable play for games that were less intensive and didn't require absurdly quick inputs.

 

[Mr_Keroppi]

I got the official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller on a good Black Friday deal in November/December of 2018. My Joy-Cons were drifting and it really did turn me away from playing my Switch, but once I got the Pro Controller, all of that went away. It is probably the best controller I've ever had; it's comfortable, has a nice look, has GREAT analog sticks and the battery life is unmatched. Even though I got mine for like 30% off (was honestly such a steal, still so happy about it to this day), it's still a great controller even at full price. This year will be the fourth year since I bought it, and it is still going strong.

I now also have two new pairs of Joy-Cons though, and they've been doing well *knocks on wood*; I think what helped was having that Pro Controller for more intensive games like Splatoon 2 and Smash Bros., and then I would strictly use the Joy-Cons for portable play for games that were less intensive and didn't require absurdly quick inputs.

A ton of people have said that one is great so I might get it! I heard it also has amiibo support? If so than thats perfect because I have way to many amiibos!!! Thank you so much for your opinion! I saw there was a special splatoon themed one with green and pink I may buy! <3

 

[Matt0106]

A ton of people have said that one is great so I might get it! I heard it also has amiibo support? If so than thats perfect because I have way to many amiibos!!! Thank you so much for your opinion! I saw there was a special splatoon themed one with green and pink I may buy! <3

Yes, it has amiibo support! Aside from not being able to separate into two controllers, it has all the features that the Joy-Cons have.

 

[Holla]

I also only have good things to say about the Pro Controller. I have had one (The Splatoon edition one) for as long as my original pair of matching green and pink Joycons (since 2017) and it still works great. My Joycons however had to be sent in for repair back in 2020 for drifting.

I can't really get away from Joycons though since I love handheld gaming so much so I know I'll have to send them in again for repair at some point. I just hope they are still offering free repairs by then. I do play several games docked though and I always use my Pro Controller in that case. Not only has it never had any issues but it is so much nicer to hold and use than any pair of joycons.

 

[Kitsuragi]

i can't recommend the pro controller enough. i just sold mine because of money woes but i will definitely be buying another. i love joycons for the customization and cuteness of how small they are but theyre really poo quality. the pro controller is great and its the only controller i use(d) for my switch. i even used it on PC and phone for gaming.

 

[Mr_Keroppi]

i can't recommend the pro controller enough. i just sold mine because of money woes but i will definitely be buying another. i love joycons for the customization and cuteness of how small they are but theyre really poo quality. the pro controller is great and its the only controller i use(d) for my switch. i even used it on PC and phone for gaming.

I guess I am 100% getting a switch pro controller oneday! I might get the splatoon one! Lots of people have recommended it so hopefully if I get one it does not break or work like TRASH. Thank you so much for your input! This should help me