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Jeff Dunn
Welcome to Ars 2019 Game Week! As a staff of players and gaming enthusiasts, we will offer critics, guides, interviews and other reports on the game from August 19th to 23rd.
The Nintendo Switch is one of the most inventive elements of consumer technology in recent memory, but some good accessories can make it more practical everyday. And to get ready for Ars Game Week, we spent the last few months researching and testing various controllers, chargers, adapters and all sorts of extra gadgets to determine which of these accessories was worth buying the most. .
Note that all tests were done on an original Switch console, not on the newer model with improved battery life (and some other significant upgrades) or on the future Switch Lite, which includes Joy-Con controllers are not detachable. We'll be updating this guide in the future as more great accessories come on the market (I'm still waiting for an interesting Switch headset), but here's how to optimize everyone's favorite handheld right away.
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Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Jeff Dunn
The versatility of the Switch is a major element of its appeal, but for it to reach its portable objectives, the Nintendo console had to make very clear sacrifices with the hardware. One of the most obvious drawbacks is its "Joy-Con" controller, which is split in two and comes off the base of the console itself.
Given the lens of the device, the Joy-Cons is probably a compromise as effective as what Nintendo could produce. But, compared to the more classic gaming tablets of a PlayStation 4 or an Xbox One, they are significantly less comfortable: the buttons are tiny and do not satisfy the task, everything is tighter and some controllers seem to pose reliability problems in the long run. .
If you mainly use the switch as an oversized Game Boy, you can not do anything about it. However, if you install it often on a TV or on a stand, the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is a worthwhile investment. If you have a habit of playing with a PlayStation or, in particular, with an Xbox, you will feel at home: you will have more space to grab, you will give more to the buttons, to the handles of gripping and in sufficient space between all elements of the controller. . It's immediately and considerably more comfortable. There is also a real d-pad, and its rechargeable battery lasts about 35-40 hours per charge. Since the Pro Controller is supported on Steam, it can also serve as a convenient controller for PC gamers (though it requires a little more configuration to work outside the Valve client). It does not sacrifice Nintendo's control of Amiibo's movements either.
The price charged by Nintendo at $ 70 for the Pro Controller is undeniably steep, and having an integrated headphone jack like the respective controllers of Sony and Microsoft would have been appreciated. But if you often hold the switch down and play for long periods of time, the Pro Controller should be a pleasure to use.
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
8BitDo SN30 Pro
Jeff Dunn
One of the most exciting benefits of Nintendo's Switch Online service is the classic NES game library provided with the subscription. At the time of writing, more than 40 titles were available, with others added to the virtual console every month. If you're using the NES app specifically, or if you're just playing a lot of games with retro-style RPG and platform games, the 8BitDo's SN30 Pro is a big hit. It's a clean reconstruction of a Super Nintendo gamepad but with PlayStation-style gamepad and dual-trigger buttons that allow it to work with more modern games.
For this to work, you must appreciate the SNES style: the "dog bone" shape of the SN30 Pro is virtually identical to that of the original SNES pad. It is therefore much smaller than the modern joysticks and its lack of handles makes it less comfortable to grip. . But if you're still interested, 8BitDo makes this design as refined and responsive as possible. The trigger buttons are smaller than I would like, but they are set sufficiently clear to prevent accidental pressure. The four buttons on the face allow the proper movement, while the d-pad is neither too firm nor too soft. The joysticks are clickable and smooth to turn. They do not interfere with the traditional elements of the SNES style, even for those with bigger hands like me. The start and select buttons have clever + and – symbols next to them to indicate their use on the switch, and home and screen capture buttons are always available. Motion controls and basic Rumble functionality are also supported. This did not cause latency issues or input delays. 8BitDo evaluates the battery life of the pad at around 18 hours, which corresponds to my experience. Fortunately, it recharges quickly via a USB-C port, but it does not work when it is connected to a Switch docking station.
8BitDo sells a more faithful replica of the SNES gaming console called SN30, but the absence of ZL and ZR buttons on this tablet makes it difficult to use with the Switch interface, and its lack of joysticks makes it useless for most newer games. More recently, the company introduced the SN30 Pro +, which has a more modern design with grab handles, but at this point you are close enough to the more comfortable Pro Controller that I would recommend to most switch owners. The SN30 Pro is cleaner and sharper between utility and nostalgia: it gives this authentic feel to retro style games. Although it would not be my first choice for newer titles, she can still handle them. Rumor has it that Nintendo will be working on a SNES style keypad, but the SN30 Pro has the advantage of running on Windows, Mac, Android and Raspberry Pi in addition to the switch.
8BitDo SN30 Pro
PowerA GameCube Style Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch
Let's continue the nostalgic train. If you still like the, say, particular the old Nintendo GameCube controller – or you're just a simple Super Smash Bros. fanatic who thinks that the series has culminated with Melee– The PowerA GameCube Style Wireless Controller could be useful for longer gaming sessions.
To be honest, this joystick is not as well made as the aforementioned Switch Pro controller or the SN30 Pro. Its hard plastic chassis seems less expensive, it lacks vibrations and the support of the Amiibo scanner. In addition, pressing the ZR trigger creates a hollow "echo" vibration in the rest of the controller. It also works with AA batteries instead of an integrated rechargeable unit, although it lasts 30 hours of battery life.
This controller has the usual screen capture and switch menu buttons, but it is wireless, supports motion controls, and has no latency issues. More importantly, it is as close as possible to the modern facsimile of a GameCube controller. PersonallyIt's not a huge selling point: the uneven-face buttons, thinner handles, the tiny D touchpad and the rigid C-stick have not bothered me in the 18 years that have followed the launch of the GameCube. But I can not deny the many people who love the feel of the original GameCube pad – this controller allows it.
It is a particularly wise choice if you are a big one Smash Bros. player. The octagonal doors around the left joystick make it easier to enter precise inputs (top left, bottom right, etc.) than the smoother doors on the Switch Pro joysticks. And the shorter length of this handle, as well as the proximity of buttons on the front, are more conducive to the speed of entries. So, although I can not recommend this gamepad as universally as the Switch Pro controller, you could do worse for $ 45 if you just want that classic GameCube.
PowerA GameCube Style Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch
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