I’ve owned my Nintendo Switch since launch day in March 2017, and over the past five and a half years I’ve put tens, if not hundreds, of hours of gaming into this stylish home/portable hybrid. Until this week, I was only using the default Joy-Cons. I’ve never tried our pick of the best Nintendo Switch console, the aptly named Nintendo Switch Pro console.
For years I’ve heard nothing but good things about Nintendo’s premium console option, but I’ve stuck with my Joy-Cons for a number of reasons. First, the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is a fairly significant investment that costs about $60 to sell, and up to $75 at full retail. On top of that, I mostly play my Switch in portable mode so I wasn’t convinced I’d get enough Pro Controller use to justify the cost.
However, earlier this month, after getting frustrated with the Joy-Cons, I decided it was finally time to upgrade my Switch console and see if the Pro console was really worth all the hype (I’ve had more people than I can remind him of swearing. This pillow is a real game-changer.) And after a few days of use, I’m kicking myself for not switching sooner. Now that I’ve finally used the Nintendo Switch Pro controller, I wish I had given up the Joy-Cons years ago.
Say goodbye to Joy-Cons
Joy-Cons have been somewhat divisive since the Nintendo Switch first launched. Key owners have complained about everything from their small size causing hand cramps during long gaming sessions, to the well-documented problem of stick drift (an issue I’ve encountered on a couple of occasions).
Despite these issues, I personally stuck with the Joy-Cons primarily because I enjoyed the flexibility they offered to jump between mobile and TV play. After all, one of the main selling points of the Nintendo Switch system is the ability to switch between playing on the TV and playing on a handheld device without even having to pause your game.
However, last month I was fortunate enough to get a chance to review Splatoon 3, and since then I’ve been jumping into the color shooter almost daily. I often play single player games on my Switch, but in the process of playing Splatoon 3 regularly, it has become very difficult to ignore the limitations of Joy-Cons when playing a competitive game online.
The small sticks and cluttered button layout slightly hampered my in-game performance and I didn’t feel like I was able to shoot with the same accuracy that I can when playing the online shooter on PS5 or Xbox Series X.
After two weeks of growing frustration (along with a lot of fun – Splatoon 3 is still a great game after all), I knew it was time to upgrade to a Pro console. If only to prevent the very frequent occurrence of the last order in Splatoon multiplayer matches. Console cost was buff, my teammates needed me at my best!
Upgrade to Pro Controller
Immediately after taking it out of the box, I was surprised by how light the Nintendo Switch Pro console felt. I’m not suggesting it looks cheap but compared to the PS5 DualSense or the official Xbox Wireless Controller, it certainly doesn’t have the same heft. Of course, this could be by design since the Pro console is ostensibly designed to be more portable than competing consoles, but I err on the side of liking my consoles a bit heavier.
What’s indisputable is how well the Switch Pro console works, especially compared to the Joy-Cons. Jumping into my first Splatoon 3 game with a Pro controller in my hand, I immediately felt the difference.
My aim improved significantly, and I felt more in control of my avatar’s movement. I even ranked #1 on the leaderboard in my first game with a Pro console. Of course, this can probably be considered a coincidence and not definitive proof that the console made me a better player. But with that said, I found that Splatoon 3 played better with a Pro controller for me personally.
Curious to see if this difference can be felt across multiple games, I’ve spent the past few evenings wandering through my Switch library. I found that in slow-moving single-player games like Alien Isolation and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, there was little to no difference. Although it can probably be felt over long gaming sessions because the Joy-Cons aren’t particularly comfortable to use for hours at a time.
I’ve found games that rely on quick reflexes and quick button presses like Cuphead to be more comfortable on a pro console. Plus, I quickly became enamored of the big shoulder buttons. Even executing complex platforming moves in Super Mario Odyssey felt a little easier on the Pro console. That’s not to say these games can’t be played perfectly on Joy-Cons – that’s how I’ve tried so far – but if you want the best possible gaming experience on the Switch, you should probably consider upgrading.
The console’s unreasonably long battery life of around 40 hours should also not be overlooked. Considering I can barely get through a long gaming session without having to recharge my PS5 DualSense, the fact that I’ve had a Pro Controller for a week and haven’t had to recharge even once is pretty impressive.
Is a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Necessary?
As noted, I’ve used my Nintendo Switch for hundreds of hours over the past five years, and have greatly enjoyed everything from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to Super Smash Bros Ultimate while playing exclusively with Joy-Cons. However, even after a few days of use, I would argue that the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller offers a significantly better gaming experience.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to buy one in order to enjoy your Switch. It should be noted that the Pro Controller lacks the useful flexibility of Joy-Cons, making it less than ideal for mobile gaming. However, if you want the maximum amount of control possible when using the Switch, you may also find the Pro Controller to be best.
Even with my newfound love for the Nintendo Switch Pro console, I’d still keep a bunch of spare Joy-Cons to power my Switch on the go. But I can confirm that from now on I will be posting my Pro console when I want to jump into a Splatoon 3 match or any other online game on the Nintendo Switch.
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