Join me on my journey of buying and experiencing new joy-cons for my Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo Switch sales
Nintendo Switch was released on March 3rd of 2017 and it’s currently one of the best is one of the best selling consoles ever just behind the Nintendo DS en Sony PlayStation 2. At the time of writing the Nintendo Switch sales numbers show a number of 143 million units sold! That’s just insane. And it’s currently still selling like hot cakes in 2024. You probably have one lying around. As did I.
Uncomfortable gameplay in handheld mode
I don’t know how, but I came across Ubisoft’s Immortals: Fenyx Rising for the Nintendo Switch. After ordering it from a second hand webshop I started playing it and it was amazing. Though in docked mode with a pro controller it was amazing. When the TV was taken I started using it in handheld mode and the small joysticks/buttons of the original joy-cons made my hand cramp up. Also the fact that my hand is half empty with no support. Suffice to say, that wasn’t a very pleasant experience. Fortunately I didn’t experience the dreaded joy-con drift some people are experiencing on their original joy-cons. I tried putting the console on its stand and using the pro controller again, but now the screen was too far away. I thought: “There must be a good, larger and more comfortable third party joy-con alternative, right?”. And the search began…
Joy-con alternatives
Option 1: Decks
Decks are “controllers” in which you can just slide the console without any attachments. The most popular one for the Switch is the Nitro Deck as shown above, but you can also take a look at the RetroFlag controller. The price of this one is around $50 It kinda looks like a Steam Deck. They usually connect to the console through the USB-C port at the bottom.
Advantages of decks are that they have the best response time, since they’re directly connected to the console through USB-C. Decks usually also support pass-through charging. The size is quite big which is comfortable for people with bigger hands. It has large joystick and buttons. They also come in different color schemes which is amazing. I love the GameCube one. It even has rumble and gyro support.
Disadvantages are that they’re made out of one solid piece of plastic. So you might want to buy a separate case to keep it from damaging if you want to take it with you on the road. That also makes it not so portable. And when you switch a lot between handheld and docked mode this option might not be for you, because you’ll be putting the console in and out of the deck all the time which requires more effort than option 2. Also no Amiibo NFC support on this one. There are decks that do support that feature.
Option 2: Split controllers
Split controllers are basically full size controllers cut in half. Each half has the exact same connection as a normal joy-con. So you can slide them onto the switch like the original joy-cons. One of the most popular ones is the Hori Split Pad Pro as shown above, but you can also take a look at the very popular Mobapad M6 HD. The price is around $40. These do not have pass-through charging and don’t need to be charged separately. They draw power from the Switch console. This one is actually licensed by Nintendo. So you can expect a high quality product.
Advantages are that these are really comfortable compare to the original joy-cons. The Hori Split Pad Pro can even stay on connected to the console while docked! This way you can seamlessly switch between handheld and docked mode. It has also has back buttons and these can even be manually assigned to other buttons. They’re also very durable and portable. Just chuck them in a small bag and you’re good to go.
Disadvantages are that this particular controller has no rumble/gyro/amiibo NFC support. There are split controllers which do have those features.
Option 3: Grip cases
Grip cases are basically a large case for you switch including joy-con controllers. This increases comfort by making your Switch a bit bigger and filling the gap in your hand when you’re holding it in handheld mode. Some examples are the Skull & Co. NeoGrip, the Satisfye ZenGrip and the Mumba case, but you can also get a knock-off for real cheap.
Advantages are that they’re really cheap compared to the other options. You can get them for about $15 – $25. Some grip cases come with several attachments to make them fit your hand size perfectly. And some can even stay on when the Nintendo Switch is docked.
The disadvantage is that you’re still stuck with the small joystick and buttons of the original joy-cons.
I chose option 2: Split controller
I chose the Hori Split Pad Pro and I’ve been enjoying it so very much. I finished Immortals: Fenyx Rising and bought more games like Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Borderlands, Resident Evil and Diablo III. I can finally have longer gaming sessions without my hands cramping up. I really LOVE this controller!
Things to keep in mind
Do these alternatives also suffer from the infamous joy-con drift?
No, the joysticks are made without drift. These third party manufacturers took care of that.
Do old Switch joy-cons work on the newer OLED model?
Yes, you can use your joy-cons of the old model on the OLED model and vice versa. They are compatible. They have the same dimensions, connection etc. So thank you, Nintendo!
Is there a size difference between the original and OLED models?
Yes, as you can see the OLED is slightly wider than the original model. So pay attention when you’re buying a deck controller that you buy the one that your console fits in.
| Model | Width | Height | Depth |
| Original model (March 3, 2017) | 9.41″ (differs from the OLED model) | 4.02″ | 0.55″ |
| OLED model (October 8, 2021) | 9.53″ (differs from the original model) | 4.02″ | 0.55″ |
Should I buy a Nintendo Switch?
Yes, since the Nintendo Switch is such an “old” console it’s cheap. The games catalog is huge with a total of 4716 games. If you’re really on a budget, you can buy a second hand Switch.
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