Topic: Joycon Alternatives

Hey everyone! Like most of you, I've had enough with the dreaded joycon drift problem. In my house, we own three Switches and every one of them has had the joycon drift. The first one we sent back for repair and in less then 1 year, it's back. One of the pairs I successfully repaired....the only problem was that they felt different then the Nintendo sticks and lasted only about 1 month until they too developed the drift. I've thought about just buying new ones, but at around $70 a pair and being harder to find right now, I would prefer to go in a different direction.

I have a Pro Controller when I'm docked, but I enjoy playing Overwatch in handheld mode as well as other games.

So, have any of you given a 3rd party joycon a try? Would you recommend a certain alternative?

@dkxcalibur Thread on same topic from last week didn't seem to yield much, partly because very few answered, but possibly because the 3rd party joycon market doesn't have exciting options - granted that's an opinion. https://www.nintendolife.com/forums/nintendo-switch/are_there...

Maybe someone else here wants to speak up on the issue?

If I'd seen something that looks good, I mention it, but I bought another pair of joycons myself. My 2017 Switch launch pair finally got drift a few months back in December.

@dkxcalibur have you seen these? I saw someone else here post a pic, I think because they got a pair, but I don't remember who, or which thread. Wulff Den on youtube covered them too, video entitled "big fat joycons". I didn't watch wulff's video.

I've thoroughly appreciated the Hori Split Pad Pro I've been using for the past few months. Although you'd have to give up most of the joy-con features you're used to; hd rumble, nfc reader, gyro controls, and the ir sensor. The hspp also must always be attached to the console in order to function because they operate off of the Switch's own power supply.

That said, for folks like me who have bear claws for hands, they are very comfortable. And I prefer the mushy buttons it has over the clicky buttons on the standard joy-con.

@WoomyNNYes I'm interested in the BinBok controllers but they don't appear to be available anymore.

@Magician I have my eyes on these too. But I'm currently playing a lot of Overwatch and making use of the Gyro aim feature. So I'm not sure these will take care of that need.

@dkxcalibur you can buy a lot sticks for cheap on Amazon/ebay or even cheaper from AliExpress. It sounds difficult but once you open up the joy con. It’s simply taking off two screws for the stick and a ribbon cable.

ABLEWE 4 Pack 3D Analog Joystick Thumb Sticks, Sensor Rocker Replacements for Nintendo Switch Joycon Controller

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B088LVND8Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fab...

13 pounds for 4

@1UP_MARIO I actually successfully did this to one of my three sets of drifting joycons. I found the actual repair to be fairly simple. But sadly I found the replacement stick thumbpads to be more like a soft "plasticky" rubber and too slippery in comparison to the original sticks. The worst part was that they too developed drift after only about 2 months!

Can you vouch for the feel and accuracy of these? If so, maybe I'll give these a shot.

Nintendo has a stranglehold on accessories, but they refuse to redesign their own broken joycon. It’s kind of infuriating.

Even docked, the pro-controller dpad is fundamentally broken. Unusable.

They pretend to be all about interface and controls...so much so, they have gamers waving waggle sticks all over the living room, but they can’t even get basic directional input correct.

They should be embarrassed.

I've just changed a couple of drifting joysticks on my joycons. I got a full kit with the screwdrivers, tweezers, four joysticks and even two replacement metal parts for the joycon rail as one of mine was just slipping off. It's fairly straightforward to replace the sticks (followed the Nintendo Life guide!) - just hope they last long enough although it's cheaper to buy replacements now i've got the extra stuff. Got them from Wish.com and sent from China

@dkxcalibur the texture on the stick are abit different but they work great. You should get them cheap from AliExpress. Another temporary fix is to put electric contact cleaner under the skirt of the stick and 360 the stick for 30 seconds, that usually fixes the drift for months depending of hours played.