Topic: Switch Pro Controller issue? Are all D'Pads too sensitive or is mine broken?

Just an update on my Pro Controller D-Pad issue:

I sent my original Pro Controller in for repair and just got back a replacement Pro Controller (looks brand new, in an opened box but has all the wrapping on it). Unfortunately, the D-Pad problem is affecting this one, too. Bummer.

I tested it out in Zelda and, again, pressing 'right' with upwards pressure brings up the rune menu. In Puyo Puyo Tetris, pressing 'right' with upwards pressure fast drops the blocks. Other direction pads are affected, too. Pressing the 'down' pad with left or right pressure moves the block left or right.

So, I've set up another repair with Nintendo. I'm surprised they didn't do a quick test of the replacement controller, as I noticed the issue right away.

While the Pro Controller was in for repair I was using the Joy-Cons in the Grip and think I had the Left Joy-Con issue. On a couple of occasions Link would keep walking in a given direction without me pressing the control stick in that direction. I'm going to monitor that a bit more since it happened two or three times but that may have to go in for repair, too.

No I am not a fan of the dpad myself. I keep entering the wrong menu on zelda. I just went back to using the joycons all the time. I've always prized Nintendo controllers for the dpad so it is a little odd to have one not just work.

Yeah, I don't know how they could have got this D-pad so wrong after so many decades of good D-pads. Supposedly some people have managed to get working ones after exchanging/repairing so it's not necessarily the design that's bad, but it seems like an awful lot of D-pads are defective and a lot of C-sticks too, like the factory is just not doing a very good job in general putting these things together.

The way streamers talk so highly of the Pro and how its a must have I would suggest any issues with it are defects and not widespread

I think it's got to be fairly widespread considering getting 2 or 3 defective Pro controllers in a row seems to be more common than people managing to get a working replacement. I think the problem is most people haven't used the D-pad very much yet, and at least not for games like Puyo Puyo Tetris where a bad D-pad really hurts you. The D-pad is so mushy and gives so little feedback I honestly thought it was just me being clumsy with it at first till I actually tested it in system settings and watched my thumb carefully.

No this is because mos5 streamers are young kids and young kids generally don't understand the merits of using a dpad to play street fighter 2 or Tetris. They just go straight for the analog sticks and use those for everything since they don't comprehend the reasons that the dpad is superior for certain types of games.

I think that's standard for Nintendo d-pads these days because I've had the very same issue with the Wii U Pro controller. It was particularly annoying in Wind Waker HD whenever I tried to whip out my baton (up) and instead it lowered the crane (right).

I'm on my 4th defective Pro controller now. Nintendo acknowledges it as defective and then sends me a new defective one. They also made me send my system in last time because they claim Pro controller defects are rare, yet they returned my system and replaced the controller yet again.

Puyopuyotetris seems like the best way to test this issue... "I definitely didn't hit up!!! Why would I hit up and block my stack and create a 4 block gap?!"@upsidedownjim

Dude really? Start documenting @iphys

Sorry for necroposting, but I don't think this is a defect of the Pro Controller at all. Sure, it might be a tiny bit more sensitive to diagonal presses than other D-Pads since it's mushy and not very clicky (This isn't a defect. Some people like mushy buttons while others prefer clicky buttons. It's up to preference.), but that's really all there is to it. The main problem is with how Puyo Puyo Tetris treats D-Pad input.

I've tested the D-Pad in Blaster Master Zero where you can walk around in the top-down view and the character movement feels good. You move diagonally when you press diagonally and move horizontally or vertically when you don't. Feels like every other D-Pad out there. With Puyo Puyo Tetris, all the developers need to do is make it so that pieces only hard-drop when only the up button is pressed, not if it's pressed while left or right is still pressed. This simple fix would solve this problem instantly.

It's a shame that Tetris is pretty much unplayable with the D-Pad, but its something the developers can fix, not a terrible defect with the controller itself.

I'm having the exact same issue with the D-pad on the Switch Pro controller. When I press right, it registers as up and/or right. It doesn't really matter whether I'm pressing on the bottom or top edge of the right button. I'm probably going to try to fix it myself after hearing that other people have just gotten faulty replacements. It's just really disappointing that the controls are wonky on what's supposed to be the superior controller, especially because this is the only way to get a real D-pad on the Switch.

I also received a Joycon whose control stick was either not functioning right or poorly calibrated. Tilting up on the stick all the way, it was acting as though I were only tilting it half way (characters walking instead of running). I was pissed until I realized I could recalibrate it in the menu. It took about a dozen recalibration attempts before it registered all directions as full tilts.

I went through 3 replacements with Nintendo and have given up. Even sold Puyo Puyo and USFII. The D-Pad is just freaking garbage. Sad the godly DS4 is a far superiour controller. Sad!

@Samus7Killer The D-pad is very easy to fix with a small piece of tape over part of the contact that is giving you trouble. You just need a normal small Phillips screwdriver and tape. Having no issues whatsoever now.

@nomadforlove im very tempted to open it up. What's the piece of tape for?

@Samus7Killer Covering part of the contact. In my case, pressing "right" would sometimes activate the "up" contact, so I covered a sliver of the "up" contact with tape (the bottom-right corner of the contact, maybe about 1/4 of the diameter of the contact). I took a picture of my first attempt, but what I ended up doing was much simpler and slightly different. I'm tempted to open it up again, photo it, and maybe write a quick how-to.

There are video guides on Youtube of how to take apart the controller. It's not difficult at all, even despite the fact that the D-pad contact board is one of the last pieces you can get to. As usual, just be careful about any ribbons that connect the pieces; but they are easy to remove and reinsert when you're putting it back together.

I would recommend electrical tape (that's what I used), but other people have reported success with other tape, and it's probably fine to use for just a contact. Electrical tape just has a much better chance of not wearing down from whatever charge is going between the contacts.

It's still not a great D-pad, but at least mine works as intended now.

I've had 7 defective controllers in a row now. I don't understand why Nintendo doesn't just fix this thing rather than wasting so much money shipping broken controllers back and forth.