Having a variety of different colours of Joy-Con available is one thing, but these third party Switch controllers are in a whole other league.
Officially released on 23rd March in the UK - so in just a couple of days' time - these controllers are from accessory maker PowerA, which also recently designed a Super Mario Odyssey Joy-Con grip. The controllers feature a "soft-touch" finish and come with a removable 8ft USB cable to give you a decent amount of room to play.
Features
- Special Edition (Various Designs)
- Traditional style controller for the Nintendo Switch
- 8ft Removable USB cable
- Soft-touch finish
- Officially Licensed by Nintendo
All controllers are available to preorder exclusively from GAME in the UK for £24.99 each - a much cheaper alternative to the official Pro Controller - and are already available exclusively from Walmart in the US, currently priced at $24.88 each. Of course, with that drop in price comes a lack of HD rumble, gyro support, and amiibo functionality so you might still want to keep hold of Nintendo's own design, too.
Are you tempted by any of the designs on offer? Would you like to see official Pro Controllers take on a similar design? Let us know in the comments below.
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[source twitter.com]
Comments 123
I am 100% for that Zelda one
Too bad they won't have several stuff that the Official Pro Controller offers like NFC support for Amiibo, HD rumble and gyroscope controls.
This is nice and all, but let's be honest, nobody's going to buy the Splatoon one for obvious reasons.
These would be perfect as a back up controller for when friends come round to play or when they joy cons need charging
I can't believe they're so cheap.... What's the catch?
That Splatoon one look nice...
These Power A controllers are actually really solid and feel great in the hand - better, i would argue than the official pro controller. It does of course lack motion controls, nfc, wireless etc. For anything that doesn't require gyro though this is my main controller.
@Mathias_Wolfbrok What reasons?
Too bad they're all the wired ones. Kind of a pain to use.
@MH4 No Gyro
@MH4 @Mathias_Wolfbrok Yeah, what reasons?
@Mathias_Wolfbrok Tbf - I don't play motion controls :0
@Mathias_Wolfbrok
WHAT ARE Y- ....actually, okay, that's a pretty good reason.
Not a bad price. Think I'll pick one up.
my brain is full of dumb so someone help me out here. are they wireless? I see it says removable wire, don't wanna get one of these just to find out I have to have wires on my floor like I'm stuck in 1995
I almost regret buying 2 pro controller. These look so nice!
"...already available exclusively from Target in the US..." Your link is pointing to Wal-Mart.
Really like the Bowser one but I've never got on well with 3rd party controllers. Well except for the 8bitdo SF-30 Pro, that's fantastic.
@SonOfVon Nah, they're wired controllers, but you can replace the wire if yours wears out
@SonOfVon They are not wireless. The removable wire allows you to replace the cable, but that's all.
RIP Luigi. Again.
@Marios-love-child
No motion control
I dont get this. Surely it would make more sense to license a fully functioning controler for a 3rd party to sell at a higher price, making their own the affordable option? I don't think they want to give away too many secrets. Look nice, but i like the full experience.
I love the looks of that Bowser one.
I might actually buy one because I still don't have a Pro Controller. Always thought they were too expensive. So yeah, these ones seem to be perfect for me.
@chardir @Mathias_Wolfbrok thanks for answering. that's a deal breaker for me. the fact that you can remove the wire makes me believe that the wires are poor quality
Love that Splatoon controller
They reskinned the official HORI controller? I have one and love it.
I've been burned too badly in the past by 3rd party controllers to consider purchasing one, but I do like the designs. Especially the Zelda one.
They are beautiful but my pro controller and my 8bitdo bluethooth USB connecter for my Wii u pro, my golden Zelda edition Wii remote/Golden joystick and my Dualshock 4 will do the job.
@jimmyjames It might be that the 3rd parties are hesitant to sell a fully featured controller. We don't know the mark up Nintendo has on the pro controllers (might not be one at all depending on how expensive the tech is). Could be that the 3rd parties don't feel there's profit to be made to sell a fully featured controller, especially given that people are already hesitant to pick up a pro controller at its current price.
Does anyone else feel that the shiny gamepad finish makes some of the paintjobs look a bit off? It feels especially jarring on that Splatoon controller (though it looks better on the box art).
@Mathias_Wolfbrok meh I don't play with motion controls in any game lol ...really could do with being about £19 co of lack of everything... Do love the Splatoon and Bowser one
@belmont These aren't Hori, they're PowerA controllers. They've had Mario and Zelda versions out for a while.
Given the price, this is a great way to get additional controllers. Slick graphic design too. That Bowser one looks great.
Would have defo got one if they made a Metroid / Samus ... Would have lost mah mind!!! 😲
@Mathias_Wolfbrok But they all have no gyro, so why just the Splatoon one? If it's because there's a Splatoon Pro Controller, I would like to point out those were limited in supply and not everyone has one (sadly 😕 I really wanted it). So this is the next best thing, even without gyro, NFC, etc. Ah well.
Not trying to start something in the comments btw. 😊 I'm not about that life.
I love the design, but since it is not wireless, I'm going to have to pass. I am way too far from my Switch for this to work for me. I really hate it because I really do like the design.
A Splatoon themed controller with no gyro!? That would be so frustrating for me. Love me a bit of gyro aiming. They look like lovely controllers all the same.
"Stunnning" ...... really!?!?! Maybe if you're 8 years old.
I have the $20 black Horipad and the 10' cord it's attached to just barely makes it to the seat I play in, it hangs in the air while I play.
So before you going buying a controller w/ an 8' cable make sure 8' is enough. It's not as long as it sounds.
@MH4 Sure, but Splatoon heavily, heavily relies on the Gyro ^^ Way more so than, say, Mario Odyssey
@OorWullie "Really like the Bowser one but I've never got on well with 3rd party controllers. Well except for the 8bitdo SF-30 Pro, that's fantastic."
I've been tempted by that 8bitdo controller, but am very sceptical of 3rd party controllers. Is it worth a try?
No Metroid version makes me sad.
@Mathias_Wolfbrok That's true, but I personally don't play Splatoon 2 with gyro. I know many people say they just can't, but I'm the opposite. I like motion/gyro, I really do, but with games like Splatoon and ARMS I just find buttons and sticks perfect and motion controls hard to adapt to.
@The_Mysteron Without a doubt, the D-pad is excellent and the controller feels very nice to hold. It's build quality is very good. The packaging it comes in too is top quality, it's a minor thing but it gives you that first impression that you've just bought a great controller. The analogue sticks are also good but their placement isn't ideal, maybe I'm just used too used to the Pro. I would definitely recommend buying it if it's a great D-pad and a nice retro looking controller you're after.Its also a cheap extra controller to have for multiplayer that does everything the Pro does, except for NFC. As a primary controller for games that mainly use analogue controls though, I can't recommend it over the Pro.
I got mine off Amazon UK for £29.99 a tenner cheaper than the normal price.It's a bargain at that price.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0787H1KYV/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521659833&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=sf30+pro
Don’t they already have two designs out on same controller? I got one from symths for £15 - zelda one - nice as a back up... and a better design than this zelda one - I like the Yoshi one though
Love how these look but wired is a deal breaker for me unfortunately. I know it's not a big deal to many but wired is a no go for us. They do look really nice though!
I might have to go for the Yoshi one, though I'm not sure how much I'll use it admittedly.
If it doesn't have gyro control, there's no point in getting one. Splatoon 2 is un-playable without gyro control.
Saw these at Walmart the other night. I would have gladly taken one instead of the super expensive Pro Controller, but them being wired was a bit of a deal breaker for me. If they were wireless they would have been nearly perfect.
I almost bought the Splatoon one when I saw it the other day, but then I realized it didn't have all the same features as the pro controller, namely being wireless. Will keep waiting for a deal on a second pair of joy cons or pro.
Time to hand your siblings/friends these controllers when you all want to do simple local multiplayer.
I would buy one if it weren’t for the lack of gyroscope. I’ve gotten so used to having that feature on most of the games I play.
The description is removable USB, but doesn't specify "wireless" controller & all 11 images in the wallmart site have the cord in it.
Is it wireless ? Help
"come with a removable 8ft USB cable to give you a decent amount of room to play."
It’s 20 feet from my TV to where I sit...
I’d get the Zelda one for the collection though, however it would remain sealed in the box. There are no practical uses for a wired controller with that short of a cable.
@Abes3 all PowerA controllers are wired. Plus it says "wired controller" on the box.
@Thisismycomment although not ideal depending on what type of cable it is you may be able to buy a longer one if you really wanted to use it
Bowser one is awesome. If they make a wireless version I'd love to pick one up. Well... depending on the price ofcourse. But for 40-45 euro's definitely.
Ooooh! Yoshi please! XD
I'd love one of these as an extra controller but the wire kills it for me. Can't they make a wireless for like $10 more?
A wire is just an invitation for my kids to pull everything off the tv on to the floor and end up with a busted Switch
Might get the Yoshi one as a back up for when my Joy-Cons die.
@Thisismycomment then why advertise the USB is removable ? It Threw me off
love the DK one but it lacks lots of stuff -_- well for the price is not that bad
@Drommajin Pretty sweet for multiplayer though, no games require any of those extras to function except 1, 2, Switch.
They all look like they fell out the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down to market!
Be warned these controllers are crazy light, so it feels pretty odd in your hand. It takes some getting used to. One of my co-workers recently bought one and returned it because he didn't like how it felt/also didn't like how it wasn't wireless. Personally I like the art on these but I wouldn't buy one because they don't really have everything I like in a controller.
I hope they make a Samus one for Prime 4.
Why can't Nintendo just male a whole load of pro controllers with visually appealing designs like these?? Not saying its easy just seems like a good idea to me.
The Splatoon one is my favorite... too bad I wouldn't be able to actually use it for the game. Still waiting for for enough money for that SNES controller for the Switch anyways.
The designs of these are really nice!!
@Hikingguy I use an extender on my PS3 controller. PS4 is so bad I keep a phone charger plugged in next to me. I bought a 2nd PS4 controller in part b/c the battery is so bad and playing plugged in kind of defeats the purpose of a wireless controller.
@Abes3 @Gerbwmu The removable USB cable would be the first thing to be pulled out, in case of kids or pets, instead of pulling the switch and dock to the floor. Pretty smart actually.
I like the look of all of these, except the Splatoon one, and I'm thinking of picking one up on my trip into town this Friday. I'll probably pick up the DK one as it is the most out there colour wise. With Smash coming this year it may come in handy. I would rather wreck the sticks of these than my Pro Controller.
@Hikingguy @subpopz Yeah lack of gyro is really the biggest pain with the wired controllers out there, but "no HD rumble" is misleading;
There's no rumble of any kind.
@fortius54 yeah, I love how these look but I'm not willing to deal with wires. maybe it's possible to transfer the inside of the official pro controller into one of these shells. hmm..
How many of you guys come here to be 'officially' advertised to?
If only the official controllers looked as good as these...
@SonOfVon They're not wireless. Same as the existing Nintendo ones, usb lead to use and recharge, doesn't work without it plugged in, begs the question whay advertise that it is removable and why even make it removable at all? crazy.
@Mathias_Wolfk Bro I think that's the best looking one of the bunch! I'd probably get it if I hadn't already bought the normal Splatoon 2 pro controller.
Omg that Yoshi one...
The wire kills it for me since I sit 12-15 ft from my TV.
These things look great, but I'm not buying a controller with a cable. It's a shame too, they're way cheaper than the pro and look lovely.
Also, a lack of gyro support seems like a pretty huge deal for the Splatoon one. It can be played without the gyro, but not like it's meant to be played.
I'm all in for that Bowser controller
The Bowser one is too dope.
@KillerTan98 And Samus...
The art is amazing, but I'd be curious how the buttons actually feel. And despite how good the Breath of the Wild one looks, the lack of gyro functionality would probably make it poorly suited for actually playing that game.
Now HD rumble and NFC reader functionality being taken out to cut costs likely won't bother anyone.
These will be great for when Smash comes out. Hope it's coming to AU
They all have one flaw I can’t get beyond and that’s the character images on the right handle.
They look exceptional (particularly the Bowser and Link controllers. But "-with that drop in price comes a lack of HD rumble, gyro support, and amiibo functionality-" ruins it for me. I'll stick to what I have.
I’ll wait for the inevitable Prime 4 official pro controller from Nintendo, and grab some Splatoon 2 JoyCon in the meanwhile. I’ve been meaning to add a splash of colour to my setup, but would prefer full functionality.
I definitely want that Splatoon 2 controller. I'm still kinda bummed that I wasn't able to get the Splatoon 2 Switch Pro Controller from last year so this would be a nice constellation.
@What_Sthat - Yep, the images for the Mario characters and DK look horrible. Like tacky promo art from the 90s. They don't look like modern versions, more like bad artwork from the Super Mario World instruction manual or something.
@rjejr Go into the settings on the PS4 and dim the light coming from the controller. By default it’s at full brightness, your battery will last longer with a dim light.
Officially licensed doesn't mean much when it comes to accessories. You want the real thing.
I was sold until I saw what they lack in terms of functionality... STILL... I will consider getting one of these. That Yoshi one makes me so happy. I need it.
Nice. An aside: if anyone is in nyc check out the Microsoft shop in Times Square, a massive amount of tricked out controllers , very sweet.
Might have to get the yoshi at some point
I'll take one of each please!
@Marios-love-child missing the premium functions like amiibo nfc support, prob. rumble and motion controlls.
@Thisismycomment Thanks. I didn't get a PS4 until year 3 or 4 so I was on to that trick. Every once in a while I do go into settings again - usually after a firmware update just in case - to make sure they are still set to dim. I'm sure it helps, but 6 hours on the PS4 is no where near what I got on the PS3 controllers, it is pretty close to the Gamepad but that also had a 6" screen.
We keep our Joycon on the Switch in the dock whenever we're not playing it, I doubt they've ever run out. Though keeping them on there like that who knows what their battery will be like in 2 or 3 years.
Saw these over a week ago at Walmart. They do look nice, but I’m happy with my actual Splatoon 2 pro controller.
There's a Splatoon one but it doesn't have gyro... hahaha
@Hikingguy Corded has some advantages. For instance they respond instantaneously on the "Press L+R" player assignment, which just feels very good. (Same goes for things like arcade sticks, pokkén and cube controllers)
No gyro...
If the buttons are analogue that would be great
@Drommajin Yep but they are also 40 less.
@Hikingguy Agreed, I dont charge mine for months and i switch it on and it's still good to go. Gameboy advance is the same.
They remind me of the Wii U Pro Controllers, which is a shame because they are so much more comfortable to use than the rigid, stiff and heavy Switch Pro Controllers.
I wish that Nintendo had adopted the form factor of these for the Switch Pro Controller instead.
I already have more Joy-Con and Pro Controllers than I know what to do with. I have no need for wired controllers. Imagine if somebody out their negligence trips over it and drops the Switch and dock in one fell swoop?
@nukatha
for £25 I can live without that
As someone who owns Zelda controller (24.99) , it is definitely worth it. I mean it's basically pro without rumble and other stuff, but it feels so smooth. My girlfriend loves using it while I use joy cons for nine parchments.
I'm buying a platoon onemail for sure , that way have extra controller for 4th place.
Is that a solid gold D-Pad? Nice.
I'd be more interested in using those with my PC than the Switch though.
GUYS, IS THIS REAL?!?!?
Main Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1crqMP-4whM
https://imgur.com/E8AltM9
http://letsplayvideogames.com/2018/03/have-the-next-two-years-of-switch-games-been-datamined-pokemon-diamond-pearl-remakes-new-zeldas-fortnite-and-more/
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2018/03/nintendo-switch-datamine-pokemon-remasters/?utm_source=mainrss
This is from Feb 4, and it shows games revealed in this direct march 8th, and nindies direct.
What do you think?
@Kiz3000 I'm a creature with first world problems. Everything i have is wireless; lights, speakers, tv, fridge. Wires are the dark ages!!!
Maybe not for Switch, what with missing rumble, motion and whatnot, but these would probably be a great idea if you be using a Raspberry Pi.
Sorry but those all look hideous.
Too bad they are wired.
Seems like Nintendo won’t let any third parties make fully functional pro controllers or joy-con. Clever, but kind of a shame.
I bought the ''Breath of the Wild'' model a few months ago and I personally really like it (it looks awesome in person). It is not Wireless (cable is long enough tho)/no HD feature/no gyro option I believe, but it is comfortable and a lot less cheaper than the pro controller.
@Hikingguy "motion controls on the PS4"
Not a lot of gyro control in any PS4 games that I'm aware of. Now that you mention it would have been great in Horizon Zero Dawn as the whole game is based on arrow firing, which I suck at.
I wanted to get the XC2 Switch Pro but then they announced the season pass, which to me means pass on the game until the season is over. That cheap Hori one does what I need it to do in Kirby, though I'm a meaningless player 3. I used the split Joycon for Mario.
Sorry I couldn't be more help.
Are these timed walmart exclusives?
If I live in Europe, do I still have to order it from the UK?
I’d rather just buy a second pro controller... don’t need or want these
I love all of the designs, but I still prefer wireless.
I picked one of these up yesterday and it is very comfy. I did pick up the older Zelda model when that came to the UK but that felt too light so I got rid of it. This model is heavier and, because of that, is much comfier.
I tried out some Odyssey and some Mario Kart and had absolutely no issues. MK feels a little odd as, without the HD rumble, there is no sound for coin pick ups or sparks from drifting. Definitely still playable though.
I am very happy with my purchase and it will make a great Smash Bros controller.
So they're cheap controllers that don't work? Kay.
that looks awesome
Nice.
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