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Discussion How can Nintendo top the Switch Pro Controller?

  • Thread starter Deleted member 4629
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Better D-pad, sticks that never drift and a headphone jack. That’s all really. Battery life can stay the same and it would be perfection, to me at least!
 
I got a few things in mind...
  • + Control Pad: Everyone's already said it, so I won't dwell on it. The Wii U Pro Controller's D-Pad would be a good model to replicate if possible.
  • Triggers: I don't mind digital trigger buttons, but it's nice to have feature parity with the other systems.
  • Sticks: Make them Hall effect. The Joycon need this more but might as well give it to all of them.
  • Headphone jack: I don't think this one will come as long as Nintendo relies on their app for voice chat, but even as a sound option its nice to have.
  • HD Rumble: Upgrade to be on-par with the Dualsense. Advertise it as like...4K Rumble or Super HD Rumble or whatever.
I think the highest priorities here are the sticks and D-Pad. The triggers and headphone jack would be for parity, and the HD Rumble is a personal want. It's hard to go back to a standard Rumble controller - play something like Mario Kart with an 8bitdo and you might see what I mean.

The main thing is that the shape shouldn't change much, especially the size of the face buttons. I love that they're bigger and spaced more like the SNES controller instead of a truly perfect diamond, it makes the buttons on other controllers feel just a touch too small. Really, a new model needs nips and tucks, not a completely new take on the formula. It's still my favorite of the standard controllers even without the features outlined above.
 
The Switch Pro Controller is probably the worst controller of all three manufacturers' current gamepads. The Dualsense is by far number one, the Series controller is a perfected Xbox controller, and then you've got the Pro Controller. The only thing it has going for it are the nice face buttons; everything else is mid. It feels like a huge upgrade from the joycons, but that's about it.
 
I don't get a whole lot of the D-Pad complaints. It could be better but I don't remember ever struggling with it as much as I've heard others have.

It's honestly tough to say how to improve it. I've grown to like the Joy-con analogue sticks and how much lower to the controller they are, so maybe something like that? but otherwise, the form factor is perfect. I love the bigger softer buttons, I honestly don't care about analog triggers; I think the feel of the triggers is great. shoulder buttons feel great. Gyro is still the best that anyone offers. battery life is insane.

honestly good luck improving on it.
 
The D-pad is kind of insulting considering this is the company that invented D-pads. That's really my only complaint. I think it's a near-perfect controller.
 
Honestly? There isn't that much to improve.

Add analog triggers, stronger linear actuators, a better D-Pad and for the love of all that's holy: Hall effect joysticks.

Ergonomy wise, it's perfect, but i want them to take a peek into the Dualsense for the haptics, and implement this shiny magnetic tech that's becoming commonplace in third party offerings.

Also, it's been a while since a Nintendo console has had so many racing games, i hope Nintendo asks developers for feedback.
Dardan Sandiego said:
Only thing they'd have to do is slap Nintendo-stickers on a bunch of 8bitdo Ultimate Controllers
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Eh... No

Poor Quality Control, durability is not the best, and in all honesty i can't help but question the ergonomics of anything they released oriented to modern gaming, particularly after their deal with Microsoft.

They're pumping things out faster, but their offerings are questionable at best.
 
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Red Monster said:
The Switch Pro Controller is probably the worst controller of all three manufacturers' current gamepads. The Dualsense is by far number one, the Series controller is a perfected Xbox controller, and then you've got the Pro Controller. The only thing it has going for it are the nice face buttons; everything else is mid. It feels like a huge upgrade from the joycons, but that's about it.
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It's also got a good (if not Wii U pro level) battery life unlike Dualsense but I'd still prefer AAs like Xbox tbh.
 
D Pad (bring back the Wii U pro controller D Pad), headphone jack. I love how it feels compared to the other ones, the textured handles need to stay.
 
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Zalman said:
The D-pad is kind of insulting considering this is the company that invented D-pads. That's really my only complaint. I think it's a near-perfect controller.
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Yeah, I think the DPAD is the worst. I get unintended button presses especially when playing Tetris 99. It's wwird but I kinda like the Joycon separated dpad.
 
crepuscule said:
It's also got a good (if not Wii U pro level) battery life unlike Dualsense but I'd still prefer AAs like Xbox tbh.
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you’re right, the pro controller’s battery life is excellent. The Dualsense’s battery life is terrible, but imo, everything else about it more than make up for the bad battery life.
 
Red Monster said:
you’re right, the pro controller’s battery life is excellent. The Dualsense’s battery life is terrible, but imo, everything else about it more than make up for the bad battery life.
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By my experience in the past few months, i respectfully disagree.

You have to disable or tone down a lot of good stuff to get a respectable battery life, wich is a waste, imo.
 
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Bishop89 said:
symmetrical sticks.
Im not a caveman
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Shoulder said:
Literally recreate the Wii U Pro controller, and add all the necessary Switch specific features. But keep the sticks, the Dpad, and the form factor the same.
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Wait, symmetrical sticks is something we're allowed to pick?

denethor-i-wish-that-denethor.gif
 
I just want a better D-Pad. I guess analog triggers too, but D-Pad is the biggest weak point. Anything else would be a bonus.
 
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The pro controller is my favorite controller right now. Don’t think I’d change anything on it and I’d hook it up to all of my other consoles and PC if it was painless enough. I guess I don’t play enough games with the D-Pad to have strong feelings on it.
 
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Jahranimo said:
By making a better controller than the 8bitdo ultimate bluetooth controller. (They won't)
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They easily can, actually.

8bitdo is not that good at Nintendo style D-Pads, they have shoddy QC, and they still fail to provide the full feature set despite releasing controllers that are more expensive than the official ones.

Honestly, i'm starting to think that, while they're not bad overall because they're one of the third party manufacturers that actually get it, they're overrated for anything non retro oriented.

EDIT: And i would say that even their retro offerings are a mixed bag. They never fixed the SN30 and SN30 pro D-pad (wich the pro plus, plus 2 and Ultimate inherited) and you can find people that both adores and abhors the M30.
 
Reinhard Schneider said:
They easily can, actually.

8bitdo is not that good at Nintendo style D-Pads, they have shoddy QC, and they still fail to provide the full feature set despite releasing controllers that are more expensive than the official ones.

Honestly, i'm starting to think that, while they're not bad overall because they're one of the third party manufacturers that actually get it, they're overrated for anything non retro oriented.
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And they'll have back buttons plus the ability to store multiple controller configurations...right?

Dpads for both Ultimate controllers I've had and SN30 Pro Plus in my experience have been great. Sucks that others have had less luck but I don't really think it's that prevalent.

It's been obvious HD rumble and NFC won't be in any 3rd party controllers for whatever reason. Maybe proprietary? Not sure but they are definitely not mandatory for game experiences on there. I have enjoyed HD rumble haptics since day one but it's not a dealbreaker to lose it and have an overall better controller.
 
Jahranimo said:
And they'll have back buttons plus the ability to store multiple controller configurations...right?

Dpads for both Ultimate controllers I've had and SN30 Pro Plus in my experience have been great. Sucks that others have had less luck but I don't really think it's that prevalent.

It's been obvious HD rumble and NFC won't be in any 3rd party controllers for whatever reason. Maybe proprietary? Not sure but they are definitely not mandatory for game experiences on there. I have enjoyed HD rumble haptics since day one but it's not a dealbreaker to lose it and have an overall better controller.
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While i havent owned a Ultimate controller, a friend lended it to me so i could decide if i would get one. In all honesty i'm still on the fence about it, and one of the reasons are the D-pad.

I'm not a FG nut, but i LOVE my retro FGs and neither the SN30 lineup not the Ultimate pass the Neo Geo test, diagonals are too loose, the D-pad behaves too similarly to the procon.

I can reply to the rest but honestly our views are basically opposite. I value rumble feedback way more than back buttons and profiles are too cumbersome to set up overall. I wont deny that back buttons are an amazing QoL feature, but in the first party controller space has been relegated to the premium tier and honestly, i've had too many accidental presses to my taste.

It's good that there's competition and hopefully Nintendo learns the right lessons from it, but as of now i think 8bitdo is better as a retro focused manufacturer
 
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Mold it out of foam rather than a plastic shell. I'd prefer a softer feel, especially for the triggers and buttons. And the area around the USB-C port gets fingerprints on, so making that area matte would be an improvement. Also the home and capture buttons and plus/minus buttons are too similar and hard to press. Lastly, a more inviting and functional colour scheme - full black looks generic and the inputs all blend in with each other.
 
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And make the top of the analogue stick at the same height as the abxy buttons so your thumbs sit at the same height.
 
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Better analogue triggers, better rumble, better d-pad, more interesting look.
It doesn't feel as good in my hands as the Waveband did either.
 
Very easily: add a functional D-pad. I would consider the joycons and the pro controller to be an all-time-low for Nintendo hardware. Luckily the quality of the switch lite D-pad and the NSO controllers has rebuilt my confidence in Nintendo, but the Switch Pro is really quite horrible and I'd never recommend it at any price. It's even worse than the Dualsense imo

I agree with people saying any version of 8bitdo SN30 or ultimate is much better for the switch, and at a lower price.
 
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Improved d-pad, and do whatever it takes to prevent stick drift. It's waaay too common.
It's a really good feeling controller though, so I'm totally cool with the rest of its design.
 
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Fix the DPad and it’s more or less good to go. It’s still my favorite controller on the market.
 
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A smaller, but improved Wii U-style GamePad, tbqh. To improve the Switch’s Pro Controller, Wii U Pro Controller’s battery life, customised designs (similar to what XBox offers), and European/Japanese SNES/New 3DS Colour-Coded action buttons.
 
Red Monster said:
The Switch Pro Controller is probably the worst controller of all three manufacturers' current gamepads. The Dualsense is by far number one, the Series controller is a perfected Xbox controller, and then you've got the Pro Controller.
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There's plenty people like me that hate the symmetric sticks design of the PS controller (I can't fathom how people play stuff like fighting games on it)
...and Xbox has no gyro. Nothing needs to be added here. Both those things are deal breakers to me. The Pro Controller is the best if not for simple exclusion, and it's also a good controller in itself, the only thing I truly hate about it is the price.
 
Apart from the D pad, it's perfect. The battery life is incredible. Meanwhile my Dualsense lasts one gaming session if that.
 
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Ctrl + F “Bluetooth 5”, 0 results found.

I mean, it’s by far the easiest improvement.
 
Before making a new controller, they can improve the existing Nintendo Switch Pro Controller by finally assigning some kind of functionality to the HOME Button light so that that can actually be used instead of being a totally unused feature as it is now, lol.

But as for actual hardware changes, I’ll echo the desire for a better + Control Pad as nearly everyone else has said (though I’m probably the only person to actually call it by the official name, lol), and I’d certainly appreciate better HD Rumble as well (at least on par with the Joy-Con) and sticks that don’t develop resistance over time (I call it “resistance” because, from my experience, that’s a more accurate description than drift, since the Pro Controller’s stick issues seem to be different than that of Joy-Con stick drift), but aside from that I struggle to think of many other changes I’d really want.

I guess adding a magnetometer like the Wii U GamePad had to combat gyro drift would be a huge plus, and I’d personally love to see the return of a mic and camera to Nintendo hardware, too, but none of these things would be specific to the Pro Controller (since I’d assume the Joy-Con would get these features, too, if they were added).
 
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Must haves:
1. Better dpad. I rarely use the dpad, but I trust that it’s a bad one.
2. More solid feeling shell. My personal biggest want. The handles / grips are a separate piece of plastic, and they twist, mush and creak a bit when you grip the controller. Especially so as it ages. I hate it with a passion.
3. Reduce likelihood of drift. I haven’t had drift on the Pro, but I did have a friend send me a video on his drifting when he was playing Xenoblade 2. Maybe it’s not any more common than other controllers but it should still be a focus.

Nice to haves:
1. Headphone jack. I haven’t used it on other consoles, as I have wireless headphones for that, but so long as Nintendo is stepping into modern, competent voice chat experiences on the console, they should also provide the headphone jack option.
2. UHD rumble. Step it up. HD rumble was a good idea, but it’s too weak and subtle to appreciate most of the time.
3. Analog / improved triggers. Go back to GCN style if you want to be a little different.

I’d obviously also want Nintendo to attempt to innovate on the controller in a way that is strictly additive ie. does not remove any functionality whatsoever. Scroll wheels as some have mentioned could be useful given how often 3D cameras and zoom in/out are used and mapped to “button + joystick up/down”.
 
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I currently have two Pros, on one I performed a d-pad mod with little strips of tape under the middle cap to reduce all those accidental up/down inputs because there was literally no other way I could've completed the Path of Pain in Hollow Knight, and a newer unmodded one because that one's R button could no longer reliably hold its input down after years of running in Monster Hunter, and there's apparently no fix for that.

I wish we had some sort of unified industry standard for optimal digital input the way we can point towards the hall effect sensors for the desired analog model, but personally I'd love if it felt like the current Xbox pads, especially the design of the "Elite" model, you always feel and even hear the click so you know exactly when you are and aren't inputting the cardinals and diagonals.
 
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chocolate_supra said:
Wait, symmetrical sticks is something we're allowed to pick?

denethor-i-wish-that-denethor.gif
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Case in point, the Steam Deck. It is so comfortable to hold, and because the analog sticks are symmetrical, it means looking around imo is better for your thumb as it’s in a more natural position.

Sure, it means your buttons are where the analog stick is, but I think I’m correct in saying you have your thumbs on The sticks far more than the buttons, and thus that natural position I think in the end helps overall ergonomic.
 
Shoulder said:
Case in point, the Steam Deck. It is so comfortable to hold, and because the analog sticks are symmetrical, it means looking around imo is better for your thumb as it’s in a more natural position.

Sure, it means your buttons are where the analog stick is, but I think I’m correct in saying you have your thumbs on The sticks far more than the buttons, and thus that natural position I think in the end helps overall ergonomic.
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Exactly. When I'm playing something like BotW the WiiU Gamepad was so comfortable because I was mostly walking with one stick and looking around with the other. My hands were in a comfortable position and it was great. The other games I tend to play are sidescrollers, where having my thumbs on the dpad and face buttons at all times felt natural and comfortable. It was great. Now with the Switch pro controller I find myself often holding it somewhat diagonally, either to have thumbs on sticks or thumbs on d-pad and face buttons. And because of that the shoulder buttons don't fall as closely to my natural hand positions as they did on the WiiU. Having that shelf on the back of the Gamepad feed your fingers right into the ZL and ZR buttons was so nice. The Switch pro controller just isn't quite there.

Basically what I want is the WiiU gamepad. I'll admit it. 🤣
 
chocolate_supra said:
Exactly. When I'm playing something like BotW the WiiU Gamepad was so comfortable because I was mostly walking with one stick and looking around with the other. My hands were in a comfortable position and it was great. The other games I tend to play are sidescrollers, where having my thumbs on the dpad and face buttons at all times felt natural and comfortable. It was great. Now with the Switch pro controller I find myself often holding it somewhat diagonally, either to have thumbs on sticks or thumbs on d-pad and face buttons. And because of that the shoulder buttons don't fall as closely to my natural hand positions as they did on the WiiU. Having that shelf on the back of the Gamepad feed your fingers right into the ZL and ZR buttons was so nice. The Switch pro controller just isn't quite there.

Basically what I want is the WiiU gamepad. I'll admit it. 🤣
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I always thought it was a unique way for Nintendo to separate from Microsoft, and Sony. Microsoft had the asymmetric analog sticks, and Sony had the bottom symmetrical sticks, which even as a PlayStation owner up to the PS4, it still the worst placement imo.

It literally is the result of Sony seeing how cool the analog stick was in the N64, but did not want to fully redesign the PSX controller, and just tacked on two analog sticks, and called it a day.

I ultimately want 8bitdo or someone to design a modular controller where you can put the analog stick, the face buttons, and the dpad wherever you want. Want symmetrical sticks on top? That can happen. Want a reverse of the Xbox analog sticks? Can be done. Would also help for those who have accessibility issues.

EDIT: Framework is letting consumers even choose not only if you want a numpad in your 16”, but also what side of the laptop. So left side, or right side. Your choice. How fucking genius is that?

Maybe Framework should design their own modular game controller...
 
better d-pad, smaller shape. i'm not a huge fan of how the face buttons feel, either. and actual, true analog triggers, please.
 
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Lucyfer said:
Yup, if you enabled Wired Controller Communication in the settings there's more input lag. Especially noticeable in games that use gyro like Splatoon.
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Just curious - is there a good source on this anywhere, with actual measurements? Preferably something from the more recent half of the Switch's life?

I ask because my experience in measuring input delay of the N64 NSO emulator left me with the conclusion that the community is generally terrible at feeling and comparing input delay. And it's hard to blame them; even my own impressions are easily colored by placebo and prior notions until I've properly measured things, and I'm someone who's more on the sensitive side and can generally notice slight differences others can't. The result is that things get parroted around fast, and people at this point are quick to blame the Switch for everything - oft warranted, but also often not.

I do remember seeing reports like this, and I remember being related not to the controller itself but the internal priority of USB polling loops over the wireless ones. But it's been years, and none of my Googling is leading me anywhere.
 
Triggers like gamecube, ps3, ps4, ps5, xbox 360, one and series?

I really don’t understand why nintendo don’t have them?
 
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Just the D-pad, and in more colors than just special, big releases. It’s a perfect controller, IMO.
 
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Jersh said:
Just curious - is there a good source on this anywhere, with actual measurements? Preferably something from the more recent half of the Switch's life?

I ask because my experience in measuring input delay of the N64 NSO emulator left me with the conclusion that the community is generally terrible at feeling and comparing input delay. And it's hard to blame them; even my own impressions are easily colored by placebo and prior notions until I've properly measured things, and I'm someone who's more on the sensitive side and can generally notice slight differences others can't. The result is that things get parroted around fast, and people at this point are quick to blame the Switch for everything - oft warranted, but also often not.

I do remember seeing reports like this, and I remember being related not to the controller itself but the internal priority of USB polling loops over the wireless ones. But it's been years, and none of my Googling is leading me anywhere.
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I don't have any sources, but from personal recent testing it's absolutely still the case. I have the Splatoon 3 controller updated to the latest firmware, and when toggling Wired Communication on and off I can very strongly feel the difference moving the camera in Splatoon, to the point where I'm 100% certain it can't be placebo.
 
Lucyfer said:
I don't have any sources, but from personal recent testing it's absolutely still the case. I have the Splatoon 3 controller updated to the latest firmware, and when toggling Wired Communication on and off I can very strongly feel the difference moving the camera in Splatoon, to the point where I'm 100% certain it can't be placebo.
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Hmmm.

If I get time this week, I'll try and get a measurement on it. I do believe you, and I'm generally aware of this being a thing. I'm just frustrated with how little data there is on it despite it being known basically since wired communication dropped.
 
Better d-pad, hall effect sticks, headphone jack, analog triggers. I would assume that they will fix the d-pad and that's it.
 
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