The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is a

game controller A game controller, gaming controller, or simply controller, is an input device used with video games or entertainment systems to provide input to a video game, typically to control an object or character in the game. Before the seventh generation ...

manufactured and released by

Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles. Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...

for use with the

Nintendo Switch The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...

video game console A video game console is an electronic device that Input/output, outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can be played with a game controller. These may be home video game console, home consoles, which are generally placed i ...

. It is an alternative controller to the

Joy-Con Joy-Con are the primary game controllers for the Nintendo Switch video game console. They consist of two individual units, each containing an analog stick and an array of buttons. They can be used while attached to the main Nintendo Switch cons ...

Design and features

The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller incorporates a button layout similar to that of the

Wii The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...

Classic Controller Pro The is a game controller produced by Nintendo for the Wii home video game console. While it later featured some compatibility with the Wii U console, the controller was ultimately succeeded by the Wii U Pro Controller. In April 2014, Nintendo d ...

, but utilizes a staggered analog stick layout employed by the

GameCube controller The GameCube controller is the standard game controller for the GameCube home video game console, manufactured by Nintendo and launched in 2001. As the successor to the Nintendo 64 controller, it is the progression of Nintendo's controller des ...

and Microsoft's family of

Xbox Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...

consoles, with its overall design being highly similar to that of the

Xbox Wireless Controller The Xbox Wireless Controller is the primary game controller for the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S home video game consoles, also commercialized for its use in Windows-based PCs, and compatible with other operating systems such as macOS, Linux, i ...

. Up to eight Pro Controllers can be synced to the Nintendo Switch. Additionally, the Pro Controller can also be paired with or connected to a PC for use with PC games, such as those on

Steam Steam is a substance containing water in the gas phase, and sometimes also an aerosol of liquid water droplets, or air. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization ...

which added support for the Pro Controller through a beta client update on May 9, 2018. The Pro Controller also supports

near-field communication Near-field communication (NFC) is a set of communication protocols that enables communication between two electronic devices over a distance of 4 cm (1 in) or less. NFC offers a low-speed connection through a simple setup that can be u ...

for use with Nintendo's Amiibo line as well as

HD Rumble Joy-Con are the primary game controllers for the Nintendo Switch video game console. They consist of two individual units, each containing an analog stick and an array of buttons. They can be used while attached to the main Nintendo Switch con ...

and

motion controls In video games and entertainment systems, a motion controller is a type of game controller that uses accelerometers or other sensors to Motion capture, track motion and provide input. History Motion controllers using accelerometers are used as c ...

. The controller takes approximately 6 hours to fully charge. When fully charged, the battery duration for the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller can last approximately 40 hours. The controller also features a USB-C connector, as well as coming with a USB-C to Type-A charging cord, which can be connected to the USB-A 2.0 ports on the Switch dock. Official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller support was added to iPhones and

iPad The iPad is a brand of iOS and iPadOS-based tablet computers that are developed by Apple Inc. The iPad was conceived before the related iPhone but the iPhone was developed and released first. Speculation about the development, operating s ...

s as part of its

iOS 16 iOS 16 is the 16th and current major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple for its iPhone line of products. It was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 6, 2022, as the successor to ...

update.

History

The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller was unveiled along with the Nintendo Switch on October 20, 2016, and was released on March 3, 2017.

Special editions

The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is available in black, and also in the following special editions: *''

Splatoon 2 is a 2017 third-person shooter game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It was released on July 21, 2017, and is a direct sequel to ''Splatoon'', which includes a new story-driven single-player mode and various online ...

'' edition: green handle (left), pink handle (right) with an ink splat design *''

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 ''Xenoblade Chronicles 2'' is a 2017 action role-playing game developed by Monolith Soft and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. Released on December 1, it is the third installment in ''Xenoblade Chronicles'' and the seventh main en ...

'' edition: pink handles with a Pyra-inspired design *''

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...

'' edition: white handles with a white '' Super Smash Bros.'' logo design *''

Monster Hunter Rise is a 2021 action role-playing game by Capcom. It is the sixth mainline installment in the ''Monster Hunter'' series and was released for the Nintendo Switch in March 2021 and Windows in January 2022. An expansion pack, ''Monster Hunter Rise: Sun ...

'' edition: black with a gold Magnamalo design *''Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak'' edition: black with a silver Malzeno design *''

Splatoon 3 is a third-person shooter video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. Like its predecessors in the ''Splatoon'' series, the game consists of online multiplayer ( PvP and PvE) alongside a story-driven single-player ...

'' edition: blue handle (left), neon yellow handle (right) with an ink splat design A special ''Splatoon 2'' edition Pro Controller with golden handles was awarded to the winning team of the PAX East 2019 Inkling Open. A special Pro Controller imprinted with the ''Super Smash Bros.'' logo was awarded to the winners of the ''Super Smash Bros.'' tournament at PAX East 2019, as well as to Shuto Moriya, the winner of the ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' tournament at EVO Japan 2020.

Secret message

On the controller's

motherboard A motherboard (also called mainboard, main circuit board, mb, mboard, backplane board, base board, system board, logic board (only in Apple computers) or mobo) is the main printed circuit board (PCB) in general-purpose computers and other expand ...

, if a player holds down on the right stick and looks closely into the transparent plastic surrounding its socket while shining a light on it, there is a hidden message that reads "THX2ALLGAMEFANS!". The message was discovered by Japanese Twitter user Geo Stream on March 4, 2017, one day after the Switch's launch.

References

{{Nintendo hardware Nintendo controllers Nintendo Switch

Design and features

History

Special editions

Secret message

See also

References