The is a
video 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 ...
produced 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 the
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
video game console. It is available in Black and White.
History
Nintendo unveiled the Wii U Pro Controller at
E3 2012
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2012 (E3 2012) was the 18th E3 held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. It began on June 5, 2012, and ended on June 7, 2012, with 45,700 total attendees. It was ...
. Many video game journalists have noted the similarity between the controller and Microsoft's
Xbox 360 Controller
The Xbox 360 controller is the primary game controller for Microsoft's Xbox 360 home video game console that was introduced at E3 2005. The Xbox 360 controller comes in both wired and wireless versions. The Xbox controller is not compatible with ...
.
Features
The controller functions as a secondary controller released for the console, available separately. The Wii U system can be connected to up to four Wii U Pro Controllers at one time, however ''
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
and (colloquially and collectively referred to as ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' or ''Smash 4'') is a group of two 2014 crossover fighting video games developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS ...
'' allows the usage of more than 4. Like more traditional controllers, it features standard
analog stick
An analog stick (or analogue stick in British English), sometimes called a control stick or thumbstick, is an input device for a controller (often a game controller) that is used for two-dimensional input. An analog stick is a variation of a joy ...
s (that can now be pressed in) and face buttons. Like the Wii U GamePad and Classic Controller Pro and unlike other eighth generation controllers (i.e., the
DualShock 4
The DualShock (originally Dual Shock; trademarked as DUALSHOCK or DUAL SHOCK; with the PlayStation 5 version named DualSense) is a line of gamepads with vibration-feedback and analog controls developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the P ...
and the
Xbox One 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 ...
), the triggers are digital (i.e., not analog).
The Wii U Pro Controller uses the same 1300
mAh CTR-003 battery found in the
Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...
and
2DS, which can last up to 80 hours before needing to be recharged. The charging cable can plug into any USB port.
Nintendo states that the design of the Pro Controller is an "enhanced version" 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 ...
's
Classic Controller
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 ...
and "offers a richer experience".
Certain games with flexible control schemes, such as ''
Call of Duty: Black Ops II'' and ''
Trine 2: Director's Cut'', are also compatible with the Classic Controller. The Wii U Pro Controller is not compatible with previous-generation Wii games.
References
{{Wii U
Nintendo controllers
Wii U