[Hardware] Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Review (Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Edition)

It’s finally time for me to post a brand new review, and this time it’s not for a video game, it’s the very first hardware review on ZeReviews: the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Edition) review. I have always been happy playing with the Joy-Cons and the grip but this controller has been in the back of my mind for the last couple of months. However, after falling in love with Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the temptation to buy it grew stronger because of this commemorative edition. Was it worth to spend money on this when I could have used it to buy more games? Absolutely. Playing my games on the Switch now feels much better, since the hardware is more ergonomic and the buttons themselves are on another level of quality.

Let’s start with the price. This bad boy cost me 75€ (5€ more expensive than a regular one), which is 5€-10€ cheaper than a pair of left and right Joy-Cons, a fair price given that the controller packs pretty much all the functionality of those peripherals in one piece. From its premium feeling to the incredible 40-hour battery, this truly feels like an high-end product and an amazing complement to every Switch owner. Everything included in the box when you buy the console is high-quality, that’s not the question, but from comparing the Pro to the Joy-Cons it becomes clear the latter is to be used on the go while the Pro, a more traditional controller, is the obvious choice when you sit on your couch and dock the Switch to play on your big screen.

Moving on to describe the controller in more detail, I should start with the button layout. You see, while the asymmetry on the Joy-Cons stems from the fact that they can be separated any time for local multiplayer, the Pro Controller keeps this asymmetry but benefits from being larger overall, which gives the designers more leeway for the button placement. What this results in is a much better controller to use for longer play sessions, that makes your fingers flow much more naturally without the need to cramp them to reach certain buttons. It’s also worth mentioning that while the navigation buttons were located on the top and bottom of the Joy-Cons, here they are all located in the center, which might confuse your brain in the first hours of playtime, but quickly become the natural positioning for your fingers.

However, the Pro Controller isn’t superior only because of the larger frame and button layout. First, there’s the analog sticks. Here they are taller which make them feel more precise, with a slightly better texture. Another huge advantage is that this controller actually has a D-pad instead of just four separate buttons. This part is more or less important depending on the person you ask, but overall, everyone can agree this is the better option, specially for those 2D side scrollers such as Shovel Knight, providing more precise directional control. There’s also the topic of the shoulder buttons. While on the Joy-Cons they are pretty okay, at times they can feel a bit too flimsy and sensitive. Once again, the Pro Controller improves on this aspect, making them feel sturdier and more satisfying, in the sense that they aren’t as sensitive and “the clicking” feels better. In general, the buttons on this controller feel very satisfying, both in texture and “clicking”.

On the technical side of things, as stated previously, a single charge can last for 40 hours! Yes, you read it right, 40 hours. And to be honest, that was a big motivation for me to buy it, since from now on, on docked mode, I’ll play with the Pro Controller, and in case it needs to be charged, I can simply use the included USB type-C cable to charge as I play, while with the Joy-Cons more than once I had to stop playing because they had to be charged. Of course, in portable mode, as always, I’ll gladly continue playing with the Joy-Cons attached to the console, and honestly, I don't want to use the Pro in this mode because it’d ruin a lot of the fondness I have for the system.

“Wait, we are at the end of the review and you still haven’t talked about this being a special edition of the controller.” You’re right, but before purchasing it I had never played with a Pro Controller at all, so I can’t talk about any improvements over previous iterations. So, for me, this is simply a normal Pro Controller with a Xenoblade Chronicles 2 design, which is enough to sell me on this special edition.

In conclusion, the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is an easy recommendation for any owner of the console. However, if you’d prefer to spend the money on a new game I’d say you’re right to do that, but my reply would include “after playing with the Pro Controller there’s no going back to the Joy-Con grip”. It doesn’t replace the Joy-Cons for portable mode, but in docked mode I will only play with the Pro from now on.

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