Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom makes me want a new Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Forget about Nintendo Switch 2 – can we get a new Pro Controller, please?
It’s been a while since I sunk an entire weekend into a video game, but I could have easily played The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom until the controller was forcibly removed from my sweaty little hands.
Unless it’s the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, that is.
Don’t get me wrong, I think the Switch Pro Controller is one of the best gamepads Nintendo has ever made. The translucent plastic, soft grips, and chunky face buttons feel delightful in the hand – and with around 40 hours of playtime from a single charge, it makes a mockery of the PS5 controller battery life.
It’s also packed with clever features like an NFC reader for amiibo compatibility (check out the Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom amiibo unlocks and rewards to help you on your adventure), and even a gyroscope for motion controls. It supports Nintendo’s criminally underused HD Rumble technology, too, which has never really delivered on its promise outside of games like 1-2-Switch sadly.
However, as good as the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is, it’s fundamentally flawed and makes playing some of the best Nintendo Switch games a frustrating experience.
And I’m not just talking about the fact it’s prone to stick drift like most modern-day controllers, either. Don’t get me started on the Joy-Con, which Nintendo will now fix for free worldwide if you do fall victim to the common problem.
No, it’s the Pro Controller’s finicky D-Pad that is a constant source of irritation, because it’s about as reliable as a chocolate teapot.
Up, Up, Down, Right?
Rivaling the Xbox 360’s notoriously abysmal directional pad for registering the most accidental inputs, the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller’s D-Pad has been a problem ever since it launched. Playing a game of Puyo Puyo Tetris or even a 2D platformer with this thing is a recipe for disaster – and even simple things like menu navigation can often lead to the odd false input registering.
In a game like Tears of the Kingdom, which requires more dexterity than most titles due to the sheer number of things you can do, the D-Pad is used for a variety of things, like switching between weapons, rotating objects, and even calling your horse.
When your weapon breaks mid-battle (something which happens a lot in Tears of the Kingdom), the last thing you want to do is foolishly whistle for your trusty steed instead of arming yourself. But the Switch Pro Controller’s D-Pad is only one slight miss-press away from making you look like a chump instead of the champion of Hyrule you’re supposed to be.
How the mighty have fallen
What makes the Switch Pro Controller’s D-Pad flaws harder to understand is that, historically, Nintendo usually delivers the best D-Pads in the business. The only exception I can think of when Nintendo missed the mark is the GameCube controller’s D-Pad, which was clearly designed for ants.
But it isn’t only the dodgy D-Pad on the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller that needs to change. In 2023, it’s baffling that Nintendo never added a 3.5mm headphone jack to the controller. Yes, we finally got Bluetooth headphone support for Switch after over five years of waiting, but not everyone owns or even wants to use a pair of wireless headphones when using the console in docked mode.
I’d also like to see some additional buttons added to the back of the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. Being able to map a couple of face buttons to the back of the pad would prevent some of the finger gymnastics currently required, and are particularly useful in driving games or titles where you need to keep both thumbs on the analog sticks.
Thankfully, one of the best Nintendo Switch controllers is the 8BitDo Ultimate Controller. It fixes my most prominent issue with the Pro Controller – the D-Pad – but also includes Hall Effect sensing analog sticks that should make stick drift a thing of the past. What’s more, you get a handy little charging stand, those coveted additional back buttons and PC support.
The only downside is that HD Rumble is replaced with a more traditional rumble – hardly a huge miss considering Nintendo’s reluctance to properly utilize the technology – and there’s no amiibo functionality. Battery life is also less impressive at just 22 hours, but the charging dock means it’ll always be ready to go once I’m done playing.
While I’d much rather buy an official first-party controller, Nintendo has stubbornly refused to update the Switch Pro Controller, instead choosing to release special edition designs, including one for Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. And, as gorgeous as those are, they still include the same old problems.
With the Nintendo Switch 2 tipped to release at the end of next year, I really hope Nintendo releases an improved Pro Controller that refines upon what we already have and justifies the ‘Pro’ moniker more. After all, with the Joy-Con not even including a D-Pad, the Pro Controller is seen as an essential purchase by some Switch players who want a directional pad to play certain titles. It’s just a shame the one we’ve got isn’t up to Nintendo’s usual high standards.