What you get is a controller and its USB charger cable at first glimpse, which seems like a waste of money when you consider that you can’t play the games on the go with it, and the fact that the switch itself is a controller. What you do not really notice right away is that it is much more comfortable over time and it lasts way longer between charges. While it is only useful when you play on the TV, it is worth using. A 40-hour session can be played when using it without a need for a recharge, and if you are worried about whether or not it can scan in your Amiiba- yes it can! This controller makes it so you can play the switch without draining the handheld so quickly and you can do so without loosing too much on the gameplay.
The design itself resembles the Xbox 360 controller, which is arguably one of the best-designed controllers to have emerged on the gaming market. The way it is held and used, and the ease you have switching between the sticks and buttons are almost identical and causes less wear on the user. The plastic is also semi-see through, which makes an already great controller design also look awesome with the circuit-like appearance. The hardware is of course built to connect wirelessly to the connect, and so you can’t go using it with other gaming machines- not even older Nintendo’s. but those of us who have been playing a while, we are not surprised. Controllers are not usually backward compatible. However, as a great side note, they are compatible with your PC, which makes it an awesome buy. The reason it can be connected is that it is Bluetooth, though getting it to run right may actually take some research to get the driver installed. With some of the games that are being made for the PC and the console though, it may be worth it to do.

The idea behind this design was, of course, to give a longer and less stressful period of gaming. Taking its tips from other controllers throughout the different consoles, they picked up on what were the best selling and why. While it is not completely identical to the 360 controllers, it is so close that the thought behind it is a bit on the obvious side. Some might say this is foretelling of the more recent slow decline of Nintendo. They are not coming up with entirely new accessories, but then, this controller is not meant to replace the actual switch completely. It is there to compliment the back and forth usage.
Rather than having to plug and play with the handheld when on the TV, you can set the main portable onto its docking charger, and just use the wireless controller instead whenever you are hooked up to the TV. This means you need only take the portable switch off of its pad when you are using it for the portability aspect of the games. They even made sure that the controller had the ability to scan in your Amiiba miniatures, so you can still get all the goodies in your games, like Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and not need to switch out to do so. Of course, if you got the console to have as a portable and really do not tend to sit and play on the TV much, you might not get as much use. This does not make it not worth it, but it does beg that original question. When we play long games with amazing graphics, though, most of us do enjoy the larger flat screen HD TVs to play, and a more comfortable controller just because we probably will be there long enough to notice a massive difference in play. (Gotta get the Master Sword before grabbing all the big cut scenes!)

The controller is actually considered to be ‘almost’ as good as the old 360. We say almost because the setup and the way it sits in your hands is almost identical. The amount of space required to shift between buttons and sticks are about the same, as is the placement of the buttons. Everyone we have found that has one says it is very comfortable overall and if you play for long periods while connected to a TV it is well worth it. The downside comes in with the trigger buttons, the ‘L’ and ‘R’ triggers. It is not that they are hard to reach, nor that they are entirely unresponsive, but that when you first get the controller they are a bit on the stiff side and not as easy to press.
Fortunately, this seems to be the only real downside according to everyone. The battery life is more than amazing, and most admit they have not actually needed to charge due to actual battery life being low. Instead, most end up setting back into its port because they finished playing long before the batteries have begun to say they needed it. On top of that, not a single person had complaints with the response of the controller and the games. This controller is actually better than most in both categories.

We expect to see issues here with anything wireless, but, amazingly, there are none. The connection as a wireless device does not have the drop-out of signal or lag of past machines and even some present-day ones. Here comes the benefit most do not consider- The pro controller can be easily used while it is charging! The connection to charge it is via USB cord allows you to plug it in and just keep going. With the Switch Joy controllers (the actual gaming sticks that make the switch what it is) are able to do so as well, it is not as easy as it is with the Pro. The connection level does not really change either, the only difference being that the range you can play at is, of course, shorter with the USB cord.
Wanting connectivity is a big part of why a lot of switch users are getting the Pro as well. The actual Switch controllers have seen more than their fair share of issues in use. Anything from an aquarium to other wireless devices can affect their signal and actually cause them to drop signal. It is because of this that many went for the Pro controller to use when not on the portable. The connectivity is much better, and you can stay connected over 40 meters away from the device and even through walls according to some customers who have tested theirs just to see if and how much better they really are.

Although beginners to the race, and even a few who have simply never gone for an extra controller, may not realize it, knowing the brand is extremely important. Since this is a direct Nintendo brand, you are assured quality in every way possible. They have to uphold their name quality which is expected of them. Buying an off-brand, especially when it comes to wireless controls for modern game machines (and really ever since the Nintendo 64) has proven to be the bane of most game players. If you need that comfort on your hands and wrists, want great connection and superior battery life, you need to stick to the company best known for designing controls that work and do not lose life after only a few days of play. You can’t go wrong in that if you are buying a Nintendo controller for a Nintendo gaming console.

This is the biggest contention with this controller. Most game companies have extra or ‘pro’ controllers you can buy for them separately, however, Nintendo’s controller is almost double the price of what most ask for. They want $70 just for one ‘pro’ controller, and you need to buy the charging base separately from it if you do not want to use the USB cord. The separate docking area is another $30. If you do decide to stick to the plug, however, you can even play while it is charging. While this has given rise to whether or not it is worth the money, we did look into the fact you get more out of it. The range, battery life, the fact it can still scan Amiiba’s and that it is as comfortable as one of the most praised controllers to have been designed adds up to every penny. Add to it the fact that no one who has gotten a Nintendo Pro has had it die on them or even give signs of needing to be replaced thus far- they are simply that good.

-40-hour battery life
-Over 30 meters of connection
-Ergonomically designed
-Can still scan Amiiba’s
-Can play when charging
-Well-designed button layout

The bottom line for Nintendo’s new controller is that we feel it is not for everyone, but for those that it is designed for, you do not want to miss it. This controller brings together everything good in the design of all its predecessors and only enhanced the play of a Nintendo Switch. If you are a heavy RPG gamer that wants to see every game in its full glory and feel that is only done on a TV in full HD, you can’t pass this up for sanity and your wrists sake. Long term gaming always has an effect on your hands and wrists and having a controller that can lessen the stress on both is worth sinking into. If you are a gamer who likes multiplayer games, you are going to need extra controllers for your switch anyway, and this means the party will last. You can enjoy 40 hours of play with your friends and not have to worry that one of you will end up having to give up due to a controller dying. In the end, this is for family play as much as it is for those of us who get lost in free roam on the big screen- so do not close it off as an option! It is definitely worth looking into, even if it is a bit more, it gives what it asks!