[andi*pandi]

So which full size controller did you end up getting? Review?

[subego]

It’s the official Nintendo issue. Still won’t come for a few days. I’ll definitely report back.

When I first got the Switch, I went a little crazy in the retro controller department.

Nintendo sells a wireless NES model for use with their NES collection. Feels slightly heavier than I remember, but it’s otherwise a perfect copy. I also ordered the SNES version, but that got caught up in everything hitting the fan and is still sitting at the UPS store (a place I’m avoiding for the moment).

Then, for arcade stuff I decided to go whole hog and bought a Mayfiash.



Which is really, really nice, but costs $130.

The main reason I settled on it is it’s the heaviest arcade stick I could find (10 pounds or so), and I use it on my lap. Doesn’t want to slide around at all. Unsurprisingly, arcade games are sooooo much better with it.

[subego]

Short review of the Pro Controllers:

Useless. They both have left stick drift out of the box. Recalibrating doesn’t work.

[subego]

You know, I have to say the stock controllers are pretty incredible. The fact they fit on a mobile but work fine for console mode, and can be split apart is pretty amazing.

Yeah, the rumble is weak, and the small buttons make it easier to knock the wrong one than usual, but those are reasonable trade-offs considering how flexible the controllers are.

The sticks aren’t precise, but since most of your thumb is resting on the controller, you can do precise thumb work, so it evens out for me. Plus, since the stick isn’t holding up my thumb, I don’t ever accidentally engage the “stick press” command. This is something I do all the time on a regular controller.

Again, the sticks aren’t ideal, but do a much better job than they should.



Edit: as a point of reference, the Dual Shock is probably my favorite controller.

[andi*pandi]

bummer on the pro controllers. I was eyeing the powerA versions but the reviews are mixed.

I did discover that using the joycons on the small screen isn't bad... although I like the big screen much better, the hand feel is better.

The minus button is impossible to hit without using a fingernail.

[subego]

Past the drift issue, here’s my two-minute review, as in only using it for two minutes.

Feels good in the hand. My memory might be foggy, but it’s much, much heavier than the PS3/Xbox 360 controller. Hopefully this means good battery.

The buttons are ginormous. It’s like Nintendo went “you want bigger buttons... I’ll show you bigger buttons!”

At least in Animal Crossing, the sticks feel undersensitive. Very precise, but it takes a lot of travel to get to maximum.

Other than that, it’s your basic Xbox layout.


Hopefully I can fix the drift, but right now I’d rather play than fiddle around with them. They may need replacement parts anyways.

[subego]

Tracked down a fix! I’m going to start playing with it now!


Edit: looks to be an software related Animal Crossing issue. I know Nintendo QA can be shaky, but this makes far more sense than two dud controllers out of the box.

Did end up taking one apart, though.

[subego]

30 minute review:

Main buttons are nice, well spaced, responsive, and give good feedback.

The trigger is weird. The resistance goes up and up as you squeeze it, like a normal trigger, then the resistance suddenly stops and the trigger snaps to full squeeze. Not necessarily bad, just weird.

My hands rest in my lap, so weight isn’t an issue, but it makes my hands sweatier than the Joycons in a holder.

The rumble is somehow weaker than with the Joycons.
Edit: I guess it’s about the same at max, but lesser rumbles are much weaker.

Minus is easier to press, but is still best pressed with a fingernail because you have to arc your finger over the stick to get at it.

Not sure how I feel about the D-pad, which is weird. The NES already has a perfect D-pad. Don’t know why they didn’t use that hardware.

Tough to discuss the sticks because frankly, the controls in AC suck. I need to put in some Zelda time with it, which is what I got it for in the first place.

[andi*pandi]

Thx!

[subego]

YW!

At the least, there’s supposedly a drift patch in today’s update.

Edit: aaaaaaaand, still drifts.

[subego]

Having a little more time, both using it and thinking it over, my recommendation is to go with the adapter. Especially if you can get two and use two controllers.

My primary thought is the Pro Controllers are unnecessarily expensive right now. Nintendo’s supply chain is all bollixed, and they’re almost surely not worth what you’d have to pay for them right now.

It’s not a bad controller, but as I mentioned, the Dual-Shock design is my all time fave, and this hasn’t knocked it off the pedestal.

The one wildcard is the left stick and D-pad are flipped on Sony controllers, so that could get annoying if you switch between console and mobile.

[subego]

After taking one apart, and seeing how easy it is, I figured there must be custom stuff available. Out of the box, the things are fugly.



Slapped on iridescent grips. I’m a sucker for flash like that. It’s a little better, I guess. We’ll have to see if the lack of dimples on the grips causes slipping.

I have the parts to do the whole body, but the front piece looks kinda plain when opaque and without any branding. I may try it later. Replacing the grips took only two minutes. Doing the whole thing is more involved. Lots of tiny ass-screws.


More generally, I’ve used the controller for a few days now and am essentially happy. Battery seems decent. Sucky rumble is still its big flaw.

[subego]

I was looking around for something I could mix-and-match with the grips, and found the same company makes these...



Felt it could go either way, but I think this ends up a lot more coherent looking. It would be nice to have matching sticks, but it’s improved the looks enough I’m not complaining.

I like the grips so far. Feels less slippery somehow, even with increased sweat and no dimples.

[andi*pandi]

that does look cool. Linkage?

[subego]

Here’s the company.

http://extremerate.com/

They have a store on Amazon, which is where I got them.

https://smile.amazon.com/stores/page...3&ref_=ast_bln

[Cald3nti]

It is way better than the Joycon, imo. If you are consistently finding yourself needing an additional controller for a friend, I'd say go for the Joycons, but the Pro Controller is a much better. I was worried about the price, but considering I've used it for 150+ hours, I definitely got my moneys worth.

[subego]

I’d definitely find it hard to go back. The crummy rumble is still a mystery, though.


Aftermarket buttons seem to work as well as the stock. Only difference is etched letters on the aftermarket buttons vs. the printed on the original.



Edit: oh, one thing I miss about the Joycons... the plus button being shaped like a plus.

Especially satisfying as the Nook+ button.

[Brien]

A lot of people recommend the 8bitdo SNpro30+. Looks HUGE next to an XB1 controller though, and I have smaller hands so it’s a nonstarter.

[subego]

Looks like it could go either way.



The Pro Controller works well for me, and my glove size is men’s medium.

[andi*pandi]

I'm liking the pro controller a lot. Only nitpicks the right toggle is a little fussy, and I think the joycon + had smoother feel, but my hands aren't cramping up so much.

The true test was Mario Kart.

[subego]

Awesome!

[subego]

I forgot to ask... any drift problems in Animal Crossing?

[andi*pandi]

Not that I've noticed. Then again, we pretty much beat up the original controllers so the sticks were... sticky, so the pro controller is less wonky.

(Having been fully trained by PS4/Horizon Dawn to mash the left stick to run like hell, it was hard for us to adapt to zelda's mash left stick to crouch behavior. RUN <mash> damn it I didn't mean crawl <unmash> RUN! )

[Brien]

I faced similar problems when switching from Xbox since the A/B buttons are swapped.

[subego]

Originally Posted by andi*pandi 

Not that I've noticed. Then again, we pretty much beat up the original controllers so the sticks were... sticky, so the pro controller is less wonky.

From what I understand, the problem is they get gummed up with oil, dust, skin particles, and the like. Sorta like an analog mouse.

The repair options in order of simplicity are,

1) Blow canned air into the crevice with the straw.

2) Swab some electrical contact cleaner on the bulb.

3) Take it apart and put in a new one. They cost about $20, but you need to be comfortable with super tiny screws and delicate wiring. Nintendo will do it for free, but they take forever. Wait time is currently a month.

Originally Posted by Brien 

I faced similar problems when switching from Xbox since the A/B buttons are swapped.

I’ve been out of console gaming long enough I don’t have any muscle memory problems, but even after putting over 400 hours in, I still have to think about which button is X and which is Y.

[subego]

Picked up one of these...



Not recommend. USB cable won’t stay seated. Garbage.


Edit: also, that quadralith thing stays lit even when not charging (assuming the cable hasn’t slipped out), which I find annoying.

[andi*pandi]

good to know. we were going to buy more joycons and would have needed a charger, but when kidA went to college 3 controllers was enough. Then we got just dance and the big controller doesnt work for that.

[subego]

A friend got a Switch, so I lent them my second Pro and NES controllers. It’s not like I’m having guests yet.

I bought that charger back when I originally got my Pros, but never tried it out until now. I was hoping I’d do a better job of plugging it in at the end of the day if I didn’t have to fiddle with a cord.

However, even if I forget to plug it in, haven’t had the battery from a Pro die on me yet. Though I’ll usually plug it in during a break if I know it’s getting low. Joycons (removed from the Switch) won’t last a full day for me.


One added thing about the Pro controller, now that I’ve used it a bunch. High praises for how much force is needed to do a “stick press” I don’t think I’ve accidentally engaged it once. Used to happen all the time on my Dual Shocks.

[subego]

Sad to report the top layer of plastic from one of those iridescent replacement grips for the Pro Controller is starting to flake off.





Edit: apologies for the grody controller.

[radhamadhavmarble]

Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons are excellent controllers, but they are expensive.

[subego]

Since I have a controller addiction, I just ordered up a Genesis model for some authentic Ecco nostalgia.

[andi*pandi]

Another pro controller is on the christmas list (assuming you can even get them) or failing that more joycons. We might be able to have a smash bros party soon, right?

[subego]

I’ve been holding out on getting Smash Bros., but I don’t know if I can do it for much longer.

[subego]

Gots me official Nintendo brand Sega Genesis controller.

It feels light and empty, which doesn’t match my (fog-addled) memory.

The D-pad is… a compromise. It looks like a D-pad, but it’s actually a very wide and flat thumb-stick married to a D-pad. It acts more like a joystick than a normal D-pad because it literally is a joystick, but it can never be anything other than a crummy joystick because it’s bottlenecked by the tiny number of inputs on the D-pad.

On the other hand, even as replicas, the buttons are still among the best, if not the best ever put into a stock controller. Makes me wish D-pads sucked less.


Edit: one nice thing about the D-pad is since it’s really a stick, it’s not murder on your thumb the way a normal D-pad is. Super-comfy.

[Brien]

And yet, the 6 button Genesis controller isn’t coming stateside. Again.

[subego]

FWIW, 8Bitdo has a knockoff.

[subego]

I’ve also gotta think there’s talk of a Saturn collection, and they’d make that controller the 6-button option.

I was actually one of the morons who bought a Saturn.

And a 32X.

[andi*pandi]

The animal crossing controller uses regular battieries not rechargeable, but is wireless, and despite looking cheap, works.