I love my Nintendo Switch console, but I've never been a fan of the traditional Nintendo Joy-Cons. Sure, they mostly function fine, are lightweight, and I think they look cool. But in terms of practicality, comfort, and accuracy – I much prefer using some of the best Joy-Con alternative controllers for gaming on my Switch.
This is mainly down to comfort, and performance, plus an issue known as stick drift, which plenty of gaming controllers suffer from but Joy-Cons in particular are notorious for developing. My Joy-Cons are collecting dust in my game cabinet right now, and I don't use them for gaming anymore. Instead, I have several third-party Switch controllers from brands like NYXI, EasySMX, GameSir, and BigBig Won which resolve a lot of the issues I have with traditional Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons.
Hopefully, with the announcement of a Switch console successor (see everything we know about the Nintendo Switch 2) we might see some improved and updated Joy-Cons with Hall effect analogue technology, which means they won't develop drift. For now, here are the 3 reasons I recommend using a third-party controller over an official Nintendo Switch Joy-Con for gaming.
No stick drift
If you're not familiar with stick drift, then count yourself lucky. It's a very common issue with Joy-Con controllers that Nintendo is also aware of. You'll notice it when the analogue stick on your controller eventually begins to drift out of place and move on its own, without you touching it. This can be very annoying while gaming as your on-screen character will start acting a little wacky, and you'll find it especially difficult in games such as Mario Kart where you plan to turn one way but your joystick has other ideas.
The Joy-Cons that came with my Nintendo Switch are matte red, as I bought the Super Mario Odyssey edition console back in 2018. And while I love the colour, they sadly developed stick drift just one year into using them, and I had to get them repaired by Nintendo, not once, but twice. This is a service that Nintendo offers customers for free, but keep in mind that after repair, your Joy-Cons can develop stick drift again.
Some of the best Joy-Con alternative controllers on the market are using new Hall effect joysticks. This essentially means that the analogue sticks have no physical contact between the moving parts, and as a result, the chances of these pads developing stick drift in their lifetime are near zero. Take a look at my NYXI Hyperion Pro review for more details on Hall effect sticks and their benefits.
Better ergonomics
While Nintendo Joy-Cons are super lightweight, if you're a gamer with bigger hands, then having to use one singular Joy-Con rotated is not going to cut it or be a comfortable gaming experience. Some of the joypads I own have a grippy texture to ensure you don't slip up when things are heated, and
I recently had a game night with my fiancé and our two friends, where we played several games including Mario Kart, Monopoly, and Mario Party Jubilee. Initially, the idea was for us to have 1 Joy-Con each for playing the game, until I made the smart decision to quickly drive home and grab our 2 extra pads.
I can be flexible when it comes to controllers, and a Joy-Con would have been fine for me to use, but my fiancé has virtually no grip on smaller Joy-Cons, and I knew this would bug him in a competitive game night. It's important for controllers to be comfortable to hold, grippy, and lightweight, and the best thing about third-party pads is they often have extra customisable back buttons, so you can change a button layout to better suit your gaming style.
With my Rainbow 2 Pro controller from BigBig Won, you can also change the D-pad to a more flexible wheel, which is great if pressing down on the cross-shaped buttons can cause strain on your thumbs.
Multi-platform compatibility
I've found that another great thing about owning third-party controllers is that a lot of the time they're compatible with some of the best games consoles and other devices like Android smartphones as well as your Nintendo Switch console. Two of the Switch controllers that I own can connect to the Nintendo Switch wirelessly via Bluetooth, but also come with a dongle included for use with a PC.
My Easy SMX controller has a dedicated switch on the back of the controller for changing the connectivity channel to different devices, which is super convenient if you own multiple game consoles but only have the budget for one controller. Using the same controller for multiple consoles is not only a great way to keep costs down but can save space too, as my desk is cluttered enough as it is.
I've found that third-party switch controllers are excellent value and can sometimes cost less than a singular (or pair) of Joy-cons if you need to replace one. Some options also have rumble and motion controls, so you don't need to worry about missing out on any features in games like Mario Kart.
If you're looking to shop for some super last-minute Nintendo Stocking fillers, then I urge you to avoid buying your loved one an official Joy-Con and consider an alternative instead. You'll be saving them hassle in the long run from having to get their Joy-Con either repaired or replaced when it inevitably develops issues. Take a look at some of these options below to get started.
