One of the more baffling decisions when it comes to the Switch 2 is Nintendo skipping out on Hall Effect joysticks for the Joy-Con 2. We’ve previously discussed the benefits of Hall Effect joysticks before on Nintendo Wire, but suffice it to say, it’s a seriously big missed opportunity on Nintendo’s part. Thankfully, third parties are stepping up to correct that error, and one such is PowerA, one of Nintendo’s premier partners when it comes to Switch peripherals. Having made a ton of gamepads and accessories for the first Switch, the company is charging into the next generation with a Pro Controller substitute that might be of interest to you.
Dubbed the “Advantage” controller, PowerA will soon be taking pre-orders for a wired variant of its Switch 2 gamepad ahead of the console’s release in a few weeks. While its shape resembles the official Nintendo gamepad, there are some notable differences in button placement. The Plus and Minus buttons are situated below the D-pad and right joystick, and the Home, C, and Capture buttons are similarly in the middle. The rear paddles also look to be placed a bit higher, as well as having an audio button on the back for quick access to muting/unmuting your headset.
The main advantage here is that this gamepad will feature Hall Effect joysticks. In essence, this controller shouldn’t feature stick drift of any kind, and will likely last you the entire Switch 2 generation. The big downside, though, is that this controller is wired and will only work with the Switch 2 in docked mode. You also lose out on HD rumble, motion controls, and NFC capabilities. It’s surprising how many Switch games don’t rely on those features, but it does mean that this gamepad likely won’t be a good substitute for first-party Nintendo games.
Even still, at $39.99, this gamepad does seem like a solid substitute for when you don’t need every single bit of the Pro Controller’s advanced tech. It could also function as a solid PC gamepad if you’re into PC gaming. You can currently sign-up on PowerA’s website to be notified when pre-orders go live, which is likely to be within the next week or so. The gamepad will be available in three color schemes, including Black, Mushroom Kingdom, and Mario Time.
PowerA Advantage Controller gallery
More Switch 2
Switch 2’s GameChat will require a phone number for registration before use
Recordings on the Switch 2 seem to still be restricted to 30 seconds
Nintendo confirms first batch of Switch 2 games to receive free updates
Leave a Comment
Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
