After much hesitation, MeinMMO author Dariusz Müller bought a Nintendo Switch for the release of Pokémon Crimson and Purpur. So far he is completely satisfied with the console, but he has not yet been able to make friends with the Joy-Cons. Now he’s found a way to use his Xbox controller on the Switch and almost always gets excited.
The Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons are okay. In handheld mode, they mostly serve their purpose, but nothing more. For use on a monitor or television, there are alternatives such as the Xbox controller, which I like much better. I also have some PS4 controllers lying around.
At some point it occurred to me that there must be a way to use PS4 or Xbox controllers on the Switch. I like both much better than the Joy-Cons and I don’t have to spend another 60 € for a Switch Pro Controller, although I already own numerous controllers.
The solution: a small device for less than €30
So I discovered a small USB stick called 8BitDo USB Wireless Adapter 2 that I can use to connect the Nintendo Switch to my Xbox controller. It works just as well with the DualShocks of the PS4, but they are much more battered for me and therefore went back to the shelf after the short test.
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I simply plug the stick into the switch and establish a wireless connection to the controller that I want to use. If you have a controller that can’t be used wirelessly, don’t worry since the Switch has two USB ports. Simply plug the 8BitDo into one and your controller’s cable into the other.
However, it should be mentioned that the stick is unnecessarily wide. It may be that the cable and stick get in each other’s way. This didn’t cause a problem with the wired connection for me, but it’s still annoying.
The use of two 8BitDo USB adapters and thus two Xbox controllers is unfortunately impossible because both are too thick next to each other. I haven’t tested whether a USB hub can help here.
Hassle-free gameplay, apart from specific exceptions
In most games I play I haven’t felt any downside with the 8BitDo adapter or my Xbox controller. The buttons worked without any problems and the connection remained constant.
Games like Pokémon Crimson and Legends: Arceus were easily playable with the Xbox controller. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the MOBA Pokémon Unite also caused no problems.
But there are also games like Splatoon 3 in which I unfortunately can’t use the Xbox controller. In Splatoon, the movement control of the Joy-Cons is very important – unfortunately the Xbox controller has to fit in here because it has no gyro sensors.
While the lack of motion controls is noticeable in some games, it’s only annoying if you prefer it to stick controls. For example, in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, you can use motion controls to solve puzzles or traverse obstacles with the Ultrahand ability.
In Mario Kart, with the loss of motion controls, you also lose the ability to steer the karts like you would with a steering wheel. However, both Mario Kart and Zelda can also be played with the sticks of the Xbox controller without any problems.
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Why an alternative to the Joy-Cons at all?
I’m having issues with some aspects of the Joy-Cons. Unfortunately, the sticks are really not good, because the rubber wears out quickly and the well-known stick drift problem persists – even if Nintendo now offers free repairs for the Joy-Cons.
In addition, I find the very flat design of the Joy-Cons quite unwieldy. A rounded shape on the bottom, like most controllers and the Steam Deck have, is completely missing.
While the flat underside can be improved somewhat with the included Joy-Con mount, it’s still not ideal in my opinion.
The shape continues to feel non-ergonomic, the mount is borderline small even for my small hands, and that doesn’t improve the sub-optimal placement of the bottom trigger buttons (ZL and ZR). These might be a bit further from upper triggers for me.
If you want to stick with Nintendo’s own controllers for the Switch, MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann gives you some pointers to decide whether the Joy-Cons or the Pro Controller are better suited for you:
Joy-Con or Pro Controller: Which should I play with on my Nintendo Switch?