5 Amazon Accessories That Will Upgrade Your Nintendo Switch Controllers

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The original Nintendo Switch has been a workhorse of a console since it debuted in 2017. While the Nintendo Switch 2 is the hot new console, many people are still using and loving the original Nintendo Switch. And with prices on almost everything in the tech space seemingly increasing, for many, the original Switch console still has a lot of life left in it and even a few tricks up its sleeve.

But the primary issue with continuing to use the console is general wear and tear. And nothing gets more abuse than the controller that you use alongside it. The Nintendo Switch features detachable controllers known as Joy-Cons, which come with their own issues after years of use. There were so many issues that Nintendo fixed the Joy-Cons for free at one point.

But with some accessories you can pick up on Amazon for relatively cheap, you can upgrade not only your Joy-Con controllers but even your Pro Controller. From attachments to make life more comfortable to upgraded parts to keep your controllers running strong, we have a bit of everything for Nintendo Switch users.

The Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons are pretty impressive pieces of technology. Their detachability from the Nintendo Switch makes them incredibly versatile, unlike other game consoles’ controllers. You can slide them off and share them with friends, each Joy-Con turning into its own complete controller for multiplayer sessions with friends.

While this is a fantastic idea on paper, they aren’t the most comfortable controllers to hold individually in horizontal mode. They can feel cramped in the hand, with the right Joy-Con in particular being a real issue because its joystick is off-center. Unless you’re a small child, playing games in detached mode isn’t fun for longer play sessions.

That’s where the Kuitmor Hand Grips come into play to upgrade your Joy-Con’s. This controller grip/dock lets you insert a Joy-Con and use it detached in a much more comfortable way. It features ergonomic grips, makes the Joy-Con larger, and actually makes using the top bumpers viable. It’s also pretty cute, making it a great choice for those looking for a fun gift or to add a little fun to their overall Joy-Con experience.

One of the most common issues that affected the Nintendo Switch was the dreaded stick drift, something that even affects the new Nintendo Switch 2. Stick drift is when the joysticks begin drifting on their own, even without any input from the user. It was a major issue with the Nintendo Switch that came from the use of lower-quality materials in the construction of the Joy-Con controllers.

You could go out and purchase new Joy-Con controllers to fix this, but chances are it would only be a matter of time before the problem struck again. Thankfully, for less than the price of a value meal at your favorite fast food place, you can fix the issue yourself with the TMR Hall Effect Joysticks.

The Tunneling Magnetoresistive sensors (TMR) are more sensitive and provide higher precision than traditional Hall Effect sensors, giving you better control than the stock Nintendo joysticks. They won’t ever get stick drift and also consume 50% of the power of stock sticks, meaning you’ll be able to play longer on the same battery. It’s a simple upgrade (provided you have the confidence and technical know-how to modify your Joy-Con) that can do wonders to upgrade your overall Switch experience.

Sometimes the best way you can upgrade your Switch controllers is simply to ditch the standard Joy-Cons and upgrade to something a little more robust. When looking for ways to upgrade my Switch experience, I tried all sorts of things, from custom grips to new parts and third-party controllers. But what I found was that the Switch Joy-Con’s simply didn’t feel all that great in my hands.

They were efficient and got the job done, but after extended play sessions, they became quite uncomfortable thanks to their design. One of the best upgrades that I made was in picking up a HORI Nintendo Switch Split Pad Compact. These officially licensed Joy-Con replacements step everything up a notch in terms of comfort and control.

The feature a larger, more ergonomic design than the original Joy-Cons, making them a pleasure to use during long play sessions. You even get an assignable rear trigger, turbo function, and a traditional D-Pad, something essential for retro and fighting games. They might not be wireless, but if you play mostly on the go, these are a serious upgrade over the stock experience, and you can also get the wired adapter for yet another upgrade.

The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is widely considered one of the best first-party controllers ever created, even by non-Nintendo fans. It features a fairly classic design and lets you play Nintendo Switch games with a traditional controller, which is important for serious gaming and competitive play over the Joy-Cons.

And, as with almost every controller, your Switch Pro Controller is susceptible to wear over time, especially if you use it heavily. But what if you could breathe new life into your aging Pro Controller and even make it a little better for use in games like Smash and various other fighting and retro games? Enter the eXtremeRate Classic SwitchCube Style Replacement Grip Housing.

This replacement shell can replace your aging Pro Controller shell and give it a serious upgrade. This new shell gives the Pro Controller a classic GameCube look while also adding the 8-way grooves on the joysticks that the controller was known for. This makes performing moves far more precise through physical feeling, upgrading an already great controller and giving it a striking new look in the process.

We’ve talked about how the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is a favorite among many, but there is always room for improvement. What if you could add several new buttons to the lower underside of the Pro Controller? This helps to take the Pro Controller and upgrade it into a serious eSports controller designed for competitive gaming.

This eXtremeRate Back Buttons Attachment upgrade can be a little controversial with many, especially if you read the reviews on Amazon. Review scores might scare some away because this is not a plug-and-play sort of accessory. The eXtremeRate Back Buttons Attachment requires a high level of skill because soldering is required to take full advantage of all the included buttons.  And if you mess something up, you can easily render a Pro Controller inoperable.

But for serious competitors out there, the benefits of the modification can be worth the effort, with extra buttons and on-the-fly button remapping. Competitive and pro gamers speak highly of this add-on, but it does come with risks for those not skilled in modifying and repairing small electronics.

When selecting the items featured in this list, we searched Amazon for accessories people may have overlooked. Most of the featured items have high user ratings and are incredibly easy to use.

Others are far more complex and require some serious skill, but can change the way you play games on the Nintendo Switch. We also considered users, YouTube creators, and the writer’s personal experience when finalizing our selections.