Hori’s Making Gamecube-Style Switch Controllers

Ah, the Gamecube controller. One of the best controller designs across the systems, and the foundation for the Pro Controllers for successive systems. Smash Bros. Ultimate is approaching, and it’s already been revealed to support GCN controllers with the use of an adapter. But Japanese company Hori has decided to cut out the middle man with a line of GCN-style controllers equipped with USB ports. No need for an adapter. Hori’s controllers will come with ZL, ZR, +, -, and Home buttons, something their forefathers lacked (unless the Start and Select buttons are going to function as the + and – buttons, that is).

【10月発売予定】「クラシックコントローラー for Nintendo Switch」が10月発売予定です！連射機能搭載で、疲れにくい軽量設計です！マリオ/ゼルダ/ピカチュウの3種類での展開です。
マリオ: https://t.co/oeKO2OCEKb
ゼルダ: https://t.co/gSXL4jFiQc
ピカチュウ: https://t.co/kjnSMGACOZ pic.twitter.com/NJP136Zh1P

— HORI /ゲーム周辺機器のホリ (@HORI__OFFICIAL) July 24, 2018

The downside? Hori’s controllers won’t have motion controls, IR sensors, or NFC touchpoints to scan Amiibo characters. Players will still need to use the Joycons for those features. The available models, at least for the first wave, include a red and blue Mario design, a yellow Pikachu variation, and a black Zelda model featuring the triforce crest. They’re currently only set to release in Japan (that may change in the near future) and go for around 2,980 Yen, or $25 before tax. Sounds about right. Of course, importing them is always an option, since the Switch isn’t region locked.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate releases December 7 this year. Hori’s controllers will be out in October, well in advance. They’re lightweight and comfortable, and the cable extends nearly ten feet to give players plenty of room to sit back from the screen. Wired theme controllers have flooded the market over the past decade, but the main appeal of these latest contenders is that they match the original design and layout of the GCN’s, again, without needing an adapter to connect to the Switch. Functionally, there’s no overriding reason to use them over a Switch Pro controller if one is available. If not, they’re certainly easier on the hands than the standard Joycon.