I can’t count the number of times having another pair of Nintendo Joy-Cons has come in handy over my seven years of owning the handheld. Whether it has meant having enough for a full game of Mario Party Jamboree, or the means to still play my beloved handheld when drift has taken over (this happens more than I’d like to admit) – having that second set is a lifesaver.
Now, you can grab a new pair of Joy-Cons for $69.99 at Walmart, a whole $10 off its MSRP. Despite the fact the Switch has been out for almost eight years, its controllers haven’t seen much of a price cut in that time. That’s often why many, myself included, seek out the best Nintendo controller alternatives instead. Even during last Black Friday the peripherals rarely dropped down much from the full price, which is why even this small 12% discount is worth celebrating. As of typing, every color combo is still at least over the $78 mark at Amazon. With that in mind, grabbing a new pair of Joy-Cons at its currently low price is a no-brainer before Black Friday.
Should you buy Nintendo Joy-Cons?
No matter if you have the classic red and blue controllers or the stunning versions that came with the official OLED Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom edition console, having another pair of Joy-Cons is a must. Yes, there are a ton of third-party accessories available right now, like 8BitDo’s Ultimate C, that take the Pro controller design and integrate it with delicious drift-free hall effect sensors. However, picking up one of these means you lose out on what makes the official Joy-Cons so special.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve often taken Joy-Cons for granted. Yet being able to use them in handheld mode and then easily transform them into one singular controller with the provided grip is still as impressive as ever. What truly sets the Joy-Con apart from other Switch controllers is a pair’s ability to become two controllers for local co-op gaming. As a Mario Party fanatic with multiple hours in Jamboree, being able to play with one or two people at a whim is the best. There’s no need to even charge a second gamepad elsewhere, all I need to do is pull the Right one from the console and hand it to the unsuspecting friend who’s about to lose in every mini-game we play.
You could alternatively pick up the Hori Splot Pad Pro which is currently $49.99 at Amazon. These add an ergonomic flair to the existing Joy-Cons and are more comfortable to hold in your hands. Just like the official controllers, they slide easily in the handheld rails. Sadly they can only be used when attached to the handheld itself, and miss out on NFC, rumble, and wireless tech, which is why I’d still advocate for more Joy-Cons in your arsenal. However, they are generally more affordable even without a discount and come in different colors and designs, including ones based on Pokemon to Zelda.
Having a spare is a must if you want to still play your beloved Nintendo console even after you’ve been subject to a dreaded case of drift. My original controllers broke down repeatedly, even after multiple trips to Nintendo for a fix, so I bit the bullet and purchased new ones instead. Ever since, I’ve been lucky to avoid the game-ruining problems. The fear of it happening again hasn’t gone away, and I’ve been sure to not be as harsh on my sticks even when I’m about to come second and not first in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Better yet, as an official controller, they’re easy to set up, and still offer the same benefits like NFC-reading tech for your huge amiibo collection and that lovely capture button.
It’s reasonable to worry about investing in more Joy-Cons so late in the Switch’s lifespan. Ninty itself has been tight-lipped on the upcoming Switch 2 and its new gamepads. However, the very late introduction of a two-way Joy-Con charging stand might be a hint that backward compatibility will be a thing. So far there’s been rumors circulating that the handheld successor will have similar controllers to the Joy-Cons that will attach magnetically instead of via the rail system as they do now. Hopefully, with the charging stand in tow, this will mean grabbing another set of controllers will still be worthwhile as you’ll be more than prepared for whatever the Nintendo Switch 2 throws at us.
Dive into our Black Friday Nintendo deals if you’re already well-equipped with controllers but could use an extra game or two to play. If you need a new headset to pair with your Switch, our Black Friday gaming headset deals are full of compatible cups and savings to be had.