Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has become the most popular fighting game in the world. Smash Ultimate has sold more than twenty million units since it came out for the Switch in 2018. It is the best selling fighting game of all time. Super Smash Bros Ultimate is probably one of the very few games where what controller you are using really does matter.
Most players usually look for the best Nintendo Switch controller for Smash Ultimate. Let’s take a look at some of the best controllers for Smash Ultimate you can get.
Joy-Cons
We know that the Joy-Cons may not be the best Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Nintendo Switch controller for docked mode. The buttons and sticks are simply too small and way too tactile and clicky to even consider that. The directional buttons don’t fare well either.
But what the Joy-Cons do have going for them is portability and handheld mode. The official Joy-Cons are pretty much the only way to play handheld mode on your Nintendo Switch. Granted that there are cheaper third party Joy-Cons. But they are not very good at all and don’t even come close.
One of the best things about Joy-Cons is that you can play Smash with a single Joy-Con. This is pretty good for the tabletop mode. When you are playing with a friend in tabletop mode on your Nintendo Switch, you can split apart the Joy-Cons and you both can play very well with each.
The official Joy-Con controller for Nintendo Switch comes with many features including HD Rumble, NFC, etc. Joy-Cons are way too good if you are outside or traveling at the moment. But, you might not always like the portable mode with the Joy-Cons to play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on your Nintendo Switch.
Pros:
- Portable and tabletop modes
- Great battery life
- Easier to short hop within Smash
- Motion Controls
Cons:
- Small clicky buttons
- Joy-Con drift
- No proper D-pad
Key Features: 20-hours of battery life | HD rumble | NFC support | IR sensor | Gyroscope motion controls | Bluetooth Connectivity
- Introducing Joy-Con, controllers that make new kinds of gaming possible, for use with Nintendo...
Pro Controller
The Switch Pro controller is another official controller for Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Switch Pro controller feels very premium in hand and well built. Buttons are very good to press and comfortable. For a player who is new to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Pro Controller should work great.
When it comes to really intensive gaming, the Switch Pro controller is the best option you have. The shoulder buttons are in great places. The trigger buttons are clicky with shorter travel distances. Shielding and dodge rolls can be real quick with this.
The button layout might not be the best for Smash, but it’s still great for other Switch games. The D-Pad placement is not great for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate always.
Pros:
- Ergonomic stick placements
- Clicky shoulder buttons.
- Motion Controls
Cons:
- The button layout is a bit bland
- The D-pad position is not great
Key Features: 40 hours battery life | HD rumble | NFC support | Motion controls | USB and Bluetooth connectivity
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Nintendo GameCube Controller
Nintendo GameCube Controller is a bit different from the original GameCube controller. The outside plastic is a bit different as it uses a new, grippier, and just overall better texture.
Nintendo GameCube is a wired controller. But the wire is very long, so you shouldn’t really have any problem reaching any part of your room. The official 2018 version Nintendo GameCube controller needs a GameCube adapter to work with the Switch. And that is sold separately.
The buttons are a bit stiff, compared to the original Nintendo GameCube Controller. But, it can do well on a daily basis for avid Super Smash Bros. Ultimate players. The button layout is perfect for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which makes it a favorite among Nintendo Switch players.
Pros:
- Long connector wire
- Good button placement
- Same replica of the original GameCube controller
Cons:
- Shoulder buttons are not great
- Needs a separate adapter.
- No motion controls
Key Features: Rumble | Almost ten feet long cord | Dual analog joysticks | Analog triggers
HORI Battle Pad
If you don’t like Nintendo’s own GameCube controller, HORI Battle Pad one of the best controllers for smash ultimate from a third-party vendor for Nintendo Switch. It is a very lightweight controller packed with everything you want.
Hori Battle Pad feels very cheap too. But the controller plugs into the Nintendo Switch via USB. So you don’t need to shell out extra money for an adapter. The Switch detects it as a Pro controller.
Unlike the Nintendo GameCube controller, this controller has all the buttons you need. It has buttons to start the game up, shut the game down, Home button, and Share/Screenshot button.
HORI Battle Pad has ZL, ZR, and L, and R buttons reversed. This is because the Z button on the GameCube controller is where the R button usually would be on a Pro controller or on the right Joy-Con. You can also flip these buttons without much effort.
Pros:
- No latency
- No adapter is needed
- The Switch detects it as a Pro controller
- Bigger D-pad
Cons:
- Cheap feeling plastic
- No NFC, Rumble, or motion controls
- Not wireless
- Turbo settings are very complex
Key Features: Color-coded buttons | Turbo settings | Anti-snapback analog sticks | Ten feet long cable | Supports PC and Xinput mode | Extra thumbstick buttons L3 and R3
- GameCube-style wired USB Controller with 10 ft. cable
PDP Wired Fight Pad Pro
PDP Wired Fight Pad Pro is very similar to the HORI controller. The controller is also officially licensed by Nintendo. The Nintendo Switch controller comes in eleven different editions with ten different color variants.
The PDP Wired Fight Pad pro controller feels very nice in hand and exactly like an original GameCube controller. Unlike the HORI controller, the shoulder buttons are in the right places by default and not reversed.
The Switch detects this controller too as a Pro controller. And the trigger buttons are switches. So you can perform shields and dodge rolls very quickly. There is no turbo button or turbo functionality.
You can swap the classic C yellow stick with a bigger full-size thumbstick. You can use the controller on a PC too. As a wired controller for Super Smash Bors. Ultimate, you do not have to worry about latency and battery life.
Pros:
- Lower latency
- Great build quality.
- No adapter is required
- Swappable C sticks with thumbsticks
Cons:
- No rumble, NFC, or motion control
- Not wireless
- No turbo functionality
- Tiny D-pad
Key Features: Color-coded buttons (Not on the two special editions) | Swappable C stick | Ten feet long cable | Extra thumbstick buttons L3 and R3
PowerA Wireless GameCube Style Controller
The PowerA wireless GameCube style controller is officially licensed by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo. The wireless GameCube controller feels the best in hands out of all the GameCube controllers discussed here. But it’s just as lightweight as the HORI controller too and has an enlarged D-pad.
The left thumbstick is a bit smaller than the original GameCube controller. In fact, the entire controller is a bit smaller than the original GameCube controller.
There are no rechargeable battery options, which is a big downside to a wireless game controller for Nintendo Switch. You need to use AA batteries, which can last only up to 30-hours of playtime. You can instead use rechargeable AA batteries (which will cost you extra money).
Unlike the PDP wired GameCube controller, all the editions do have color-coded buttons for Smash. The trigger buttons are smaller and raised. But they have some travel distance and need a full press.
One great thing about this controller is that it has gyro motion controls. It also supports PC input, but it doesn’t have Xinput support. So you just need to enable Switch Pro controller support from Steam big picture mode for the controller to work correctly.
Pros:
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Solid build quality.
- Smaller and lightweight
- Gyro motion control available.
Cons:
- No rechargeable battery
- No USB port
- No Xinput support
- NFC and rumble not available
Key Features: Wireless | Bluetooth 5.0 | Lightweight | Premium Feeling | Small and portable | Large and quality D-pad | Up to 30 hours battery life | Digital triggers | PC input support (No Xinput)
Exlene Wireless Gamecube Controller
The Exlene Wireless Gamecube Controller is a great option to play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The controller works well with the Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac. It features rumble, motion controls and comes with a rechargeable battery built-in.
The best controller for Smash Ultimate comes with most of the official Nintendo features including motion controls and Rumble. You get an exact design as the original GameCube controller.
One of the advantages of the smash ultimate GameCube controller over the original one is the wireless support. You can connect the controller over Bluetooth with most devices, and can recharge the battery using the USB-C cable.
Pros:
- Wireless controller
- Dedicated home button
- Motion controls
- Rechargeable battery
Cons:
- No NFC support
- Need dongle to connect
- Input latency
Key Features: Wireless controller | Nintendo Switch system buttons | Shoulder buttons | Large D-Pad | Motion controls | Rumble | Turbo
- Full Button Layout with Switch Pro controller & High Compatibility: This Bluetooth Gamecube...
Are you failing to demolish your arch-nemesis over and over again? The difference could just be down to the controller. Above is the list of the best available Nintendo switch controllers out there for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Any of these controllers should be good enough for Smash ultimate.