As much as everyone loves the Nintendo Switch, certain sacrifices had to be made to achieve the console/handheld hybrid design. The Joy-Con controllers, although packed with nifty features, feel small and cramped to people accustomed to full-sized controllers. The $49.99 Hori Split Pad Pro accessory solves this issue by giving the tablet larger buttons, premium analog sticks, and a wider grip. These noticeably big controllers may lack some of the Joy-Cons’ more gimmicky functionality, but the added comfort is more than worth the tradeoff.
Controller Design
The Hori Split Pad Pro is appreciably cheaper than buying either a pair of official Nintendo Joy-Con controllers or a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. This is common for alternative controllers we’ve seen from Hori and other manufacturers. The cheaper price also makes it easier to accept certain missing features, which we’ll discuss later.
The Split Pad Pro looks like someone took a traditional, generic gamepad and sliced it down the middle. You’ll find all the same buttons and triggers you’d see on a Pro Controller in the same configuration. Initially, it launched in colors themed around various games like Daemon x Machina and Pokemon. The version I tested comes in basic black made of a slightly translucent plastic also reminiscent of the Pro Controller, and with red accents for text and the analog sticks’ undersides.
Bolting full-sized video game controllers onto a portable device will always be a little awkward. Just look at, say, the Razer Kishi for Android phones. While the Joy-Con controllers are designed to visually form one seamlessly uniform and relatively compact device when attached to the Switch, the Split Pad Pro is extremely conspicuous.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Gamer hardware has a long and proud history of looking huge and ridiculous. The Switch with the Split Pad Pro attached looks like a 1990s magazine’s mock-up drawing of what a “Switch Pro” might be. Beyond aesthetics, the added bulk might be a turn-off, as these things won’t fit in even the baggiest cargo shorts. However, you can still easily slot the Switch in the dock with the controllers attached.
Performance
The Split Pad Pro may look silly, but the controller’s benefits are obvious the minute you hold your Nintendo Switch in your hand. The controller’s wide grip and hefty size distribute weight in a way that makes the device feel lighter. The textured rear surfaces and subtle side handles feel fantastic and secure in your hands. It’s solidly built, and reminds me of old Nintendo portables that are so durable they could literally survive in war zones.
Hori is a trusted name when it comes to controllers, so it’s no surprise the Split Pad Pro performs admirably. Bigger buttons means my thumb gets less cramped pulling off combos in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. A true directional pad means I can take home the grand prize in Tetris 99. Longer analog sticks give me more precision while aiming in Apex Legends, and I haven’t experienced any drift. The triggers could be a little less spongy, or perhaps have different tension settings like on the Xbox Elite controller, but they’re fine. Monster Hunter Rise’s shenanigans provide a challenging test for any controller, and with the Split Pad Pro I tackled endgame content with ease.
The Split Pad Pro’s superior ergonomics are its main selling points, but it includes a few bonus features, too. There are two additional back paddles you can remap buttons onto. For example, they’re great if you hate pressing down the analog stick as a button. Note that the left paddle can only be mapped to buttons on the left controller, and vice versa. You can also activate Turbo mode to automatically, rapidly press a single button. Finally, there’s a better way to breeze through repeated dialogue in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Unfortunately, the Split Pad Pro also lacks several of the less necessary (and surely more expensive) features you’ll find in regular Joy-Con controllers. There’s no rumble, HD or otherwise. There’s no NFC reader, so say goodbye to Amiibo figures. There’s no motion control, so portable play in New Pokemon Snap won’t be quite as immersive. Finally, there’s no battery, so you must keep the controllers attached at all times to your Switch in handheld mode to use them. They don’t work in TV mode, tabletop mode, or with the Nintendo Switch Lite.
Large and in Charge
It’s honestly surprising that more companies don’t make radical, alternative Joy-Con controllers, considering the Nintendo Switch’s modular nature. The Hori Split Pad Pro shows just how transformative hardware like this can be. Premium controls may not be enough for some people to accept the larger overall size, as you’ll still need to keep at least one pair of Joy-Con if you’re interested in certain gimmicky games and playstyles. But when it comes to pure handheld feel, the Split Pad Pro nails it in a way Joy-Cons simply do not. You could always play your Switch on the go, but now you don’t need to give up comfort to do so.
For more on game controllers, check out How to Choose the Right Controller for Your PC, How to Choose the Best Fight Stick, and The Best Flight Sticks for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
