While it is incredibly difficult to get your hands on these N64 controllers right now, I did find that this retro gamepad makes it a whole lot easier to play more intensive N64 games like OoT and the upcoming Majora's Mask. Not to mention, you'll actually be able to get your hands on one for the holidays (if that's what you want) and won't need a Nintendo Switch account to do so. An extra bonus is that the shape of these knock-off controllers are more in line with modern gaming designs and will be easier to use from the get-go. You'll only have one joystick to deal with and all of the right buttons will be there. If you're on the fence due to how hard it is to get one of these, I suggest you grab a third-party N64 controller instead. The button layout and lack of a second joystick definitely make it easier to play the more intensive N64 games in the Expansion Pack. The minute they announced it I knew I was going to get one myself. Using the Switch N64 controller was better, but still had a learning curve - or rather, a relearning curve.įirst off, if you're a collector or someone who really, really wants the classic controller then by all means you should grab it. Not to mention, I loved that there wasn't another joystick to mess up my game by accident anymore. The C buttons and Z button on the bottom immediately felt better to use. One of the most annoying things was that I kept instinctively reaching for the right joystick in order to move the camera, but that would just make me pull out an item.Īs I was heading into the Fire Temple as adult Link a few hours in, my N64 Switch Controller arrived. As such, I got somewhat used to using the wonky control layout, but I regularly made mistakes because it never truly meshed. To my frustration, I found that the default controls surrounding the C buttons were really wonky, but the service does not allow you to remap buttons, which is beyond frustrating.
So, I completed the early kid portion of the game while using my Nintendo Switch Pro controller. Using the Switch N64 controller was better, but still had a learning curve.Īs an example, when I started playing OoT on the Expansion Pack, my N64 controller had not arrived yet. But honestly, these specific buttons and layout are really only helpful when it comes to more intensive games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (OoT) that take advantage of everything the controller offers. (I feel like I just betrayed my youth with that sentence). The specific buttons correspond to the classic game controls for better play, but that N64 controller design is so wonky it takes some getting used to now that I've gotten accustomed to modern controllers. You'll just want to make sure to charge it up between uses to keep it fresh and ready to go. I'm not entirely sure how long the battery lasts for, but it did go for at least six hours during one of my play sessions, so it should last long enough for the average user. There's also a USB-C port up there and the controller comes with a six-foot charging cable so you can easily charge it up using your Switch dock. The Rumble Pak slot is filled in with plastic and there are buttons on top of the controller that are necessary for interacting with the Switch interface like the screenshot button, home button, pairing button, and ZR button, which serves as the - button. The Switch N64 controller doesn't actually have an opening in the Rumble Pak area since rumble is built into the controller. There are some important differences, though.
The Switch N64 controller doesn't actually have a Rumble Pak slot since rumble is built-in. Otherwise, they mostly look identical in regards to size, color, and shape. The joystick is really floppy on my OG N64 controller, so the new one has good resistance in comparison. When I place the Switch N64 controller side by side my original N64 controller, the only real differences I see are the worn look of my old gamepad and the cable coming out of it.