“Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration!” – Thomas Edison after getting denied entry to a Smash tournament for poor hygiene
Click-clack, our favorite controller is back. If you are familiar with the internet in the 2010s, you already might know how we feel about this GameCube controller: It was the single best and most ergonomic controller ever to exist, and no one else stood a chance against it. Gaslighting aside, it is a one-of-a-kind controller with a plethora of thoughtful design choices that make it a prime choice for gaming.
The finger-hugging analog triggers, the large centered ‘A button’, the notched analog stick…hole for precise directions, not the D-pad, and the strange, rounded shape that gave the controller its unique grip. If anything, there is nothing like playing GameCube games on a GameCube controller.
In 2014, Nintendo acknowledged the controller’s popularity in the Smash Bros. scene with a controller adapter for the Wii U that let you use your original, cheeto-infested 2002 controller on your 2014 console to own your 11-year-old cousins.
WAOW!
The adapter was cool and allowed you to connect your controllers to a PC as well. Fast forward to 2025, and the big N bequeathed us with another accessory after *inventing* GameCube emulation for the Switch 2: The NSO GameCube controller.
Is the controller actually good? Is it kind of meh? Let’s dive in.
Immediate Observations
At first glance, the controller is nearly 1:1 with OEM, as expected, with a few extra buttons specific to the Switch 2, also as expected. On the front, you have the familiar rubber switch ABXY scheme, rubber Game Boy Advance style D-pad, start, analog sticks, the works.
On top, you have the familiar L&R triggers (mapped to L and Z), the infamous Z button (mapped to ZR), and a host of new buttons. Now we have an additional ZL button, Home, snapshot, GAME CHAT, sync, and a USB-C charge port.
How the Switch GameCube Controller feels
At first feel, this feels exactly like an OEM GameCube controller, down to the clack, tension, and texture. At second feel…it’s definitely not. You are familiar with the original controllers to their NSO counterparts.
This has all the usual suspects: The body has a hard plastic feel that feels lighter, dare I say “cheaper”, all rubber membranes are very bouncy, and the overall fitment kind of seems off. The Z button also has a noticeable click to it. In short, the molds they are using are very accurate, as well as the color and sheen, but the texture overall is fairly different from OEM.
Not bad, just different. The analog sticks are fairly tight and clicky, but are nearly identical to OEM, complete with the circular rim on the left stick and C indent on the C-Stick.
To compare, I have my original controller from 2003 and a barely used Wavebird to compare a newer condition controller and one that has been broken in. The texture on a newer OEM controller is noticeably smoother than NSO and is generally quieter, with buttons requiring less force to actuate.
My well-loved, broken-in controller has significantly smoother plastic; it’s a shinier texture from use with the buttons feeling nearly identical. My original controllers just feel higher quality overall, nostalgia glasses off.
Overall, the NSO controller feels good! I doubt some of my issues will go away once it’s broken in more, but it looks VERY good and feels original enough. It looks like home, but feels kind of off.
Which is fine considering it’s still a new product. On its own, it’s a fun novelty, and the extra buttons are welcome when playing on the Switch 2.
The Switch GameCube Controller in Action
The NSO GameCube controller is very fun to use in play. The buttons are tighter than the Switch 2 Pro Controller, but I have had no issues navigating across different games and the Switch OS. The mapping for this controller is straightforward, adhering to the modern controller layout you’re already used to, which is good because it doesn’t support re-mapping through the OS. Womp womp.
Latency on the controller is minimal, both wired and through Bluetooth. While the NSO GameCube emulation itself is… not responsive, playing games like Mario Kart was a joy. Unfortunately, we are running out of practical use cases to use this controller unless the latency on the official emulator is resolved. Well, at least you can use it on PC, right? … right???
It’s Only Compatible With the Switch 2
Sarcasm detected
The Wii U just shook in its grave, for locked-down Bluetooth has returned! Yes, as stated on the box, the controller is only compatible with the Switch 2. Ignoring that, I tried pairing it with both USB and Bluetooth on Android (RP5, Phone), PC, and my Steam Deck.
Yep, no dice. All hope isn’t lost, however, since firmware is being developed to make the controller compatible with other devices, such as this workaround here, but there are no real solutions yet.
I do have faith that, like our Wii U brethren, we will see custom firmware or an 8bitdo dongle or some sort that will remedy this. I love playing the NSO N64 controller on the Steam Deck, and it would be nice to add an official GameCube controller to that. In the meantime, I will wait for a remedy (and will update this article once a real solution exists).
Can I Recommend It?
No.
This controller feels pretty good and looks absolutely stunning. Its real-life utility is minimal, its real-life price is (now) $70, and its real-life reaction is disappointment. Also, it’s only sold directly through Nintendo for their online subscribers and is currently locked down to ONLY the Switch 2, where the emulation is…problematic.
So what can we do with this? Look at it, click it, flip it on eBay, play Mario Kart world with a big A button, and that’s about it. Maybe try 8bitdo’s Bluetooth mod kit?
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