These are the best Nintendo Switch controllers for retro and arcade gaming
Going by the list of games we review on Nintendo Switch and the ever growing list of available games in Nintendo’s own Nintendo Online collections and Hamster’s Arcade Archives, you might, just like us, consider a controller to specifically scratch your arcade playing itch. Considering Nintendo’s hybrid handheld system may not standout as a premiere fighting platform, it does have a huge library of retro fighters, shmups and platformers, that hugely benefit from specific controller gear. In this guide we bundled the best recommendations across third party and Nintendo’s own controllers based on available features, quality and price. We steered clear of very purpose-specific controllers, those will be features in a upcoming article.
8Bitdo M30
Brand: 8BitDo
Pros: Nostalgic style, excellent D‑pad, modelled after the Mega drive/Saturn layout, multi‑platform
Cons: The not-pro edition is limited to D‑pad genres as it lacks sticks/triggers
Price: US $30/UK £30/ EU €30
Going by the redditors we encountered, the D-Pad of the NS30 as well as the M30 are the main reason to go with these retro-styled controllers. While nostalgia doesn’t make your experience any better, for us, especially the Megadrive 2-version (M30) makes the difference when it comes to playing retro games on Switch. The button layout and the number of buttons available, is flexible enough to support any of the Nintendo Online Retro collections, as well as to be suitable for retro-styled indies. The Mega Drive and Saturn arguably always had superior D-pads and the 8BitDo M30 reflect that quality and authenticity. The NS30 offers a Pro edition which adds two thumbsticks to the layout for a small price increase.
X‑Arcade Solo Joystick (USB)
Brand: X‑Arcade
Pros: Rugged arcade cabinet joystick feel, plug ‘n’ play
Cons: Heavy desktop use only, bulky
Price indication: US $130/UK £130/EU €130
With the product page gone from the X-Arcade website, we fear the single-stick version of the original Tankstick is slowly being merked off the X-Arcade lineup. Still, if you’re chasing that true arcade vibe and need slam-absorbing durability, the X-Arcade Solo might be worth tracking down. This USB version is plug-n-play with pretty much every gaming system under the sun—including the Nintendo Switch. Want to build a Raspberry Pi–powered MAME rig? The Solo stick can handle that too. It’s a legend in arcade fidelity: a desktop titan built for serious arcade emulation fiends.
Gulikit King Kong Pro 2
Brand: Gulikit
Pros: Drift‑proof Hall‑effect sticks, turbo, macros, motion sensor
Cons: Small triggers occasional misfires
Price: US $39–$45.99 / UK £39.99 / €39,99
While it’s not strictly a retro arcade or fighting controller, the Gulikit King Kong Pro 2 is too highly rated to pass up. Packed with futuristic tech, it’s earned rave reviews, first and foremost for its pinpoint precision and responsiveness. It really stands out with features you never knew you needed: you can record your inputs for up to ten minutes and play them back as a macro; its Hall effect thumbsticks banish that dreaded stick drift; and it is fully motion‐sense compatible, even adding motion controls to games that don’t officially support them. Vibration intensity is adjustable too. All that for just half the cost of the original Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Pros: Monster battery life, ergonomic clicky D‑pad, built‑in gyro
Cons: Not arcade‑focused joystick
Price analysis: US $69.99 / UK £59.99 / EU €69.99
While not feature-heavy as the Gulikit, Nintendo’s Pro Controller is the undisputed Swiss Army knife of controllers which works across all genres with pro‑level reliability and comfort and is widely praised by every major review. It is arguably the best controller among its first party console brethren, with being a designated Arcade controller. Ok that is our opinion, but as it may not have the feature set of a Xbox Elite controller, it by far out classes its’ two-times more expensive high-end counterpart when it comes to durability and longevity. While the D-pad is fine, it isn’t the best by any means, but as an all rounder, it may well be the best choice.
HORI Real Arcade Pro V Hayabusa
Pros: Tournament‑grade Sanwa Hayabusa joystick; robust build; pro layout.
Cons: Wired only; more expensive.
Price analysis: US $149.99 / UK £189.99 / EU €169.99
Hori is the brand that is considered the trusted gold standard in arcade game tournaments worldwide. While pricier and tethered, its build quality and joystick precision make it the ultimate choice for hardcore fighting enthusiasts. First of all, it is built like a tank, with its steel frame and top grade Sanwa Hayabusa buttons and stick. Like many of the other controllers, the Hori Real Arcade Pro V is also compatible with Windows (and subsequently Steam). Its price of roughly €170 is the only real down side, but gamers willing to dish out the fairly high cost of entry will have the best of the best currently on the market.
8BitDo Arcade Stick
Pros: Authentic joystick feel; quick‑swap button sockets; wireless up to 40 hours; mod‑friendly.
Cons: Big and less portable than compact buttons; slightly weak in strict 4‑way joysticks.
ESRP: €79,99
TechRadar calls it “one of the best mid‑range sticks” and the top pick for Switch fight sticks. It adds Bluetooth, USB‑C and elegant NES styling, and we find it safe to say that it’s a full‑size delight for casual to serious arcade fans. It might not be the most precise option for strictly retro platformers, but shooters and fighting games are great to play with this affordable 8BitDo option. The battery has the capacity to operate for 40 hours on one charge, which is more than comfortable for your gaming needs.
8BitDo All‑Button Arcade Controller
Brand: 8BitDo
Pros: Lightning-fast Kailh switches, ultra‑slim, portable, stick‑less layout, multi‑platform support
Cons: No joystick limits genre versatility
ESRP: € 89,99
Yet another 8bitDo controller, you ask ?Yes, 8BitDo delivers such a broad and good selection of controllers on Nintendo’s console, it’s hard to stick to one or two in our best arcade controller guide. This lean mean fighting machine is built for pro-level response time. Its stick-less format has been called “faster than you ever thought possible” in the gaming media, with symmetry rivaling pro arcade gear. The ‘missing stick’ housing yields an ultra-sleek deck just 16 mm thin. The competitive scene has evolved from fighting sticks, to layouts like these, for far more precise input. Aimed squarely at serious fighting enthusiasts, the All-Button Arcade controller is surprisingly affordable in its niche, with a recommended retail price of around €89.99. It’s by far the best way to jump into the stick-less fighting-“stick” scene, and it’s wild that a platform not known for fighting games is blessed with its own take on this All-Button Arcade controller.
