Best Wired Nintendo Switch Controllers

The Nintendo Switch has tons of wireless controller options, but it can also be played with wired controllers if you prefer them, and we’ve rounded up some of the best options for wired Nintendo Switch controllers out there right now.

As a console, the Switch can be played in a number of different ways, and that’s precisely what makes it such a great console. It’s versatile. You can play it on the go as a handheld portable using the two connected Joy-Con controllers, for example. But you can also use it as a tabletop portable with the kickstand and play with the Joy-Con controllers wirelessly. You can also dock it at home and play with wireless or wired controllers. Whatever your preferences, or just whatever is the best option for you at the time, the Switch can do it.

If you’re looking for the best wired Nintendo Switch controllers you can pick up, look no further. You’ll find the best options below. While wired controllers aren’t as convenient, they do have one major benefit. The cost. They’ll be noticeably less expensive. And that’s a huge bonus. Saving all that money also makes it possible to get multiple wired controllers if you often play with other people like friends or family members.

Best Wired Nintendo Switch Controller for playing in the dark: PowerA Spectra Enhanced

PowerA makes some of the best options for wired controllers, especially for the Nintendo Switch. One reason why we love them and why we think most players looking for a wired controller would is because they’re incredibly inexpensive. This controller is currently on sale at Amazon for $19.96. It normally retails for $34.99 at full price.

So it’s already an affordable option, and this sale brings the price down by quite a bit. What’s not to love about that? Outside of the price, the PowerA Spectra Enhanced is an excellent controller if you play late into the night. While the ambient lighting from your TV is going to make the buttons on your controller semi-visible, this controller makes it way easier to see every button, thanks to the LED lighting that surrounds all of them.

Well, it surrounds all of them but the four towards the top. You will, however, find LED lighting around the d-pad, both joysticks, and the ABXY buttons, as well as around the entire controller shell. It’s also a neat aesthetic, and you can change the colors, too. So you get to pick which color suits you best. We really love the soft-touch finish as well because it makes the controller a little more comfortable against the skin of your palms and fingers. Plus, it helps with grip and makes the controller feel less like it could slip out of your hands from sweat.

It comes with a cable that’s 10 feet long, too, so it’s great for anyone whose Nintendo Switch is across the living room from where they tend to sit. All in all, this is a solid wired Nintendo Switch controller, and we think a lot of consumers will love it.

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Best Turbo Wired Nintendo Switch Controller: HORIPAD Turbo

The HORIPAD Turbo is awesome for several reasons, but it’s our favorite option for Turbo controllers because it’s not only well-made but offers the turbo function and is comfortable to hold for hours on end. The big feature here is the turbo function, which allows you to speed up the input with a single button press. This won’t be useful in every single game, but it will enhance the experience in a lot of them. And who doesn’t love a little bit of an advantage when there’s one available? For so little money no less?

When it comes to the turbo function on the HORIPAD Turbo, you can set it to where the rapid input does 5, 10, or 20 button presses per second. That is absolutely wild. And if you’re playing a game like Splatoon 3 or another multiplayer PvP game, this is an awesome controller to have. It’s also great for games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and other fighting games.

The HORIPAD Turbo is pretty comfortable to use for long game sessions, too. Mainly because of the size. That being said, we also really love the larger joysticks, and the buttons don’t feel too spongey or mushy. It comes in a few different color options, which is always nice, though it might not be to everyone’s tastes since there are no “fun colors” like some of the other controller options.

This controller also features pretty large triggers to make them easier to hit, and there’s a turbo hold function so you won’t have to hold the button down. Instead, if the turbo hold is enabled, pressing a button continually activates the turbo function. For under $30, you can’t go wrong here.

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Best Wired Nintendo Switch Controller for Style: PowerA Enhanced Wired

While we love the Spectra model for its lighting, the non-Spectra version of the PowerA Enhanced comes in loads of different designs and colors. Most of the designs are based on games that are available on Nintendo Switch. So, this is the perfect controller for people who want to show off their love of the games they play. Zelda fan? Grab the controller featured above.

You’ll also find designs based on Super Mario, Pokémon, Donkey Kong, Kirby, and even Sonic. In fact, I personally have the Sonic one, and it’s what I’ve been using to play Switch when I have my Switch OLED docked. What’s nice about this controller is that the cable is 10 feet long. More importantly, it’s detachable. So, when I’m not using the controller, I can detach the cable and store it. This is infinitely easier because the cable comes with a velcro cable tie to keep it nice and neat.

This controller is $29.99, which is a pretty standard price for most of these wired controller options that we’ve selected. It’s very lightweight since it doesn’t take batteries and doesn’t house a rechargeable battery. Plus, there’s a 3.5mm audio jack for plugging in wired headphones. This is great if you want to play late into the night without disturbing others. It’s a pretty common feature on most controllers. However, we have seen some controllers that don’t offer this feature, so it’s nice when it’s there, and we felt it was worth mentioning.

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Best Budget Pro Wired Nintendo Switch Controller: PDP Rematch for Switch

The PDP Rematch is a very solid option for a wired controller for quite a few reasons. For starters, this is a pro controller, so it has some extra features the standard ones won’t offer. And all for a price that’s right around the same amount. PDP also makes great quality controllers, and I’m a big fan of them after the Pro PS5 controller I picked up. With the Rematch controller for Switch, you have remappable back paddle buttons plus a 3.5mm audio port for wired headset connections.

If you want to change your style, the controller also allows for swapping out the faceplate. You can also pick the controller up with a variety of different faceplate designs. This model comes with a black and white design to match the OLED Switch. But you can also get it with designs based on the 1-Up Mushroom from Mario games, Link from Breath of the Wild, and more. There’s even one with Tom Nook on there. If you play a lot of fighting games or multiplayer PvP titles on Switch, the back paddles here are a nice advantage.

I also really love the joysticks on this controller because of how big they are. On top of the size, they have a nice textured grip feel, which helps keep my thumbs from slipping off. Speaking of preventing slippage, this has a textured grip on the back of the handgrips, too. Plus, it has fairly large triggers, making them easier to press.

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Best Wired Nintendo Switch Controller Overall: 8Bitdo Pro 2 Wired

This is, hands down, the best overall controller for Nintendo Switch in the wired category. It has tons and tons of features, and in addition to being compatible with the Nintendo Switch, it’s compatible with a handful of other platforms, including mobile, Windows, and Raspberry Pi (if, for some reason, you play games on a Raspberry Pi). You can even use this with a Steam Deck if you feel so inclined.

For Switch, this is a nice option because it has two pro back paddle buttons, large joysticks, a more traditional d-pad, and a super-long cable that measures 3 meters. Basically, you should have no problems at all with this controller reaching your console unless you have a massive room and you sit a mile away from the Switch dock.

Surprisingly, this controller has adjustable hair triggers, which is a pretty nice bonus for fighting games, shooters, or really any competitive game on Switch. You can also customize the button mapping using the Ultimate PC software. You won’t be able to map controls on the Switch, though. So you will need to map these on the PS using the Windows app first. There’s even a customizable turbo function if you like using that for certain games.

For the $34.99 price point, this is pretty good, thanks to the quality build and all the extra bonus features.

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Best Wired Controller for Super Smash Bros: GameCube Controller for Switch (Nintendo)

Nintendo’s GameCube controller is the go-to option for many fans of Super Smash Bros., mainly because many of the biggest fans grew up playing the original Smash on the Nintendo 64 and with Super Smash Bros. Melee on the Nintendo GameCube. Super Smash Bros. Melee is hailed by many as one of the best in the series and so this revamped GameCube controller for the Switch has become a fan favorite for Smash players.

It’s the official Nintendo version, which we suggest over the alternative, but this one is a bit pricier. It does come from Nintendo, after all, and Nintendo’s official stuff never really drops in price too much. Nintendo also recommends using this on the Switch with the GameCube adapter, so that makes this a little bit more expensive.

That being said, it’s the best way to play Smash and older GameCube games that can be played on the Switch. You just have to be ok with the price, which is around $72 for the controller alone. The one downside of this controller is that it was designed pretty much exclusively for Super Smash Bros. and nothing else. It’s missing a few of the Nintendo Switch system buttons which is going to hamper gameplay on mostly anything. That makes our next controller a great alternative

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Best GameCube Alternative: GameCube-Style Controller for Switch (PowerA)

If you don’t feel like paying Nintendo’s high prices, PowerA makes a great alternative to the official Nintendo GameCube controller that is significantly less expensive. At a price that typically sits around $27.99, with all the buttons you’d expect to see from a GameCube controller and in the same shape, it’s hard to balk at PowerA’s offering. In fact, we quite like it since it comes in a few designs.

Like the Sonic controller we have, this one has a cable that’s 10 feet long, and it comes with a velcro strap to keep it organized when not in use. You can also detach the cable for storage if you want to be extra organized. This controller is also officially licensed with a 2-year warranty, which means you get some peace of mind in case anything goes wrong with it.

The one major benefit of this controller compared to the official Nintendo one is that this has the official Switch system buttons. The Home button, Plus button, Minus button, and the Capture button are all towards the top center, just under the bowser icon on this model. So you can use this with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate but also with every other Switch game you own. Because of that reason, this might be the better choice if you want a GameCube controller for Smash but one that also works for everything else.

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Best Small Wired Nintendo Switch Controller: HORIPAD Mini

This is the perfect controller for anyone who has smaller hands and prefers a smaller controller to fit in them. The HORIPAD Mini also comes in several fun designs that revolve around Mario, Peach, Pikachu, Yoshi, and others. This controller has all of your necessary buttons, including the wonderful turbo button that Hori offers on the controller we mentioned near the top of this list.

The cable length is also about 10 feet, plus this is probably one of the lightest controllers on the list. That makes it a great option for younger players or anyone who gets fatigued from holding a controller for too long. Price-wise, it’s $29.95 currently, which is about the same as every other controller on the list. Save for a few options.

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