Gaming sure is expensive these days. Tariffs are making prices across the board go up, and the threat of the $80 video game perpetually looms. The prospect of spending over $90 on a controller seems ludicrous, especially when you’re dealing with a console still in its launch era without many new games. In the case of Switch 2, which allows you to pop the Joy-Con into a shell that’s basically a controller, holding off on buying a new version of the Pro controller seemed like the prudent choice at first. That is, until I started playing Hollow Knight: Silksong.
No joke, I was probably less than an hour into Silksong before I paused the game and ordered a Switch 2 Pro Controller. I made do for a day, tapping away at the Joy-Con’s tiny buttons in a frantic attempt to keep Hornet alive. But it was immediately obvious to me that I needed something better than what the console comes packed with. Now that I’ve spent several days with Silksong using a real controller, I can’t imagine going back. It’s made both playing on TV and playing on-the-go with the console propped up way better.
The difference was like night and day, for me at least. With the fancy controller, I went from being stuck on a boss to beating it quickly. Hunter’s March suddenly didn’t seem so bad when I could tackle it with a real D-Pad. Hornet’s weirdly slanted down attack became manageable almost instantly. And as someone with carpal tunnel, the Pro controller’s ergonomics are especially welcome. Don’t get me wrong, a long Silksong session will still probably end with hand cramps. My right thumb has been slightly inflamed since September 4. But I’ve been able to enjoy the game for longer sessions without pain, too.
Beyond the practical reasons to play Silksong with a Pro controller, there are also nice-to-haves as well. Notably, the Switch 2 version of Silksong makes use of the system’s HD rumble. You can feel details like the rain or the dramatic metal pangs that come with opening a new bench. With an atmospheric game like Silksong, being able to appreciate such subtleties makes for a more immersive experience. That’s one argument for going with the Pro controller over a cheaper third-party option, which may not come with that special tactile feature.
Silksong is hardly the only new Switch 2 game that benefits from upgrading to a Pro controller, and I’m certain plenty of readers will attest that games like Mario Kart World or Donkey Kong Bananza were made better with it. Thanks to the Switch 2’s backward compatibility, there are many older games that benefit from the controller as well. The difference is that Silksong feels borderline unplayable without the controller now that I’ve experienced it, which hasn’t been the case for other titles. The basic Switch 2 Joy-Con buttons aren’t really built to withstand the precise platforming that Silksong requires, or its fast-paced combat. Whenever I try it, the flimsiness of the buttons makes me worry that I’m going to induce early-onset stick drift.
I mean sure, in the most literal sense, you could play Silksong without it. Plenty of people probably already are. But I promise you, that version of Silksong isn’t nearly as smooth as what’s possible on the Pro controller. If you have the means and don’t have one yet, now is the time to take the plunge.
