Nintendo allows you to continue using your old Joy-Cons with the Switch 2 – which opens up a possibility that you might not think of right away.
The Nintendo Switch 2 has been available in stores for about a week now. Console owners around the world are now testing how the new model performs and which old hardware can still be used.
Nintendo has already officially confirmed that old Switch controllers are compatible with Switch 2-exclusive games – but you can’t plug them in.
On Reddit, user “iOvercompensate” has now discovered a curious feature that we didn’t include in our list of compatible Switch accessories: the first and second generation Joy-Cons can be combined with each other in any way you like.
You can mix and match Switch 1 & 2 Joy-Cons as their own pair
byu/iOvercompensate inNintendoSwitch
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Setup is done via the Switch 2’s standard controller menu, where you can easily pair the desired controllers by pressing the L and R buttons simultaneously.
The practical use of this option is actually limited, but still worth a look:
- With the introduction of the new Joy-Cons, some games were no longer compatible, such as “1-2-Switch” and “Nintendo Labo.”
- These titles require the infrared sensor on the right Joy-Con, which is only available on the first generation of controllers. The new Joy-Con 2, on the other hand, have an optical sensor that allows you to use the controller like a mouse.
- If you mix up your controller setup, you can continue to use the games mentioned above.
A Reddit comment also joked about the perfect solution for “a small left hand and an average right hand” – logically, the larger Switch 2 also means that the controller dimensions have grown slightly.
Which of the two Joy-Con generations fits better in your hand? Are you waiting for a specific third-party manufacturer for your Switch 2 peripherals? Let us know in the comments!