• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Playing with the separated joycons on each hand feels amazing.

nkarafo

Member
I had a taste of this with the original Wii. But the cable between the Wiimote and Nunchuck was a bit limiting. But the Joycons... man they are so comfortable. Not having to have your both hands fixed on a single item in front of you and being able to just sit on the couch and lay each hand wherever you want makes gaming even more relaxing. Even though the joycons themselves aren't the most ergonomic things humanity has created, they are still so comfortable just for that.

And i'm not even talking about motion controls here. Just play a game that you would normally play with the joycons connected as a single gamepad. But instead of connecting them, just use them separated.

I wonder, why this idea, a specially designed gamepad with half a piece on each hand, isn't widely adopted? With an option to connect the pieces if you want to play the traditional way? Why no such options for the other consoles and PC? Not even from third parties? Pretty sure i'm not the only one who feels that way. Or am i?
 

MidGenRefresh

*Refreshes biennially
Pretty sure i'm not the only one who feels that way. Or am i?

I've felt this way... 5.5 years ago.

what-year-is-it-robin-williams.gif
 

nkarafo

Member
It's comfortable but uncomfortable at the time. They are just way too small. The buttons and sticks are tiny too. I do like the freedom of moving your arms about though.
Too small for my hands and the stick are atrociously bad.

Probably the worst controller i ever used.
I assume, if this idea was a thing, they would have figure out some more ergonomic designs by now.
 
Last edited:

Rykan

Member
It doesn't matter how you hold the joycons. Seperated. Attached to the grip or attached to the Switch it self.

They are, by far, the worst controller I've ever had to use for a major system. Everything about the joycons suck. They're too small. The Buttons are small and clicky. No button feels "right" to press and they have no travel time. The analog sticks are way too small, especially to aim with. The B button is too close to the right stick. Pressing the minus button takes way too much effort. The D pad is garbage for everything. Using a PS5 or Xbox controller after the Switch is like taking off your work shoes and putting on your comfortable slippers.

The joycons are trying to be too many things. A handheld controller, a standalone controller, separate controllers and a controller that is both for one and two players. it tries to do too much, and that's why it sucks at everything. I fucking hate these things.
 

nkarafo

Member
It doesn't matter how you hold the joycons. Seperated. Attached to the grip or attached to the Switch it self.

They are, by far, the worst controller I've ever had to use for a major system. Everything about the joycons suck. They're too small. The Buttons are small and clicky. No button feels "right" to press and they have no travel time. The analog sticks are way too small, especially to aim with. The B button is too close to the right stick. Pressing the minus button takes way too much effort. The D pad is garbage for everything. Using a PS5 or Xbox controller after the Switch is like taking off your work shoes and putting on your comfortable slippers.

The joycons are trying to be too many things. A handheld controller, a standalone controller, separate controllers and a controller that is both for one and two players. it tries to do too much, and that's why it sucks at everything. I fucking hate these things.
Ok but imagine a separated controller that doesn't suck.
 
Last edited:

AV

We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
Best of a bad situation, yeah. Glad I got a pro pad at launch and never looked back.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Isa

Rykan

Member
Ok but imagine a separated controller that doesn't suck.
I'm a big fan of the Wii remote and nunchuck combo. Sure it's technically not separated because the nunchuk is wired to the Wii Remote, but if we imagine that to be wireless then it's great.

Still the most fun way to play shooting games.
 

AllyITA

Member
to me depends on the game.
if it is a chilled game (RPGs, stardew valley, something like that) it is ok to have them separated, but if i need to be accurate and fast (like an action game) i prefer the stability of having a "full gamepad" that i can hold with both hands.


the fact that joycons are too tiny and not at all confortable doesn't make it easy either; separate ergonomic controllers, like the oculus ones are a lot better for this.
 

GymWolf

Member
I assume, if this idea was a thing, they would have figure out some more ergonomic designs by now.
Yeah, because every controller producer in this world fix the problems of their products when people call out how bad they are:lollipop_grinning_smiling_eyes:

But i like your summerchild optimism dude.
 
Last edited:

nkarafo

Member
Yeah, because every controller producer in this world fix the problems of their products when people call out how bad they are:lollipop_grinning_smiling_eyes:

But i like ypur summerchild optimism dude.
Not sure why the negativity.

This topic isn't about the joycons themselves. it's more about the idea of having a separated controller. If i had a VR set, i would probably use those controllers as my example.
 

Three

Member
I assume, if this idea was a thing, they would have figure out some more ergonomic designs by now.
Not sure it would catch on seeing as Nintendo already has the Joycons that have more versatility. For PS there was a patent for detachable controllers (that splits in the middle) that never materialised but if you really want you can use PSVR2 controllers which look ergonomic and can probably double up as a split regular controller.
 

supernova8

Banned
Not sure why the negativity.

This topic isn't about the joycons themselves. it's more about the idea of having a separated controller. If i had a VR set, i would probably use those controllers as my example.
I actually tried this the other day when my girlfriend conveniently put my joycon grip somewhere and I couldn't find it (I fucking swear women have it hard-wired into their brains that they have hide shit for no reason) anyway.

Yeah I dunno it didn't feel bad per se but it felt a bit odd. Also I understand what you mean about VR but Switch you're stationary so it isn't intuitive for me to have my hands completely separate.

Having said that, all of us PC gamers should be used to it since we have our hands totally separated for mouse and keyboard but I guess they're resting on a flat surface.

Also drive-by style... yeah the joycons kinda suck but I refuse to buy a fucking "pro controller" so I've made my peace with them. They work fine that's all that matters.
 

nkarafo

Member
Video Games Gamer GIF by G FUEL

I've come around on this. Each hand with its own custom controller. A true beauty of a concept. I agree all gamers should adopt this.
Having said that, all of us PC gamers should be used to it since we have our hands totally separated for mouse and keyboard but I guess they're resting on a flat surface.

Having said that... I'm also a PC gamer. And i stopped using the KB/mouse because even though your hands are separated, they are still fixed in place. And not only that, your whole body is fixed in place. And you use more muscles to play since you have to use the motor skills of your whole arms. At least with a gamepad i can sit comfortably on a couch/bed and play games using just the palms and fingers.

And yes, i even play FPS games this way, despite having a perfectly working KB/mouse. I just don't like gaming siting on a desk, unless i'm playing a strategy game that requires a lot of buttons and a mouse. Come at me.
 
Last edited:

GymWolf

Member
Not sure why the negativity.

This topic isn't about the joycons themselves. it's more about the idea of having a separated controller. If i had a VR set, i would probably use those controllers as my example.
No negativity dude, but you said that if it was a problem they would have fixed it and i was just surprised by how naive that thought is.

Sony didn't fixed the melting rubber sticks (or they did after many years) nor the shitty battery life in the ds4 (or the flimsy mini usb port that literally break itself just by leaving the ds4 in charge on a flat surface because they fucked up the angle, fixed on the ds5)

Microsoft never fixed their shitty dorsal buttons that only work if you press them right in the xone controller.

Nintendo never fixed the drifting in the joycons or how bad the stick are to begin with.

And the list of controllers with flaws that were never fixed is basically endless, even for pricey stuff like the elite controllers.

And sure as hell nobody ever changed the ergonomics of their pad mid gen except maybe microsoft with the big bitch on og xbox and the S model.



At best they fix these problems in the next iteration of their controller.

sorry if i sounded rude, it was not my intention.
 
Last edited:
Preferred way to play when not docked myself as I find the Switch cumbersome to hold.

I'm a big fan of the Wii remote and nunchuck combo. Sure it's technically not separated because the nunchuk is wired to the Wii Remote, but if we imagine that to be wireless then it's great.

Still the most fun way to play shooting games.

Was about to say the same myself, I even had the nav controller with the PSMove and found both that and the Wii really comfortable to use. Wouldn't mind a separated controller myself as the standard for consoles so long as they weren't as bad as the joycons.

Having said that... I'm also a PC gamer. And i stopped using the KB/mouse because even though your hands are separated, they are still fixed in place. And not only that, your whole body is fixed in place. And you use more muscles to play since you have to use the motor skills of your whole arms. At least with a gamepad i can sit comfortably on a couch/bed and play games using just the palms and fingers.

And yes, i even play FPS games this way, despite having a perfectly working KB/mouse. I just don't like gaming siting on a desk, unless i'm playing a strategy game that requires a lot of buttons and a mouse. Come at me.

I used to play Napoleon Total War using a Steam controller. Controller took a bit of getting used to but was great on many games for PC couch potatoes
 

Tams

Member
I was a fan of the Joycons for a while, but then used my Pro Controller more and much prefer it.

I loved the Wii U Gamepad, so I'm not sure where I got the idea that the Pro Controller was different.

Wiimote + Nunchuck in Red Steel was super fun though (not so much the sword fights...)

My favourite control set up so far as to be a R.A.T. M.M.O. 7 mouse with a PlayStation Move Navigation Controller. Playing Warframe with that set up was just *chef's kiss*. Well... the Move Navigation Controller did lack in ergonomics a little (straight, not curved like a Wii Nunchuck).
 
Last edited:
I own the Sony PlayStation Move Navigation Controller. I think three games in my library support it.
Bioshock Infinite, Okami and Killzone.
Move itself struggled and was not really praised as the repurposed VR controller. Sticks in them would have made them maybe better. I at least tried to support this kind of unecessary extension of Move.
 

RCU005

Member
I loved that about the Wii controller. The Switch joy-cons are too small, but having them one in each hand is much more comfortable.

I thought controllers would evolve like that after the Wii, but seeing how motion gaming fell on its face, they all wanted to go back to normal.

I wish Sony and Microsoft designed a controller like that instead of a 200 Pro controller. (Or having both)
 

mcjmetroid

Member
I still want a pro version of the joycons. I can't believe this isn't a thing, I'd shell out for this.

I know there is the Switch Pro Controller and it's great but it's not the same, especially when trying GYRO.
 

22:22:22

NO PAIN TRANCE CONTINUE
Yes I like it as well. There's really something about it.

mcjmetroid mcjmetroid yeah I wasn't going to mention it but having a "pro" and more ergonomical version would certainly be nice
 
Last edited:

yurinka

Member
The joycons are crap. I think it's 11209310230x times more comfortable to play using the pro controller: proper analogs, proper dpad and proper front button sizes for adult hands.
 

n0razi

Member
Joycon in left hand and mouse in the right hand....you get precise analog control for both movement and aiming.
 

Patrick S.

Banned
What's even better is pairing a Wii Nunchuck with a PC, and then use it together with the mouse in your other hand to play first person shooters.
 

CS Lurker

Member
Yeah, the feeling is really good, but I only play with my pro controller. If the joy-cons had better ergonomics and buttons (like Meta's new Touch Pro), I would play with them this way most of the time.

Actually, my wet dream for a switch 2 would be it having joy-cons (almost)like the Touch Pro (including the superb tracking). Then they would only need to release the HMD later. Not going to happen, sadly (for me)
 
Top Bottom