Our pick Nintendo Switch Pro Controller A great controller for long sessions The Switch Pro Controller is more comfortable to grip than the Joy-Cons for long gaming sessions. It's very similar to the Xbox One controller in shape, and it supports motion controls and Amiibo scanning. Buying Options $60 from Amazon

The Joy-Con grip that comes with the Switch makes the two Joy-Cons into a decent controller, but if you’re planning to play a lot of Mario or Zelda, you owe it to yourself to buy Nintendo’s Switch Pro Controller. It’s a wireless controller similar to Microsoft’s Xbox One controller, and its joysticks, face buttons, shoulder buttons, and triggers are all more comfortable and satisfying than the ones on the Joy-Cons, especially for long play sessions. It also supports all the same motion controls and Amiibo scanning features as the Joy-Cons, for the games that need it. It costs between $60 and $70, which is a little expensive, but if you play lots of single-player games with the Switch in its dock, it’s definitely worth it.

—Andrew Cunningham, editor

Nintendo’s GameCube controller, originally released back in 2001, is still popular among fans of the Super Smash Bros. series—so much so that Nintendo sells a USB-to-GameCube adapter and new Smash-branded GameCube controllers. But if you don’t want to deal with all those wires—or if you want a GameCube-style controller with all the extra buttons you’ll need to play other Switch games—we like PowerA’s GameCube-style wireless controller.

It’s still missing a few things compared with the Pro Controller, including an internal rechargeable battery (it uses AA batteries), vibration support, and an NFC scanner for Amiibo. But it looks and feels almost identical to a regular GameCube controller, so much so that my friends who play Smash with a GameCube controller don’t really notice a difference. And it’s easy to navigate the Switch’s menus and take screenshots, just like you can with the Pro Controller or Joy-Cons.

—Andrew Cunningham, editor

PowerA’s officially licensed Comfort Grip is a fantastic upgrade to the Joy-Con grip that comes with the Switch. The PowerA version adds rubberized handles, and the grip is slightly wider, which makes holding the controller more comfortable. There have been some complaints that the Joy-Cons don’t fit properly and can get scuffed when inserting them into the Comfort Grip, but we didn’t run into any issues. On the contrary, our sample seemed perfectly made for the Switch controllers. In addition to the standard black, there are a few options branded with games—Super Mario Odyssey, Breath of the Wild, and Minecraft—for a slightly higher price.

—John Higgins, writer

Our pick Nintendo Joy-Con Wheel For driving enjoyment If you prefer steering with tilt controls in racing games, the official Nintendo Joy-Con Wheel makes the controllers easier to hold. Buying Options $30 * from Amazon *At the time of publishing, the price was $13 .

The Nintendo Joy-Con Wheel is a great choice if you prefer tilting the controller to steer in games like Mario Kart and you want something that’s easier to hold than the Joy-Con by itself. The set includes two plastic wheels, each of which can fit either the right or left Joy-Con. There are large buttons comfortably located on the back of the wheel that press the SL and SR buttons on the controller. The wheels are a little small, so if you have larger hands they might feel cramped (but not nearly as cramped as if you used just the Joy-Cons by themselves).

—John Higgins, writer

If you find playing with the Joy-Cons in a horizontal position difficult or uncomfortable due to their small size, adding a grip can help. The FastSnail Joy-Con Grips are the best we've found for average to large hands. The SL and SR buttons are big and located so that they fall directly under your index fingers while holding the grip; they feel a bit flimsy but are far better than trying to press the small buttons on the Joy-Con or on the included Joy-Con straps. The other grips we tested were smaller than the FastSnail, didn't help with the tiny SL and SR buttons, and weren’t any easier or more comfortable to use than the controller on its own.

—John Higgins, writer