Mostly due to the extremely successful release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the Nintendo Switch, the long-running fighting franchise is still looking good even in 2019, with no real end in sight. It even broke EVO 2019 records by hitting the highest peak viewership that the event has ever seen in all of its days. While the game goes all the way back to the Nintendo 64, a lot of fans got their start in Super Smash Bros. Melee for the GameCube. Many of those players prefer GameCube style controllers over the Switch Pro controller, either for nostalgia or intuitiveness. That being the case, such controllers are pretty easy to find on the market, but rarely can you find them at a price as good as this.
PDP released their GameCube styled controllers late last year around the time of Smash Bros. Ultimate, with a diverse array of designs based on popular Nintendo characters, like Link, Princess Peach, and Pikachu. Normally $25, these controllers are on sale for $20 on Amazon right now. The difference in these PDP controllers is that they can have the traditional C-stick swapped out for a full sized stick if one so chooses. And of course, they come with a ten foot cable that connects directly to the USB port on the Switch.
Nintendo originally offered their own GameCube style controller for the Switch, but it didn’t pan out so well, as it needed an adapter and was also much pricier than the PDP options. Furthermore, it’s difficult to even find them on most online retailers.
The PDP GameCube controllers have four out of five starts on Amazon right now, so they are clearly pretty well-made, though there are some minor issues mentioned in a handful of reviews, such as minor button input issues. The movement of the left stick rarely makes an A or B button input, as noted by some users. That being the case, you may want to pay the heftier price of a first party controller if you are looking into professional play. But if you’re a casual player in need of a cheap but reliable controller, you probably won’t find one cheaper than $20 while still being intuitive.
And of course, these controllers work with other games besides Smash Ultimate. Any Switch game capable of being used with the Pro controller can be used with these PDP controllers as well. So if you want a cheap, unique, and colorful alternative to an expensive Pro controller, these PDP ones are right up your alley. It’d be best to act now while they are still discounted.
