It seems almost poetic that the Nintendo Switch’s red and blue joy-cons come together to now turn purple. Wii hardware modifier ShankMods has taken the internet by storm with his Nintendo GameCube-inspired controllers for the Switch – and here’s what’s crazy about them… they WORK!
After waiting for as long as 2 years for Nintendo or another third-party modder to make GameCube joy-cons for the Switch, ShankMods decided to do it himself post the release of Super Smash Bros. for the Switch, and the reissue of the GameCube controller. The design process is detailed, months-long, and a strong combination of catharsis and nostalgia. Shank decided to repurpose an existing GameCube controller rather than 3D printing one. He, along with help from his friends, then tore apart the Switch Joy-Con and added the PCB and components to the GameCube housing, with the help of a few 3D printed components that would give the controllers the best of both worlds. Shank even managed to integrate the Z buttons and the four extra buttons on the original controllers into his mod. The result? A set of controllers that looks exactly like the GameCube’s handheld controller, but behave like the Switch Joy-Cons. You can dock them to the side of the Switch display with confidence, and can even use them independently together as a wireless controller, or split it with a friend for multi-player, although the GameCube’s awkward ergonomic design may turn out to be a bit of a hassle. It looks unreal though, and I can’t wait for Nintendo or 8BitDo to take this old-meets-new idea further! I feel like an NES classic joy-con for the Switch would be absolutely dreamy!
Designers: ShankMods & Bassline
