The Voidjoy Elite Extender only makes sense for Pro Controller purists, and even then it's difficult to get fully behind these back buttons

The Voidjoy Elite Extender answers a commonly asked question with a complicated answer. Is it worth buying a new Nintendo Switch 2 controller solely for its back buttons? If you're still rocking the original Switch Pro Controller, the JSAUX brand's add-on back button attachment stands to save you around $50 on the price of the Switch 2 Pro gamepad. But it's not quite that easy in the grand scheme of the wider market.

The $39.99 accessory slots into the USB-C port on the top of the OG controller, providing two additional back buttons underneath as well as two Hall effect triggers up top (note that these flippers only work on PC). If you're sticking with old faithful for its rumble, NFC, and motion controls, it's a worthwhile endeavor even if it's far from a seamless integration. With the price of Ninty's next-gen hardware seemingly always on the rise, I'll take any shortcuts that manage to evade extra costs.

If you're simply looking to add back button controls to your Switch or Switch 2 gameplay without funding the full $89 Pro 2 Controller price, though, I'd recommend heading in a different direction.

Does the Voidjoy Elite Extender fulfil its primary aim? Absolutely. Is it the best way to bring back buttons to Switch 2? No - and I'd argue it's not even the most cost-efficient either.

With third-party gamepads offering back buttons and additional features like TMR thumbsticks and charging docks, for as little as $29.99 in some cases, the Voidjoy Elite Extender's appeal is going to be limited to those who really can't leave their existing Pro Controller behind.

Design

The Void Joy Elite Extender doesn't exactly hide itself away on your Pro Controller. The chunky plastic casing curves neatly around the top panel of the controller itself in two panels. A wider base sits flush with the back of the gamepad, while another raised platform houses the P1 and P2 back buttons, swooping up to provide access to additional triggers on the top of the controller. This is also where you'll find USB-C passthrough as well as five tiny little flush buttons for power, Bluetooth connection, on-the-fly button mapping, and platform switching.

Placing the back buttons on this second raised platform quickly became one of the first downsides I noticed as I made my way through the first few hours of Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake. Many of the best PC controllers already using back buttons will place their clackers on the grips themselves. This means a quick action becomes more of a squeeze on the controller's leg than a specific button push. It's also how the Switch 2 Pro Controller places its own back buttons.

Raising the P1 and P2 clackers above the main base of the grip, however, means I'm having to hold my fingers a good distance from the actual back of the controller to keep them in position. It's not exactly a natural position, and one that worked itself into fatigue fairly quickly. If I ever returned my fingers to their natural resting spot on the back of the grip itself, I would often find myself missing inputs - mistaking the first ledge of the attachment for the buttons themselves during the heat of the moment.

Combine that with the fact that the Elite Extender itself top-loads the weight of the original Pro Controller, leaving my natural grip slanted more forwards than usual, and my time in Hyrule was a little more strained than I expected.

Aesthetically, the Voidjoy Elite Extender matches the black of the Pro Controller well, with a glossy accent around the main base and back buttons themselves and a matte finish on the upper platform. Branding is kept to the rear of the device, with a simple light gray logo printed on the plastic, and functional buttons along the top are clearly designated.

The little flipper trigger add-ons are fully removable, slotting comfortably into the device with two sturdy prongs, and can be reversed for flat storage as well, which is a pretty nifty trick. That physical USB-C connection to the Pro Controller is also rock-solid, with no wiggling or undue pressure on the port itself.

Features

Of course, there are the headlines: those two additional P1 and P2 back buttons - but the Elite Extender has a few more handy tricks in its arsenal. While I was disappointed to find out the analog triggers are reserved for PC use only, they provide a nicely tensioned 1,280-step optical response for racing titles and can be easily stowed away when not in use.

It's not just PC either; the Elite Extender works alongside your Switch Controller on both iOS and Android, with Touch Mapping available for the latter as well. This is done through the KeyLinker App, though, and I have mixed feelings.

The app itself has enough scope to provide a robust selection of controls, even if the interface runs a little on the jankier side. You've got deadzone settings for both the regular Pro Controller sticks and those additional triggers here, with a simple menu of key assignments to play around with.

Unfortunately, even after updating both the app and device firmware to their latest setting, there's no designation for the P1 and P2 buttons in here. Thankfully, setting up keybindings directly on the pad itself is pretty simple with the Fn key - just keep in mind that your settings won't be saved across games like the official Switch 2 Pro Controller.

The KeyLinker software also opens you up to 42-step macros as well as turbo with adjustable speed as well.

Performance

The Voidjoy Elite Extender feels like a stopgap, rather than a set of well-crafted back buttons ready and waiting for your original Switch Pro Controller. The clackers themselves are positioned a little too awkwardly, and actuate with a little too high a tension to truly be reliable in faster-paced games and comfortable in more relaxed settings.

After a little re-learning, I was still able to hit the jump and roll/sprint settings I had assigned to P1 and P2 in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, but I was often missing inputs after relaxing my grip or by simply forgetting the pressure required to actuate each clacker.

Switching over to PC, my first playthrough of Control: Resonant has been saved by the super-speedy back buttons on the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro. Here, I had to measure my expectations. It's fair enough - a set of $39.99 buttons isn't going to beat one of the best Xbox Series X controllers (with a $199.99 MSRP, no less), and it shouldn't have to to be worth its price of admission. The Voidjoy Elite Extender is no miracle worker, though.

Control: Resonant requires fast spamming of those back buttons in my current control setup for smooth getaways and faster secondary attacks. These tappers are just too awkwardly positioned when set this far away from the palm, and too heavy to actuate for that to be truly workable. These switches were not made for repeat inputs.

While my PC was warm, though, it was time to give those triggers a test in Forza Horizon 6, and I was pleased with how these worked. While the start of each actuation can feel a little stiff, there's a smooth glide downward that makes fine-tuned acceleration and braking all the more immersive. It's a pity these haven't been carried over to the Switch 2, though perhaps the software isn't quite there to take advantage of them, because they're one of my favorite things about this gadget.

Should you buy the Voidjoy Elite Extender?

It's easy to see the $89 price tag of the Switch 2 Pro Controller and feel priced out of back buttons on the new handheld. If you're moving from the OG Switch to a brand new Switch 2, the Voidjoy Elite Extender represents a compelling budget-friendly alternative to going all out on Nintendo's second-generation gamepad. The placement and feel of its back buttons, as well as the extra front-loaded weight added to your controller, however, would have me recommending a new third-party gamepad instead.

The GameSir Super Nova, for example, is regularly on sale for $29.99 at Best Buy, despite its $49.99 MSRP. Side-by-side, back button handling between the Extender and this whole second controller is night and day, and you're getting a spare gamepad with Hall effect sticks, trigger stops, and a charging dock for $10 less than Voidjoy's price tag.

While it's nearly double the price, the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 will also net you a far better back-button experience with boosted TMR sticks and a range of extra features for $69.99.

There is someone I'd recommend the Voidjoy Elite Extender to, however. Anyone determined to bring the Nintendo-specific features of the original Pro Controller (easy connection, NFC, HD Rumble) to their Switch 2 upgrade, or anyone looking to keep those Ninty features on the original handheld will be interested here. If it's official or bust, the Voidjoy Elite Extender can offer a set of additional inputs that can see you through slower endeavors with a little muscle re-learning at a fraction of the price of a brand-new official kit.

How I tested the Voidjoy Elite Extender

I used the Voidjoy Elite Extender in a Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake marathon, taking me from Link's first moments in Kokiri Village all the way through to the end of the Fire Temple (with plenty of Skulltula hunting in between). I also connected to PC to continue Control: Resonant and test the triggers in Forza Horizon 6. For more information on how we test controllers, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

We're also rounding up the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories on the market as well as the best PS5 controllers available now.