Nintendo's latest Switch 2 Joy-Con controllers swap the usual red and blue for colors that perfectly match those of the Deep Cut trio from Splatoon Raiders.
That makes sense, as these upcoming $99 (Amazon) / £72.95 (Amazon) Switch 2 controllers were unveiled alongside one of the many trailers for the game and launch on the exact same day on July 23, 20026. That's only five days away, but while the game's release is closer than ever, there's at least plenty of pre-order stock available for these new Joy-Cons at US and UK retailers, if you want them.
Personally, I'd have preferred something a bit more vivid and fitting for a new Splatoon game, especially when Nintendo has teamed up with brands behind the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers to release Joy-Con covers that are coated in funky and fresh Inkling and Octoling designs in the past. However, as a big Splatoon nerd, if I am ever in the market for a spare set of Joy-Cons, these are the ones I'd grab.
If you were hoping for new Joy-Cons that were a bit more obvious in their Splatoon-inspired design, don't worry. I was hoping for something more intricate too. The only real difference here is that instead of the blue and red peeking out from the edges and the sticks of the official gamepads, you've got some dollops of blue and light yellow which match with Deep Cut's Shiver and Frye's squishy Inkling and Octoling hairdos.
That's not too exciting, but honestly, it's nice to see alternative colorings available for the Joy-Cons that aren't any different in price from the default. You can't knock a bit of variation, that's for sure. Not to mention, there's plenty more elaborate Splatoon Raiders goodies to come.
Japan accessories brand KeysFactory unveiled a batch of officially licensed Splatoon Raiders accessories, which include covers for your existing Joy-Cons. Instead of just changing the color of the pads, these make your controllers look exactly like what I'd imagine when dreaming up 'Splatoon Joy-Cons' in my head, and are decked out with splodges of orange and green ink and the upcoming game's logo.
Hori, the brand behind some of the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories available today, also has a Splatoon Raiders collection up its sleeve. It doesn't include a set of Joy-Con covers, but the brand has given its Wireless Horipad Turbo a Splatoon Raiders makeover. It carries a black transparent chassis covered in those vivid ink splotches and aptly chosen sea imagery of coral and seaweed, and I can't get enough of it.
For now, neither KeysFactory nor Hori has announced if and when these Splatoon Raiders accessories will come to US and UK shores, but at least we have these blue and yellow Joy-Cons to fall back on in the meantime. They aren't the most exciting, but I'll take it over having to stick with the plain versions instead.
- View all Nintendo Switch 2 controllers at Amazon
New to Switch 2? Check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch headsets, the best Nintendo Switch 2 cameras, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express Cards.
