The first Legend of Zelda Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is still available online if you know where to look. While its Tears of the Kingdom-inspired look isn't quite as snazzy as the leaked 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Pro controller, it has the benefit of being an accessory that 100% exists, and that you can grab for not only the OG Switch, but the new handheld too. Yet if you do pick it up for the latter, you will have to be okay with missing out on waking the console from sleep mode.
The $74.99 Pro controller (which is more likely to be found for $79.99 at Amazon for a refurbished model) can only wake up the original generation of Switch consoles from their suspended naptime. Holding down the 'Home' button when connected to the Switch 2 won't do anything but result in a little green light blinking on your pad, and you'll have to physically get up and use your Switch 2 Joy-Cons to start gaming again. Yet, if you're okay with that, it's still a gorgeous Zelda-themed accessory worth picking up, especially if you don't want to wait for that leaked model to become a reality.
Originally unveiled at the end of a Tears of the Kingdom presentation held on March 28, 2023, the first Zelda Pro controller is so gorgeous that I still long to own it despite it missing not just the wake-up feature like the best Nintendo Switch 2 controller, but the GameShare 'C' button functionality too. Its black chassis is slightly transparent, giving it a more mystical appearance, as you can see bits of the accessory's PCB beneath the Zonai-tech-inspired design.
While it's not green and gold like the Tears of the Kingdom OLED Switch, I still love the fact that the circular patterning found across the faceplate feels like it matches the right Joy-Con of the limited edition console. Much like the Resident Evil Requiem Switch 2 Pro controller that launched late last year, its design feels pretty subtle as it's mostly black against black, but it still feels like a premium collectible that ties into the world of Hyrule. I'm also a sucker for those black-and-white contrasting grips.
As much as I still want to incorporate it into my current-gen Ninty setup, I have to admit that full compatibility is why I am more intrigued by the leaked Switch 2 Zelda controller. While both share the Triforce insignia, the packaging of the still-rumored pad (as shared by users like Nintendeal on X (Twitter) just screams "Legend of Zelda" more to me. It's probably its combination of the green and gold, which my brain automatically links to Link and the Triforce, doing all the work. However, I'm also partial to the inclusion of the tiny NES Link that's shown to be stuck on the back, shooting the 'Nintendo Switch 2' logo.
I'd have maybe preferred a design that felt more related to the upcoming Ocarina of Time Remake overall, as we don't really have official pads that are inspired by even the classic N64 game yet. Yet I suspect, judging from the vast amount of officially licensed third-party Zelda pads from brands like PowerA and Turtle Beach we've had over the years, that a future filled with models sporting art from the game will be an inevitability.
If you don't mind losing out on some Switch 2 features, the Tears of the Kingdom Pro Controller is still out there, though it's sold out across both the US and UK Nintendo websites. If you're happy sticking with a second-hand version, it can be found across the likes of Amazon, or starting from $71 on eBay and other second-hand stores.
- View all Legend of Zelda Switch controllers at Amazon
Already got yourself a Pro Controller? Check out the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers, the best Nintendo Switch headsets, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 cases to grab any accessories you might be missing instead.
