When I reviewed the Switch 2 back in June, I noted that the lack of any sort of extended grip on the extremely thin Joy-Con 2 controllers made them relatively awkward to hold, both when connected to the system and when cradled in separate hands. At the time, I said that “my Switch 2 will probably need something like the Nyxi Hyperion Pro, which I’ve come to rely on to make portable play on the original Switch much more comfortable.”
Over half a year later, Nyxi is once again addressing my Switch controller-related comfort concerns with the Hyperion 3, which was made available for preorder earlier this week ahead of planned March 1 shipments. Unfortunately, it looks like players will have to pay a relatively high price for a potentially more ergonomic Switch 2 experience.
While there are plenty of third-party controllers for the Switch 2, none of the current options mimic the official Joy-Cons’ ability to connect magnetically to the console tablet itself (controllers designed to slide into the grooves on the original Switch tablet also can’t hook to the successor console). The Hyperion 3 is the first Switch 2 controller to offer this magnetic connection, making it uniquely suited for handheld play on the system.
And although I haven’t held the Hyperion 3 in my hands yet, my experience with the similar Hyperion 2 on the original Switch suggests that the ergonomic design here will be a welcome upgrade from the relatively small buttons and cramp-inducing flat back of the official Switch 2 Joy-Cons (“Say Goodbye to Tendonitis,” as Nyxi claims in its marketing materials). The controller can also connect wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.0 for when you want to switch to docked play, unlike some Switch Joy-Con replacements that only work in portable mode.
Nobody said comfort was cheap
The Hyperion 3 boasts many of the added features you’d expect from a high-end third-party controller these days, including gyro controls, turbo support, programmable rear buttons, and Hall Effect joysticks that should be more resistant to the dreaded stick drift that has plagued Nintendo controllers. The controller can even wake up a sleeping Switch 2 wirelessly, something original Switch controllers can’t do.
Unfortunately, all these upgrades come at a price. Nyxi is asking $170 for the Hyperion 3, a significant increase over the already-high $100 that Nintendo charges for the official Switch 2 Joy-Cons. Even with a current 30 percent preorder discount, the upgraded controllers will still set you back nearly $120.
That asking price puts the Hyperion 3 in the same class as premium first-party controllers like Microsoft’s Xbox Elite 2 or Sony’s DualSense Edge. But although you can find cheaper alternatives for PS5 or Xbox Series X|S controllers, Nyxi’s expensive Hyperion 3 is currently the only third-party option for Switch 2 players who want a more comfortable portable experience.
It’s a shame that Nintendo’s official Joy-Con design practically demands this kind of costly upgrade if you want a truly comfortable portable experience. For those looking for a slightly cheaper upgrade option, though, this Mobapad adapter lets you connect your favorite Switch-compatible Joy-Con replacement to the Switch 2.
