Cyber Monday deal: Get the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller for just $49

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is one of the best Nintendo Switch accessories you can buy. While the system’s default Joy-Con controllers can feel stiff and awkward in teenage or adult hands, the large, comfortable Pro Controller makes a Switch session feel much more like playing a traditional console.

Thanks to an impressive Cyber Monday deal, you can now purchase the controller for just $49 at Walmart. That’s the lowest price we’ve ever seen from a major retailer.

For last-minute console hunters, the Nintendo Switch has been a boon this year. While the PS5 and Xbox Series X are essentially impossible to find, the Nintendo Switch has routinely been in stock, even in the throes of Black Friday. While supplies now seem to be dwindling, it is, indeed, possible to order a Nintendo Switch right now, even though you may have to pick it up at a store rather than get it delivered to your home. If you can spare an extra $50 — and you should — the Pro Controller can elevate the whole console experience.

If you’re new to the Switch ecosystem, here’s how controllers work: By default, the system comes with two detachable Joy-Con controllers. You can use each one separately, which is ideal for spontaneous multiplayer matches, or connect them to a mount, which lets you use them like a normal controller. The only issue is that even with the mount, the Joy-Cons feel off-center and imprecise.

The Pro Controller, which resembles a more traditional Xbox-style peripheral, solves this problem. With two analog sticks, a real D-pad, large face buttons and a long battery life, the Pro Controller is an ideal accessory if you plan to sit back on the couch and immerse yourself in single-player adventures for hours on end.

The only real problem with the Pro Controller is that it’s unbelievably expensive: $70, most days. Fans argue (not without merit, in my opinion) that Nintendo should have included something like the Pro Controller from the get-go, or at least charged less for it. While an extra $50 on top of a $300 system is still a significant investment, it’s a far sight better than $70 — especially since the Pro Controller goes on sale so rarely.

Pro Controller deals tend to sell out quickly, so if you’re in the market for this one, don’t hesitate too long. We may see similar deals later this year, but then again, we may see stock shortages before then, too.

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Marshall Honorof was a senior editor for Tom's Guide, overseeing the site's coverage of gaming hardware and software. He comes from a science writing background, having studied paleomammalogy, biological anthropology, and the history of science and technology. After hours, you can find him practicing taekwondo or doing deep dives on classic sci-fi.

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