Club Benefits
The Nintendo Switch 2 has been out for around eight months now, and while it's a solid console overall, its stock controllers still struggle with ergonomics and the looming shadow of stick drift.
There's also been a distinct lack of third party Joy-Cons designed specifically for the console — until now: the NYXI Hyperion 3 has officially arrived as the first true alternative to the Switch 2's official Joy-Cons, offering a Pro-controller experience for those who primarily play in handheld mode.
Now available for pre-order from NYXI's official website, the Hyperion 3 is admittedly far more expensive than Nintendo's official Joy-Cons, priced at $170 / £126 / AU$252, though there is an early-bird price available for those who order before the January 23, 2026 deadline, bringing the price down to a more manageable $119 / £88 / AU$177.
NYXI Hyperion 3: Key features
In discussing the things I love about my Nintendo Switch 2, I praised the console's "larger, more comfortable Joy-Cons" as one of its big improvements over the original Switch. And while that still holds true, there's no denying that they can still feel a bit cramped during extended gaming sessions.
Thankfully, the NYXI Hyperion 3 addresses that with a more ergonomic design that should prove significantly more comfortable to hold, while still magnetically attaching to the console.
Additionally, the Hyperion 3 sports larger micro-switch face buttons, along with both faceted and cross-style D-pads, programmable rear buttons, dual-stage linear triggers and adjustable turbo functionality. There are also dedicated buttons for screenshots, GameChat and waking your Switch 2 from sleep mode.
Of course, the biggest selling point for many will be the Hyperion 3's Hall-effect sticks, which use magnetic, contactless sensors to effectively eliminate stick drift from occurring — an issue that plagued the original Switch's Joy-Cons.
The Hyperion 3 also comes with its own version of Nintendo's official charging grip, dubbed the 'Rechargeable Mid-Bridge', allowing you to use it like a regular gamepad while playing in docked mode.
NYXI Hyperion 3: One major flaw
The most significant drawback of the NYXI Hyperion 3 compared to the official Nintendo Joy-Cons (apart from its exorbitant price) is the absence of an optical sensor. This means you can't turn the right half of the Hyperion 3 on its side to use as a mouse.
While this might not concern every user (I personally found the mouse controls too laggy in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and opted not to use them), players who rely on a mouse pointer for shooters and real-time strategy games will need to look for an alternative solution.
If you can overlook that one flaw, you may find the NYXI Hyperion 3 to be the Switch 2 controller you've been waiting for. We will hopefully get to check the Hyperion 3 out for ourselves once it starts shipping on March 1, 2026.
More from Tom's Guide
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
