The Nintendo brand has been every household name from the early 80s starting with the widely popular Nintendo Entertainment System or the NES. Nintendo has been out and about making gaming consoles for a long time, and each proved to be quite successful. The only thing that was left behind was inter console compatibility. And one of the common relatable questions is can you use Wii controller on Switch? Here you will know the answer to your question along with guide on how to use a Wii controller on a Nintendo Switch.
The Wii was a popular gaming console from Nintendo and had these unique motion-sensing remotes known as the Wii Remotes. These were popular because of the types of sports games such as tennis or badminton where you had to use these remotes as rackets in the game, meaning that you could swing them. If you do take a look at the Pro Controllers for the Switch and as well as the Wiimotes, they have the same functionality as the Wii Remotes and the Wii controllers. Read along to know how you can connect Wii controller on Switch.
Can you use Wii Controller on Switch
By now you must already have known the answer to this question which is Yes. This is obvious as here you will find the guide on how to connect Wii Controller to Nintendo Switch. This is an interesting guide if you like the good old controller and Nintendo games right on your console. Let’s now start the guide with the prerequisites.
What you will need
- Wii Controllers or Wii Remotes
- A Nintendo Switch
- 8BitDo Bluetooth USB Adapters (2 if you have 2 Wii controllers)
- Type-C USB Hub
If you have old Wii controllers lying around and working perfectly fine, then well and good, otherwise, you could buy them for cheap on Amazon. In terms of the 8bitDo USB adaptors, you will be able to purchase them on Amazon or at your Best Buy Store. If you have got two Wii Controllers, then you might need two of these adaptors as each adaptor will allow up to one controller to be paired at any given time. Well, you can also find the Type C USB Hub at decent prices on Amazon itself.
Update 8bitDo Dongle
To ensure the best performance of the dongles it is best that they are running the latest software.
- You can make use of the upgrade tool which you can download from here.
- Connect the dongle to your system, press the Sync button on the dongle and then run the upgrade tool which will then check to see if any update is available and then download it.
Connect Wii Controllers with Switch
Here is where the process to connect your Wii controllers will begin. It is quite simple and easy to follow.
- Power your Nintendo Switch with the standard method. Ensure that it has its battery charged up to at least 50%.
- Connect the Type C USB hub into the Switch.
- With the USB Hub connected, now plug in the 8bitDo dongles. You will see a red flashing light, indicating that the dongle is on.
- Press the Sync button on your 8bitDo dongle.
- If you have the Wii Remotes, ensure that they have got batteries inserted. Slide-out the battery cover and press the Sync button on the remote.
- The USB dongle will detect the Wii Controller and automatically sync with it, making the controller ready for use.
You will now be able to use Wii Controller on Switch easily. However, instead of using it vertically like how you usually would, the buttons have been remapped, meaning that you will have to use your Wii remote horizontally. With the Wii Remote connected, now you can check if the buttons are providing input or not. To test the inputs on Wii Controller, simply do the following.
Test Wii Controller Input on Switch
- On your Nintendo Switch Home Screen, select System Settings.
- At the left side menu, scroll down till you find Controllers and Sensors, select it.
- On the right side menu, now select Test Input Device.
- And finally select test Controller Buttons.
- Now, press the buttons on your Wii Controller to see what input it is feeding into the Switch.
- To end the input test, simply hold any button on the controller to exit from it.
Based on what input the button is shown on the test screen, they will be the same ones that will be used in any of the games that you play.
If you also have the Wii U Pro or Classic Controllers, you can simply insert them into the USB ports of the Wii remotes and it should function just fine. Plus, you can also test the input to see if the buttons have been changed or the same as it is on the controller.
Special features of the 8bitDo USB dongle for the Nintendo Switch
Having such kind of a dongle to make use of the good old controllers lying around is good but at the same time you will miss out on some functionality for some of the games on the Nintendo Switch. Here are the features of this USB dongle.
- Vibration Support on X-input mode
- 6 axis motions on Switch
- Special Switch mode
- Free firmware upgrades
- Lag free input
Conclusion
Thanks to dongles such as the 8bitDo, you can make use of Wii controller on Switch or any kind of console or device easily. Of course, the controllers will not function perfectly, but it does the job and brings in a bit of nostalgia when playing around with older controllers on newer consoles. While on the Nintendo Switch with Wii controllers, you will miss out on HD rumble as well as the motion control as the hardware on the controllers is pretty old and of course, the Switch does not have official backward compatibility.
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