HORI announces the Split Pad Fit for Nintendo Switch, a slimmer version of the Split Pad Pro controller
Game accessory maker HORI has announced that it will be releasing the Split Pad Fit for Nintendo Switch in Japan. The controller is due out in September and will be priced at 5480 yen (around $40). The product is officially licensed by Nintendo and comes in four color schemes: light grey x yellow, mint green x white, midnight blue, and apricot red.
The Split Pad Fit is a controller that is specifically made for the Switch’s portable mode. They replace the Joy-Cons and attach to the Switch using the rails on the sides of the console (it is not possible to use the controllers wirelessly). Split Pad Fit controllers are wider than Joy-Cons and the button layout is more spacious. The most notable feature is the grips on the rear of the controllers which makes the Switch easier to hold and play.
HORI previously created the Split Pad Pro, a product that looks like a regular-sized controller split into two Joy-Cons. The controller has been quite popular for a number of reasons, including the ease of use. However, HORI received many requests from people who wanted a slightly more compact version of the controller that is better suited for women, children, and those with smaller hands. Thus, they developed the Split Pad Fit, which incorporates all the features of the Split Pad Pro but in a smaller form factor.
When comparing the two products, the Split Pad Fit has more compact grips, and the horizontal width when attached to the Switch console is 3mm slimmer than the Pro. The diameter of the A/B/X/Y face buttons has been reduced by 1mm, and the analog sticks are 1.5mm shorter.
While the controller has been made smaller, it still packs the features that people love about the Split Pad Pro. It has freely assignable buttons located on the rear of each grip and includes turbo functionality, which triggers a rapid series of button presses just by holding the button down.
It should be noted that the controller does not include many of the Joy-Con’s trademark features, such as the gyroscope and accelerometer, HD Rumble, NFC, and the IR motion camera. Also, the Split Pad Fit is not compatible with HORI’s Split Pad Pro attachment for Nintendo Switch/PC (related article).
The official site for the Split Pad Fit for Nintendo Switch can be found here (in Japanese).
Written by. Marco Farinaccia based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2022-08-19 12:38 JST)