Abxylute, the company behind the M4 magnetic mobile gamepad, has announced a new pair of controllers for the Nintendo Switch 2 designed to replace the stock Joy-Cons while playing in handheld mode. Both are “launching soon” on Kickstarter and feature a design where the Switch 2 docks to the controllers so they can connect to and draw power from the console’s bottom USB-C port. The Abxylute N6 is similar to existing accessories like the CRKD Nitro Deck, but the N9C looks like someone sliced a GameCube controller in half and stuck either side to the console.
Pricing details aren’t known for either controller, but the N9C will feature capacitive joysticks, ABXY buttons and triggers that use mechanical micro-switches, and a dedicated C button for accessing GameChat. Its button layout mirrors the original GameCube controller, so the N9C may only appeal to nostalgic gamers who regularly play the small lineup of GC titles added to Nintendo Switch Online last year, or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fans who still prefer Nintendo’s 25-year-old controller. For the latter group, the right joystick on the N9C has a swappable gate that limits its movement to eight directions, providing more precision when inputting moves in fighting games.
The N6 offers a more traditional asymmetrical controller design, and some key upgrades over the N9C. It features drift-resistant Hall effect joysticks, thicker grips than the standard Joy-Cons, digital triggers, and ABXY buttons that use a rubber membrane for a softer feel. There’s a pair of customizable back buttons that can be used to trigger macros programmed right on the controller. Below the Switch 2 you’ll also find a resonance chamber that directs audio from the console’s speakers toward you, while also boosting lower frequencies by about 10 percent, Abxylute claims.