The Switch Pro Controller Contains A Secret Message For Fans
If you managed to score a Nintendo Switch and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild last weekend, you're lucky. If you also managed to pick up the Switch's Pro Controller, which lets you control Nintendo's hybrid console with a traditional gamepad, you're even luckier—and Nintendo's thanking you for your dedication with a secret message hidden on the controller itself.
Redditor Tropiux noticed that if you pull the Pro Controller's right analog stick all the way down, small text shows through the controller's translucent plastic. While it's pretty hard to read, Topiux and others confirmed that the hidden message reads, "THX2 ALLGAMEFANS," which is a nice shout-out to anyone who picked up the pricey add-on.
The Pro Controller isn't necessary for playing any of the Switch's games—for most players, the Switch's included Joy-Cons will probably work just fine. However, fans who want a more traditional gaming experience (or are sick of dealing with the Switch's unreliable left Joy-Con) can pick up the Pro Controller in order to play with something a little more familiar—provided they can find one. Like the Switch itself, the Pro Controller is sold out at most major retailers.
At $70, the Pro Controller is more of a luxury than a must-have, although it does have value beyond playing Switch games. In addition to Nintendo's new console, owners have gotten the Pro Controller working on PCs and mobile phones, and the gamepad reportedly works great with emulators and retro games (it'll work with a number of more modern games, too, but getting everything setup might require installing additional software, and the Pro Controller's lack of analog triggers could make it difficult to play certain titles).
The hidden message on the Pro Controller is just one of the Easter eggs fans have discovered lurking in Nintendo's newest hardware, and joins quirky features like the system's secret wake-up sounds, full USB keyboard support, and flavored cartridges. Compared to systems like the Wii and Wii U, the Switch seems rather buttoned-up, but discoveries like these prove that it's not Nintendo if it's not at least a little weird.