HORI
HORI Nintendo Switch Split Pad Compact (PAC-MAN Edition) Ergonomic Controller
Bottom line: The HORI Nintendo Switch Split Pad Compact Ergonomic Controller: Full-size analog sticks and D-pad in handheld mode, unlike stock Joy-Cons; main trade-off: no motion controls, so games requiring gyro aiming are off the table.
As an Amazon Associate, SpecPicks earns from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure →
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ Full-size analog sticks and D-pad in handheld mode, unlike stock Joy-Cons
- ✓ Two assignable rear buttons plus turbo, programmable without extra software
- ✓ Back grips shape the controller for longer handheld sessions
- ✓ Slimmer than the Split Pad Pro, so it fits more Switch carry cases
- ✓ Officially licensed by Nintendo and Bandai-Namco with retro PAC-MAN art
Cons
- ✗ No motion controls, so games requiring gyro aiming are off the table
- ✗ HD Rumble is absent, removing haptic feedback entirely
- ✗ No NFC reader, so amiibo will not scan through this controller
- ✗ No IR camera, breaking the handful of games that use it
Manufacturer description
The Split Pad Compact attaches to the Nintendo Switch™ system to provide a full-size controller experience in Handheld Mode. The ergonomic form factor fits your hands perfectly for increased comfort and control. Features include full-size analog sticks and D-pad, turbo functions, and assignable rear buttons. Now featuring retro PAC-MAN artwork. Enjoy a new gaming experience with the Split Pad Compact! (Does not include Motion Controls, HD Rumble, NFC, or IR camera.) Officially Licensed by Nintendo® and Bandai-Namco.
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks scored HORI Nintendo Switch Split Pad Compact Ergonomic Controller using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the controllers & gamepads category. HORI's controllers & gamepads lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.
Common buyer scenarios for controllers & gamepads of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.
Key Features
- Slim version of the Split Pad Pro
- Turbo & Programmable Rear Buttons
- Ergonomic form factor with back grips for added comfort
- Compatible with Nintendo Switch & Nintendo Switch OLED
- Officially Licensed by Nintendo & Bandai-Namco
Full Specifications
| Brand | HORI |
|---|---|
| Color | Black/Yellow |
| Turbo | Yes |
| Model Name | Split Pad Compact |
| Model Number | NSW-417U |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Compatibility | Switch |
| Button Quantity | 10 |
| Controller Type | Gamepad |
| Hardware Platform | Gaming Console |
| Compatible Devices | Nintendo Switch |
| Additional Features | Ergonomic |
| Warranty Description | 90 days manufacturer |
| Connectivity Technology | USB |
| Manufacturer Part Number | NSW-417U |
| Compatible Video Game Console Models | Nintendo Switch |
| Full listing title | HORI Nintendo Switch Split Pad Compact (PAC-MAN Edition) Ergonomic Controller for Handheld Mode - Officially Licensed by Nintendo and Bandai-Namco |
Ready to buy?
HORI Nintendo Switch Split Pad Compact (PAC-MAN Edition) Ergonomic Controller for Handheld Mode - Officially Licensed by Nintendo and Bandai-Namco is listed on Amazon. Price, availability, shipping and returns are set by Amazon and its sellers — check the listing for current terms. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.
Related Controllers & Gamepads
More guides & deep dives from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all articles & guides →- How to Build a Windows 98 Retro PC in 2026
- Best Budget Gaming PC Build 2026 — ~$1,000 ($800 on Sale)
- Emulation Hardware in 2026: FPGA, Software, and Cart-Reader Ecosystems
- Best 1440p Gaming GPUs in 2026
- Best Retro Handhelds in 2026 — From $35 to $500
- The Complete Voodoo5 5500 AGP Driver Guide (2026 Edition)
- RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT — Which to Buy in 2026
More reviews from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all reviews →- Linux Beats Windows 11 on AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D2
- Adafruit Reverse-Engineers the Creative Katana V2X Soundbar
- Revive an Old Payphone with a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W
- Best SSDs and Cloning Tools to Upgrade an Aging Gaming PC or Console in 2026
- Skytech Prism 4 vs MSI Codex Z2: Which Prebuilt Wins at 1440p?
- Qwen 3.6 27B Matches Sonnet 4.6 on Artificial Analysis Agency
- Raspberry Pi AI HAT+ 2 Review: 4 TOPS Edge AI on 1.2W
- Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS vs Sound Blaster Live! on Windows 98: Which Wins for Late-90s Gaming?
- Best Budget SSD for a Gaming PC in 2026: Crucial BX500 vs SanDisk vs Samsung 970 EVO Plus
- Athlon 64 + Radeon 9800 Pro Windows XP Build (2026 Revival): CompactFlash-to-IDE Boot Guide
- Best Controller for Retro Emulation and Indie Gaming in 2026
- llama.cpp vs vLLM for Single-User Local Chat in 2026: Which Backend Fits?
- MTP Decoding on RTX 3060 12GB: When Multi-Token Prediction Helps (and Hurts)
- Ryzen 7 5800X vs 5700X for 1080p High-Refresh Gaming
- Second Streaming PC vs NVENC: What an Old i7-9700K Is Still Good For
- Intel Arc Stable Diffusion Guide: Setup & Benchmarks 2025
- Best GPU for ComfyUI and SDXL Under $350 — Why the RTX 3060 12GB Still Wins
- Asus ROG Harpe II Extreme: A 24K-Gold, 65K-Sensor Gaming Mouse
- Ryzen 7 5800X vs 5700X for 1080p Gaming: Which AM4 Chip Wins in 2026?
- Best Budget GPU for Local LLM Inference Under $400 (2026)
- Best Budget PC Gaming Upgrades Under $200 in 2026
- Can Local LLMs Actually Do Anything Useful?
- Upgrading From an RTX 3080 in 2026: What to Buy
- Build a DualSense PC Dongle with a Raspberry Pi Pico: Adaptive Triggers and Haptics on Windows
Earliest SpecPicks reviews
Browse full archive →- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 8B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 14B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 70B (2026)
- Best GPU for DeepSeek-R1 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 405B (2026)
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 14B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 70B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run DeepSeek-R1 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090