[2][3] Joy-Con can be attached to the sides of the Switch console via rails, or detached and used wirelessly—either as a pair (comparable to a Wii Remote and Nunchuk), or divided between two different players.

The strap attachments have a rounded shape and raised shoulder buttons to improve the ergonomics of the Joy-Con when used individually.

[19][20] In July 2018, Hori, a video game peripheral company, released a dark blue left Joy-Con featuring a classic D-pad in lieu of directional buttons.

The controller lacked features such as HD rumble, SL and SR buttons, gyroscope, and wireless connectivity standard to Nintendo-produced Joy-Con, forcing its users to be restricted to handheld mode.

Two more officially licensed D-pad variants featuring The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey themes were later released by Hori in September 2018.

on November 16, 2018, as part of the Switch bundle for the games,[23] and Hori released a fourth D-pad Joy-Con variant featuring a Pikachu theme on the same day.

The new Joy-Con appear to be black, having an inner ring around the joystick, and side, sporting the original red and blue colors, on the right and left controllers respectively.

Notes The feature set of the Joy-Con was partially inspired by feedback from players using the Wii Remote, according to Nintendo's Shinya Takahashi.

[43] Games can support using the Joy-Con for pointing controls similar to the Wii Remote while detached without the need of a sensor bar.

[43][46] The Joy-Con contain a haptic feedback engine known as "HD Rumble", which was developed in partnership with Immersion Corporation.

Nintendo stated that the system could generate fine tactile feedback, such as the sensation of individual ice cubes and water in a glass.

[47][48] It was discovered shortly after public release that Joy-Con can connect to and be used with other Bluetooth-enabled personal computers and mobile devices.

[49] Prior to the public release of Nintendo Switch, various video gaming websites reported that the controllers—most commonly the Joy-Con L—were susceptible to connection losses when used wirelessly.

It was initially unknown whether these problems were the result of an interference issue, or caused by the pre-launch software on review units.

The company posted guidance on its support website for minimizing Bluetooth signal interference, including recommendations that the Switch console be placed away from other wireless-enabled devices.

A common remedy for this issue is to apply compressed air or contact cleaner under the rubber skirt of the joystick.

[55] In response to increased complaints and potential legal action for the drift issue, Nintendo stated that they were aware of the frequent reports, but did not offer immediate advice outside of contacting their technical support lines.

[56] On July 23, 2019, three days after the filing of a class action lawsuit, an internal Nintendo memo was leaked; the memo instructed the firm's customer service employees in North America to start offering repairs for drifting Joy-Con controllers for free, regardless of warranty status.

[59] In August 2017, Los Angeles-based tablet peripheral manufacturer Gamevice filed a lawsuit against Nintendo in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that the design of the Joy-Con controllers conflicts with its patent on the design for the Wikipad, an Android-based gaming device that also features a tablet with a detachable controller.

It asserts claims for breach of warranty, fraud, and violations of numerous state consumer protection statutes.

[69] The French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir filed a lawsuit against Nintendo in September 2020 alleging that the Joy-Con were designed with planned obsolescence intended to fail or break due to the drift issue and other factors.