Last verified 2026-09-27 by ReviewGamers Editorial
Original Joy-Con controllers do work with a Switch 2, but not in the way owners are used to. The physical connection changes even where the wireless pairing does not.
Original Joy-Con pair wirelessly, they do not attach
A Switch 2 console has a different physical shape at the rails, so original Joy-Con cannot slide onto the sides the way they did on an original Switch. They still work as controllers, paired over wireless, but you will need a stand or a charging grip to charge them since docking them directly to the console is no longer possible.
Other Nintendo controllers carry over more simply
Accessories like the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, and even older Nintendo-made controllers such as the N64 Controller and NES Controller, connect to Switch 2 wirelessly or over USB. These were never rail-mounted the way Joy-Con were, so their compatibility carries over more directly.
Some games still need the original hardware specifically
Ring Fit Adventure is a named exception: its Leg Strap and Ring-Con accessories are built specifically around an original Joy-Con, so that specific game still requires original Joy-Con hardware even when played on a Switch 2.
Nintendo Labo Toy-Con kits are the clearest casualty
Several Nintendo Labo Toy-Con kits are built around the original console’s exact physical dimensions. The VR Kit’s goggles, the Fishing Rod, Motorbike, Piano and House kits, and the RC Car’s antenna mount are all built to hold or attach to the original console shape, and a Switch 2 does not fit into them.
The takeaway
Wireless-pairing accessories like the Pro Controller and original Joy-Con carry over to Switch 2 with a charging change, but anything built to physically dock or clip onto the original console’s exact shape, including most Labo Toy-Con kits, does not make the transition.
Related reading
Related: Switch 2 accessories: what to buy first and what to skip.