A close look at the Nintendo Switch’s wild modular controller: the Joy-Con

Nintendo just unveiled its next console, now officially known as the Nintendo Switch. The Switch features an interesting controller scheme called the “Joy-Con.”

As seen in the video, each Switch seems to come with a Joy-Con that consists of two halves, the Joy-Con (R) and the Joy-Con (L), that slot into the sides of the Switch console.

But the two pieces also work wirelessly, allowing for the Switch to be propped up and the controllers to be used together wirelessly.

Alternatively, there’s the Joy-Con Grip, which the Joy-Con pieces can slot into for a more traditional controller option.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. In addition to using the two Joy-Con sides together as one controller, the individual Joy-Con pieces can be used as separate controllers on a single device for local split-screen multiplayer.

Lastly, there’s the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, perhaps the most conservative option on display, which eschews the modular Joy-Con mechanisms entirely for a standalone device that most resembles a standard console controller, much like Nintendo’s earlier Wii U Pro Controller.