Charging NES Online Controllers with a Modified Switch Charging Grip

DavidD · July 23, 2020

I got a pair of the NES "Joy Con" controllers a few months back, when Nintendo was selling a set of 2 for $30. They are interesting little gadgets, but they can only be charged by sliding them onto the Switch's Joycon brackets. This is a bit a of a problem, as one tends to have the standard Joycons charging there. The NES controllers are just a bit longer than standard Joycons, and as a result they can't be charged on most Joycon charging stations. (Someone said the Power-A Pro + Joycon charger will do it, but that model is out of stock or $30 everywhere).

While trying to find SOME cheap way to charge them, I discovered that someone else had the idea of modifying the Joycon charging grip so that it would fit the NES controllers... and by modify, I mean "unscrew the controller grip from the charging base." After tracking down a spare tri-wing screwdriver, I discovered that this was rather easy to do.

Essentially, you unscrew the four tiny screws on the back of the large rectangular piece, four screws in the back of the handgrip portion, and four screws inside the rectangular piece. You can then screw the rectangular charger back together and use it as a small charging device. The rectangular charger still fits on the handgrip -- you could probably use Velcro to temporarily stick it back together if you wanted to.