Gamers have been searching for secrets in Nintendo games for decades, but this time there’s one waiting for them on the hardware.
Nintendo has repeatedly shown itself willing to gamble on coming up with new ways for people to play its video games, and sometimes those gambles pay off in big ways, like with the motion controls of the Wii and the dual screens of the DS. The just-released Switch also has a chance to be something really special, with its hybrid console/handheld setup making it arguably the most flexible video game system ever in terms of accommodating the lifestyles of various gamer demographics.
However, as admirable as Nintendo’s “break-the-mold” attitude is in many ways, sometimes that mold is there for a reason. For example, the Switch’s unique paired Joy-Con controllers are a clever way to integrate the controls into the system’s main unit, but they don’t seem like the easiest or most ergonomic way to play intense action games.
On the upside, Nintendo also makes a Pro Controller with a more conventional design, not too far off from the controllers used for the rival PlayStation 4 and Obox One. On the downside, Nintendo’s suggested retail price for the Switch Pro Controller is US$70, which is a lot of money to drop on a controller right after paying 300 bucks for the system (with the Joy-Cons you’re trying to bypass) and, assumedly, a game to play.
But going back to the positives, the Switch Pro Controller does at least come with a cool hidden message.
switchのproコンの右スティック周りの透明な部分から見える奥の方に
— じお@ゴードン・フリーマン (@geo_stream) March 3, 2017
「thx2 allgamefans!」(すべてのゲームファンに感謝!)て書いてある…#nintendoswitch pic.twitter.com/2oHfShIw5w
Japanese Twitter user @geo_stream discovered that if you look very closely at the ring that surrounds the Pro Controller’s right analog stick, you’ll find some extremely small-font text, saying “thx2 allgamefans!” meaning, of course, “Thanks to all game fans!”
The message is so well-hidden that you’ll probably have to push the right stick down to see it, but it is indeed there, as shown in the video below.
@donatama777 ホントだっ!ちゃんと書いてあった! 動画で撮ってみたよ(^∇^) さすがニンテンドー!#nintendoswitch pic.twitter.com/FggfcLNK89
— BEATだニャ🐾 (@y_beat) March 4, 2017
So yes, you will have to spend an extra 70 dollars to play your Swtich games with a normal controller, but at least Nintendo appreciates your purchase.
Source: Hachima Kiko
Follow Casey on Twitter, where he supposes it’s possible that Nintendo’s gratitude is actually limited to the staff of defunct magazine Diehard GameFan.

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