GameSir’s new Tarantula Pro controller is designed for multiple gaming platforms, including the Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, PCs, and Steam devices. To make switching between those platforms a little easier, both the layout and the labels of the controller’s face buttons can be changed.
The $69.99 Tarantula Pro addresses a common problem experienced by gamers with multiple consoles. The Nintendo Switch uses a clockwise button layout of X, A, B, and Y, while the Xbox, Steam Deck, and mobile controllers for Apple and Android devices use a Y, B, A, and X layout.
The GameSir Connect mobile app can swap the functional layout of the Tarantula Pro’s face buttons back and forth (between Switch and Xbox modes according to user preference or game compatibility, even though this won’t work as an Xbox controller), while pressing a combination of buttons on the controller itself activates a motorized mechanism that rearranges the face buttons’ labels.
The controller can’t change any muscle memory you’ve built up for one layout or the other, but the labels will at least provide a reminder of which buttons you should be pressing.
The Tarantula Pro isn’t just a one-trick pony — or arachnid. It can connect to gaming devices over Bluetooth, a USB cable, or using an included 2.4GHz dongle for reduced lag. It also offers NFC so you can use Amiibos while connected to the Switch, rumble feedback, and includes a built-in gyroscope for games playable using motion-based controls.
The Tarantula Pro offers nine mappable buttons, including an extra pair on the back, behind the grips, that can be completely disabled to prevent accidental presses. It also features Hall effect triggers that can be switched to a “hair trigger mode” with shorter travel using a pair of switches, improving reaction times for FPS games.
The controller even has built-in RGB lighting, including a strip of accent lights, a glowing home button (which can be used to wake the Switch), and light-up face buttons.
The GameSir Tarantula Pro is available for preorder now through the company’s website on its own or as part of a $79.99 bundle with a stand that will also charge the controller’s 1,200mAh battery.
