I really didn’t know what to think regarding the Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Con AA Battery Pack accessory when it was first announced, but my love for it has grown every time I use it. What follows is my Nintendo Switch Joy-Con AA Battery Pack Review.

What is the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack?

The Joy-Con AA Battery Pack is a set of two battery packs that attach to the back of each Joy-Con controller, giving the controllers larger grips while extending battery charge and play time.

Official Joy-Con AA Battery Pack Details:

“This Joy-Con™ accessory extends the battery life of Joy-Con controllers using AA batteries. Great to have when you want to play for a long time without charging. Includes four AA batteries.

• *Joy-Con Controllers not included.”
• -Nintendo Switch compatible only
• -Plastic material
• -Wired connection
• -Includes 2 battery packs: 1 (L) and 1 (R) Joy-Con battery pack
• -Includes 2, pre-attached wrist straps
• -AA battery powered
• -4 AA batteries included
• -Batteries included are standard non-rechargeable AA batteries
• -Alkaline battery type
• -Black color
• -Includes black wrist strap with tightener
• -Package weighs approx. 8.5 ounces
• -Package approx. size: 2.00 L x 4.80 W x 5.50 H Inches
• -2017 Release date
• -UPC: 045496590574
• -Model: HACAAJ2AA

What comes in the box?

Joy-Con AA Battery includes everything needed for “instant use”.

Each package comes complete with 2 Joy-Con battery packs (non-rechargeable), one for the (L) left Joy-Con and one for the (R) right Joy-Con, as well as 4 AA batteries.

Each battery pack requires 2 AA batteries.

Keep in mind you can use whatever AA batteries you choose. You do not need to use the ones supplied with the package although having them included is a nice bonus.

If you are like me and prefer to use reusable batteries, you can do that, too.

I use a variety of reusable AA batteries and all of them have fit inside the Joy-Con AA Battery Packs.

A one-page pamphlet also comes with the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack which explains battery leakage warning information as well as ways to contact Nintendo customer service.

This one-page pamphlet is in three languages: English, Spanish, and French.

Package Contents-

• Joy-Con (L) AA Battery Pack
• Joy-Con (R) AA Battery Pack
• 4 AA Batteries (Panasonic brand–LR6 Industrial Alkaline) (non-rechargeable)
• Warning pamphlet (in 3 languages)

The Joy-Con AA Battery pack box is made of sturdy cardboard and is quite small. I like the size as it is easy to carry and can fit into medium sized pockets, bags, and backpacks.

According to my handy ruler and awesome measuring skills, the outer box measurements are approximately

• 2.5 inches  in height
• 5 inches in length
• 2 inches in depth

Within the box, the battery packs are separately packaged inside of clear thin styrofoam-esque, plastic-like bags.

A thin piece of cardboard separates the package’s contents on the inside, and there is a square compartment on this interior cardboard piece that contains the 4 AA batteries (the batteries are securely wrapped by plastic).

Everything is neatly wrapped and easily accessible.

All in all, the package is complete with everything you will need to use the battery packs a.s.a.p.

Who is the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack Intended for?

The Joy-Con AA Battery pack is for anyone looking to extend the battery life of their Joy-Cons. That is a lot of us Nintendo Switch users, myself included.

I’ve been playing hours upon hours of games like Fitness Boxing, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Paladins only to find my Joy-Con batteries die right in the middle of action.

I always keep an eye on my Joy-Con’s remaining battery, but extending the battery charge and play time with the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack has made my life much simpler.

This accessory is a matter of convenience, really. It will give you peace of mind so you can play without being forced to constantly charge your controllers.

So, if you enjoy playing for hours over a long period of time without charging your Joy-Con controllers, this accessory is for you.

Do you also find that the standard Joy-Con controllers are small? I know I would prefer to have a little more grip and size to my Joy-Con controllers.

Well, you are in luck. The battery pack adds noticeable depth to the Joy-Con controllers and essentially acts as a controller grip in addition to a battery extender.

If you are looking to more size to the Joy-Con controllers, this accessory is for you.

Why I chose the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack

I purchased 2 sets of Joy-Con AA Battery packs around the time Fitness Boxing released for the Nintendo Switch.

I was thinking about purchasing the accessory sooner when the motion controlled fighting game ARMS released for the Switch, but I never got around to it.

In my opinion, any game that involves motion controlled punching that requires you to hold a Joy-Con in each hand would do well with a larger size grip as well as additional battery charge (motion controlled movements eat up battery life, not just button presses).

Anyhow, I mainly purchased the battery packs in order to expand the size of the Joy-Con so I could more comfortably hold onto my controllers while I play motion games.

I personally found the standard Joy-Con to be a bit small in my hands when I threw punches in ARMS and Fitness Boxing. I really wanted something that would make each Joy-Con controller bulkier in my hands.

Enter the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack.

The extended battery charge was just a bonus that helped me keep playing and swinging my arms around like a goofball for many more fun-filled hours.

Is the Joy-Con a good accessory?

This is the moment you have been waiting for.

As a Joy-Con AA Battery Pack owner, do I think it is a good accessory? Yes, absolutely!

I have used the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack every single day for 50 days straight.

I’m not kidding.

I play Fitness Boxing, Tetris 99, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and a variety of other Nintendo Switch titles on a near daily basis and the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack feels comfortable to hold no matter what title I boot up.

Fitness Boxing, the reason why I bought this accessory in the first place, feels great to play.

I always feel like I am going to crush the Joy-Con in my hands whenever I throw a punch in Fitness Boxing without the battery packs.

But with the battery packs attached? Throwing punches never felt sturdier or more comfortable.

My hands neatly wrap around the battery pack and Joy-Con without any of my fingers overlapping, something I cannot say about the Joy-Con by themselves.

For some, the added grip size may not make it too big to hold. Perhaps your hands are smaller or perhaps you prefer the standard size of the Joy-Con. These are valid critiques, if I do say so myself.

But if you want a larger grip, I can vouch for the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack by saying they hold up to daily, vigorous use. I clench them very hard during Fitness Boxing and they are in the same great condition they were when I first got them.

They even come with pre-attached wrist straps to prevent the Joy-Con and battery packs from flying out of your hands. The wrist straps are sturdy and have never chaffed my wrists in the time that I used them.

Also, the battery packs are comfortable to hold. These have made gripping the Joy-Con in the standard vertical mode or the “traditional” horizontal mode feel really good in my hands.

I cannot stress how nice these are for those looking for a controller grip while extending battery life.

Speaking of, the Joy-Con controllers work as intended and supply extended life while playing.

I have noticed my Joy-Con battery life lasts a lot longer with the battery packs than without them. Although I am still not certain if the battery pack is drained while playing or if the battery pack charges the Joy-Con controller.

As far as I can tell, the battery packs charge the Joy-Con controllers as you play, transmitting the AA batteries’ charge into the Joy-Con.

Why do I think this?

Because the Joy-Con will continue to be charged by the AA batteries when left in a powered off, resting state.

So, make sure you remove your batteries from the battery pack after use or remove your Joy-Con from the battery pack when not in use.

I primarily use this as a grip as I already mentioned, so I normally do not play with AA batteries installed (other than for testing purposes).

Yes. Your Joy-Con will still work with the battery pack attached without AA batteries installed in the battery pack.

If you just want to use this accessory as a grip, you can do that to your heart’s content.

What Would I Improve?

The only thing I would like to improve is the battery pack locking mechanism that keeps the Joy-Con snugly into place.

I found it quite hard to move whenever I needed to slide my Joy-Con in and out of the battery pack.

If the mechanism was a bit easier to move or constructed on another way, the battery pack would be perfectly executed for my tastes.

Joy-Con AA Battery: Buy or Borrow or Pass?

Buy?

I would recommend you buy the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack if you are looking for a solid, well constructed grip and battery extender officially made by Nintendo.

This will certainly extend your Joy-Con’s battery life while giving it a bigger size which may prove comfortable for you during play sessions.

I also highly recommend this accessory if you are going on long trips, have kids who play the Nintendo Switch a lot, or are planning a party or get-together.

Attaching the battery pack will ensure your controllers have ample battery life for the rest of the night and then some.

Borrow?

I would recommend you borrow the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack from a friend or relative if you are on the fence about this purchase.

Try it out if you want to see how it feels in your hand or if you have concerns about how much size the grips really add to the Joy-Con.

Pass?

I would recommend you to pass on the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack if you don’t like the idea of using AA batteries, if you don’t need extra battery life, and you don’t care for the extra size added to your Joy-Con.

My Detailed Review Criteria:

Ease of Use:

Is the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack easy to use?

Overall, the battery packs are easy to install and use.

Just pull back on the white piece of plastic that acts as a locking mechanism and slide your appropriate Joy-Con into place until it clicks.

The problem, however, is that the locking mechanism is so good at doing its job and is so stiff (which prevents the Joy-Con from slipping out), it can be hard to push from its resting position.

I understand the locking mechanism needs to be secure. At the same time, actual real-world use of the mechanism may take a little effort to move.

Weight:

How heavy is the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack’s?

I really enjoy the weight of the battery pack without the batteries installed once attached to the Joy-Con.

The battery packs add a bit of bulk to the Joy-Con but not a lot of weight which I find ideal for long play sessions. Extra weight may lend to tiring wrists or hands over time.

When I installed batteries into the battery pack, I found it to be fairly heavy and noticeably so.

Although, I understand that the extra weight was to be expected when adding 2 AA batteries to a battery pack.

Feel:

How does the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack feel overall?

The battery packs feel great to hold.

The packs have a smooth texture and a matte finish so you will not leave fingerprints or smudges.

The controller is also really comfortable and painless to hold for hours on end.

Some of my Fitness Boxing sessions go for 50 minutes or more and I have never had an aching finger, wrist, or cramp from holding onto this accessory.

Aesthetics:

Is the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack aesthetically pleasing?

The battery pack is a simple design.

It is smooth and rounded without jagged edges, which makes the unit visually appealing yet minimal.

I have nothing negative to say about it visually, although some may say it is bland.

I say it remains simple and does its job well.

Durability:

Does the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack feel durable?

The battery pack and the wrist strap are durable to the touch.

I find the battery pack itself to be quite solid, made of thick plastic, and will last long if used correctly.

The included wrist strap is also made of good material: a thick string with a solid plastic tightener.

The battery pack and the wrist strap have shown no signs of wear or tear during my rigorous play sessions and motion control movements.

This is a giant plus in my book, as I plan on playing games with these accessories for years on end.

Value:

Is the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack a good value?

The Joy-Con AA Battery Pack packs a lot of value.

The two primary functions are as a grip for those who want a larger girth for their Joy-Con and as a battery extender.

And it does these two things just about perfectly.

Including 4 AA batteries (so you don’t have to supply your own) is icing on an already delicious cake.

Final Verdict: Joy-Con AA Battery Pack Review

The Joy-Con AA Battery Pack works as intended: as a battery extender that adds battery life to your Joy-Con. But, it also acts as a superb, official grip for your Joy-Con controllers that are comfortable to hold. I truly enjoy this accessory which is why I bought two sets and plan on snagging two more sets as soon as I can.

If you are looking for a battery extender for the kids during long road trips or flights, for yourself out of comfort or convenience, or for peace of mind that your controllers won’t die during game nights, the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack will fit your needs.

I thoroughly enjoy this Nintendo Switch accessory and I recommend it to the fullest.

You can check out the Joy-Con AA Battery Pack Amazon listing at this link.