This homemade accessibility controller makes the Xbox Adaptive Controller work with the Switch

Xbox Adaptive Controller
Xbox Adaptive Controller (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • A father created a customized controller that allows his daughter with HSP to play the Nintendo Switch.
  • The controller works with the Xbox Adaptive Controller.
  • A video shows the controller in action controlling The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Steel's daughter, Ava, has hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), which makes her struggle with fine motor control and finger dexterity, as explained in a tweet from Steel. The controller Steel shows off in the video has buttons around the edge of a large rectangular body. Each button can be customized to control different inputs of the console.

The Xbox Adaptive Controller literally changed the game for this man

Nintendo does not support using the Xbox Adaptive Controller with the Switch, but Steel managed to make it work. When asked about connecting the Xbox Adaptive Controller to the Switch, Steel pointed people to the Mayflash Magic-NS Wireless Bluetooth Controller Adapter. This adapter allows regular Xbox One controllers to work with the Switch, so it should work with the Xbox Adaptive Controller.

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.