After years of dealing with Joy-Con drift issues and Nintendo not offering a satisfactory answer, we may finally have a solution. A company called Gulikit has created a set of stick replacements for the Switch controller that promises to eliminate the problem of stick drift once and for all.
If you’re a Switch owner, you’re probably familiar with Joy-Con drift, which can create annoying mis-typing issues even if you don’t have access to the stick. This has been an issue since the Switch’s inception, so much so that it’s still not fully resolved in the new OLED version (although Nintendo says it has made some “improvements”).
While Nintendo says you can send your Joy-Cons to Nintendo for free repairs (or just buy a new set), the grips will inevitably start drifting again.
Unlike Nintendo’s standard Joy-Cons, Gulikit’s joystick replacements use something called Hall-effect sensors, a technology that essentially keeps them from drifting.
One of the reasons Joy-Cons drift is that they use potentiometers. This technology degrades over time, causing incorrect readings and making your controller appear to be haunted. In 2021, Nintendo executive Ko Shiota compared the problem to car tires, which “wear out as the car moves because they are constantly rubbing and spinning against the ground.”
Gulikit’s joystick elements work on the principle of electromagnetic induction, using magnets to detect the movement of the joystick, which means that none of the elements actually rub against each other and wear down like the sensors used on the Joy-Cons. The 3D controller of SEGA Saturn and the later Dreamcast controller also use this technology.
The Gulikit is a replacement part that you have to do yourself, and the kit comes with a screwdriver, replacement screws, a pair of tweezers, and a plastic pry tool to help you get started. Do-it-yourself replacements, though, may void your warranty on your Switch and Joy-Cons, but are still a potential solution if you’re tired of your handlebars drifting.
