For a beginner, the best starting setup is usually the default control layout, with one change at a time only when a recurring input problem calls for it. Keep A for attacks and B for special moves, choose a jump button that feels easy to reach, and consider turning off stick-up jump if you keep jumping accidentally while trying to attack upward. There is no universally best beginner layout; comfort depends on your controller, habits and preferred fighter.
Start with the basic controls
Learn the standard inputs before remapping several buttons. Nintendo’s beginner guide describes A as the standard attack button. Pressing A while quickly flicking the control stick in a direction performs a Smash Attack. B triggers a fighter-specific special move, with the direction affecting the move.
Jump is also worth keeping easy to reach: pressing jump and A together performs a short-hop aerial, according to Nintendo’s techniques guide. That combination can feel more deliberate when jump is assigned to a button rather than relying on an upward stick input, but the right choice is personal.
Should you turn off tap jump?
Tap jump makes an upward flick of the control stick trigger a jump. Try disabling it if you often jump by accident while attempting an up attack or another upward input. If stick-up jump feels natural and does not cause mistakes, there is no need to change it.
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There is no Nintendo-prescribed beginner setting or evidence-backed universal best choice. Compare the options by whether you accidentally jump, how comfortably you can press jump and attack together, and how the controls feel on your controller. Treat turning tap jump off as an experiment, not a rule.
A practical beginner layout
- Jump: Use an easy-to-reach button if that feels comfortable. Test tap jump off if upward inputs cause unwanted jumps.
- Attack and special: Keep A for attacks and B for specials while learning the basic inputs.
- Right stick: If you want to trigger directional attacks without relying on a quick stick flick, try the available in-game stick assignment and see whether it suits you. The cited sources do not establish a best assignment for beginners.
- Everything else: Leave controls at their defaults until you can identify a repeated problem a change would solve. Change one input at a time, then play enough to judge the effect.
A custom layout is useful when it addresses a specific, recurring input issue—not because customization itself makes a player better. Hands, controller type, previous game habits and preferred fighters all affect what feels comfortable.
Rank #2
- HD Rumble 2
- Motion controls
- Built-in amiibo functionality*
- Capture Button
- C Button for GameChat**
Where to change controls
The game’s own control setup and Nintendo Switch system-level button remapping are separate options. A Tom’s Guide walkthrough from January 21, 2019 describes opening the game’s Options menu, choosing Controls, then selecting a player tag and controller layout. It is an older walkthrough, so check the labels shown in your current game version.
For system-level remapping, Nintendo documents this route: HOME → System Settings → Controllers and Sensors → Change Button Mapping. Select a controller, then choose a new function for a button. Nintendo’s instructions cover Joy-Con (L), Joy-Con (R) and Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, with a note about Switch Lite buttons. These mappings are saved on the Switch system, not the controller, so they do not travel with the controller to another Switch. See Nintendo Support’s button-mapping instructions for the details.
Rank #3
- This Amazon Renewed product is professionally inspected and tested by an Amazon qualified supplier. Box and accessories may be generic.
- Take your game sessions up a notch with the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.
- Includes motion controls, HD rumble, built-in amiibo functionality, and more.
- Comes with charging cable (USB-C to USB-A)
Choose changes that will travel with your setup
If you play on more than one Switch, remember that system-level button mappings are stored on the console. A change made there may not be available when you use the controller on another system. Consider whether you want a game-specific control profile or a system-wide remap before changing buttons.
You do not need a particular controller to find a comfortable layout. Nintendo’s Ultimate accessories page lists the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and Ultimate Edition GameCube Controller, but this settings advice applies to players using the controller they already have.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- This controller also works with Nintendo Switch 2 - C Button not available
- Eight RGB zones with four pre-set modes for dynamic lighting combinations
- Two programmable quick-action back buttons for customizable gameplay
- Built-in motion controls for immersive gameplay
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Rank #4
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