You can turn this modular clamp-on controller into an N64 gamepad

Hyperkin announced a new clamp-on style wireless controller created in collaboration with GameSir. The X5 Alteron features similar functionality to GameSir’s GameSir G8 Plus that debuted in 2024 with an expanding telescopic mechanism that can clamp onto smartphones, tablets, and several versions of the Nintendo Switch, replacing the Joy-Cons. What sets the X5 Alteron apart is a modular design allowing most of the controls on the front to be swapped out with alternate layouts, buttons, and joysticks.

Neither company has announced when the X5 Alteron will be available, how much it will cost, or how the alternate control modules will be sold. But there’s already quite a few of them to cater to various gaming preferences. You can configure the controller with symmetrical or asymmetrical thumbsticks, change the location, number, and layout of the action buttons, and even customize the look and feel of the D-pad to your preference. There are also modules that recreate the N64 and GameCube’s controllers for a more authentic experience when playing older titles on Nintendo Switch Online, and a module with a track pad for replicating a mouse.

The X5 Alteron connects to various devices over Bluetooth which means you can also use it as a standalone controller with consoles and PCs. But you’ll also have to remember to regularly charge it over USB-C, and batteries do add some weight. On the back of the controller you’ll find Hall effect analog triggers that can be switched to a shorter travel to improve reaction time, and there’s rumble motors providing force feedback effects.