Skip Navigation

How to View or Change Button Assignments for Nintendo Classics Games

Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, Nintendo Switch - OLED Model

Follow these steps to check which buttons correspond to the buttons on the original controller for a game in one of the Nintendo Classics game libraries, or change the button assignments in certain libraries.

Before you start

  • An active Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to access the Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Classics, Super Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Classics, and Game Boy - Nintendo Classics game libraries.
  • An active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership is required to access the Nintendo 64 - Nintendo Classics, Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Classics: MATURE 17+, SEGA Genesis - Nintendo Switch Online, Game Boy Advance - Nintendo Classics, Nintendo GameCube - Nintendo Classics, and Virtual Boy - Nintendo Classics game libraries. The Nintendo GameCube - Nintendo Classics library is exclusively playable on Nintendo Switch 2.

Complete these steps

  1. Start the game you wish to play.
  2. Once the game has started, open the Suspend Menu.
    • How to open the Suspend Menu in Nintendo Classics games

      Note: If you have "Show controls in game" enabled in Settings, the inputs to open the Suspend Menu will be displayed at the bottom of the screen while playing.

      • Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Classics: Press the ZL Button and ZR Button, or when using the NES Controller press the L Button and R Button.
      • Super Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Classics: Press the ZL Button and ZR Button.
      • Game Boy - Nintendo Classics: Press the ZL Button and ZR Button.
      • Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Classics: Press the - (Minus) Button, or when using the Nintendo 64 Controller press the ZR Button.
      • Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Classics: MATURE 17+: Press the - (Minus) Button, or when using the Nintendo 64 Controller press the ZR Button.
      • SEGA Genesis – Nintendo Switch Online: Press the ZL Button and ZR Button, or when using the SEGA Genesis Control Pad press the MODE Button.
      • Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Classics: Press the ZL Button and ZR Button.
      • Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics: Press the - (Minus) Button, or when using the GameCube Controller press the ZL Button.
      • Virtual Boy - Nintendo Classics: Press the ZL Button and ZR Button.
  3. You can view or possibly change the controls depending on which library you're using:
    • Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, or Virtual Boy: Select View/Change Controls. On this menu, you can press the Y Button to view the how the original controller's buttons are mapped to your current controller, press the X Button to view additional controls specific to this game, or select Change Controls to customize your button mapping for this game and controller combination.
    • All others: Press the X Button to open the User Guide and see how the original controller's buttons are mapped to Joy-Con 2 or Joy-Con controllers. If you'd like to change the button mapping, you can do so through the system settings on Nintendo Switch 2 or Nintendo Switch.

Was this helpful?