The best controllers for Monster Hunter Wilds: the gamepads most suited for the game’s tricky control scheme

The best controllers for Monster Hunter Wilds might not be what you initially think. Sure, you can get by just fine in Monster Hunter games with a DualSense, Xbox Wireless Controller, or indeed a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. But there are plenty of options out there that can help make the series’ often obtuse control schemes much easier to manage - especially if you’re a newcomer.

In short, the best controllers for Monster Hunter Wilds might come with extra remappable buttons to make accessing item shortcuts easier or have drift-resistant thumbsticks to ensure it’ll last through years of content updates and ever more challenging monster encounters. I’ve also endeavored to recommend controllers spread across the budget spectrum. As you’ll see below, top controllers for Monster Hunter Wilds don’t have to cost the earth and can be cheaper than the first-party offerings.

For those planning on getting really stuck into Monster Hunter Wilds, owning a controller that prioritizes making your life easier can go a long way. I've personally been a huge fan of the series since Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, pouring hundreds of hours into nearly every game since. More recently, I played the Monster Hunter Wilds open beta tests for upwards of 20 hours collectively, so I’ve already been able to experiment with a variety of controllers and their settings and the following list features recommendations based on my experience.

The Quick List

The best controllers for Monster Hunter Wilds

The best Monster Hunter Wilds controller for PS5

For a truly premium-feeling Monster Hunter Wilds experience, look no further than the Victrix Pro BFG on PS5. In all honesty, there aren’t a great deal of PS5 controllers that win out compared to the DualSense, but I think the Victrix Pro BFG manages it - so long as you don’t mind losing the official controller’s haptic feedback and adaptive trigger support.

The key selling point that makes the Victrix Pro BFG one of the best controllers for Monster Hunter Wilds is its modularity and sheer customizability. This comes in the form of bespoke modules that can be unscrewed (a screwdriver is included in the box) and swapped around to create a layout that suits your style. This is handy if, for example, you’re playing on PS5 but generally prefer an Xbox-style symmetrical stick layout. Useful remappable buttons on the rear will also allow you to bind handy secondary inputs. Want the option to cycle through your item pouch without rapidly slamming those face buttons? That’s possible here. They’re also useful for binding Seikret commands to, instead of having to rely on the D-pad by default. A pretty elegant solution overall.

At $179.99 / £179.99 / AU$269, it’s not cheap and that’s before factoring in that Victrix sells its Hall effect stick modules separately. Even still, the Victrix Pro BFG does go on sale semi-frequently at major retailers and it’s a superb, long-lasting option that’s well suited to the best PS5 games as well as Monster Hunter Wilds.

• Read more: Victrix Pro BFG review

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The best Monster Hunter Wilds controller for Xbox

Two things are true of Monster Hunter Wilds: it has immaculate audio design and is best enjoyed with friends in co-operative multiplayer. Both are things that the Turtle Beach Recon Controller was designed in mind for, making it a shoo-in for one of the best controllers for Monster Hunter Wilds.

The Turtle Beach Recon is an innovative controller that places robust audio and voice chat controls on the gamepad itself. Game and chat volumes, a mic mute toggle, support for a number of built-in EQs - it’s all there without you needing to touch your headset. Naturally, the controller pairs incredibly well with the best gaming headsets on the market, too.

I frequently used the Turtle Beach Recon back when I was actively playing games like PUBG Battlegrounds and Rocket League with friends over Xbox Live. During that time, it never let me down as a controller that really allows you to fine-tune an audio profile across both voice chat and in-game sound that suits you best. Better still, its price tag of just $59.95 / £49.99 / AU$99.95 makes it even easier to recommend.

• Read more: Turtle Beach Recon controller review

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The best Monster Hunter Wilds controller for PC

The GameSir Tanatula Pro is indisputably one of the best PC controllers on the market today, coming from a brand that often delivers near-premium quality controllers at less-than-premium prices. And the Tarantula Pro might just be the brand’s best offering to date and feels like it was designed with games like Monster Hunter Wilds in mind.

Heading up the feature set is GameSir’s own Mag-Res TMR thumbsticks. These are, effectively, a variant of Hall effect sticks which offer a greater level of customization via the GameSir PC software. That means you get to really fine-tune your deadzone and sensitivity settings. A grand total of nine remappable buttons also allows for a high degree of control scheme customization, with on-the-fly profile swapping via the multifunction button meaning you can have multiple schemes if you’re swapping out weapons while on the hunt.

Topping it all off is an incredible level of build quality that’s hard to come by at its price point of $69.99 / £69.99 (or $79.99 / £79.99 for the controller with charging stand). Other neat flourishes like an RGB strip along the center and light-up face buttons also lend the Tarantula Pro some real identity.

• Read more: GameSir Tarantula Pro review

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The best budget controller for Monster Hunter Wilds

Before the Tarantula Pro, there was the GameSir T4 Kaleid. For me, this controller put GameSir on the map as the go-to quality budget controller brand. Almost two years later, I still regularly use this controller for the best fighting games. But it’ll be excellent for Monster Hunter Wilds, too.

As a GameSir standard, you can expect high-quality Hall effect thumbsticks here. But one thing I prefer about this controller compared to the Tarantula Pro is its tactile micro switch buttons which are satisfyingly clicky and ultra-responsive. The pair of remappable buttons isn’t quite as robust an offering here, but still offers avenues for secondary inputs which is always nice.

Lastly, the price. At $41.99 / £41.99, it’s an impressively affordable controller. One of its few drawbacks is that it’s only compatible with Nintendo Switch and PC. However, a model known as the GameSir Kaleid has Xbox console compatibility, but it does come in slightly pricier at $49.99 / £59.99 at retail.

• Read more: GameSir T4 Kaleid review

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The best premium controller for Monster Hunter Wilds

The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is hands down the best premium controller for Monster Hunter Wilds and for gaming in general. It gets almost everything right, from its ironclad build quality and responsive Hall effect sticks to the incredibly smart implementation of Razer mouse click tech that offers a satisfyingly clicky feel to its buttons and D-pad.

It’s a sublime controller experience through and through, with those snappy remappable buttons allowing for any kind of control scheme you can think of for Monster Hunter Wilds. While the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro unfortunately doesn’t have macro support (which would have been nice for quick access to your customizable item radials) there’s plenty here to provide shortcuts to key functions while letting you keep your thumbs firmly on the sticks.

Now, it wouldn’t be in our premium section if it didn’t cost a pretty penny. For the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro, you can expect to pay $199.99 / £199.99 for the controller, or you can opt for the cheaper Tournament Edition at $99.99 / £99.99. This version provides a similarly high-quality experience, at the absence of wireless connectivity and slightly pared-back build quality.

• Read more: Razer Wolverine V3 Pro review

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