NYXI Wireless Joy-Pad Review
Summary: A superb alternative to standard Joy-Cons and Ninty's Pro controller.
5
Superb!
While many third-party peripheral developers have tried to emulate Ninty’s success with a solid Joy-Con replacement, none have come as close as NYXI in making a genuinely competitive Nintendo beater. NYXI’s Joy-Cons are comfortable, ergonomic replacements – and a couple of minor niggles aside – it’s easy to recommend them as alternatives to official Joy-Cons.
Try not to let the packaging put you off, though. NYXI’s Joy-Con box is serviceable at best, but it’s a disservice to the quality of the controller, squishing the quality remote in cheap plastic that makes the controller feel like a budget device instead of the premium product it actually is. Inside the subpar box, NYXI keeps things simple, pairing the controller with a charging lead and a short user manual that gets to the point while clearly explaining all the functions the NYXI has to offer.
Getting the controllers connected is as simple as it should be, the pair instantly syncing up with my Switch with a quick click of a button. Right off the bat, the Joy-Cons are a little jarring, especially as they’re much chunkier than the ones included with the console, but after a few minutes of use, NYXI’s controllers feel much more comfortable to use than standard Joy-Cons. I started off using the controllers in the supplied frame, which acts the same as the one that comes with the console. The Joy-Cons fit nicely in your hands, filling the palm with a solid piece of kit, and when paired with said frame, the controllers feel more akin to a Pro controller than a standard pair of Joy-Cons. I quickly established rapport with the controllers, my fingers finding the buttons with ease. I was surprised by the controller’s forward-thinking design, and while – of course – it doesn’t stray from the natural Joy-Con layout, its buttons are super responsive, with triggers that pack a satisfying click.
While I mostly used the controller with the frame, I also tested them out plugged directly into the Switch. While it worked fine, it added considerable length to the console, and as a personal preference, I liked the controllers better when used as an alternative to a Pro controller. I did, however, like using the controllers with the wrist straps attached, and I found the gyro functionality in both as accurate as the Switch’s native Joy-Con. Perhaps most importantly to Switch fans, I experienced no drift at all, a problem Nintendo still haven’t managed to eradicate five years after the console’s launch.
There’s more to these Joy-Con’s than meets the eye, and while the most glaringly obvious feature is the nifty, adaptable little lights around the thumbpads, it’s by no means the best feature of NYXI’s controllers. While less said about the Turbo buttons, the better (which work fine but feel more like a gimmick by today’s standards), the controller also features two customisable triggers that are surprisingly useful. I tested it out with Hades for an hour or so, linking the left trigger to the game’s dash ability, and it was a noticeably smoother, quicker experience. While not a match for Microsoft’s Elite Xbox controller, the addition of a mappable button is a feature missing in even Nintendo’s premium controller options, so it’s a nice touch that NYXI has included it here.
While the controllers lack Amiibo support, the NFC spot is replaced on each controller by charging USB-C ports on the bottom of the controllers. It’s a nice touch, and with a full charge lasting me around 7 hours, just shy of NYXI’s predicted 8, I rarely found myself needing to give either Joy-Con more juice when in the middle of a lengthy play session – but it was good that, if I wanted to, I could give the controller a quick zap of power to keep me going a little longer.
Final Thoughts?
As far as Joy-Con alternatives go, you can’t get much better than NYXI’s latest entry. With a superb, ergonomic build and an impressive set of features, these solid controllers are excellent Joy-Con replacements – and fantastic value for money.
Specification
- Brand: NYXI
- Product Material: Polyester Fiber Composite
- Item Weight: 11.7 Ounces
- Product Dimensions: 5.59 x 4.53 x 1.57 Inches
- Rechargeable Battery: 500 mAh/ 8 Hours Playtime
- Receiving Distance: 10 M
- Charging Time: 2 Hours
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