CRKD Nitro Deck Review – For Those Who Want To Switch It Up

If I’m being honest with you, I might not be the best person to talk about when it comes to peripherals and the “additions” or “custom controllers” you can get for consoles. Why? I’ve never really used them. When I’m playing console games, I use the controls I got with the system (unless it’s a REALLY special custom skin control), or if I’m playing PC, I use the keyboard and mouse I happen to have on me. But by that token, I might be the best person for this CRKD Nitro Deck Review because I’m NOT someone who knows the ins and outs of this market, so I’ll just speak as to how it worked for me, what didn’t work, and whether you should get it. So, shall we begin?

How Does It Feel In Your Hands?

This is easily the biggest question to ask because it’s clear from the get-go that the Nitro Deck is meant for people who want a “better grip” on their Nintendo Switch. And to that end…it does feel good…for the most part. Personally, I never had a problem with my Joy-Cons, nor have I felt that I needed a “bigger space” to put my hands on while I game. So when I got the MUCH bigger Nitro Deck, it definitely took some getting used to.

But once I got used to it, it felt fine. I played games on it that had a more “relaxed feel” in terms of the stress I needed to put on it (Pokemon Scarlet and Violet) and then games that had a more “intense” feel to it where I needed to press buttons quickly and get a fast response to get what I needed done (in this case, Tetris 99). On both accounts, the Nitro Deck fulfilled all my needs, and I can definitely see why some people will like these peripherals’ “feel” over the basic Joy-Cons.

For example, the control sticks and buttons on all fronts are bigger than the standard Joy-Cons, which many people will like. Even I liked them for the most part. Plus, I’m told that the control sticks were made in such a way that they eliminate Joy-Con drift, which is something I’ve suffered from in the past. So, knowing that won’t be an issue? Yeah, that’s a relief.

Now, there is a tradeoff here in that they might be TOO big in some cases, and some small differences regarding spacing may throw off some gamers. But as in all things, with enough time, you’ll get used to it.

Customization

Another key thing in this Nitro Deck Review that I need to point out is that you will have plenty of options to stylize and customize your Nitro Deck to suit what you want/need. I personally was given the standard white version, but as you can see above, there are many colored options, including one styled after the Gamecube controller.

Furthermore, if you aren’t able to get the Nitro Deck that you want, you can swap in and out the buttons and sticks you desire with no major issues, a key design feature, in my opinion.

Going to the gaming side, the Nitro Deck has multiple buttons on the back of the base so that you can program them to do whatever you want them to. So, if you wish to have a more “complex” scheme or root everything to spaces that you’re used to, you have those options. This makes it perfect for those who like personalized control schemes for the games they play, so they don’t have to “relearn” just to use the peripheral properly.

A warning on this front: certain games, like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, will automatically have functions put onto those buttons, and it’s REALLY easy to accidentally press those buttons in the heat of gameplay, which can make it really annoying when the control enacts something you didn’t mean to do. You can turn off those buttons entirely, though, but I didn’t figure that out until later, which was a bit frustrating.

Does It Enhance The Switch Experience?

This is a topic where I get to say, “Your mileage may vary.”

That’s not an insult to the Nitro Deck; it’s just how I feel about it. For me, while I was playing with it, I didn’t feel that my gaming experiences were “enhanced,” but I also didn’t feel they were diminished either. It might just be because I’m used to having the Switch’s Joy-Cons as my default system (as I’ve had the Switch since Day 1), so I’ve never felt the need for an upgrade.

The Nitro Deck definitely has some benefits, like the bigger buttons and control sticks or the large customization features, but I feel there are some drawbacks. For me, it was a cumbersome piece, and I felt I was “lugging it around” at times versus just having a “bigger controller.” It’s not heavy, but you do feel it in your hands. Second, because of how it’s set up, the charger is in a different spot (and not exactly a “better spot”), and the NFC function isn’t able to be used with the Nitro Deck. That means if you want to use Amiibo, you’ll have to remove the Switch back and forth from Deck to scan them.

To that end, getting the Switch’s body out of the CRKD Nitro Deck is a hassle. I had to put my palm on the screen while also sliding up a button on the back to get it out. Many might find that a bit disconcerting as these aren’t unbreakable consoles.

Ultimately, I feel the Nitro Deck is a nice way to “get a better grip” on your Nintendo Switch as you play. But are you already comfortable with the Joy-Cons and have no issues with them outside of potential drift? You likely won’t need to buy this.