Let’s make it chonky!
The Nintendo Switch is far from the most ergonomic or comfortable console of all time. The design of the Joy-Con controllers in particular leaves much to be desired for many players. It is therefore not surprising that other brands are responding to this problem with alternative designs for Joy-Cons and controllers. But the fact that it took so long to come up with the idea of the Nitro Deck remains a mystery to us. We checked out the new Switch case at gamescom 2023!
When the first press releases about the Nitro Deck arrived in the inbox from CRKD, our interest was quickly sparked. But history also teaches us that when hardware announcements are made shortly before a trade show by a company that has never delivered a product, you sometimes have to be skeptical. We entered the Embracer booth with some fresh skepticism, but we were quite surprised.
A power-up for the Switch
When you hear the briefest description of the Nitro Deck, it doesn’t feel much different from other Switch controllers: a controller that you slide the Nintendo Switch into. Yet there is a significant difference. While most controllers click on to the Switch, the Nitro Deck envelops the console on three sides and makes the console a lot bigger. That is the most important pitch for the accessory: making the frenetic Switch a lot more manageable.
With the Nitro Deck, the Switch becomes a lot larger in all directions: two centimeters in width and one centimeter in height. The main difference is in the depth, which adds three extra centimeters. It all doesn’t sound like much, but the feeling in the hand changes completely. In the Nitro Deck, the Switch finally feels like a product you can play with for hours, instead of getting cramps in your hands after thirty minutes.
Attraction
Ergonomics and ease of use are of course not the only problems that manufacturer CRKD is trying to solve – after all, that was also with a simple grip been possible. With the Nitro Deck they want to tackle as much as possible and no problem is more important than the well-known one stick drift: the phenomenon whereby the levers quickly become defective and start to ‘drift’.
It was therefore a logical step for CRKD to replace the standard thumbsticks of the Joy-Con controllers with hall effect sticks with magnetic sensors on the inside. Because the position of the stick is no longer determined on the basis of contacts but magnetism, the parts hardly wear out and virtually any form of stick drift is excluded.
Handy functions
While for many the hall effect sticks will be the main appeal, CRKD is making other nice improvements. The buttons feel fresh and clicky while the thumbstick caps are easy to change for other shapes. The shoulder buttons and triggers are also nice and clicky, although we think it’s a shame that the triggers are not analogue. Although there are few games that support this, it is mainly a matter of feeling.
On the back we find four additional buttons that can easily be programmed on the controller as individual buttons or as macros. This is done via the separate button on the back, where a complete macro is built up in a few actions to make, for example, hitting stones in Animal Crossing a little easier. Those who do not feel like continuously pressing the same button can also use the turbo function, where the speed of the strobe mode can also be quickly adjusted.
In addition, the Nitro Deck is equipped with many common conveniences. Both rumble Gyroscopic support is available, although you will have to get a separate Joy-Con for amiibo. CRKD also promises a faster connection, since the Nitro Deck is connected directly to the Switch via USB-C, instead of the standard wireless connection.
To keep the existing USB-C port available for charging, there are two more USB-C ports on the back of the Nitro Deck. But these are not two inputs — the second port serves as an output with which you can also connect the Nitro Deck to your PC to use it as a controller. However, we still wonder how often this will be used. Without a Switch in the Nitro Deck, the accessory feels incredibly light, which makes us doubt how pleasant it would be to game with it on your PC. Without a Switch, the Nitro Deck suddenly feels noticeably hollow and meaningless.
CRKD?!
But what about the party behind the Nitro Deck, CRKD? We had never heard of it before and that is not surprising: the Nitro Deck is the first product from CRKD (pronounced “Cracked”). CRKD is a new brand from Singtrix, a party that has mainly worked on karaoke products. But both brands ultimately fall under Freemode, a relatively new branch of the Embracer Group that focuses mainly on retro gaming, peripherals and collectibles.
So it is not a vague startup, but a brand that has the support of a giant like the Embracer Group. We therefore have few doubts whether the Nitro Deck can actually be delivered from this month. CRKD also wants to emphasize this with the different versions of the Nitro Deck that it will supply. In addition to the standard model (in black, white or gray), it also comes with different ones limited runs and unique collections. Interested parties can still place pre-orders for the Nostalgia collection, which includes a variant in GameCube purple, SNES gray or a mint green variant.
The standard variant of the Nitro Deck is expected to be delivered for the first time at the end of September for a price of 69.99 euros. Anyone who wants a limited edition from the Nostalgia collection, for example, will pay 99.99 euros, but will also receive a carrying case, USB-C cable and extra caps for the thumbsticks. Series with exclusive, limited edition themes are currently unavailable, but CRKD indicates that they will be available again in the near future — in limited editions, of course.
2023-09-11 17:51:54
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