Hello, digital legends. Today, we bring you a piece of engineering straight from China: a very well-made replica of the legendary Pro Controller, featuring NFC as its most notable characteristic, and supposedly an HD rumble motor, which we will verify in this article.
In the world of video games, choosing a good controller can make the difference between a mediocre experience and an enjoyable, immersive one. As a benchmark, we have the haptic functionalities of the PlayStation 5’s DualSense.
But, being completely honest, the wallet of mortals like us can’t handle it every time the Joy-Cons start drifting, and the quick solution is to buy new ones. In these situations, we turn to Asian technology, which offers products of varying quality but with functionalities that emulate (sometimes poorly and cheaply) some of the virtues of the products they “inspire.”
Pro Controller Clone
We must admit that this is not the first Pro Controller clone for the Switch, and it certainly won’t be the last recreation of this controller, but something that caught our attention is that this one features NFC as its main characteristic, which led us to acquire and test it.
Design and Ergonomics
One of the most important aspects of any controller is its design and how it feels in the user’s hands. This wireless controller is “inspired” (once again) by the design of the Pro Controller, and to be honest, it’s quite comfortable, with good-sized buttons. (At least in this TOTK version) the grips are textured to provide a better hold, preventing the controller from slipping during intense gameplay moments.
Connectivity and Compatibility
Connectivity is a key factor for any modern controller, and this model does not disappoint. It features Bluetooth, allowing us to easily connect it to a wide variety of devices, including the Nintendo Switch, PCs, smartphones, and tablets.
Extra Features
This controller offers the same wake-up function for the console when it’s in sleep mode, and it really works. It’s exactly like the Pro Controller, and it’s nice that this feature remains because it’s convenient to resume your gaming session with a simple button press.
Gyroscope
It includes a 6-axis gyroscope function. This sensor allows the detection of movement and orientation of the controller in three dimensions. Just like it works in the Joy-Cons and the Pro Controller, we didn’t encounter any issues, and it functions exactly as it should, letting us aim more precisely, steer (in a curious but not very useful way), and rotate/move objects in games that use this feature.
HD Rumble Dual
Now we come to the controller’s lowest point, and honestly, we didn’t have high hopes for it, but for some naive reason, we still gave it the benefit of the doubt.
It promises HD rumble, but there’s no way that for its cost, it would provide real HD rumble. We’re talking about a technology that, despite being around for several years, is still expensive and likely wouldn’t work due to how the Switch communicates with the controller. Sincerely, I had some faith, but I can say this: the rumble included in this controller is not bad at all. It’s a bit different, and its motor is also slightly different from cheap vibration motors.
Battery Life
Battery life is another crucial aspect to consider. This wireless controller comes with a battery that doesn’t specify its duration in hours, but from experience, I can say it lasts a long time, and if it’s not the same duration as the Pro Controller, it’s very close.
Additionally, the battery charges via a USB Type-C cable (included in the package), making it easy to keep the controller ready for action. When the battery is running low, the console notifies you, and from the first warning to full depletion, I counted an extra hour and a half of use with all functions enabled.
NFC
After confirming that the HD rumble wasn’t real, I resigned myself to having been scammed, but I still decided to continue with the tests, and one of the most relevant tests was checking the NFC functionality.
To activate it, we don’t have to do anything special. It’s located in the center of the controller, just like the original Pro Controller, and what a surprise! This controller read Amiibo without any issues. There were no delays or differences in reading them. So, this adds a point to the positive side.
Conclusion
To summarize all the aspects this controller offers, its ergonomic design, multi-platform compatibility, and particularly the functional NFC make it an essential tool to enhance the gaming experience. Whether you’re playing on a console, PC, or mobile device, this controller is designed to provide maximum comfort and the best possible performance.
Now, talking about its vibration feature, it truly left a bittersweet taste. You can’t expect it to fulfill this feature, but it’s also wrong for it to promise and not deliver. Aside from this aspect, which is the only negative I found, I consider it a more than good option for its affordable price of around 538 Mexican pesos, about $29.50 at the time of publishing this article.
Frankly, in a market saturated with options, this gamepad stands out for its NFC inclusion and its inclusion of most of the notable features of the controller it seeks to emulate. If you’re looking for a controller that combines functionality with comfort, this model is a choice that won’t disappoint.
I’ll leave you an AliExpress link so you can purchase it.
Greetings, digital legends! I’m Gabriel Gutiérrez, the backstage accomplice at Joystick Latino. A licensed musician with a photographer’s eye, I’ve been venturing into the gaming world from my Atari 2600 since the age of 6. I’m addicted to anime, a fan of the irreverent humor of ‘South Park’ and ‘Rick and Morty,’ and a fearless explorer of cinematic horror.
