I despise the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 Joy-Cons. I cannot stress that enough. I. HATE. THEM. They’re small, they’re not built for adult hands, and they cause a fair amount of pain for me. This is probably 50% of the reason why I avoid playing on each system. And don’t get me started on the Pro controllers. I mean, seriously, $89? For a controller? No thanks.
So, what is a boy to do to get back together with my Nintendo Switch 2 and have some fun? Well, this boy is going to have to find a controller solution. Guess what? I think I did.
The WX5+ Wireless RGB Controller Switch 2 Crayons from Gioteck is a comfortable controller solution that brings the familiarity of a big-boy console controller feel, while maintaining a sense of durability, accuracy, and visual enjoyment. I have been playing with this controller for the last week or so, and it doesn’t feel cheap, even with its $35 USD price tag, a number that is one-third the price of the Nintendo brand.
Never discount a discounted third-party controller because sometimes you can find some amazing gems.
Let’s get right into the WX5+ Wireless RGB Controller Switch 2 Crayons from Gioteck.
Design
Right out of the box, the first thing players notice, before even turning it on, is how artsy and stylish this controller looks. It has a variety of melting colors spilling down its faceplate that gives off an innocent and playful style. The controller is meant for the Nintendo Switch, so nothing broody or serious will do. Anyway, the controller is high on visual marks and is welcoming with its additional color thumbstick theme that matches its faceplate. In short, it’s visually a cool-looking device.
And when players turn it on? The controller’s thumbsticks light up with LED swirling lights. They playfully spin around the sticks and make sure to emphasize the coolness that a player would have in their hands. Adding just an extra touch of glow to an already visually welcoming controller is a big deal, and in that respect, the WX5+ Wireless RGB Controller Switch 2 Crayons excels.
The only thing missing from the design package is the ability to adjust said colors, which isn’t as customizable as it should be. Call me spoiled, but after reviewing so many keyboards and other accessories in the PC world, it would have been nice to allow some customization of those lights through software. Is it necessary? Not at all, but if a player wants a personal connection to this device, having that availability is always a good direction to go.
Now, that doesn’t mean that players can’t change the lighting scheme. On the back of the controller, there is a small button that allows players to cycle through solid preset colors. That’s customization to a point, but having an option to load in some software and set the color scheme to a unique flavor, maybe even giving the option to individualize thumbstick color changes, would be cool.
Put that on your list, Gioteck!
As for how the controller feels? Well, it’s comfortable. It fits nicely in my large hands and allows me to play my Switch games without much cramping or aching. My arthritic hands appreciate it, especially the extra bumps on the grips of the controller, which ensure that I can hold onto it, even in the midst of intense Mario Kart World battling. That game makes my hands sweat a lot.
Overall, the design of the WX5+ Wireless RGB Controller Switch 2 Crayons is quite nice. It feels good, looks spectacular, and allows for minimal customization. Do I wish it would dive deeper into the latter? Absolutely, but it’s good for what it offers in terms of design for the player.
Functionality
This is where the controller shines. The functionality of the WX5+ Wireless RGB Controller Switch 2 Crayons comes in a bevy of flavors. The biggest plus is how it handles.
The controller sports Hall Effect triggers and buttons, which allow for a fair amount of use with no drift. That alone makes me happy that this controller exists and that I don’t have to pay $89 to get something similar, and not as cool. One of the biggest issues with Joy-Cons is their lack of durability, as most will cause drift over time. I’m sure they’re better now, at least I hope they are, but as it stands, I would prefer something that all but guarantees this won’t occur, and that is the WX5+ Wireless RGB Controller Switch 2 Crayons.
The controller also features a 3.5mm jack at the bottom, which will allow players to plug in some headphones, if need be. While most gamers might have a wireless solution already in the gaming mix, the option for a 3.5mm audio input is always a comforting functional feature. At the very least, it’s good for audio earbuds or headset longevity, as power is drawn from the controller, rather than depending on the lithium battery of a headset.
In addition, the controller also comes with programmable buttons and flippers on the back. The programmability of those buttons is easy, as players just need to hold down the LED button on the back, choose a button (or flipper) that they want to program, and then assign it the button they’re interested in replicating. Would I prefer software to be in the mix and make this easier? Yes, even if it’s just another way for programmability to occur. Is it difficult to do it without software? Not at all, but again, it would be a wonderful option just to have the ability to plug the controller into a PC and run some software. As it stands, it’s super easy to assign buttons and turbo buttons to configurations of your choice.
Beyond functional options, the controller also features a good battery life, which will last players a number of hours before recharging; of course, that is dependent on how long they play it in a single sitting. I popped this controller right out of the box to review it, and it already had some charge in it that lasted me a couple of hours. After it died, I plugged it back into my Switch, recharged it for a while, and unhooked it and have been playing it for a while. The battery life is impressive.
Speaking of hooking the controller up, I hooked it up to the Switch 2’s USB port, thinking I could play it wired, but found out quickly that this is just for charging the controller. I was concerned that the device had broken on the way over, but as soon as that USB plug came out, the system recognized the controller, and I was off to the races. I don’t know why I feel disappointed that I can’t have both ways available for hooking up this controller, but I feel like it should have them. Sometimes, wired just works better.
Now, if players want to use this controller on their PC, then they can plug it up and have it wired/ready for Steam usage. With this amount of comfort and solid accuracy of the sticks, and superb button reaction/timing, it’s nice to have this available for PC gaming. Would I use it for Battlefield 6? Probably not, but I would certainly use this for single-player action games that require long hours of comfort. I like that the PC option is available.
Overall, the functionality of the WX5+ Wireless RGB Controller Switch 2 Crayons is impressive. On the Switch 2 side of the tracks, it’s easy to use, backwards compatible with the original Switch, and offers good features that work as described. It’s one useful controller that shouldn’t do as much for $35 USD, but does. I would choose this over a Pro controller any day of the week. Again, never discount a discounted controller. There have been some solid third-party solutions out there, and this is one of them.
On that note, let’s wrap up this review.
Conclusion
The WX5+ Wireless RGB Controller Switch 2 Crayons from developer Gioteck is a perfect controller solution for a comfortable and functional gameplay experience on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.
