Nintendo’s console-handheld hybrid has been out for (checks notes) more than seven years at this point and it’s still getting some of the best Switch accessories, which makes sense given how many of these things Nintendo has sold. But also, the handheld gaming market has shifted with things like the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally in recent years, changing expectations for what makes a good portable system. Crkd (pronounced “cracked”) has taken the design philosophy of the Steam Deck to make the Nitro Deck Plus, a device that locks your Switch into a unibody controller for handheld use. It’s packed with extra buttons and features to complement the improved ergonomics, but minor changes to its design leave the Nitro Deck Plus feeling like a step back from previous Crkd controllers.
This isn’t the first time Crkd took a crack at it – our reviewer sang the praises of the original Nitro Deck, particularly the way it improved both ergonomics and precision for the Switch. The Nitro Deck Plus’ most notable change is its stick placement, which moves the two analog sticks to asymmetrical orientation, like how they are on the Steam Deck.
This means the B, A, Y, X face buttons had to be moved down on the right-side grip, which unfortunately makes them woefully uncomfortable to use. Valve gave the Steam Deck enough real estate to place its face buttons at the top right of the controls, but the Nitro Deck Plus has less space to work with, so this placement is the compromise it had to go with.
As a consolation, the Nitro Deck Plus has a bevy of programmable buttons – four paddle-like buttons on the back and two on each side of the unit itself. They take some getting used to, but the back paddles are easy enough to press down and activate when needed. I don’t find them quite intuitive enough to completely replace the face buttons. The two side buttons, meanwhile, never felt natural enough in their placement or actuation for me to find a use for.
Although the analog sticks are much better than the original Joy-Con, they are a bit stiff to get off of their deadzone. Otherwise, there’s a consistent resistance with a good amount of throw distance that feels much closer to PlayStation and Xbox controllers. The textured bumps on the stick caps also help keep your thumbs from slipping. I’ve never had issues with stick drift on any of my Switch Joy-Con, but Crkd states that the sticks on the Nitro Deck Plus are built so that it won’t be a problem, and I expect that to be the case so long as I’m using it.
The D-pad has a solid tactile feel that’s a big improvement over the Joy-Con’s directional buttons, which will make certain games easier to play if they use d-pad movement. Both the L and R shoulder buttons also have a tactile click to them, which is satisfying. But unfortunately, I found the ZL and ZR triggers to be too squishy, making me miss the clickiness of the regular Joy-Con.
In terms of comfort, the Nitro Deck Plus makes playing the Switch in handheld mode more natural. The beefiness of its grips give the experience of holding a full controller. This can be a significant help if you have bigger hands and get cramps with the normal Joy-Con.
The Nitro Deck Plus’s six programmable buttons are very easy to map – simply hold the mapping button on the bottom right until it flashes, press the button you want to map, and the extra button you want to program is to. This is typically useful for mapping actions from the face buttons, so that you can activate the button without having to take your thumbs off the sticks. The Switch isn’t necessarily a platform I would ascribe needing pro-style features like this, but it is a nice perk to have in first- and third-person games where camera control and important actions need to be used simultaneously.
On the back, you’ll find two USB-C ports, one for input and one for output. Since the Switch slides into the Nitro Deck Plus and connects via the bottom USB-C port, this lets you still use the system’s USB-C capabilities for charging or connecting other devices. The USB-C output lets you still play off a TV or monitor while using the Nitro Deck Plus, but you’ll need a USB-C to HDMI converter in order for it to work – and in all honesty, it’s not really worth the hassle since this thing is suited for handheld play.
There’s a sturdy kickstand in the back as well, which isn’t all that useful because the purpose of the device is to get an optimal handheld experience, but it is handy should you want to prop it up without detaching it from the Switch. Lastly, you’ll still get rumble capabilities when using the Nitro Deck Plus, which is nice to have.
The advantage of back paddles is that I don’t have to take my right thumb off the analog stick to press down a face button, but in non-critical gameplay situations, I still tend to prefer the muscle memory and reliability of pressing a face button. I’ve enjoyed using my Xbox Elite and Scuf competitive controllers over the years, but it’s not exactly what I’m looking for in a Switch controller.
Even still, playing through Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom again showed the advantage of having programmable buttons. In frantic battles where I’m constantly switching between gear and items while trying to either aim or keep the camera under control, the back paddles come in clutch. Of course, it takes time to get used to it – I still found myself reaching for the face buttons from reflexes. I went back to Splatoon 3 for a bit as well, and the Nitro Deck Plus let me make full use of both my abilities and the camera.
I also went back through a post-game save of Shin Megami Tensei V to clean up some leftover sidequests. Since it’s a turn-based RPG, the back paddles weren’t quite as useful, but I wanted to see how they would hold up replacing the awkwardly-placed face buttons entirely. I tried forcing myself to only use the back paddles instead of the face buttons, but it never really felt natural. Instead, the most use I got from them was in complement with the face buttons when working my way through some of the platforming in exploration. In other words, for games where the face buttons are more intuitive to use (such as side scrollers, top-down action, etc.) the Nitro Deck Plus starts to lose its luster.
