Nintendo announced thatGameCube games would finally be coming to the Switch Online Expansion Passalongside the launch of theSwitch 2, which is exciting since it’sthe only way to play The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker on current era Nintendo hardware, among other reasons. In addition to the emulation announcement, Nintendo also showed off a Switch controller that looks exactly like a GameCube one.
Here’s the catch, though:the GameCube controller only works with the GameCube game emulator for the Switch 2. This means that unless you want to play Soul Calibur 2 and a handful of other classic titles, the controller is completely useless.
Let me give you some advice: don’t buy that controller. I know we all have plenty of nostalgia for the GameCube days, but don’t waste your money on nostalgia alone.
Instead, channel your nostalgia and buy the NYXI GameCube controller. It’s better than what Nintendo is offering in every conceivable way.
A Controller From The Past, Updated For The Future
I’ve been using theNYXI Wizard Controlleras my primary Switch controller for over two years. It’s essentially an updated version of the WaveBird (the wireless version of the GameCube controller that my older brother had and wouldn’t let me use when we were kids) that doubles as a Switch Pro Controller and a pair of Joy-Con.
Just looking at the Wizard, it’s easy to see how NYXI improved a controller that many have already deemed as one of the best of all time by changing the C-stick to be another equally sized joystick. Additionally, the controller features programmable back paddles, the same as many pro controller options.
As far as form factor is concerned, the Wizard feels exactly like the WaveBird did back in the day but adds just a little bit of modern flair to update it for modern control schemes that rely on two comfortable joysticks. If you want something a little closer to the classic GameCube layout,NYXI also offers the Warrior controller, which reduces the size of the C-stick to more traditional proportions.
Better Than Nintendo In Literally Every Way
Based on the simple fact that the NYXI controllers can be used to play every game on the Switch, they’re better thanNintendo’s GameCube controller offering. I understand that Nintendo wanted to keep the original layout for its recreation, but limiting them to the emulator means that there’s an extremely small use case for them. The NYXI controllers don’t have that issue, point blank. I’ve used the Wizard on every Switch game I’ve played since buying it, and have never had a single issue with compatibility.
On top of that, NYXI controllers are easily and cheaply repaired, unlike Nintendo’s Joy-Con. NYXI guarantees thatthe Hall Effect joysticks the controllers are fitted withwill never drift on account of their non-analog design, however, the company offers replaceable thumbsticks for just $5 in case the sticks get damaged for any reason. As someone who’s used the Wizard almost exclusively for my Switch for the last two years, I can confidently say that I have never had any issues with drift and that NYXI’s promise is kept.
The final point in the Wizard’s favor is that it functions as two discrete Joy-Con as well as being a Pro Controller. The two halves of the Wizard slot into a small plastic holder when playing the Switch in docked mode to create the WaveBird shape and slide out easily to connect to the side of the Switch for handheld play. Nintendo’s controller is only usable when the Switch is docked.
Unfortunately, the fact that the Wizard forms two JoyCon doesn’t matter much for anyone looking to buy a Switch 2, since the connection method is completely different from the base Switch model, butNintendo announced that all JoyCon and Pro Controllers for the original Switch will be compatible with the Switch 2using wireless play, so the Wizard won’t be defunct by any means.
It’s wild that Nintendo is seemingly leaving money on the table when recreating its classic controllers by not making them compatible with its entire ecosystem.The N64 Switch controllerfaced a lot of issues because, despite its notoriously odd design, it didn’t allow players to remap any of its buttons, making it functionally useless when playing anything outside of the N64 emulations. It seems like the company is sticking to its guns and making a similarly busted controller for the GameCube.
I’m not complaining, the NYXI Wizard is a better controller than Nintendo has made since, well, since the GameCube controller launched in 2001.
