I’ll immediately out myself here. I’m far from the biggest champion of Nintendo products, at least not since childhood. I’ve always been someone who has to play games on my PC or my PlayStation, and anything else would feel alien, irritating, and icky to me. So, when the time comes to play a Switch 2 game, either for work or play, it always comes packaged with a little bit of dread.
It sounds silly, a full-grown man complaining about needing to play on a different console, but I’m someone who likes my creature comforts, and playing on Nintendo Switch has always been a bug-bear of mine. However, I am always looking for ways to actively improve the experience when diving into Zelda, Mario, Pokémon, or whatever it happens to be.
This is why I find myself staring at a PowerA Advantage Wireless controller, as I am determined to find a way to make this leap from one system to another feel as seamless as possible, and that starts with the controller I have in my hand.
Keen to discard Joy-Cons and awkward button positions for a more traditional setup, I set up this little bad boy, and I’m glad I did, as it was a joy to mess around with.
Aesthetics
First, let’s dive into how this controller looks and feels in your hand. As you might have guessed from the model, if you’re used to a traditional Xbox controller design, you’ll find this one is cut from the same cloth.
It’s a familiar and sleek design that fits ergonomically when gripped for maximum comfort, allowing you to play for long sessions without cramping up or needing to resort to a claw grip just to ensure you don’t mess up a tricky sequence in-game.
Plus, it’s a lightweight model without the need to store a battery, so if you’re used to the Xbox model of old, you might find this one to be even more comfortable in hand.
As for the actual design, I opted for the simple and sleek black model, which is admittedly a no-thrills option, but the trade-off is that it looks gorgeous, clean, and geared towards the more serious gamer who inexplicably finds themselves mainlining more whimsical Nintendo games.
However, if you want to bring that whimsy to the fore and want a more outlandish design, this controller comes in two other styles at the time of writing, with a bright and vibrant Mario-themed model, and a middle ground of sorts with a Pokémon-themed design featuring a more toned-down color palette.
But the main takeaway here is that, no matter what design you choose, what you’re getting is a sleek, well-crafted model that feels great to hold, play with, and looks the part as well.
Unique Gameplay Features
I’m somewhat of the opinion that, if you’re a serious competitive gamer, Nintendo is hardly the system you want to set up shop, but this is also because there hasn’t really been a controller in my life that facilitated such a thing.
That’s where the PowerA controller comes in, offering custom button bindings that let you start with casual sessions and evolve them into pro outings, facilitating top-tier gameplay.
You have your classic ABXY setup, accompanied by LR triggers and additional ZX/ZL triggers below, but what is the real game-changer is the back panel triggers marked AGR/AGL that allow for split-second responses to action on screen.
Not to mention, this controller also makes use of Hall effect Module thumbstick sensors, which more casual players trading up to this more pro-aligned model will immediately feel the difference with.
Thumbstick control feels more fluid, responsive, and precise, which is a godsend when trying to do tricky platforming sections. Plus, with the ever-growing problem of drift on the standard Joycons —an issue that seems to have carried over from the original Switch —the promise of added durability is much appreciated.
Obviously, I can’t speak to how durable these thumbsticks are, but if they do become as problematic and tokyo-drifty as standard Joy-Cons, you can be sure I’ll come back and add a note.
…a more thoughtful and pro-oriented setup at play here, which will elevate the experience of competitive gamers on Switch 2, but also will simply elevate the comfort and ease of use of just about any player
Then, alongside these additions made with serious gamers in mind, you also have additions made with everyone in mind, allowing for more ease of use than your standard Joy-Con setup would offer.
Take the C button, something that irritates the entire Switch 2 collective, as it’s so damn easy to hit by accident, jumping you to the home screen and taking you out of the action.
With the PowerA Advantage, this C button is played on the bottom row of buttons on the center of the controller, for ease of access, but more importantly, far enough away that you’ll only press it when you really want to. Plus, you can adjust your headset volume from your controller, which is a neat little feature for all the gamechat users out there.
In short, there’s a more thoughtful and pro-oriented setup at play here, which will elevate the experience of competitive gamers on Switch 2, but also will simply elevate the comfort and ease of use of just about any player that opts for this controller.
Functionality & Battery Life
What I love about this controller is that, if you’re visiting someone who hasn’t sprung for the Switch 2, because, let’s face it, it’s still borderline not worth it unless you’re a massive fan, this controller will still do the job.
Thanks to the controller’s backward compatibility, you can hop onto Switch and Switch 2 consoles with this controller, connecting with ease no matter what Switch model your buddy has. But connecting is only half the battle, as the controller needs to have some juice in it to perform.
From the packaging, you will find that the controller in question promises 30 hours of battery life from a full charge until it runs out of juice, which is a pretty solid window without needing to plug this baby in.
The good news is that from fully charged, the promise was pretty much on the money, as I experienced about over 28 hours of active game time before this controller decided it needed some more juice.
But, it’s also worth noting that the controller comes with a 10ft charging cable, allowing you to plug it in wired and keep gaming if you need to.
Minor Gripes
As someone who also had a PowerA controller for the original Switch, I know a lot about the shortcomings of previous models, and while this Advantage model does improve and make awesome additions to what came before, it still retains some of the irritants that kept me from calling past controllers the ‘perfect fit.’
If you used said older models, what I’m about to say won’t surprise you one bit. This controller, while perhaps a little less than its predecessor, is still incredibly clicky, meaning that unless you’re doubling up with noise-cancelling headphones like I do, you’ll have to endure loud, clacking that can really detract from the overall user experience.
Plus, while the traditional button positions and additional triggers are superb, I feel that placing the + and – symbols low on the controller was a mistake. I would have preferred them to be on either side of the branded Switch 2 logo for easier access.
However, aside from these minor design issues and some omissions in terms of features, such as a lack of rumble, for example, the controller does a lot right, feels lightweight yet solid, and is a noticeable upgrade on controllers from this brand that have come before.
Closing Comments
“The PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller is a step up from previous PowerA iterations, and one that has both the casual and serious gamer in mind. Great functionality, solid battery life, an ergonomic feel, and premium materials, all culminate in a controller design that feels sleek and comfortable to use. Plus, with custom bindings, you really can play your own way and gain an ‘advantage’ on the competition. That said, some issues, such as weird button placement along the bottom of the controller and excessively clicky sounds, stop this from being the perfect Switch 2 Accessory. But, at a reasonable price, it’s a solid upgrade for someone looking for a more pro-oriented controller.”
The PowerA Advantage Wireless Controller is available to order from PowerA directly, as well as many major retailers, and is priced reasonably at $69.99.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
