We at Gamicsoft are fortunate to have the opportunity to review Omelet Gaming's Switch Pro+ Joy-Pad Controller, which is compatible with both the Switch and Switch OLED platforms. The controller was received soon after its recent announcement of pre-order availability. After using it for some time, I have formed some thoughts on the controller’s design, features, and performance. Without further ado, let’s dive into the review of the controller.
Visual appearance and design
Our controller came in the color of Panda, which features the crisp and pristine white colour, set off by matte black d-pad, joysticks, and other buttons, as well as crystallized ABXY buttons that are highlighted by vibrant RGB lights, which boast various display modes and colours. By pressing T (Turbo button)+R3/L3, the RGB lights cycles through a variety of colours in Monochromatic mode, while T+R3/L3 (double click) cycles the lighting through Seven-Colour Breathing mode, Monochromatic Breathing mode, and Off. In my view, the RGB lighting on this controller strikes a good balance between being visually appealing and not feeling like an unnecessary addition. You may also turn off the RGB lighting if it's not to your liking, demonstrating a well-designed product that takes into consideration the distinct preferences of different users.
In terms of size, the controllers and their grip are all considerably larger than your usual Joy-Cons. Aiming to provide a firmer grip, the back of the controllers are textured in design, much similar to the Xbox Wireless Controllers but less coarse and feels smoother when held. While the larger size may not appeal to everyone, the ergonomic design and textured grips provide a satisfyingly comfortable hold. The buttons, especially the ABXY buttons (but less so the d-pad), offer just the right amount of tactile feedback without feeling too stiff when pressed, making sure that you’d know what you’ve just pressed during fast-paced in-game actions. Although I feel like the tactile impression of its d-pad could be improved, yet it still provides adequate feedback and is not an immediate turn-off. Like many other modern gamepads, this one also features joysticks with an anti-friction design, enabling more accurate and precise in-game movements and aiming.
However, visually it does seem to enlarge your device a lot when attached to your Switch (still quite big even when paired with the provided grip), which can pose a storage issue for gamers with limited space at home. The larger size also basically renders the kickstand unusable at a more upright degree, but this should not be a significant problem since the kickstand is often unnecessary during handheld gameplay. Unfortunately, the shorter grips result in the d-pad and right joystick being closer to my thumbs, which can be uncomfortable as I have to bend my thumbs to reach them. This is a similar issue that I have encountered with the original Joy-Cons and grip, which is regrettably not addressed in many other third-party Joy-Pad controllers.
Additional Features
Other than your usual Joy-Con layout, Omelet Gaming's Switch Pro+ Joy-Pad Controller also comes with additional back buttons (located at the back of the grip), M buttons (for back buttons’ setting), Turbo buttons, and vibration control buttons, all available on either sides of the controller. The vibration control buttons exist solely for the purpose of adjusting the vibration strength between five gears: 100%, 75%, 50%, 30% (default), and off. Nothing much to say here.
To map your back buttons, simply just hold down the M button and press the desired button. You'll receive a vibration prompt confirming the successful mapping. Keep in mind that the back button can only be mapped to a button on the same side, i.e. you can't map the left back button (ML) to the A button on the right side. Furthermore, macro-programming is also possible by pressing the desired buttons in sequence and according to preferred intervals. With macro-programming, all buttons, such as Up>A>B>Down, can be mapped to either back buttons.
For me, the practical usefulness of the back buttons depends on the type of game that I’m playing. In casual games where only my index fingers are needed for L/R and ZL/ZR, the back buttons can be easily accessed with the middle or ring finger, resulting in a more comfortable grip. Ironically, the macro-programming function, which seems to be designed primarily for fighting and action games, may be less appealing in such situations. This is because fast-paced action games require both the index and middle fingers to be on the top buttons, making the back buttons mainly accessible only with me pinkies, which is something that could be hard for many people to get used to. Ultimately, the usefulness of the back buttons depends on whether you are comfortable with their placement.
As for the Turbo function, they enable automatic execution of a designated button, with three different speed options: 5 presses per second, 12 presses per second, and 20 presses per second (increased or decreased by pressing T and +/- together). To activate the Turbo function, hold T and then press the desired button once. Press the same buttons again to execute the Auto Turbo function. If you want to stop the Turbo execution, press the same buttons for the third time. Holding down the Turbo button for five seconds also cancels the bound button.
This function can be useful when farming materials that spawn from a static location or when executing moves without complex inputs. However, in fast-paced action scenarios, I find it rather useless as it would always require the hassle of pressing T and the desired button simultaneously in order to execute the function.
Performance
To connect them to your device, simply slide the controllers to your device and off you go. Performance wise, the controllers performs up to my expectations. Having used them to play action-packed games such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Bayonetta 3, as well as more casual ones such as Fire Emblem Engage, no noticeable lag or delay was experienced. For people who are still worried about the controllers’ wireless performance, fret not as you could always opt to use double-ended USB Type-C cable provided for wired gaming. While I haven't had the opportunity to test the battery performance to its limits, I have used them for a few gaming sessions — the longest being around 3 hours — and I believe they can definitely last longer than that. However, it's worth noting that the controllers take two hours to fully charge according to the manual provided.
Verdict
For gamers with big hands like me, the small grip of the Joy-Cons can be a turn-off during extended gameplay sessions as it can cause significant discomfort, necessitating frequent breaks in between lengthy gameplays in order to flex or exercise the hands. This is main reason why I find the more ergonomically designed Omelet Gaming's Switch Pro+ Joy-Pad Controller, which is also larger in size, more comfortable for extended gaming sessions.
Albeit not without its flaws, such as the layout that causes awkward thumb placements, and some features that I consider superfluous (e.g., the Turbo function, which could be easily replaced by the macro-programming function most of the time), I stand by the view that this controller is more comfortable to use and visually appealing than the normal Joy-Cons. If you too prefer using larger controllers, do check this product out.
That concludes Lluvia’s product review of Omelet Gaming's Switch Pro+ Joy-Pad Controller.
Priced at MYR 229.00, Omelet Gaming's Switch Pro+ Joy-Pad Controller is now available for purchase online or at your nearest game retailers, with three stunning colors available for selection: Panda, Jet Black, and the limited-edition ThunderBolt (only 1000 units available exclusively in Asia). [>> SHOPEE <<]
