If you’re still pining for the Nintendo GameCube and Super Smash Bros. Melee, there’s a new controller for the Nintendo Switch you might recognize. It blends the perfect mix of nostalgia with updated technology. And of course comes in indigo. The NYXI Wizard sells for $69 and will compliment the most frenzied of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournaments. And, unlike the official Nintendo Joy-Con controllers, this one won’t drift over time.
The NYXI controllers use something called Hall effect sensors instead of the fragile potentiometers in some joysticks, including Nintendo’s Joy-Cons. It means they’re much less prone to damage and drift, even under heavy usage. Another cool feature of this throwback controller is that you can replace the rings around each joystick. The circular and octagonal shapes switch out quickly, allowing for distinct styles of movement as needed while playing different types of games.
Video game controllers have evolved over the decades and there’s a lot of love for the retro versions, even if they are clunky in comparison to newer ones. Incorporating an older Nintendo console’s design for a newer controller is especially fun for long-time gamers. Since this one from NYXI, which we saw on Nintendo Life, is designed for the Switch, it has to slide apart into two pieces. Those can be used separately and also fit into the grooves of the Switch screen for those who play that way.
There’s plenty of ways to switch things up when it comes to game controllers. Adding a bit of whimsy or nostalgia to the mix is certainly nothing new. We enjoy seeing DIY mods, like the Fisher Price controller that really works. It’s certainly more user-friendly than the build that turned every pad into a joystick. It’s also less terrifying than the Frankenstein Furby controller that someone made.
Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.
