Gadgetory

(upbeat music) - Super Smash Brothers Ultimate is on its way and will be here very soon. And one of the big accessories we're seeing a lot of companies release to tie into it are their own takes on GameCube style controllers and one of those companies, Power A, was awesome enough to send me their versions early to check out. So, I've got both their wired, there's no cable plugged in right now. And their wireless versions to try out, so I'm gonna compare these to the official Nintendo GameCube controller that's already bene released as well as comparing the wireless one specifically to using a wireless Switch Pro controller. Now, before we dive into direct comparisons, let's just talk about what you're getting with this controller in general. So, this is a GameCube style controller, not a GameCube controller. As in, whereas the Nintendo GameCube controller is just an old-school controller with the actual cable, this is designed to work for the Switch directly. The wired one comes with the USB hook up, the wireless is just a Blue Tooth connection that will go to the Switch with no problems. Now, because this is actually a Switch controller, there are some changes and modifications versus how GameCube controllers are normally shaped. For instance, you have two shoulder buttons instead of the single Z button. And they are technically flipped. These are considered Zr and Zl, these are considered R and L. This makes sense when compared to a pro controller on the Switch, but versus a GameCube controller, this is a flipped orientation. Aside from that, the only major visual change is that because this is a Switch controller, you're also getting more buttons in the center. A regular Game Cube one just has the single "start" button in the middle. This one, you've got the "home", "capture", "plus" and "minus" buttons and the D pad has also been increased in size, because one of the really big complaints that's happened in the past with GameCube controllers is the D pad on the guy is just way too tiny. So, obvious differences aside, how does it actually handle in comparison to using a standard GameCube controller? So, when we're comparing these to the official GameCube controller, I'm gonna mainly focus on the wired Power A controller. For the wireless one, basically everything about it still applies, the only major difference is that it's wireless and costs more money. Now, aside from the obvious details like the fact that this has extra buttons and everything, the main thing we really need to talk about for how it compares to a GameCube controller is just how the buttons and everything feels in reactive. Now, obviously Smash isn't out yet, so I can't test these on Super Smash Brothers specifically, but I have been playing a bunch of the Smash clones that are available on the Switch, like Brawlhalla and Brawl Out. And the main things I've really noticed when using the Power A controller is that everything is just a little bit looser. The sticks in the Power A controller just move around with a little less resistance. The triggers don't give you quite as much push back as well when you're pressing down. And there is a little less travel distance on these too, so it is easier to kinda rapidly tap. The front buttons, on the other hand, actually have a little more travel distance. On the regular GameCube controller, it's really just a button that goes down immediately. These, you have to press down and go a little further. It's a softer push, it's not quite as clicky feeling. I will say that the front-facing buttons, however, do feel basically the same. They might just have a little less resistance, but as far as being able to rapidly tap or just comfort of pressing, it feels the same. And honestly, that's not too far off from everything else. When you're actually playing games, while you can remark on things like, "Yeah, the stick's a little looser, these travel a little differently." Ultimately, they still control it really well. The only one that maybe feels like a slight downgrade is these front buttons, because of that just little extra travel distance you have to deal with. To balance it out, though, I do really like the increased size of the D pad. I was never a big fan of the D pad on the original GameCube controller and having that larger size just makes it a lot easier to push each individual button, which isn't super important in Smash specifically, but if you're ever using this for any other games, that's a big upside. Something else we need to talk about too a little bit is that while these are both wired controllers, there's a couple differences that are pretty important on this one, because it is a Switch controller, not an official GameCube controller. For instance, the fact that this cable is detachable. I don't even have it on right now, whereas Nintendo's GameCube controller, it's hard-wired in. I understand why. It's basically just a reprint of the official GameCube controller they made in the past. But at the same time, having the ability to remove it is really handy. On top of that, since this is actually a Switch controller and plugs in via USB, you can connect it directly to your Switch instead of having to buy a separate adapter. So, if you already own GameCube controllers and you just wanna get additional ones, this is a great pick up, because you're already using an adapter in the first place. But otherwise, if you're just looking to get one to start using with Smash specifically and you're not worried about multiplayer or number of USB ports available, this is a way cheaper pick up. One other thing to talk about too is the length of the cables do vary a little bit. If you're using an old-school, original GameCube controller, those, in the west at least, only came in two-meter lengths, which is basically a little over six feet. The reprints you can grab right now from Nintendo do come with a three-meter cable, which is about 9.8 feet, while the Power A controller comes with a 10-foot cable. So, it reaches a little more than the brand-new GameCube controllers, but if you're comparing this to an actual old-school one, it's a lot longer. When looking at the wireless option for their GameCube controller, a really interesting idea is the fact that this is just a Switch controller, so it's not only a competitor to the GameCube controller for Nintendo, but it's also just another option you could have instead of the Switch pro controller, so let's go over some of the major differences here and how that works. Now, this is very similar to Power A's other wireless controller options for the Switch, the enhanced wireless controller and then it shares some of the same trade offs. It uses AA batteries instead of a rechargeable battery. It is a wireless connection and does feature motion controls, but is missing a couple of the core features of the Nintendo Pro controller, such as being able to scan Amiibos and Rumble, which is in my opinion, the biggest loss. What I really love about this controller, though, is that unlike Power A's enhanced wireless controller, which is just a cheaper alternative to the Switch Pro controller and features many of the same layout and control style, this is a GameCube style controller that you can use across the entire Switch library, which I find amazing, because I love the GameCube style controller. I love the ABXY layout, so being able to use that on Switch games is super cool. Keep in mind that, because this is a very distinct layout, it doesn't work across all games super easily. You really have to play games where the A button comes up really often. For instance, I think something like Mario Kart, this works great for. But depending on how you have to hit certain button combinations, this can either be a massive upgrade over using a standard Switch controller or it could be a really awkward decision. I think this is a great other controller to have on hand if you already own a Switch Pro controller or if Smash is your main focus, this thing in my head is just an instant buy.