In the ongoing battle for handheld supremacy, and as handheld PCs jockey for the title of most powerful portable, Nintendo’s Switch is still going strong. With a handheld design that iterates on the classics, the Switch has few faults; however, there are always ways it could improve. The new Nitro Deck from CRKD aims to take the Switch’s core design and give it a little boost.
Essentially, a larger chassis for the Switch body to slide into, the Nitro Deck offers the chunkier design of theSteam Deckor ROG Ally without as much of the heft. It fits nicely in the hands without feeling cumbersome or awkward. Not to mention, CRKD has created some cool limited edition designs to give the Nitro Deck a little more flair.
Installing a Switch in the Nitro Deck is simple. Take the Joy-Cons off the sides and slide the screen into the body of the Nitro Deck. There are guides on the Nitro Deck to help the screen slide in tight and a USB-C connector at the bottom to allow the controls to interface with the Switch. What the Nitro Deck really offers is a premium wired controller for the Nintendo Switch that just so happens to double as a unibody holster.
By turning Wired Pro Controller Connection on, the Nitro Deck offers a latency-free connection with theNintendo Switch. The joystick and button configuration is pretty much the same as on the Joy-Cons, except the Nitro Deck offers a traditional D-Pad instead of the Switch’s cross-oriented buttons. As mentioned, the Nitro Deck adds a fair bit of shape to the Switch handheld experience, so preferences are going to play a part in whether CRKD’s device appeals to you. But the good news is that the size of the Nitro Deck allows for improvements and additions.
First and foremost, the Nitro Deck comes with swappable, Hall effect joysticks. Being able to swap out joysticks for different shapes and textures allows the device to cater to a variety of gamers, or even suit individual game preferences. Meanwhile, Hall effect joysticks are a major plus because they eliminate the concern of stick drift, which can be aproblem on the Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons.
The other big benefit to the Nitro Deck are four programmable back buttons that can be mapped to individual face or shoulder buttons, as well as set up to run a series of button presses like a macro. The one caveat to that is users can’t program any delays between button press sequences like “Press A, wait 2 seconds, press B, wait 5 seconds…” Each button press will fire after the previous one has been completed. Still, it’s an added bonus on top of the utility of back buttons.
There is also a much sturdier stand on the back of the Nitro Deck that does well to keep the device angled but not completely upright. It doesn’t feel as flimsy as the kickstand on the base model Nintendo Switch and has a slight curve at the button to make it easy to pull out.
And finally, CRKD has equipped the back of the Nitro Deck with USB-C input and output ports for charging the device/Switch or for connecting it to a TV. Obviously, the value of the Nitro Deck is what it adds to the handheld experience but it doesn’t close users off from “docking” it either.
The one small nitpick with the Nitro Deck is that the mechanism that releases the Switch screen from the device doesn’t push it far enough from the chassis. It requires a little finessing with fingertips or a thin object to get the Switch fully clear of the Nitro Deck and that can feel awkward. The process should be easier, but for those who plan to use the device without switching back to the Joy-Cons or using the original dock, it’s not as much of an issue.
Ultimately, theNitro Deckhas a somewhat niche appeal to it but those who prefer the bulkier grip on their handheld or who see the value in back buttons with get the most out of CRKD’s device. The design is slick and the Gamecube-inspired Limited Edition is eye-catching, no doubt, but it is what the Nitro Deck offers above and beyond what the base Switch offers in handheld mode are what makes it worth taking a look at. Personally, after spending some time with the Nitro Deck it’s been hard to go back to the base Switch experience.
Nitro Deck Purple Limited Edition With Carry Case
The CRKD Nitro Deck is available now for $59.99 at the Nitro Deck official site. There are also Limited Editions available for $89.99 that include a carry case ($29.99 when sold separately). Game Rant was provided the Retro Purple Limited Edition Nitro Deck for this review.
