REVIEW – Much to my wife’s chagrin, I’ve recently gotten back into video games. Luckily for her, it’s now on the hand-me-down Nintendo my son gave me. Now I’m not hogging the TV. She can watch what she wants and I can happily spend way too many hours exploring Hyrule. Since the original Joycons are way too small for my hands, I went on a search for replacements. I started with an officially licensed controller and, well, I was less than pleased. Then I got to review the QRD Stellar T5 Switch controller and was really happy with it. But what if you want something that resembles an old-school Gamecube controller like Nintendo’s classic Wavebird? Well, have I got something for you. Check out the NYXI Wizard Spice orange wireless controller.
What is it?
The NYXI Wizard wireless gaming controller is a Switch compatible Joycon replacement in the classic Wavebird form.
What’s in the box?
- 2x NYXI Wizard controllers
- 1x frame
- 2 sets of replacement joystick frames
- USB C charging cable
Hardware specs
- Material: ABS
- Weight: 256g
- Dimensions: 163mm x 98mm x 67mm
- Rechargeable battery: 500 mAh for 8 hours of playtime
- Charging time: 3 hours
- Connectivity: Wireless Bluetooth and wired
Design and features
Let’s start with the design. The NYXI Wizard has the form factor of the OG Gamecube controller, specifically Nintendo’s first wireless controller, the Wavebird. I was never a huge Nintendo fanboy but I did and do enjoy playing games with my kids and they LOVE Nintendo. If you love them too, then you probably prefer the Nintendo button layout for their games. It just works better for their games.
The NYXI Wizard has you covered with the same color scheme. Each and every button has an audible click that not everyone will love, but I sure do. The tactile response is great and the clicking may only cause someone an issue when spamming buttons.
As you can see, there are a multitude of buttons on the NYXI Wizard so having the manual in your hand makes it a whole lot easier to learn what each one does. Of course, it has all the normal Switch buttons, but the NYXI Wizard has extra buttons for Turbo, Profile, and two programmable switches on the rear.
So what are they all for? The Turbo buttons can be programmed like a key bind and essentially spams repeatedly the button while holding it down. The back buttons can be programmed to act like any other button or trigger if you find it more convenient than how the controller is laid out by default.
They can also be programmed with macros making it that much easier to embarrass your opponent in Smash Bros. The Profile buttons are used in this programming. The A, B, Y, and X buttons are even illuminated and even the level of light output can be modified.
The NYXI Wizard also has the rumble feature which a lot of Joycons replacements do not, hence some of my disappointment with the first one I bought. You can even change the level of rumble and even turn it off altogether to save on the ever-important battery life for more playtime. It even has a 6-axis gyro so you can turn your Switch in all directions in order to solve some of the maddening Shrine puzzles in Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Each half of the controller has a rechargeable battery. NXYI says the battery is 500 mAh but I don’t know if that’s for each half or a total. Either way, you can get up to 8 hours of Bogoblin massacre wire-free.
Each half can be charged separately via the USB C port on the bottom edge. Conversely, they can also charge when connected directly to the Switch.
The NYXI Wizard wireless gaming controller joysticks use Hall effect sensors. HALL EFFECT SENSORS! That means no stick drift! Ever!
Well, at least that’s what the appeal of the Hall effect is supposed to do for you. I haven’t had the controller long enough to confirm that. NYXI has even included different joystick rings, one octagonal set, and one round. Thank NYXI, nice touch.
Setup
The NYXI Wizard wireless controller follows the same exact pairing method as the original Joycons, so you don’t have to worry about following a different process. It’s really simple. Programming the buttons and other features of the Wizard requires the use of the manual because of all the button pressing you have to do to reassign or add a macro.
Performance
The performance of the NYXI Wizard is fantastic. The form factor is certainly more user-friendly than the original Joycons for those of us with big hands. I can’t speak for the battery life since I’ve only used them when directly connected to the Switch. The NYXI Wizard stays topped off this way. Although, I will say a couple of issues I have with this almost certainly mean playtime is shorter since the Switch is providing some charge. The second issue is the Wizard will randomly light up when connected to the Switch in sleep mode. I’m assuming that the controller is topping off from the Switch which turns on the LEDs, but I can’t confirm that. If you don’t want to charge them on the Switch, you can charge them with the included cable but each half has to be done separately. The last nitpick concerns the programmable back buttons. Due to the unique shape and the size of my hands, they’re difficult for me to activate.
One thing I really like about the NYXI Wizard is how they fit onto the Switch. They feel more firmly attached than any other controller. I’ve tried the Hori I bought flapped around like wings, The QRD Stellar T5 was much better than that but still had a little slop. The NXYI Wizard has very little movement when attached, making for a more solid feel and playing experience.
What I like
- Old-school shape and button layout
- All the features
- Hall effect joysticks
- The fit
- The price
What I’d change
- A Y-cable option for charging
- No random light-ups
Final thoughts
I love the NYXI Wizard wireless gaming controller along with its Spice Orange colorway. The Wizard looks and feels great. It does everything I want and more along with mating up with the Switch much better than others. I also think the price is fantastic when considering the number of features versus the price of official Joycon replacements that suffer from early-onset stick drift. This is a no-brainer for any Switch fan who also loves the old Gamecube controller. Time will tell if the Hall effect joysticks develop drift and I will certainly find out. After finishing Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild with the QRD Stellar T5, I jumped right into Tears of the Kingdom and there are several armor sets left to collect, shrines to find, and light roots to illuminate. Look out, Demon King. Me and NYXI are out to get medieval on you!
Price: $69.99
Where to buy: NYXI and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by NYXI.
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I guess i have to try it and see,because i am a gaming freak.
It’s so much better than the normal joy cons.