PowerA Wireless Kirby Switch Controller Review - A Good Controller Outdone by Cheaper Alternatives

PowerA is easily one of my preferred third-party accessory companies. Having reviewed many of their controllers for Xbox I have found them to be solid performers and cost-effective options with many performance tiers available. On the Switch side of things, I have only used the PowerA Nano which again has been a solid wireless controller that has held up well for my kids and myself for the last two years. When PowerA announced a new line-up of Kirby-themed accessories for the Switch, it seemed like a good time to finally check out another one of PowerA’s Switch options! Unfortunately, the basic PowerA Wireless Controller for Switch does make some odd sacrifices to functionality for very little money saved.

What’s In The Box

The Kirby Wireless Controller comes in a nice Switch-themed box with a clear depiction of the controller right in the middle. The wireless nature of the controller is made abundantly clear with the image and blue stripe at the bottom announcing it. The inclusion of AA batteries and rear programable buttons are also noted. In the upper corner is our first disappointing note about this controller: it doesn’t include any motion controls. Each side of the box bears additional looks at the controller front and back. The back of the box further highlights the controller's key aspects while noting the lack of included motion controls. Opening the box gives access to the controller, AA batteries, and a user manual.

Aesthetics And Build Quality

Review sample provided by PowerA

The overall look of the controller is quite pleasing. The pink shell representing Kirby’s body is a nice shade and is accented well by the darker glossy pink found on the top and thumbsticks. Kirby’s eyes, cheeks, and mouth are printed nicely within the controller's plus, minus, home, and share buttons, giving it the Kirby look that makes the design so fun. Face buttons maintain the same pink design as the rest of the controller with darker hues making up the button labels. They have a hair more rigidity compared to a standard Switch Pro controller but nothing deal-breaking. 

The D-pad feels good to the touch with good rollability. Thumbsticks feature a smooth concave grip with good resistance and a quick return to center. Shoulder buttons are a decent size and have a quick actuation range. Finally, the two rear programable buttons line up well with your fingers as you hold the controller and have a satisfying click when pressed. The controller as a whole is very comfortable to hold and has caused no issues over long play sessions. It is extremely light even when fitted with the two included AA batteries. Despite this, the controller has a solid frame that will ensure it stands up to the most ridiculous punishment out there!

Gameplay

Diving into the expansive Switch library with the Wireless Kirby controller has been an overall great experience, with a few letdowns. Starting with the positives, the controller has provided excellent input for my favorite games and latency feels on par with official Switch Pro controllers! Face and shoulder buttons have been a treat to use regardless of genre. I am happy to report that thumbstick performance in my favorite shooters has also handled well and despite the smooth grips on the thumbsticks, there have been no issues with lost grip during even the most intense gameplay sessions! Other various platformers and adventure titles have likewise felt great and exploring more of Hyrule in Tears of the Kingdom has felt right at home on the pad.

D-pad use has been a bit mixed though. While most games feel fantastic with it, I have had a few moments of a misread during play in games like Street Fighter and Tetris. But overall it has provided solid enough input for the various NSO apps and retro compilations that, for most users, it should be more than adequate. Serious fighting fans and Tetris players may just have to look elsewhere for their proper D-pad implementations. The bonus of the included rear programable buttons has become a staple of PowerA controllers and I will always applaud their inclusion. On Switch, several games can benefit from the better ergonomic placement of certain in-game button mappings. Thankfully mapping them is as quick as ever, and adjusting them for each game on the fly is a breeze!

As for battery life, players can expect to get anywhere between 28-35 hours of use out of a pair of AA Batteries. While many may bemoan the lack of an internal rechargeable battery, I don’t consider it a negative. AA capabilities make it so the controller will outlive many of its contemporaries. It is far easier to swap out a pair of rechargeable AA batteries than a built-in one. I just wish that there was a wired option to use with the controller to avoid batteries altogether if desired.

What It Could Have Done Better

Now let’s discuss some of the interesting setbacks of the Kirby controller. The first of which is the complete lack of motion controls. Because of this lack of inclusion, the Kirby controller can’t be a perfect replacement option for all Switch games. While many of you out there like myself may hate motion controls to begin with, they are mandatory in some games and not having them here is a big loss. The base PowerA wireless controllers also lack all forms of rumble functionality. This is likely a power-saving feature for the AA batteries but I would gladly take a 15-hour battery life to have the feature included! Having no rumble in modern games just feels so wrong… I am also disappointed that the controller doesn’t register with the system as a Pro controller. Because of this, universal controller remapping done through the system is unavailable. Thankfully, you do still get the rear programmable buttons to slightly make up for it. And to reiterate, D-pad performance is minorly disappointing as is the lack of being able to use the controller with a wire.

Verdict

While the Kirby wireless controller from PowerA is cool-looking and provides a good level of performance in games, its missing features and $44.99 asking price give me pause to recommend it. The Switch controller scene is packed with so many different options. The official $69.99 Switch Pro controller boasts every function the system needs including HD rumble and NFC support for Amiibos and isn’t much more expensive by comparison. If NFC support isn’t needed, the new 8BitDo Ultimate C Controller comes in at only $29.99 and gives players both motion support and rumble capabilities. Even PowerA’s own Nano Switch controller gives players motion controls but still lacks rumble support at a cheaper price. With all of that said, only die-hard Kirby fans need to pay attention to this version of the PowerA wireless controller as usability needs are better served elsewhere.