A new controller has just hit Aussie stores and it’s a great design for gaming on the go or for playing more casual games on any device, it’s called the Neo S.
We tried out the NEO S Retro Gold Edition to review and the feature that stood out straight away was the beautiful colouring and design of the controller. The gold, black and maroon really transported me back to the days of playing the old Donkey Kong game and watch setup. It’s a wonderfully nostalgic design but don’t let that fool you into thinking that it’s an old-school controller that is just for retro games, after all, the device has all the modern controller enhancements under the hood.
The NEO S works through easy connections with your Nintendo Switch, PC, Mobile and can be used for Smart TV gaming. I primarily used it to play Nintendo Switch’s Mario Kart and was really happy with the responses while roaring around the track on 200cc. There’s no stick drift at all, the precision is actually really impressive, but I’ll get to why that is in a second.
You can connect through Bluetooth or via a wired connection. For mobile devices use the CRKD companion app on either Google Play or Apple App Store, you can sign in using one of many social accounts. It’s here the device goes through an impressive security connection that links the controller to your device and also provides firmware updates. You’ll also see ratings on how rare your controller might be highlighting the collectability of the product.
The X,Y, A, B buttons are glossy with a super nice tactile feel when you press them, there’s a great amount of resistance in the press, while the menu buttons are just far enough to the centre that you don’t end up with accidental presses. That is a huge issue for me on official joy-cons as the kids are constantly putting it into menus when we are in an intense race, this does away with that entirely.
Shoulder buttons and back buttons feel great with plenty of movement, but are easy to touch, these are more matte finish compared to the triggers which are a gloss. The thumbsticks are beautiful to the touch, and I imagine this comes down to the Hall Effect Technology, a tech that gives you longer life in the components and less wear and tear that will inevitably lead to stick drift that we see in nearly all the modern controllers.
The D-Pad is superb, with really great quality and smooth reaction on the press, it’s hands down one of the best D-Pads I’ve used from any manufacturer. When playing a retro game with the controller you’ll notice how comfortable it is, but you’ll be most impressed when you are pulling off the combo moves in Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat. Speaking of fighting games, take advantage of the programmable back buttons to load in combos for easy access, it’s a nice hack to have.
All of the control points on the device are of a really high-quality build and some parts like the thumbsticks are removable so you can easily replace the tops either with the same variant or one of the other shapes available through CRKD.
I really enjoyed the fact that the device includes motion play for Nintendo Switch, although I generally turn it off when playing, I like that the option is there and it gives the device a sense of legitimacy.
I mentioned the collectability of the product in the app, CRKD has done an amazing job of making each controller feel unique to the user by having enough choice of style for personality types. At the same time, the collector’s rating in the app convinces you to want to collect them. I could see the family sitting around for a 4 player game each with their own design, for me it’s hands down that retro gold look. If you are looking at getting one make sure you check out the PopeArt collection that is glorious.
The NEO S Retro Gold Edition is a really great controller with some fantastic features. Is it going to replace my custom Xbox wireless controller or PlayStation DualSense any time soon? No chance. But It’s a really solid second controller or portable controller I can throw in its branded protective bag and take anywhere to play via cloud services or on PC. On the other hand, it’s got a great feel and no drift, so it is a good replacement on some games for the Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons which are full of issues themselves, it’s essentially a pro controller for that system that makes playing games like Mario Kart and even Zelda a dream.
NEO S is available in five editions at launch; Retro Gold, Classic Clear, Hellboy (EB Games exclusive) the eye-catching Blossom (EB Games exclusive) and Junkyard editions by POPeART, the best hardware art designer in the industry, known for fan favourite controller art. The NEO S is available through EB Games and JB Hi-Fi with an RRP $99.95 AUD.
