Exlene Wireless GameCube Switch Controller

Hardware Type: Game Controller

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Review:

(Note: I have also reviewed the Upgraded Version of this controller, which adds multiple new features)

The Exlene Wireless GameCube Switch Controller (from here on just called the Exlene controller) is a game controller for the Nintendo Switch and PC that is designed to mimic the look and feel of a Nintendo GameCube controller, with the clear target audience being players of the Super Smash Bros. games, with many players still preferring GameCube controllers.

The Exlene controller copies most of the functions of the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, and even a few that you wouldn’t necessarily expect, but there are a few features the Pro controller has that the Exlene controller lacks. Namely, as with pretty much all third-party controllers, the Exlene controller cannot wake the Nintendo Switch, and it cannot read Amiibos.

However, surprisingly the Exlene controller does have a lot of features that you wouldn’t expect in a controller made largely for fans of Smash Bros. The controller features gyroscopic motion control (really good motion control, actually – I actually think I like the motion control in this controller better than my Pro controller’s motion control). It also has clickable thumbsticks, as well as an L button (neither of which was on the original GameCube controller). And of course instead of the GameCube controller’s sole Start button, the Exlene controller has a jumble of buttons in the center, corresponding to the Nintendo Switch’s -/+ buttons, Home and Photo buttons, as well as a Turbo-function button this controller adds. I will say, I wish this controller swapped out the -/+ button locations with the Photo and Turbo buttons, but otherwise this works fairly well.

I should note that the Turbo functionality of this controller works very well, and is pretty sensibly integrated – you simply press the Turbo button in sync with the button you want to have in Turbo mode, and then do this again when you want Turbo mode to turn off for this button.

As for how this controller feels, I’m of two minds. In terms of how it feels in my hands, this controller is extremely comfortable, naturally fitting the way my hands want to grab it, and very much in line with the original GameCube controller. However, in terms of its use when playing actual games, this controller feels awkward and strange. The right control stick is a bit more stiff than the left stick, the face buttons (with the giant A button and bean-shaped X and Y buttons) are oddly-placed, and the low profile of the R and now L buttons makes them harder to use in a pinch. This is a very awkward controller to use for most games, although much of this is down to the way Nintendo designed the GameCube controller in the first place – it’s no wonder in retrospect that many third parties balked at porting games to the GameCube, if only for how unnatural the controller feels with most games.

However, Smash fans, no need to worry – this controller should suit your needs juuuuust fine, although of course pro players tend to swear by wired controllers due to the split-second accuracy they provide. I mean, I didn’t notice any lag or anything when using this controller, but I’m also not a pro Smash player either (though I am a pretty damn good one).

There are a few flaws this controller has beyond its odd layout, though. Firstly, while the triggers on this controller are indeed analog triggers (and they feel just like the old GameCube triggers), they do not have analog functionality in Nintendo Switch games, even games like Trials Rising and Grid Autosport that support the analog triggers in actual GameCube controllers – the analog in these triggers is expressly for their use on the PC.

The other problem I noticed with this controller is an odd fluke that only seemed to turn up when I quit out of a game and went to close out the game – multiple times when doing this, it would try to start the game up again immediately after closing it. It’s not a major flaw, as it doesn’t always happen, and it’s easily undone when it does happen, but it’s still a mild annoyance.

All in all, I think the Exlene Controller is about the best you could hope for in a wireless GameCube controller on the Switch. It has an odd layout that’s going to be awkward for most games… but that’s because it’s designed like a GameCube controller. it’s also missing features that you might want in a controller like this… but that’s largely due to Nintendo’s choices when designing the Switch, and it can’t be helped. However, while Exlene could have just delivered a functioning wireless GameCube controller and left it at that, they actually put in the effort to ensure that this controller has the functionality so it can be used as a controller for other games if you so choose, which is nice. Plus, yes, it’s going to be exactly the sort of controller a Super Smash Bros. fan will want if they’re looking for a wireless controller for the Switch. However, everyone else will probably be better off with a more traditional-style controller.

tl;dr – Exlene has put together a solid controller that does a great job of recreating the look and feel of the classic GameCube controller while working in some additional functionality for players wanting to use it with other Switch games. Having said that, the odd layout of the GameCube controller is really not ideal for most Switch games. Smash fans will probably find that this is exactly what they want it to be, but everyone else is better off with more standard controllers.

Grade: B-

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