Exlene Wireless GameCube Switch Controller (Upgraded Version)

Hardware Type: Game Controller

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Review:

(Note: Review product provided by the kind folks at Exlene. Also, in the sake of full disclosure, at this time Exlene is a donor on our Patreon)

Over 1 year ago, I reviewed the Exlene Wireless GameCube Switch Controller. In the time since that review was written, Exlene has released a new model of this controller, updating it with new features and functionality, with this revised model simply dubbed “Upgraded Version”. It adds multiple new features, arguably the most noteworthy being the controller’s ability to wirelessly wake the Nintendo Switch from sleep mode, a rare feature in third-party Nintendo Switch controllers, and one that I celebrated in my review of the Exlene Wireless Pro Controller.

With the addition of these new features, it seemed fitting to give this updated version of the controller a completely separate review. However, much of what I said in my review of the prior model of the controller still applies here. As such, portions of this review have been copied over from that previous review, supplemented with a look at the new features of this model.

The Exlene Wireless GameCube Switch Controller (Updated Version) (from here on just called the updated 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. I suppose there will be some additional utility here for those looking to play Super Mario Sunshine in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars compilation, and I’ll test this as well.

The updated Exlene controller copies most of the functions of the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, and even a few that you wouldn’t necessarily expect, although it cannot read Amiibos. However, on the other hand, this 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, do this again for auto-turbo (a new feature in the updated Exlene controller), and then do this a third time when you want Turbo mode to turn off for this button. You can also adjust the speed of the turbo by holding down the Turbo button and pressing up or down on the right analog stick.

Similarly, the rumble function in this controller works well, and the updated Exlene controller can be adjusted to four different rumble intensities or turned off by holding the Turbo button and pressing the + and – buttons. I didn’t have much of an issue with this controller’s default rumble settings, but it’s nice that there are adjustment options provided.

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.

Anyway, most of what I’ve talked about thus far applies to the previous iteration of the controller. Now let’s take a moment to discuss what’s new! I’ve already mentioned the adjustable rumble and auto-turbo features that are new to the updated Exlene controller. This controller also features a larger battery (480mAh compared to the prior version’s 380mAh), although I wasn’t able to test this. Its functionality with various platforms has been expanded to include Android and iOS devices and Steam OS as well as PC. And then of course there’s the “wake from sleep” function I mentioned earlier, which works like a charm

In addition to this, I have to mention that where prior Exlene controllers I have reviewed came with tiny instruction manuals that did a poor job explaining the controller’s functions, this controller came with an excellent instruction manual (pamphlet?) complete with full-color photos to help guide players through the setup process. Maybe it seems strange to compliment an instruction manual in a review, but after the sorely lacking instruction manual I noted in the Exlene Wireless Pro Controller review, I feel it’s important to note that Exlene got things right this time.

For your reference, here is a photo of the updated Exlene controller (black, in the center) next to the previous model (purple, at the top), a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (at the bottom), and Nintendo’s own wired GameCube controller (black at the right, with the Super Smash Bros. Logo), as well as a look at a part of the instruction manual:

In my prior review, I said that I thought the Exlene Controller was about the best you could hope for in a wireless GameCube controller on the Switch, and in retrospect this clearly wasn’t true – the updated Exlene controller is unquestionably superior to the prior model thanks to the added features. And if I look at it subjectively, there are still flaws here that have nothing to do with the strangeness of the design and layout of the original GameCube controller – the lack of Amiibo functionality, and the odd fluke where the controller tries to restart a game after closing are both problems that I know Exlene is capable of fixing. The lack of analog triggers in the select few Nintendo Switch games capable of using that functionality is also disappointing, but I suspect it’s unrealistic to expect that sort of functionality.

However, to be more realistic in my praise, I can say that the updated Exlene Controller is an outstanding imitation of the GameCube controller on the Nintendo Switch, and one that comes with a wealth of features, many of which you would not expect from something like this. It’s still not going to be a controller for everyone, and there is still room for improvement, but I expect that anyone wanting a GameCube-style wireless controller for the Nintendo Switch will be delighted with what this controller has to offer.

tl;dr – Exlene has once again 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, and this updated model adds multiple nice new features, like the ability to wake the Nintendo Switch from sleep mode. The odd layout of the GameCube controller is still really not ideal for most Switch games, and there are still a few minor issues that need to be ironed out, but anyone who wants a wireless GameCube-style controller on Nintendo Switch should find this to be an excellent choice.

Grade: B

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^{This month’s sponsors are MB, Andy Miller, Johannes, u/RamboFox, Exlene, Eli Goodman, Ilya Zverev, Stov, Connor Armstrong, and K.H. Thank you for helping to keep the reviews coming!}