Hands-on with the Nintendo Switch PowerA Wireless Gamecube Controller
When Super Smash Bros. Ultimate released for the Switch late last year, so too did a bevy of controllers hoping to win your affection. But while the Smash Bros. faithful will insist on hooking up a GameCube adaptor and old-school controllers, our pick of the litter is without question PowerA’s Wireless GameCube Controller.
It goes without saying that Power A’s unit looks and feels exactly as you’d expect. Button and stick placement have been replicated exactly like the original, except for the D-pad, which has actually been made larger for easier use – a common criticism of the 2002 original.
That means pulling off combos and specials during any Smash Bros. brawl will feel just right, but the controller is great for almost any other Switch title as well. We, for example, exclusively used it during our playtime with Cuphead.
The shell admittedly has more of a plastic feel and lacks the proper weight you’d expect in your hands, but they are incredibly minor concerns once you factor in the peripheral’s biggest selling point – wireless play.
Yes, thanks to Bluetooth 5.0, the controller thankfully does away with the chaos of cords, allowing you to do away with pesky adaptors. Setup is simple enough too, taking no more than a minute or so.
It’s worth pointing out that the controller does require two AA batteries for power, but in an unexpected move, your first set will be included in the box – providing you with up to 30 hours of gameplay. We’ve been putting the unit through its paces and have yet to receive any sign of a required changeover.
Truly hardcore players might lament the lack of HD rumble, IR, or Amiibo NFC support, but for a relatively cheap investment (you can pick one up for $79.95 in a variety of colours), the Nintendo Switch Power-A Wireless GameCube Controller is certainly worthy of both your time and money.
What to expect from E3 2019
Get excited, because it’s almost that wonderful time of year again where the video game industry’s biggest companies unite in Los Angles to show off their latest and greatest offerings. Here’s a handful of announcements we think are pretty darn likely for 2019…
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A new console from Microsoft
With Sony bowing out this year, Microsoft has the perfect opportunity to make a splash and show off its next-generation hardware, especially after Sony dropped a wealth of information about its successor to the PS4.
We almost certainly won’t get a price or release date, but expect to learn about the horsepower behind the system, whether or not there will be all-digital and physical iterations, and maybe even some gameplay footage of Halo Infinite.
Footage of The Avengers Project
Back in January 2017, Square Enix and Marvel announced a “multi-game partnership” that would include an Avengers game crafted by the teams behind the recent iterations of Tomb Raider and Deus Ex.
We haven’t heard a peep about the project since then, but with Endgame blowing up the box office, now would be the perfect time to assemble the team.
Xbox and Switch team up
Microsoft has proved its no stranger to sharing of late, with Cuphead’s recent Switch port and the tease of Xbox Live making its way to the Nintendo console.
The next logical step would be including the incredibly successful Nintendo Switch in Xbox’s Game Pass – the popular subscription service that grants access to a wide range of titles. Will you soon be playing Halo on a Nintendo system? Only time will tell…
Review Round-Up
The video game release calendar is heating up, and May contained some stellar offerings. Here are some of the highlights:
Cuphead (Switch)
Cuphead might give off a childlike, Steamboat Willie-inspired vibe, but it’s the stuff of nightmares. This collection of multi-staged boss battles and platformer levels will test your twitch reflexes and video game abilities, forcing you to get better with each inevitable death.
But the amazing thing about this gem is that you’ll want to – such is the addictive nature of its gameplay. It’s also beautifully animated with a raft of memorable characters. A must-buy for Switch owners.
Mortal Kombat 11 (PS4, XBO, Switch, PC)
Considering the Mortal Kombat series has been steadily chugging along for over 25 years, it’s downright impressive that Mortal Kombat 11 is as enjoyable as ever – packing one of the best campaigns in recent memory. It’s well-written, funny, wonderfully self-aware and worth the price of admission alone. Combat is equally satisfying but pesky microtransactions do threaten to slightly underpin the positives.
Katana Zero (Switch, PC)
A stylish, neo-noir action-platformer, Katana Zero is fast, chaotic and not afraid to shed… well a lot of blood. Thanks to a clever time manipulation mechanic, there’s a fair bit of trial and error at play here, allowing for some truly brutal strategy to take on foes.
Working out the best approach to each situation creates a great hook that’ll keep you chugging along even when the narrative starts to lose a little focus.
Falcon Age (PS4, PS VR)
Despite the fact that the game can be played with or without a VR headset, there’s arguably no other way to play Falcon Age than with a PSVR.
Interacting with your falcon and developing that bond over the five-hour adventure is something special indeed – leading to a must-play experience that is equal parts charming and endearing. An impressive achievement for first-time developer, Outer Loop Games.
