Retro controllers are making a comeback thanks to retro enthusiasts. Many companies are finally catching on to this and making controllers compatible with older systems but with newer tech and sometimes better designs. NYXI might be a generic Chinese brand, but they’re the first to make GameCube WaveBird style Joy-Cons that slide onto the Switch and include a centerpiece to turn them into a controller. This got me really excited and I love my original WaveBird. The excellent purple (Indigo) color brings back memories that I wish I had as I didn’t play GameCube games until I was an adult.

The controller itself feels good in the hand. It has a nice weight, doesn’t feel super cheap, and looks the part. The button arrangement on the front is just like the original GameCube controller. There are a few changes such as added turbo buttons (I personally don’t ever use these) and there are two buttons on top where the Z button normally is on the GameCube to represent L and R. There are also two buttons where the grips are and these can be reprogramed to be anything you want. While all this seems fine the controller does have some flaws.

First off, the buttons don’t feel all that great to press. There’s a cheap hollow pinginess to them and the shoulder buttons are micro switches rather than rubber domes. It’s an unsatisfying feel and most people will be turned off by this. The controller buttons are also very loud. The large A button makes a loud clunking sound. This is a huge letdown despite how good it feels in the hand.

The analog sticks work just fine and the right stick has an interchangeable direction gate to make it like the default 8-way gate or a regular round one. The 8-way gate would be great for the N64 emulator on the Switch. As a bonus, the face buttons are backlit which was a really nice touch and looks pretty cool. I just wish the joysticks lit up as well. They of course make the Switch incredibly bulky when used in portable mode. Especially the OLED Switch. It makes the entire system nearly a foot long! Another small annoyance is the overly bright status lights on top. They won’t turn off and outshine the otherwise nice glow of the face buttons. It’s a distraction.

Are you ready for the worst part of the controller? The vibration function. One side is about double the strength of the other side. This makes no sense. You can adjust the vibration strength with a button combo, but I had to put the stronger side all the way down to match. This isn’t all. It’s incredibly loud. You can hear the motors vibrate and shake the controller. It’s some of the worst vibration functions I’ve ever seen. For the high asking price, I’d expect more. This definitely looks better as a display piece or for casual emulation rather than a main controller.

Overall, the NYXI Wizard controller is a note nostalgia trip, but for anyone who may not have fond memories might want to stay away. The buttons don’t feel that great, the controller creaks and the vibration function is awful. I do appreciate the backlit buttons and the interchangeable analog gate, but it’s not enough to offset the weaknesses.