Review on Hori Nintendo Switch Split Pad Pro (Pokemon: Pikachu & Eevee) - Officially Licensed by Nintendo & The Pokemon Company International - Nintendo Switch by Jay Jeong

1. Aesthetics. When attached to the Switch, they look like the controller has been cut in half and glued to the Switch. It would be much better if they made the controller faceplate flush with the tablet screen. Be that as it may, the tablet is slightly recessed so it doesn't look as tidy. I've had both "black" and versions of Pikachu and Eevee. The black version is opaque black on the back half of the case, while the front half is translucent, just like the official Pro controller. I'm not a fan of translucent plastic and some ads I've seen just call this version black, so it's worth mentioning. Pikachu and Eevee's version looks just as good as the pictures. The work is well done and the colors are bright and beautiful. If you're a fan of Pokemon and/or the color scheme, this is very nice. Ergonomics The whole point of this controller is to give you a full-size handheld controller. He does that pretty well. The layout of the controls and the size of the buttons are very similar to the official pro controller. The handle takes a little getting used to. Even though it's big, it still feels small in the hands. I don't use programmable back buttons, so their presence seems a bit awkward at first. The sticks have plenty of travel and resistance, just like the official pro controller. The thumb caps are quite large, smooth and concave. I have big thumbs and I'm used to hooking them slightly on the edges of the sticks for extra leverage. It's actually not that practical with the big caps they have. However, I've replaced the joysticks with pro-controller joysticks (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088T5TVTW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and I think it's a big improvement. Well, if you're used to a professional TV game controller, you'll get the same experience in a handheld device.3. Buttons ALL buttons on this controller (and the d-pad) are of the classic rubber membrane type. That's a big plus for me. I've been used to playing with these types of controllers for decades, and the little clicking tactile switches on joysticks have never been a pleasure for me. The main buttons are very similar in size and feel to the official professional controller. The +-, Home, and Screenshot buttons are rubbery, as opposed to the tactile buttons on a pro controller, so they look different. The D-Pad is pretty nice. It's fast, doesn't require too much effort, isn't soft, and registers clicks accurately. I've been playing a lot of the Contra collection lately and I finally don't feel like I'm struggling with the D-Pad. Being able to punch diagonally and duck quickly without accidentally registering a diagonal is very important for the contra, and it's easy with this D-Pad. I also have a Hori joystick with a left d-pad and it feels a bit softer and not as great. An official professional controller's D-Pad has a major false click problem unless you cover half of the contacts with tape (preferably Kapton). The Switch Lite D-Pad struggles to register diagonals without applying too much force. All in all, it's a breath of fresh air when a cross works well because it seems hard to find these days. Other notes They have no vibration, gyroscope, Bluetooth, IR or NFC. The lack of features makes me feel like they're overpriced for what you get. It should be a $35 controller. I've seen solids listed for $40 and that's fine. The $60 MSRP for two versions of Pokemon is clearly a premium for a fancy piece of art, so you'll have to decide if it's worth the extra money. I found my Pikachu and Eevee for $55. Also of note is that the Switch is placed in a docking station with connectors attached. As a bonus, they work great in Switchroot Android 10.