The Crkd Nitro Deck was a saving grace for the original Nintendo Switch. The $59.99 slide-out accessory brought Hall effect sticks to drift-plagued consoles – no need to open your Joy-Con for a complicated repair. The Nitro Deck 2, designed for both the original Switch And the larger Switch 2 continues the tradition of having better sticks than what Nintendo puts in even the most recent Joy-Cons (although it’s not Hall Effect or TMR). But that doesn’t seem as essential to me, and there’s one thing I really can’t stand.
It’s too difficult to use the Nitro Deck 2’s ABXY face buttons without the right stick getting in the way. The stick-to-button layout is a big step forward from the original Nitro Deck (and particularly bad compared to the symmetrical Steam Deck-like stick layout in the video-ready Nitro Deck Plus). I’m surprised the Crkd team thought this was an improvement. My patience with the race-based gameplay in Echo Weaver is already tested enough, and trying to quickly hammer the entries on Deck 2 only adds to the frustration.
Your preference may differ, but I like having a little wiggle room between the right stick and the face buttons. Some companies choose to space them out or, in the case of the Switch 2’s Joy-Con, make the stick small enough to allow my thumb to hover over it so I can press the buttons. Deck 2 allows me to adjust my thumb’s approach angle outside of what’s comfortable. It’s just a few millimeters away.
The top slide design of the original has been replaced with a vice-grip design to ensure compatibility with both newer and older Switch consoles. The Deck 2 has a twist mechanism on the back that you can loosen, tighten, or lock. It’s smart, even if the tradeoff for broader compatibility is a design that feels inherently less secure. Crkd asks Switch 2 owners to trust this mechanism that stays tight around their $500 consoles. My Switch 2 didn’t feel wobbly in testing, but I prefer not having to think about its safety at all when gaming. I would have preferred a sliding design for Deck 2 designed expressly for the Switch 2.
It’s disappointing that Crkd’s Joy-Con replacement isn’t as good because I like some things more than the original. For example, the accessory has adjustable tension on both poles, so they can return to their original position faster or slower than the default speed. Additionally, the accessory’s bulkier design makes the console more comfortable in my average-sized hands for use in handheld mode. It also has plenty of customizable buttons: four on the back and an additional one near the triggers.
Photography by Cameron Faulkner/The Verge
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