Crkd Nitro Deck 2 Review Finds Comfort Gains and Cramped Controls

The main complaint is the control layout. The Verge says using the ABXY buttons without the right stick getting in the way is too difficult, a step down from the original Nitro Deck and especially bad compared with the symmetrical, Steam Deck-like layout of the Nitro Deck Plus. The reviewer says the spacing forces an uncomfortable thumb angle and interfered with quick inputs in Echo Weaver. The review describes the problem as only a few millimeters off.

Crkd changed the attachment design from the original's slide-in approach to a vice-grip mechanism with a twisting part on the back that can be loosened, tightened or locked. The Verge says the mechanism is clever and allows compatibility with older and newer Switch consoles, but the tradeoff is a fit that feels inherently less secure. The reviewer says the Switch 2 did not feel wobbly during testing but would prefer a slide-in design made expressly for the Switch 2, rather than asking owners to trust the mechanism around a $500 console.

The review also cites improvements. Both sticks have adjustable tension, so they can snap back faster or slower than the default. The bulkier body makes the console more comfortable in handheld mode for medium-size hands, and the accessory adds four customizable buttons on the back plus an extra button near the triggers. The Verge says the Deck 2's sticks are better than those on Nintendo's newest Joy-Con, though they are not Hall effect or TMR. The original Nitro Deck's Hall effect sticks were a remedy for drift-plagued original Switch consoles.

The Verge says few similar accessories are available. It says the abxylute N6 was not very good and that it plans to test Mobapad's latest version. As alternatives for comfort in handheld mode, the review points to the Dbrand Killswitch 2 or the Mechanism Basecase, leaving money for a wireless Switch 2 controller with longer-lasting sticks and better rumble.