Better than Split Pad? ECHZOVE Dobe Nintendo Switch & Switch OLED Grip
54In this episode, we unbox and test out the ECHZOVE Dobe Enhanced Eggshell controller grip designed for the Nintendo Switch and the Switch OLED.
I've talked at length about my dislike of the Nintendo Switch in handheld mode. I don't like playing with Joy-Cons, I think the analog sticks are too small, they don't have enough throw, they don't feel precise, and don't get me started on the lack of a d-pad on the left side and how small the buttons are on the right. This is just part of the reason why I rarely play my Switch and handheld mode. But the team at ECHZOVE has once again sent us one of their grips for the Switch and Switch OLED, and it looks quite promising. Let's take a look.
There are quite a few standard features here that are an improvement over even their own previous generation rep for the Switch. The normal stuff is here, Rumble support, 6-axis gyro support, etc, but they've added a few things here that are nice. There are four total mappable back buttons, two on the left grip and two on the right. You can also turn on turbo fire or AutoFire if you would like as well. It also incorporates storage for four separate cartridges in the top of the grip, and a really nice kickstand if you want to plan tabletop mode.
A direct competitor to the Hori Split Pad Pro, this grip takes a slightly different direction and its design. Where the Split Pad is set up as two different pieces, this is one solid, molded piece. They give it some extra benefits from a form factor standpoint. First and foremost, they don't flex in your hands like the Split Pads do in the rails. This feels much more substantial in the hands. I also don't like the size of the grips on the Split Pad, these are smaller and more compact, and overall more comfortable. One benefit that the Split Pad does have is the fact that you can still dock your Switch with them on, you can't do that with this particular grip.
I started my testing with my original Switch, and while it was a loose sort of fit, it wasn't anything where I was afraid my system was going to fall out. I loaded up Street Fighter 30th Anniversary edition and got to playing. The analog sticks felt smooth and I was able to pull off all of the rolling sort of attacks like normal. The spinning sidekick and the Hadouken was just fine. I couldn't pull off moves that required a zigzag sort of input, so like the Shuriken I couldn't do with the analog stick. The D-pad, however, worked perfectly. It felt a little bit stiff so it wasn't as easy to roll with the Hadouken but I could pull off the Shuriken almost every time. Interesting.
I fired up the Switch online service and Star Fox on the Super Nintendo to test out the turbo and auto-fire. To enable turbo you hold the turbo button and press the button you want to have turbo functionality. Do this a second time and you get auto fire. I launched initially with auto fire on the blaster and it was perfect. This was exactly what I wanted it to do. Later on, I disabled that functionality and just use the normal fire buttons and it was great.
One of the most recent games that I've gotten is AEW Fight Forever, so I wanted to see how this would handle a straight-up fighting or wrestling game. Once again, the performance was wonderful. Button presses were exactly as they should be, the analog sticks work just fine. One thing I wish would be a little bit more impressive was the rumble. I'd say Rumble is more on par with a Joy-Con than a Pro Controller for example.
Why it RoX:
- Under $50
- Multiple color options are available
- Works with Switch and Switch OLED
- Built-in cartridge storage
- Nice kickstand
- D-pad integrated into left joy-con
- Better than the Split Pad
What could be improved:
- You cannot dock your system with this on it
- Rumble is a little bit weak
- Give me a cheaper version of this identical to it but minus the back buttons
- No USB-C Passthrough for power while playing
Should you buy one?
If you play your Switch and handheld mode a lot, this is definitely something you should consider. It's more comfortable than even their own previous generation grip, and in my opinion, blows the Split Pad out of the water. Additional features such as the cartridge storage and the robust kickstand are very much appreciated. I do wish the rumble was stronger, and I could do without the back buttons myself. Beyond these minor issues, however, this is a really stout grip that should be on your shopping list.
#NintendoSwitch #SwitchOLED #SwitchGrip #SplitPad #Dobe
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