Is this the Worst Controller for the Nintendo Switch?! Emio 5-in-1 Controller Review
68In this video, we unbox and test out the Emio 5-in-1 Switch Pad for the Nintendo Switch.
There are many different controllers on the market for the Nintendo Switch, all of which make different promises and guarantees. You can get NES and SNES Bluetooth controllers from Nintendo directly, Retro-Bit makes great Genesis and Saturn wireless controllers, and KMD makes budget-friendly Pro controllers as well. But what if you wanted one controller to emulate the NES, Super Famicom, &N64, and Gamecube controller experience? That's what the Emio 5-in-1 Switch Pad promises.
The way the Switch Pad works is that you have a separate button insert to replicate the experience from each original system. In all there are 5 inserts, one each of the above systems and the Switch itself. To go along with the inserts, a color-match cover plate is also included to complete the look. In all, its an interesting concept, but we need to talk about the execution.
The buttons on each insert are very inconsistent in their performance. Some buttons feel very firm, others feel mushy, while still others actually feel ok. The fact that each insert feels different is disconcerting. As bad as the buttons feel, the covers are just as bad if not worse. Part of the issue is the fact that there is a HUGE chunk of molded plastic under each plate, which makes the final fit and finish of the plates difficult. This is something which should have been taken care of before the controller shipped, and that this passed quality control does not bode well.
Pairing the controller to the Switch was pretty easy. All I needed to do was go into the controller settings on my Switch while holding the Pairing button and it connected. Well, it connected after I charged the controller. I was shocked that the Switch Pad battery had absolutely zero charge to it from the box, something that is very bad for Lithium-based batteries. Thankfully, I was able to charge and use it without issue, but I was concerned.
The gameplay experience was not good. On NES games I had random D-Pad and Analog stick inputs which I didn't make. Random down presses occurred on the regular, as demonstrated in SMB2. Button presses of the Super Famicom insert were sometimes missed, and the C-buttons on the N64 controller were worthless. Finally, the Gamecube buttons were way too small and imprecise to provide quality gameplay.
Why It RoX?
- 5 controllers buttons in one
- Attractive face plates
- USB-C for charging
- Quality charge cable included
- Easy to pair
What Could be Improved?
- Terrible performance
- Removing the face plates is far too difficult
- Button presses not always detected
- Random down input on both the D-pad & Analog stick
- C-buttons do not function as they should
- Controller had no charge out of the box
- Sharp molded ridge between triggers
- Molded grips had burrs
- Excess mold flashing on the inside of the faceplate
Should you buy one?
I think this is the first time when I have definitively came out and said do not buy something, but I cannot in clear conscious let anyone suffer through this gimmick of a controller. It doesn't work as advertised, the buttons are too firm, soft, and small, and the experience is not a good one. The fact that retailers such as Kohl's is selling this for $40 is a travesty. I, thankfully, only paid $10 or so for this one, and I feel ripped off. At least I got a decent USB-C cable out of the deal, but that's about it. Avoid the Emio 5-in-1 Switch Pad, it's not good and there are so many better options out there. Seriously, this is bad.
The footage used in this review are used under the Fair Use laws, referenced below:
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(Pub. L. 94–553, title I, § 101, Oct. 19, 1976, 90 Stat. 2546; Pub. L. 101–650, title VI, § 607, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5132; Pub. L. 102–492, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3145.)