The Nintendo Switch has been out for almost a decade and many controllers have released, coated in branding that’s representative of the owner’s fandom. This is where PowerA has many options available in its catalogue, and where the PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller also sits. A controller that has many faces, but the Fortnite Peely edition sports Fortnite’s favourite banana stretched over the face of the controller.
Straight out of the box the PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller has a solid presentation, with a solid matte finish, and this particular variant features a stunningly bright yellow body and a friendly face emblazoned on the front. The accents stick out, and it’s a genuinely good-looking device, with a red trim finish on the back buttons and around the stick friction rings.
Aside from the PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller, the box includes a code for a Fortnite pick-axe add-on, the Prickly Axe, which is a neat addition for fans. Lastly, a 10ft USB-C cable to play and charge if needed. What sets the PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller apart from others is the inclusion of freely mappable back buttons, commonly referred to as paddles.
PowerA makes it a simple affair mapping these buttons to any input the controller is capable of (yes even the + button to troll friends), you can hold the program button, press the button of choice, then press the paddle of choice to assign that input.
“It’s difficult to recommend the PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller – Fortnite Peely Edition when it sits just $5 shy of the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, which feels better as a controller overall.”
Ease of use makes this a solid starter controller for players just starting to use back buttons, as they are conveniently located in the groove where the middle finger sits on the back and require a substantial press to activate. A worthy addition for those curious about the feature, but don’t have to use it if users don’t want to.
The PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller is almost the same size as the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller but weighs slightly less. The plastic casing of the controller also feels a bit too rigid, making it feel worse to handle than the Nintendo-licensed counterpart. However, the back buttons can break a player out of a jam or two.
While firing up a new Dark Souls Remastered save, I chose to make the right back button A, so I could run while being able to still control the camera with my right thumb. This was a notable help against larger boss fights like the Gaping Dragon, which allows you to run away from its monstrous attacks and see where to strike next.
In a Fortnite Battle Royale match, using the back buttons to map jump and reload (B and Y respectively) helped me stay alive slightly longer than normal (not long), and made the match more friendly although I’m basically the greenest Fortnite player of all time. The utility is strong for the back button use and the PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller does make a statement.
“The PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller is almost the same size as the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller but weighs slightly less.”
Another strength of the PowerA is unless the user is a die-hard Fortnite fan, this controller can be snagged from PowerA themselves without the Banana colouring, in cheaper options. More choices are a better policy, and PowerA has many choices for its PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller.
However, the PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller’s triggers feel a bit too springy and press more like buttons than true triggers, and the +pad feels super rigid, like the plastic casing, which feels harder to press fast in a tight scenario. But aside from a few of what could be considered “me problems,” the controller performs incredibly well.
The main issue is the pricing. It’s difficult to recommend the PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller – Fortnite Peely when it sits just $5 shy of the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, which feels better as a controller overall.
The PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller is a solid addition to the catalogue of Nintendo Switch wireless controllers. The addition of the controller proudly strutting a striking yellow colourway featuring a beloved Fortnite banana adds charm to the device, including the utility of back button mapping. But, the overall cheaper feel of the controller and premium pricing make this one a hard sell outside of the biggest Fortnite Peely fans.
