We’ve eagerly anticipated the follow-up to CRKD’s goated Nitro Deck ever since Nintendo dropped the Switch 2. Notice how it’s now December, nearly six months later? No matter, the Nitro Deck 2 is finally here. Kinda. Pre-orders for the Nitro Deck 2 open today, with the idea being to ship these next Autumn.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of wrapping your Switch in some CRKD tech before, the Nitro Deck serves to replace the Switch’s original handheld controls with something a little more robust and worthier of our hurting wrists. That’s the impression we got, anyway. Here’s hoping the Nitro Deck 2 can live up to the hype.
What? No GameCube Purple?
CRKD says it built its sequel from the ground up, which is surprising considering it claims to be fully backwards compatible with the original Nintendo Switch and Switch OLED. Instead of sliding your Switch display into the Nitro Deck, it now features a locking dial on the rear that’ll hold your console in place. It’ll even function as a Pro controller when the Switch 2 is docked, in both wired and wireless modes.
We’re most interested to see the company’s new ‘CaptiStick’ technology, which mimics the Hall-effect sticks of the previous model, but is supposedly “immune to magnetic interference and [uses] a zero-contact design. The advanced sensor system delivers precise input while maintaining low power consumption,” it said.
Read More: CRKD Nitro Deck review – One way for the Switch to get your Goat
It’s still fitted with four buttons on the rear, but CRKD has added two new triggers up top. It’s a mostly rubber affair around the back, which should provide a slightly more comfortable grip than the original Switch 2, which consists wholly of thin plastic. A few curves here and there will do your hands some good.
As for cost, CRKD has listed the Nitro Deck 2 on its website for R1,700 and available in two colours — smoke black and plain white — but we’re still holding thumbs for a proper GameCube Purple edition. You know it’s coming, we know it’s coming — it may well be worth holding onto your cash until that day comes.
