PowerA’s cute Nano Switch controller is great for small hands
It’s comfortable but doesn’t always hold a connection.
I’ve been spending a lot more time this year with my Nintendo Switch. Yes, that’s partly because I’m stuck inside during the pandemic, but it’s also because I’m a huge fan of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Unfortunately, all that fishing and flower watering has really taken a toll on my Joy-Cons, with my left thumb stick demonstrating signs of heavy wear and tear as the months pass. With Nintendo-made replacements hard to come by I ended up looking at third-party options from companies like 8BitDo and PowerA. In the case of PowerA, I’ve been generally pleased, with one big caveat: The buttons were always spaced a bit too far for my small hands to reach. However, the company didn’t forget about people like me, introducing the $50 Nano earlier this month. It’s a pro-style controller, but… smaller.
The PowerA Nano is basically a beat-for-beat recreation of Nintendo’s own Pro Controller, with the same basic color scheme and button layout but in a gamepad about two-thirds the size. One other key difference is on the underside of the gamepad, where you’ll find two programmable buttons marked AGR and AGL. They can save you a lot of time in games where reaction speed is critical, since your middle fingers would naturally be resting on them all the time. (They’re especially helpful in Splatoon 2 for launching your special weapons.) As with the official Nintendo Pro Controller, the Nano uses a USB-C port for charging; PowerA’s other gamepads use AA batteries instead. This means you can plug it right into the dock with the included USB cord so it always stays powered up.
Despite the Nano’s diminutive size, the D-pad, thumb sticks and buttons are all the same size as a standard controller, just pushed closer together. This is actually a huge advantage for those like myself with small hands, since a recurring issue I have with both Nintendo’s Pro Controller and PowerA’s Enhanced models is that the plus and minus buttons are just a little too far away from the sides of the gamepad, meaning I always have to stretch my thumbs to hit them. With the Nano, everything fits under the sweep of my thumb. It feels a lot better for me, certainly, and I’m sure kids will appreciate it as well.
Less likely to appreciate it are esports pros — I’m thinking Super Smash Bros. Ultimate players here — and anyone playing competitive games like Splatoon 2 or Tetris 99. Because unfortunately, the Nano can’t maintain a rock-solid connection. It syncs easily enough, but I found it often cut out while I was playing, with the D-pad or A button becoming unresponsive. It wasn’t a total disconnect, as neither the system nor controller registered an interruption. Signals simply weren’t getting through.
I contacted PowerA and the company sent me another Nano to test and, while the problems became less frequent, they still occurred occasionally. It turns out the Nano is highly susceptible to electrical interference, perhaps even more so than its other controllers. I noticed that it tended to cut out when I did things like open my laptop next to me. PowerA even warns that it can happen if your Switch sits behind your television, which mine does since my TV stand isn’t much wider than my 4K set. I’ve pulled it out a bit to alleviate the problem but, unless I sit perfectly on my couch the way normal people do, it still acts up. I can’t sit still; I often relax by lying on my side, or with my legs crossed above me, or even with my feet resting on the back of my couch. It’s my living room, my rules.
But look, that’s just me. You might be just fine sitting on your own sofa, and your kid will probably love having something that fits perfectly in their small hands.
