Fusion Pro Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch Review: An Elite Controller for the Switch

The Fusion Pro Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch from PowerA is, by far, the best Switch controller that I’ve ever used – and that’s coming from someone who goes through controllers like a knife goes through butter, thanks to my love of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and hatred of controller drift. The buttons are responsive, the level of customisation is impressive, and it just has an overall air of superiority that you can’t find in a cheap wired controller.

For starters, you can feel the quality of the Fusion Pro Wireless Controller as soon as you take it out of the box, even though you’ll just be holding the controller’s custom carrying case and not the actual controller itself. The carrying case is sturdy and hardy, keeping all its contents safe and contained even if you accidentally punt it across the floor and into a wall. It both looks and feels high quality and, upon opening, you’ll be presented with the Fusion Pro Wireless Controller with its default black faceplate and mappable Pro Pack attached. Additionally, there’s also swappable thumbsticks, instructions, a 9.8ft cable (that’s taller than Lady Dimitrescu) that allows you to keep playing while recharging the battery, and the controller’s additional white faceplate.

The controller itself is a hefty deal, but that’s really not a bad thing. While weighing slightly more than your average wired Switch controller (and weighing a lot more than like, 8 Joy-Cons at once), this simply adds to the controller’s sturdiness and really makes you feel like you’re holding the real deal. Complete with rubberised handles to ensure you don’t lose your grip during a particularly competitive game, the Fusion Pro Wireless Controller is sure to see you safely through any number of battles, adventures, and romantic visual novels.

The mappable Pro Pack on the back of the controller features four programmable paddles that you can easily configure to virtually any button on the controller. While the controller does come with instructions, every action is intuitive enough that you can work it out with barely any guesswork, so you’ll have all four paddles mapped and ready to do within less than a minute. Don’t enjoy programmable paddles because you have clumsy fingers or just enjoy the classic look? No problem – the Pro Pack is removable, so you can simply swap it out for a normal backplate and keep gaming as usual. This was one of my favourite features of the Fusion Pro Wireless Controller due to the fact that I really appreciate the level of customisation that’s gone into this controller – I’m also one of those people who often finds paddles too fiddly, although the Fusion Pro Wireless Controller paddles were surprisingly easy to master and use.

Another big pro of the Fusion Pro Wireless Controller is the swappable faceplates. While the controller comes clad in a soft and sleek black, you can easily swap it out for the bright white faceplate that’s included, or you can even play without a faceplate if you’re that kind of monster. There’s no fiddling around with buttons or catches, either, as you simply gently prise the faceplate off and firmly press in the faceplate you want to use. This also applies to the swappable sticks, which can be exchanged and swapped at will. The controller comes with two rubber sticks that feature a grip pattern around the edge and, in the carrying case, you’ll find another one of these sticks along with a bonus smoother stick. There’s no law on which stick must go where, either. All four sticks can fit into either stick slot, allowing for a number of varying controller setups.

Despite its unique levels of customisation, my favourite feature of the controller is the fact that you can play both wired and wireless. On top of that, you can play wireless in handheld mode – meaning you don’t need to dock your Switch in order to use the Fusion Pro Wireless Controller wirelessly. This is a huge deal and benefit, especially for those who want to play their Switch in handheld mode but don’t want to use their Joy-Cons thanks to a well-placed fear of Joy-Con drift. Setting up the Fusion Pro Wireless Controller is a breeze and it’s virtually as easy as setting up a first-party controller. Once through the pairing process, the controller will spring to life and automatically connect as soon as you press any button so long as your Nintendo Switch is turned on. 

In conclusion, the PowerA’s Fusion Pro Wireless Controller is an extremely worthy addition to your Nintendo Switch arsenal, regardless of whether you plan to use it to become the very best, like no one ever was, in Pokémon or if you just want to get out and explore in Breath of the Wild. Its $99.99 price tag is more than worth it for the level of quality you get and, with a pair of first-party Joy-Cons weighing in at around $69.99, that’s just $30 extra for customisation options, swappable faceplates, and knowing that your controller won’t suddenly start drifting out of the blue.