CRKD Nitro Deck+ takes users suggestions back to the drawing board. So is it better now?

For those Switch users who want to have that feel of an oversized Steam Deck in their hands CRKD brings you the Nitro Deck+. An upgrade to the original Nitro Deck from late last year updated with user suggestions.

I have been a big fan of the Nitro Deck since CRKD released the first one last year. There is something about the form factor that really speaks to those voices who have gotten bored of my gaming routine in my head. I had gotten sick of playing my switches in handheld due partly to them feeling fragile when playing them. It’s hard to explain but if you have a switch you have likely experienced the feeling of things loosening up over time and the joycons begin to flex while playing. I found the Satisfy Grips a while ago which somewhat helped with this and had been loyal to them throughout the generations.

Initially the Satisfy Grips had gotten me back into playing my Switch in handheld again but like so many things the good comes with the bad. I found it difficult to charge my switch and due to it helping with the flex I found it difficult to remove the Switch in order to deck it (oddly the opposite of what the grip is intended for). Something about the Satisfy Grip also made it feel like a temporary solution similar to adding a telescoping controller to a cellphone. Then CRKD released the Nitro Deck and things changed.

Finally I had a way to play mobile on my Switch with an accessory that doesn’t remind you that it’s an accessory. When docked (yes its truly docked) in the Nitro Deck the switch feels like it’s supposed to be there. With its solid feeling shell there was now a solution that makes everything feel like one solid cohesive unit. Like anything else in gaming it didn’t take long for some short comings, but this felt good enough to mostly ignore those… for now.

I was obviously not the only person sending CRKD feedback about some of the those shortcomings that I believed would make the ND (Nitro Deck) an even better experience. This is one of those rare times when you actually feel like a company listened to their fans. Most all the my suggestions have been addressed in some form in the ND+ for better or worse. This looks, feels and operates like and even more premium handheld solution.

Like I previously stated when its docked in the ND+ it truly is docked. With the original ND when I initial received it I thought it could be used as a dock. That to me only made sense. But over time using it I found it was not setup to be used this way (though there are some cumbersome workarounds). The only thing the output on the ND was used for was oddly to use the Deck as a controller if the Switch was docked. I’m not sure about you but I would personally have to be pretty desperate to use the ND as a controller while playing on a monitor. That has be resolved however in the ND+ however where the ND+ can now be used as a dock without removing the handheld from it. This makes the need for me to remove the Switch from the ND+ close to if not 1–% zero. Which is funny because one of the complaints I had with the first ND was how difficult it was to remove my Switch in order to dock it.

CRKD addressed the issue with an updated release mechanism that now gives your Switch a gentle nudge sliding it ever so slightly up the track. This makes it easier to grab the top of the frame and pull the Switch out. In the first ND it would unlock and just sit there. If it didn’t lock its self back in you would need to perform this awkward high pressure slight motion like warming your hands up on a cold day to remove it from the ND. This is a very welcome change.

The last major update though not close to the only update to the new Nitro Deck+ is the ability to do more with the software than check the NFT status of your ND to see where it fell on the production line. I don’t really know how this works NFTs fell to complete devaluation before I got interested in them and before the original ND was launched oddly enough. By scanning the NFC chip (which I assume the original use was intended for Amiibo support) into the app not only do you get that NFT stuff but now you can have the control over your ND+ that you have come to enjoy with telescoping controllers. This opens a full suite of options allowing you to map the buttons on the controller amongst other goodies. This is a very welcome addition to the already much improved ND.

Have you tried the Nitro Deck or the Nitro Deck+?

In conclusion the Nitro Deck+ is the change we all wanted. CRKD did a good job on the first ND but the Nitro Deck+ really has the feel and operation of a more complete product than just and idea drawn up on CAD. I’m not in a position to tell you to upgrade if you have the original Nitro Deck. If you would like better play-ability due to the Joysticks being moved away from the face buttons, the ability to use as a dock, programming using the app instead of sequences on the device, better in hand feel, 2 more additional mappable buttons (I have no idea what to use them for) and a cool new NFT to add to your growing list (or start it)… I think this is worth the upgrade. I really do enjoy and still use my original Nitro Deck with two of Switches so I’m defiantly not trying to make it out like the original is E-Waste, I’m just trying to convey that the Nitro Deck+ is such an upgrade it might be worth considering.