Becoming a gamer takes hours of practice and mastering the craft takes thousands of hours. That, of course, could only be the amount of time you put into mastering one game. Those that are serious gamers eat, sleep, and breathe gaming and work to perfect their skills, day in and day out. I am in awe of those people because I am not one of those people. I’m a casual gamer that loves to play certain games when a new version comes out and other than that, I can go months without turning on my console.

That being said, if there is something that could give me an edge while gaming, I’m open to checking it out. That’s how I got to test out the NEO S Classic Clear Edition Controller from CRKD. I’d heard good things about the controller but I wanted to see for myself if it lived up to the hype. The main console I use these days is a Nintendo Switch and the controller I use is the provided Joy-Con. Connecting those into the Switch handheld controller was how I typically used my Switch.

But not anymore, as the NEO S Classic Clear Edition changed how I thought about a controller for the Switch. I may be overstating because I’m not as adept with third-party controllers as others might be, but I felt like I was mastering more of the movements in games thanks to the controller. Here’s more on my review of the CRKD NEO S Classic Clear Edition Controller.

Price, specs, & availability

The colors are awesome

The CRKD NEO S Classic Clear Edition controller retails for $50. You can find it on CRKD’s website or at Amazon. The Clear Edition is one of nine different design options for the NEO S. You can also choose the Retro Gold Edition, Blossom Edition by POPeART, Orange Zest Edition, Electric Pink Edition, Junkyard Edition by POPeART, Emerald Green Edition, Atomic Red Edition, and Splatter POPeART Edition. All of them have the same retro-style button layout. It is compatible with numerous gaming systems, including Rog Ally, Steam Deck, Legion GO, as well as mobile and PC gaming platforms.

The controller measures 8.7 x 5.67 x 2.05 inches and weighs just shy of a pound. It’s lightweight and easy to hold, and the ergonomic design is comfortable for your hands. There is a thumbstick on the left side and then another on the right below the four buttons, labeled A, B, Y, and X. Below the thumbstick on the left is a directional pad. This design brought me back to past gaming consoles like PlayStation and Nintendo NES, bringing a nostalgic feel to using it.

But on the top of the controller are both L and R buttons as well as SL and SR buttons, similar to the Joy-Con. At the very back, there are re-mappable back buttons, allowing you to customize the configuration to your preferred needs.

What I like about the CRKD NEO S Classic Clear Edition controller

The thumbsticks are like butter

Taking the controller out of the box, it comes with a travel bag, a USB-C charging cable, and a strap for the controller. The charging cable allows you to not only charge the controller but also connect it to your console. But rather than having to have it connected with a short cable, I aimed to connect it via Bluetooth. The process was very simple, thanks to the user manual with printed directions. For the Nintendo Switch, I had to go to controllers, change grip/controller, and then press and hold the CRKD logo button at the top of the controller.

Once I did that, it rapidly flashed white and after pressing the L and R buttons, it connected wirelessly to the Switch. The middle button glowed red to signify that I was the first player connected. It can also glow different colors, based on what player you are. I did also connect it through the wired way, by plugging the cable into the controller and the other side into the Switch. This immediately connected it to the console.

I fired up The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which is a game with a ton of different controls and maneuvers. What I found right away was how smooth my character, Link, moved on screen. The thumbsticks are Hall Effect sensor thumbsticks, meaning they have no drift, which the Joy-Con is known for. This made movements portrayed on the screen more precise and easier to make. I felt like I was getting better at all the controls, thanks to the NEO S, mostly because there’s so much going on in the game, and it’s hard to keep track of which button does which sometimes.

I appreciated that the controller featured rumble support, so I wasn’t missing out on that experience while gaming. But I also liked that I could adjust the settings by pressing the PROG button on the back to adjust rumbles, trigger sensitivity, turbo, LED brightness, and more. You can also change which button does which action this way too. After I played Tears of the Kingdom, I threw on Super Mario Odyssey and found that jumping and tossing my hat with Mario was smooth and easy.

What I don’t like about the CRKD NEO S Classic Clear Edition controller

It works best for Bluetooth

If you do choose to use the controller when it is plugged into the system, the cable is not extremely long. This makes it challenging to play if you are casting the game on a TV. While the design of the CRKD NEO S Classic Clear Edition controller is ergonomic, there are no grips on it. After a long time of using it, if you’re someone who has sweaty hands, it might become harder to hold.

Should you buy the CRKD NEO S Classic Clear Edition controller?

A resounding yes

I don’t have enough good things to say about my experience using the CRKD NEO S Classic Clear Edition controller. It’s lightweight and easy to program. It feels good in your hand and the thumbsticks are so smooth. I’m going to strictly be using this any time I play my Switch. At only $50, it is an upgrade from the Joy-Con controller that won’t kill your wallet. This is a smart investment for anybody looking to enjoy gaming more.