During IGN’s ongoing FanFest event, the folks at CRKD have unveiled yet another new product and this time it’s the successor to their fantastic Nitro Deck portable grip for the Nintendo Switch.
While the original Nitro Deck was already a fantastic product and (as far as I’m concerned) the best of its kind on the market, CRKD has gone ahead and taken it back to the shop to hammer out any of those last remaining kinks while also giving it one hell of a new feature – the ability to plug it into HDMI and use it as a docking station for the Switch. The Nitro Deck+ can now connect directly to a TV with its integrated USB-C output and comes with a USB-C-to-HDMI converter in the box, meaning you can now quickly go from portable to TV play without the need to remove your Switch console from the Nitro Deck, and even take it on the road without losing docking functionality.
If you do want to take your Switch out for whatever reason, though, the Nitro Deck+ also fixes the somewhat-fiddly unmounting solution of the original with a new easy eject system – no more anxiously pressing in on your Switch’s screen or pulling at the cartridge tab to get it out. Adding to the list of improvements driven by community feedback is tweaked right stick placement, an upgraded rumble system, Bluetooth support and added programmable Sidekick buttons.
“The Nitro Deck marked our first product release which was warmly received by both gamer and critics,” said Jack Guinchard, Global Brand Manager for CRKD in a press release. “We were taken aback with the positive response, and actively welcomed feedback from our CRKD community to guide us in how the Nitro Deck should evolve. The Nitro Deck+ is a direct response to the feedback we gathered, and we can’t wait to see how gamers respond.”
Pre-orders for the Nitro Deck+ are live now on the CRKD website, with both Clear Black and Clear White styles going for $76.99 USD including taxes (around $120 AUD) and shipping starting from late April 2024. Worldwide postage is a bit of a shocker on these, so we’ll be keeping an eye out for local availability.
I loved the original CRKD Nitro Deck, saying in my review, “The CRKD Nitro Deck is about the most transformative add-on for the Switch in its portable form that I’ve used to date. It’s super comfortable and well-built with mostly excellent buttons, packs some nifty added features and importantly promises zero stick drift all at a pretty decent price point. A couple of minor missteps aren’t enough to stop me from wholeheartedly recommending this to anyone who plays a lot of their Switch at home or on the road in portable mode.”
You can get that one locally for just $99 including shipping.
