ECHTPower Wireless Controller Review for Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch is a wonderful console, and one of the best perks about it is the freedom to use so many different controllers on it. From the first party JoyCons and Pro Controllers to the PS5 DualSense, finding the right controller for you is simply a click away on Amazon. Well, I noticed that a couple of the top recommended controllers on Amazon.com right now are the ALIENGT Joypad and ECHTPower Wireless Controller, two controllers that look identical but are of different branding.

Don’t believe? Here’s a screenshot:

Both controllers have similar variants in color schemes too, and I have to be honest, I was attracted by the Ninjala-themed ones. Since both brands had the Ninjala colors, I basically flipped a coin to decide which one I would get for this review, and the ALIENGT Joypad was the winner.

The controller comes in a nice little package, but I immediately noticed something interesting. The box does not say “ALIENGT”, as one would expect. It says “ECHTPower”, the brand of the other controller with identical properties.

Well, I guess that shuts up the idea that these two are “different” brands. They literally are the same controller with different brand names listed on Amazon. Nice going, guys.

I immediately noticed that the two separate Joypad are rather sturdy, which is always encouraging when purchasing unknown branded third-party controllers. The purple and orange colors, as well, look really good, and the overall look of the Joypad grip is rather cool.

But we are about to get really real about this Joypad set, because it unfortunately is loaded with flaws.

Right off the bat, the ALIENGT Joypad or ECHTPower Wireless Controller, whichever one you want to refer to it as, barely fits into the Dock when on the Switch console. Not only that, but if you have anything in either USB port, these Joypad will absolutely not go down all the way into the Dock. That’s a bummer.

Continuing on the idea of “fitting”, the sales page on Amazon claims that these Joypad can fit most Switch carrying cases, but that is absolutely not the case. I have tried them in 6 different cases that I own, and not a single one carries the Switch with these Joypad well.

They also do not fit into the JoyCon grip provided by Nintendo, which is a problem, because…

This M-shaped grip provided with the ALIENGT Joypad hold the remotes in a rather strange way. One of the bigger complaints about the Switch JoyCons is that the positioning of the D-pad and left joystick are on the same line. This is also true with the Joypad, but the M-shaped grip positions the D-pad to be to the left of the joystick instead of directly below. This causes incredible strain on the thumb trying to move from one to the other, and I often found myself completely missing the D-pad because my muscle memory is so used to it being either below or slightly to the right.

Not only that, but because of the M-shaped grip, playing games is also problematic, especially FPS games or twin-stick shooters. You see, because the M-shaped grip angles both Joypad, pushing directly up actually results in a slightly left pressed angle since true north is when the Joypad is upright. I played a few twin-stick shooters that were a major pain, because my aiming did not correspond with the direction I was pushing. The fact that I cannot use the normal JoyCon grip makes this even worse, because this M-shaped grip is the only thing these Joypad actually fit into outside the console itself.

That makes the ALIENGT Joypad / ECHTPower Wireless Controller a terrible alternative for a proper controller, but let’s talk about how it fits and plays while hooked to the Switch console itself.

This is honestly where the ALIENGT Joypad shines. While on the go, similar to the HORI Split Pad Pro, the ALIENGT Joypad is a very comfortable alternative, and the advantage it has even over the HORI Split Pad Pro is the rumble feature. Sure, it is no HD Rumble, but it is serviceable and a nice feature that is absent in other JoyCon-like controllers.

The grip of the Joypad while on the Switch console in portable mode is significantly better than the original JoyCon, but let’s be honest. That is not saying a whole lot, as the JoyCons are rather uncomfortable in just about any manner.

While on the console itself, the problems that existed with the M-shaped grip are gone, and the experience with the joysticks and buttons is rather nice. The D-pad, particularly, is a much better option than the JoyCons, and the buttons overall are great to the touch and click very well.

The Joypad have USB-C charge ports on the back-inside, and it comes with a split wire to charge both controllers at the same time. However, if you are planning on using it in the M-shaped grip while charging, well… that does not work too well.

To my surprise, you can actually connect the cable while the Joypad are in the M-shaped grip, but unfortunately you cannot charge both at the same time without compromising the connectors on the USB-C cable.

So while the ALIENGT Joypad / ECHTPower Wireless Controller fails in many ways, particularly in the standard controller department, it is actually a solid alternative for on-the-go play. I don’t think it is as comfortable or as high of quality as the HORI Split Pad Pro, but its price point is significantly cheaper than HORI’s and the rumble feature gives it a leg up, in my opinion.

Although I cannot recommend this as a full JoyCon replacement, I can absolutely recommend this as a portable alternative, as it does make portable play on the Switch much better than with the JoyCons. And like the JoyCons, the Joypad also allows for single Joypad use sideways, although it is not very easy to hold, but the option is still there giving it a lot more variety than most third-party Switch controllers on the market.

If you are looking for a cheap alternative to the HORI Split Pad Pro or are just looking for a pair of extra JoyCon to have on hand for local multiplayer, then I can definitely recommend these guys. But if you are looking for a solid gaming controller for your Switch, please look elsewhere, because there are plenty of better options than the ECHTPower Wireless Controller, some of which are in the same price range.