CRKD Atom review: a surprising novelty that is perfect for retro gaming ~ Ciwani Tech2

CRKD Atom: One-minute review

The CRKD Atom is far and away the smallest controller I have ever tested. Billed as a collectible keychain controller by its manufacturer, the Atom is an impressively compact 3 inches (about 76mm) from left side to right. This alone makes it remarkably portable-friendly and is easily stored in your pocket or even on your keychain.

A range of attractive colorways also add to the Atom’s collectability factor, and the controller sits at a reasonable price, thus making that collectible nature broadly more achievable for those who are interested. And of course, for stalwart CRKD heads, the Atom has the manufacturer’s app integration, allowing you to scan for your product’s overall rarity and unique number via near-field communication (NFC).

It’s a neat little controller in the aesthetics department, then, but I’ve also been impressed by its overall gaming performance. Compatible with Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile devices, I found the CRKD Atom to have pin-sharp responsiveness across both wired and Bluetooth connections. As such, it’s an excellent choice for retro games or ones that don’t need to rely on analog sticks to play.

CRKD Atom: Price and availability

List price: $19.99 / £19.99 / AU$33
All colorways are the same price
Available at CRKD’s website and Amazon in all regions

The CRKD Atom is available to purchase now from the brand’s official website or its Amazon store page. All color options retail at $19.99 / £19.99 / AU$33, making for an affordable bite-sized controller that doesn’t price gouge on some of the nicer variants. There are eight colorways available, and they are as follows:

Atomic Purple: translucent, dark purple design
CRKD Grey: a matte grey finish with pink and orange face buttons
Glacier Blue: translucent, icy blue colorway
Hot Pink: a striking matte pink finish
Leaf Green: an airy, bright green finish
PAL Grey: a matte grey design with multi-colored face buttons inspired by the European SNES controller
Sky Blue: a light blue matte finish
Yuzu Yellow: bright yellow with nicely contrasting black face buttons and d-pad

Amazon stock tends to fluctuate greatly between designs, but all colors are more reliably available on CRKD’s official website. Do keep in mind, though, that as the Atom is under $25 / £25 on the brand’s own site, you will have to pay a little extra for shipping.

I mentioned the CRKD Atom is the smallest controller I've ever tested. It's also the cheapest, with the closest point of comparison being the GameSir Nova Lite which retails at $24.99 / £29.99 (around AU$40). Similar to the affordable GameSir wonder, the CRKD Atom is a cheap controller that I can wholeheartedly recommend.

CRKD Atom: Specs

CRKD Atom: Design and features

CRKD hasn’t skimped on quality despite the Atom’s small size
Very much a ‘what you see is what you get’ design
May just be too small for some

Like other impressively compact devices such as the Game Boy Micro, the CRKD Atom’s most striking design trait is its size. It’s so small that it could legitimately fit inside a Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controller. Of course, given its stature, the Atom has to miss out on analog sticks (though if CRKD does eventually make a follow-up with Hall effect thumbsticks, I’d be very impressed). Additionally, ZL and ZR - typically triggers on the best Nintendo Switch controllers - have been converted to tiny, tactile buttons nestled between the larger L and R bumpers.

Despite the omissions that keep the Atom’s size (and presumably, costs) to a minimum, CRKD hasn’t ditched its penchant for quality. Materials feel great in spite of the pad’s near-nonexistent weight, with solid casing and delightfully tactile buttons.

On the Atom, in addition to those bumper and ‘trigger’ buttons, you’re also getting a d-pad, four face buttons with the typical Switch layout, Start and Select, and a Home button in the center. There’s also a USB-C port at the top, an NFC touchpoint on the back for use with the CRKD app’s collection system, and a groove at the bottom-left of the controller where you can thread through the included wrist strap.

The Atom is a lovely collectible item - especially given its price - but if you are planning on playing games with it, definitely don’t underestimate its tiny size. True to its name, the Atom is minuscule and thus isn’t well-suited to folks with larger hands. It certainly isn’t best suited to longer gaming sessions, either, given your hands will be closely wrapped around its small casing. On the flip side, the Atom does make for a fun, affordable gift for younger players.

CRKD Atom: Performance

Excellent responsiveness
10-hour battery life is decent, given its size
Well-suited to retro gaming

A lack of analog sticks makes the CRKD Atom a poor choice for most modern games. However, it seriously excels at retro gaming, and titles that don’t require the use of analog sticks. Nintendo Switch Online’s retro libraries are a great example, and during my testing I found myself diving into games including The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Blaster Master, and Fire Emblem. Other Switch hits like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, and Vampire Survivors are also fantastic fits for the CRKD Atom.

You can expect solid results via Bluetooth connectivity, too. The Atom is brilliantly responsive when used wirelessly, and the pairing process on both Switch and mobile was near-instantaneous. However if you’d prefer a more reliable connection overall, the Atom does support a wired USB-C connection which also makes it usable on PC.

There are some ancillary functions available on the Atom, too, accessible via button input macros. For example, you can change the d-pad to instead function as a left or right analog stick by holding Select and left or right on the d-pad respectively for five seconds. I didn’t get much use out of this feature, really; the SNES-style layout already makes the Atom a poor fit for titles that primarily make use of analog sticks, and it certainly doesn’t benefit from the additional sensitivity that sticks provide. A more useful inclusion, however, is the ability to take screenshots by pressing the Start and Select buttons simultaneously.

In terms of battery life, you’re getting an impressive 10 hours with the CRKD Atom. That’s not a lot in the grand scheme of things, especially compared to the 20 hours from the 8BitDo Ultimate or the 40-50 hours from the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. However, given its size - and the fact that the Atom is best suited to shorter play sessions - this is more than an adequate amount of battery life, I feel.

Should I buy the CRKD Atom?

Buy it if...

You’re after a truly portable controller
The Atom’s small size makes it a perfect choice for portable gaming on both Nintendo Switch and mobile devices.

You’re a collector
Eight lovely color options and a relatively low price tag make the Atom a fantastic collector’s item.

Don't buy it if...

You want a proper controller
There’s no avoiding the fact that the Atom is a novelty gamepad. A great novelty, for sure, but without analog sticks, grips, gyro, and other Switch controller hallmarks, those after a more fully-featured controller should consider something else.

Also consider...

If the CRKD Atom isn’t quite to your liking, we’ve highlighted a couple of other fantastic controllers that are well worth your consideration.

8BitDo Ultimate
Having tested several Nintendo Switch controllers over the years, I still think 2022’s 8BitDo Ultimate is the best of the bunch. Sublime build quality, Hall effect thumbsticks, and the inclusion of a charging dock all make for superb value for money. You’re also getting full gyro support, but the gamepad does lack an NFC touchpoint for amiibo scanning.

For more information, read our full 8BitDo Ultimate review.

Nitro Deck
CRKD’s very own Nitro Deck is one of the best Nintendo Switch accessories you can buy. It’s a fantastic controller/dock for handheld Switch players who’re after something sturdier and more reliable than the Joy-Con controllers.

For more information read our full Nitro Deck review.

How I tested the CRKD Atom

Tested for one week
Platforms tested: Nintendo Switch, PC, mobile
Primarily used Bluetooth connectivity, with USB-C wired connection on PC

I tested the CRKD Atom over the course of a week, primarily playing titles on Nintendo Switch. Given its small size, I found the Atom to be better suited to shorter play sessions overall. That, paired with the SNES-style layout, made it a great fit for Nintendo Switch Online’s retro library, as well as games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Vampire Survivors that don’t require the use of an analog stick.

I also found the Atom to pair well with various retro compilations on PC, including Sonic Origins Plus, Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection, and the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster titles. As the Atom doesn’t include a 2.4GHz or Bluetooth adapter in the box, I went with a USB-C wired connection on PC.

Ciwani Tech2

Sunday, September 29, 2024