CRKD Atom Plus packs full controls into a tiny travel gamepad

The Atom Plus is about half an inch smaller than 8BitDo’s Zero 2, yet adds features the smaller controller lacks, including symmetrical thumbsticks with anti-drift tunneling magnetoresistance technology, rumble, a home button and app-based customization. It works with Switch and Switch 2, PCs, Android, iOS and various smart TVs. Switching between devices requires selecting a Bluetooth mode with a button combination; the process is simple, but the combinations can be hard to remember.

Tested mainly with the Switch 2, the Atom Plus’ sticks felt close in size to those on the original Switch Joy-Con. They have slightly more tension, which the reviewer found helpful for precise movements despite their limited travel. The front buttons and D-pad feel good, but the layout is cramped: pressing down or right on the D-pad often brought the reviewer’s thumb into contact with the left stick. The shoulder buttons and digital triggers sit at different heights, yet were sometimes pressed together by mistake. Because the triggers are digital, they cannot provide analog acceleration in racing games.

CRKD’s mobile app adds options to remap controls, toggle rumble and other features, check the remaining charge and update firmware. Tapping a phone to the controller’s NFC chip also reveals its unique product number. Two small shortcut levers replicate the Switch’s plus and minus buttons and screenshot control, reducing front-panel clutter.

For travel or everyday carry, the $29.99 controller offers a notable range of functions in a small package. The reviewer recommends it for players who want a portable, inexpensive gamepad, but says its size is a compromise for larger hands and makes it less suited to regular play. The article also compares it with Microsoft’s recently announced Xbox Nano controller, which costs $20 more and is larger, but adds analog triggers, a roomier design and short grips.