Killscreen Funtastic Ice Blue/Clear PS5 Controller Review

The Killscreen Funtastic Ice Blue/Clear PS5 Controller has both the looks and functionality to make it stand out from the crowd. With a N64-inspired old-school aesthetic and modern must-have TMR thumbsticks and immediate actuation triggers and buttons, Killscreen custom PS5 gamepad has a lot to like. After using it for gaming, both in competitive shooters and more casual titles, it’s time for my review.

Nailing first impressions

Unboxing the Killscreen PS5 controller was surprisingly pleasant. This is a company looking to maintain a particular level of polish, and the custom box certainly helps. It sets a good first impression that carries through to the controller itself. 

This Ice Blue/Clear controller closely matches the N64 controller it’s based upon. I especially like the matching color buttons, which are the cherry on top. For Nintendo fans who shifted to also love PlayStation, this is a dream combination that simply would not happen in any official capacity, so Killscreen has stepped in to fill that gap. 

Choose your build

At the base level, this is still a proper PS5 controller with a unique transparent shell, so you’re getting native compatibility and the familiar DualSense layout. From there, Killscreen offers a few performance-focused upgrades depending on how far you want to take things. You can opt for mechanical face buttons, tactile hair triggers, or go all the way with the Full Mouse Click setup, which gives the controller a much snappier and more immediate feel.

It’s worth mentioning that, for those who choose to alter the triggers, Adaptive Trigger functionality will be lost. So if you want to keep the PS5’s fancy trigger tech for non-competitive games, then you’ll want to stick with the stock setup. 

There’s also the option to add TMR thumbsticks, which will be appealing to anyone who has had enough of stick drift. That alone could be a major selling point for some people, especially if they tend to burn through controllers over time.

A professional finish

The shell deserves a mention of its own, too. Clear controllers are hard to get right because everything is on show. If the internal finish is messy, or if there are scratches or ugly glue marks, the whole effect falls apart. Thankfully, that’s not the case here. The finish is clean, and the exposed internals actually add to the look instead of ruining it.

The design is the big win. This is a really nice-looking controller. The Ice Blue color is great, and the clear back gives it that proper late-90s translucent feel without looking cheap. It manages to feel nostalgic without coming off like a toy.

Get clicky with it

I’m also a big fan of the mouse click-style inputs. They make the controller feel faster and more satisfying to use. There’s a crispness to each press that you just don’t get from the standard setup. For the kind of player this controller is aimed at, that more immediate response is going to be a big part of the appeal.

It also helps that the build looks clean overall. With transparent hardware, every little flaw stands out, so it matters that Killscreen has done a tidy job here.

No back buttons here

The biggest weakness of Killscreen’s current lineup is the lack of back buttons. The company pushes competitive-minded upgrades, but the lack of back buttons is fairly glaring, as it’s one of the main features competitive players look for. It seems Killscreen is aware of this and may introduce them later this year. 

Disclosure: Review sample provided by Killscreen.