Game Genie Review – Bringing Any Modern Controller (Xbox One, PS4) to Your Switch

There’s something novel and bizarre about being able to use an Xbox One controller while playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. However, that’s exactly what the Game Genie from NEXiLUX sets out to do. This controller adapter allows you to use basically any modern controller on your hybrid Nintendo system.

The adapter has three systems it works on: Switch, PS3, and PC. Being that the PS3 is now outdated and the PC has its own easier methods of using a controller, the obvious purpose of the Game Genie is for using other controllers on the Nintendo Switch.

Game Genie – Unnecessary Hassle to Setup

We were sent a retail version of the device, and spent a few hours tinkering with it. Right out of the box, it is obvious that the Game Genie favors utility over design. The small adapter feels and looks cheap, made of fragile plastic that seems like it could break with a single mistake.

Also: How to Use Any Controller (PS4, Xbox One, etc) on Switch

It didn’t help that we also encountered technical issues from the start, as hooking it up using the tiny instructions led to nothing working whatsoever. Through contact with the company behind the Game Genie, an update was issued for the adapter that had to be applied by hooking it up to a PC.

The setup ended up not being as simple as it should’ve been (check out our guide for help), but before too long, it was ready to use. The Game Genie has an attached USB cable that can be connected to any of the Switch’s three provided ports on the dock.

Once connected, another issue popped up. The Game Genie states that it can be used for wireless and wired controllers alike, but we had no luck with syncing up our wireless controllers. Hopefully, there will be a future firmware update that will take care of that.

Instead, we had to opt for wired connection only. The Game Genie has a USB port on the adapter itself for connecting a controller using a charging cable. We tried out the DualShock 4 and original Xbox One controllers. With a wired connection, it was a breeze and it immediately recognized the controller on the Switch.

We were able to easily navigate the menus and press all buttons with ease. For the purposes of really testing out the adapter and whether it’s worth using for long periods of time, we tested it with two games: Breath of the Wild and Mario Kart 8.

Game Genie – Game Tests

The only issue we encountered with using a controller with the adapter was adjusting to having the A and B (X and circle on PS4) buttons swapped, but that’s a first-world problem at best. Besides the button switching, everything else was smooth.

I encountered no latency problems whatsoever, as I explored some of the world in Breath of the Wild. I climbed, fought enemies, and glided to my heart’s content. It felt natural to use, if not a little strange and bizarre in theory.

Though Breath of the Wild is an action game, it lacks the speed and reaction necessary to play something like Mario Kart 8. That was our second game to test out with a controller hooked up to the Game Genie. Again, there was no delay between pressing a button and the movement onscreen.

In fact, playing Mario Kart 8 with an Xbox One controller was more fun by a long shot than using the included Joy-Con’s. Accelerating, drifting, and turning all felt so much more natural and smooth than usual, becoming my new preferred way to race in that game.

Game Genie – Bang for Your Buck

At $19.99, the Game Genie adapter is no doubt a bargain for specific consumers like myself that owns a Switch but has yet to pick up the $69.99 Pro Controller. If you don’t want to shell out the money for that controller and already own a different one you could use, the Game Genie is perfect for you.

Not only will it save you money, but it allows you to immediately have a third player join in on the multiplayer fun. While you can immediately use up to two players in games like Mario Kart 8 using the Joy-Con’s, this adapter allows you to now have a third person jump in with another controller without having to purchase additional Joy-Con’s or the Pro Controller.

Because wireless has yet to work on it, this does mean that you will need a USB cable long enough to fit your personal setup. It also is unfortunate because it limits you to only being able to use the adapter while in docked mode, barring one of the third-party dock accessories.

Despite all of its shortcomings, there is no doubt that I will continue to use it. What it does do, it does well. The ability to use some of my favorite controllers like the DualShock 4 with my Switch will certainly have me using it for upcoming games like DOOM. Well, once I get used to the button swap that is.