CRKD Atom Mini Switch Controller Review: Small Package, Great Stuff

How small is too small when it comes to video game controllers? CRKD just after the summer launch of the impressive Nitro Deck+has pushed the boundaries of miniaturization with its latest and tiniest creation: the Atom collectible keychain controller, a delightfully ridiculous but equally brilliant piece of kit for Switch, PC, and mobile devices.

In the quest to create an ever-shrinking environment – first awesome OG Nitro DeckLater excellent Neo S controller–CRKD’s Atom is true to its name, measuring just 2.7” (68mm) x 1.4” (35mm) x 0.5” (12mm) and weighing 0.7 oz (20g). It’s something you’ll barely feel in your pocket, and that’s exactly what it’s designed to be–The Atom is designed to be a travel companion, and for just $20, it gives any gamer on the go an option they never knew they needed.

Features of the CRKD Atom controller

• Bluetooth connectivity to Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, mobile devices and smart TVs;
• Ten-hour rechargeable battery with a two-hour charge
• Micro USB-C to USB-A adapter
• Optional wrist strap
• Four shoulder buttons

Connection is a breeze, but that’s no surprise to CRKD; the instructions are printed in a suitably microscopic font, but it works as you’d expect, and my Atom paired with my computer, my Switch, and my phone pretty much instantly.

The CRKD Atom mini controller targets the retro gaming market with a Super Nintendo-style back-to-basics design that eschews complexity in favor of compact simplicity. There are 15 inputs in total: a power button, a four-way D-pad, start and select-style +/- buttons, ABXY, and four shoulder buttons.

You don’t really get a sense of the Atom’s size until you take it out of the box. The packaging makes you think it’s going to be bigger, but no, it’s not. HE It’s ridiculously small – about the length of your thumb. But its small size doesn’t mean inferior build quality; it’s a solid piece of kit. Even for adults with big hands, the Atom gets the layout proportions right. The ABXY buttons are small but well-spaced, eliminating the danger of pressing the wrong button or two at once.

Still, the Atom’s shoulder and menu buttons feel dual, precise, and almost mechanical, while the D-pad and face buttons sit higher than you’d expect, with the D-pad having more depth-of-input distance than any standard gamepad I’ve used in months. Still, this makes the Atom more comfortable to use given its small scale—a good ergonomic choice, even if it’s accidental.

While the additional mini-square shoulder buttons are a welcome addition, they don’t feel necessary, especially given the Atom’s retro implementations – they’re responsive, but they feel too small and awkward to be used for regular inputs, and are probably better suited as bindings for fighting game combos or accessing in-game menus. While we’re talking nonsense, the longer shoulder buttons are also a bit wobbly, but that’s to be expected at this size, and they work perfectly well.

The Atom controller isn’t an alternative to standard Switch or PC gamepads, even if it’s good in tight situations. Instead, it’s definitely an option to consider for those who like to play their Switch on the go or with friends in party scenarios; it’s a great option for multiplayer classics. Pico Park, Overcooked, Boomerang Fu, Cup heador even Mario Kart 8Considering you can fit a few Atoms into a standard Switch carrying case, it’s a proposition that’s hard to ignore for traveling gamers or those short on space.

Of course, the Atom is at its best when used with retro games, whether that’s old Switch Online games, Steam games, or any of those legal and fully unemulated PS1 games on your mobile device.

CRKD has proven once again that it can deliver new solutions at the right price point. Still, the company’s real challenge remains: creating an alternative to the Switch Pro Controller with Hall-effect sticks and a few extra, remappable buttons—a bar-tuning pad for the largely untapped Switch elite market. If any company can do it, it’s CRKD.