Enjoy Pastel Pikachu Garden Accessories from PowerA
PowerA recently launched some new Pokémon themed accessories for the Nintendo Switch. The Pikachu Garden collection consists of four items with adorable artwork of a Pikachu and flowers with pastel colors.
The items include an Enhanced Wireless Controller ($64.99), a Nano Enhanced Wireless Controller ($59.99), a protection case ($22.99), and a crossbody bag ($29.99).
PowerA was kind enough to send me a sample for all of these except the nano controller and everyone I have shown these to has thought they are just so cute. I have experience with all of these products before (just different aesthetics) minus the crossbody bag and they’ve all proven to be good quality and are officially licensed.
I’ll be quickly going through each of the items and if you like them, you can head on over to PowerA’s site (affiliate link) or their retail partners to buy them for yourself.
I think it is important to note that the controllers do have motion controls, but they do lack HD rumble, IR, and Amiibo NFC. I don’t care too much about those last two, but the lack of rumble is something that I’m not a fan of in the slightest.
The controller is nice and light which some may like, but that lack of feedback can feel bad while gaming. Other than that, the controller feels good in the hands and does have two mappable buttons on the back if you like those.
One final thing I do want to note is that it comes with a very robust 10ft USB-C cable for pairing/charging that I like.
The protection case is fairly standard. I’ve used one of PowerA’s previous ones since I got my Switch and have had no problems. On this Pikachu Garden case, I like how the zipper is a Pokeball.
It just adds a little more character. It also comes with a sturdy foam insert for Nintendo Switch Lite devices which are smaller than your standard and OLED models. I’ve found that you can fit an extra pair of Joy-Con in the zipper pouch along with the wrist straps.
My singular complaint is that at first glance it looks like you’ll be able to put 10 games inside, but one of the pockets is unusable in that capacity (although you could store extra micro SD cards if you have those).
Finally, we have the crossbody bag. This is a new product for me and I think it’s a good idea although it feels a bit more niche. Personally, if I need to take my Switch somewhere, I throw it in my protective case and throw it in my backpack with anything else I need such as my laptop, books, etc.
If I just needed to take my Switch somewhere, this crossbody bag would work as a hands-free solution. It has various ways you can attach the strap to best meet your style and needs (sling, chest, etc.), the main pocket comfortably fits my OLED and you can squeeze a controller (such as the Pikachu Garden one) in as well, the front pocket unzips flat with capacity for an extra pair of Joy-Con and eight game cartridges, and there’s even a small wallet pouch that you can fit your phone into.
To test it, I personally squeezed my OLED, the Pikachu Garden controller, an extra pair of Joy-Con, a few games, and my phone. I tried adding the robust cable that came with the controller, but that appeared to be a bridge too far. I’m sure a less robust cable would’ve worked though.
I do want to say that the extra controller adds a lot of bulk and makes things harder to pack up and I would recommend leaving it at home and instead taking a charger if you can. That will lead to a less bulky and more comfortable bag for your accessories.
I do want to also note at this time that the main pocket is well padded, but it does not have a hard shell layer like the protective case which is not inherently bad, just worth noting.
