NYXI Hyperion Pro review: this retro-style joypad is the answer to stick drift

If you’re looking for a wireless Nintendo Switch controller to replace your drifty Joy-Cons then you’ve come to the right place. I’ve found possibly the best solution to this common and annoying problem in the form of the NYXI Hyperion Pro controller, one of the best Nintendo Switch Joy-Con alternatives on the market right now.

Designed for Nintendo Switch and OLED consoles, this joy-pad can do everything that official Nintendo Joy-Cons can, functioning either as two separate controllers or combined into one for a pro controller experience. But it doesn’t stop there.

This pad from NYXI has some bonus features that take Switch gaming to new levels, and I would even go as far as to say it’s better than Nintendo’s own controllers in terms of comfort, style, design, and ergonomics.

We’ve already reviewed the previous iteration of this pad: the NYXI Hyperion Meteor controller, and while I absolutely loved this model, it lacked the inclusion of Hall Effect joysticks which makes the Hyperion Pro version the superior choice.

I’ll dive deeper into what makes his pad so great as we go through the sections of this review, but to keep it short; the Hyperion Pro is an excellent ergonomic controller for the Switch, especially when playing handheld, and doubles as a long-term solution for Joy-Con drift too.

The NYXI Hyperion Pro Wireless Joy-Pad is available in two colours, Purple or Army Green, and costs $65.99 / £52.88 at the time of writing – making it a super affordable alternative to buying an official pair of Nintendo Joy-Cons, which are expensive individually, let alone the typical price of $79.99 / £74.99 for a pair.

NYXI Hyperion Pro review: Key specifications

NYXI Hyperion Pro review: Design and build

One of the most important design features of the NYXI Hyperion Pro controller that we need to mention, and what sets it apart from other third-party Switch controllers, is the inclusion of Hall Effect joysticks. This essentially means that the analogue sticks have no physical contact between moving parts, and in turn, the chances of these pads developing stick drift in their lifetime are reduced to near zero.

Traditional joysticks use electrical components and resistance to detect movement, which can become worn over time leading to an incorrect signal (as our sister site, PC Gamer, explains). If you haven’t experienced the dreaded Joy-Con drift on your Nintendo Switch console yet, count yourself lucky, as this is a common issue that Nintendo is very aware of.

Sure, you can always get your Joy-Cons repaired by Nintendo for free if they develop this problem, but there's no guarantee that the drift won't return at a later time (this happened to my Joy-Cons). Hall effect sticks are a game-changer for tackling stick drift on all controllers, and a lot of gamers have been making the change to Hall effect joysticks and never looking back.

The overall design and aesthetic of the NYXI Hyperion Pro joypad gives off nostalgic retro vibes and closely resembles a GameCube controller in layout and colour scheme (although not as much as NYXI’s other pads, the Wizard Series and the NYXI Warrior).

I really like the inclusion of the coloured buttons, A, B, Y, and X which have what feels like a gel coating over them to resist wear, as painted letters can sometimes rub off on controllers, and they feel super comfortable to press too. The D-pad on the left side is another nice inclusion that replaces the circular buttons you would have on a typical (L) Joycon.

Honestly, I did prefer the thumbsticks on the other NYXI pad, the Hyperion Meteor, as these had a bit more of a grip and depth to them, especially around the edges, whereas these thumbsticks on the Hyperion Pro are very flat and solid without any kind of dip in the middle (hopefully I’m explaining this right).

Maybe it’s because I’m used to my PlayStation 5 thumbsticks instead, but the smooth texture was a little offputting to begin with, though something you get used to over time. If this is a bugbear for you, the thumbsticks on the Hyperion Pro are replaceable so you can find some alternatives you like better and swap them out.

The NYXI joypads take seconds to pair with your console and can be done so by simply slotting them into either side of your Switch and checking in your controller settings tab that they have been registered. They work wirelessly, with the option for Bluetooth connectivity, and can be used both attached to your console in handheld mode, or freely in TV or tabletop mode.

Every button on the Hyperion Pro is very clicky, and the thumbsticks can also be clicked inwards similar to how activating L3 and R3 works on PlayStation controllers. Two buttons you might not be familiar with on the Hyperion Pro are the small circular Turbo (T) buttons situated on the bottom of either joypad, next to where you would find the home and the capture button on typical Joy-Cons. I’ll go more into what these buttons do in the features section below.

These joypads are significantly chunkier than official Nintendo Joy-Cons, which means that if you travel a lot with your console or like to game when commuting, then you'll need to buy a bigger Switch travel case if you hope to leave them attached to your console, or maybe buy a separate case entirely for the pads. NYXI offers a wider Carbon One switch case on its website for this exact purpose.

While the front of the controller is notably smooth, the back is ever-so-slightly textured to offer an enhanced grip and ergonomic feel. Also on the back of the controller, you’ll find the ML and MR back buttons which are easy to click and can be programmed using the small circular M buttons on either pad, to map buttons and remember combos, which is handy for Kombat games.

You also have the small circular vibration buttons on the back next to the M buttons, plus the left and right triggers, and the release mechanisms to free your joypads from the frame holder without damaging them.

Speaking of the frame holder, this is an extremely light chunk of plastic included with the controller that holds the two joypads together and acts as the centre part. It has indicator lights to let you know when the joypad is turned on and connecting, but that’s really all it does.

I wondered why the frame did not have its own charging port to simultaneously charge both pads, instead of putting two separate USB-C ports on the bottom of each pad. But I guess it’s still convenient to charge each pad separately when the situation calls for it, and it’s worth noting that they also charge automatically through your Switch console while docked.

NYXI Hyperion Pro review: Features and performance

The Hyperion Pro joypad from NYXI has some seriously impressive features for this price point, and aside from the Hall effect joysticks being a huge selling point, one other feature which, at least in my opinion, makes this controller worth every penny is the breathing RGB light modes with eight colours and three different modes to choose from.

These can be customised easily by using the tiny Turbo (T) buttons on the bottom of each joypad and pressing the thumbsticks in at the same time to cycle through the colours for each joystick.

Can’t decide on your favourite colour combo? That’s fine. You can choose one of the three modes instead like the breathing light mode, magic light mode, or single light mode by clicking twice while holding down the turbo button.

Reading the instruction manual doesn’t make it immediately clear how to change modes, but it’s really easy to change these light settings once you know how. I think my favourite mode is the blue and purple breathing colour cycle.

Keep in mind that the joypads do not communicate with each other, and operate individually, so you’ll need to adjust each game setting such as rumble or button mapping individually. I also found that the pads aren’t reliable at remembering your choices, and would often revert to a basic red colour when going idle.

The Turbo buttons have an additional function, and can also be used to activate the joypad’s Turbo mode. If you hold down the Turbo button on one of the joypads and press any other button (YXBA), it will cause this button to enter the rapid Turbo mode, which can be handy for intense levels and boss fights. There's also the shock/vibration button on the back of the pad (one on either side), which controls the rumble intensity of each controller ranging from 0% to 100%.

When you're playing with the joy-pad as a pro controller, it's very easy to accidentally hit the back buttons when you don't mean to, which is a problem if you have them mapped to complete a certain combo or action.

Motion controls and a 6-axis gyroscope are another part of the package with the NYXI Hyperion Pro, which means you can continue to enjoy motion-controlled games on your Nintendo Switch like Mario Kart, Just Dance, Switch Sports, and whatever else the kids are playing these days. Are people still interested in Splatoon?

I think we may have covered most if not all of the joypad features now. The only thing this NYXI Joypad doesn't do is read Amiibos – but they're pretty irrelevant nowadays aren't they? RIP to my 3DS.

As for the performance, I did not experience any issues when using the NYXI Hyperion Pro for extended periods. The battery life was impressive, lasting days in between charges, and offering around 7 hours of playtime before conking out.

The wake function can be a little confusing at first, and it might seem like your joypad is unresponsive or has a flat battery. But I found that you just need to press the capture button on the left pad, and the home button on the right pad (these are in the same place you'd find them on a typical Joy-Con) and the controller will light up and start to try and pair to your console.

NYXI Hyperion Pro review: Price

The Hyperion Pro joypad from NYXI might seem like a relatively expensive purchase at first, priced at $65 / £52 at the time of review. However, once you factor in that a singular Nintendo Joy-Con would cost you roughly $39.99 / £35, or typically $79.99 / £74.99 for a pair, then this controller is great value for your money in offering not one, but two individual controllers, plus the included frame to combine them into a singular pro controller format.

When you also consider that the official Nintendo Switch Pro controller prices start at $59.99 / £59.99, it becomes clear that this NYXI alternative is a great way to save money as a one-off purchase, but also as an investment that can withstand the test of time and never succumb to joy-con drift or need repairing in the future.

What more can you ask for at this price point?

Should I buy the NYXI Hyperion Pro Joy-Pad?

Only you can answer this question, but after testing and spending time using the Hyperion Pro controller I can confidently recommend it as a fantastic alternative to the official Nintendo Joy-Cons for Switch gamers. These joypads are very comfortable to hold and use, with ergonomic design features that make them great for longer play sessions with a reduced chance of wrist strain.

Most of the Nintendo Switch games that I play are solo adventure games, Pokemon titles, or relaxing cosy Switch games like Disney Dreamlight Valley. I rarely play games on my Switch that need a fast response time or adaptive triggers, so these features aren't important to me when choosing a controller for the Switch, and motion controls are also low-priority unless I'm playing Mario Kart competitively.

With this in mind, I found zero fault with the NYXI Hyperion Pro. But if things like accuracy and precision are important to you, with HD rumble and extra buttons,  then other joypads on the market might offer advanced control (but at a higher price tag). I think that for most casual Switch gamers, this NYXI joypad ticks a lot of boxes and is a winner if you value ergonomics.