General Information
All in all, it was a pretty neat device, though its wired requirements kept us tethered to the TV in a way that we weren't so keen on. 'A wireless version sure would be nice,' we thought to ourselves all those years ago. 'PowerA should really get on that.'
Well, would you believe it, the controller wizards have only gone and done it. The catchily-named 'Enhanced Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch with Lumectra' (we'll stick to just calling it 'Lumectra' going forward) offers all of the colourful LED customisations of the Spectra but in a wireless package. The question is, were these changes worthwhile?
After going hands-on with the Lumectra over the past week, we are pleased to answer in the affirmative. Those who have been looking for a third-party controller with a bit of pizazz need look no further than this, albeit with the knowledge that the wireless world does not come cheaply and not all of the official Pro Controller's fancy features are present and correct.
We'll begin with the neon-glowing elephant in the room. The Lumectra lights up in a way that we thought was only possible for a Christmas tree. With four different LED zones, 24 colours to choose from, and three lighting modes, the controller offers literally thousands of colour combinations for you to set up your pad however you see fit.
The 'zones' are a particularly nice touch, letting you select different colours across four distinct sections of the controller. Sure, there is a certain amount of colour 'bleed' between closer areas (the left analogue stick and upper left corner, for example), but compared to the Spectra's single-colour-only approach, the customisation options are through the roof here.
We enjoyed fine-tuning our selected colours to best match the primary palette of the game we were playing, though you could just as easily settle for your favourite colour or switch things up to match an aspired vibe. If you are a fan of those boujee Phillips Hue lights that turn your living room into the neon-soaked walkways of Cyberpunk 2077, then this is probably up your street too.
Setting up the LEDs is simple enough once you get to grips with things. After connecting the controller, you'll need to press the dedicated LED button on the back and navigate through a series of button inputs, each corresponding to a different light command.
With so many colour and mode combinations, it can be a lot to take in which button does what (face buttons have a corresponding starting colour, the D-pad controls light zones and brightness, triggers input grouping commands, etc.). That said, after studying the instructions for longer than we wanted, things started to become clearer.
It's all a bit of fun — something that actually elicited 'Oohs' and 'Aahs' while we were setting it up — though, much like the Spectra, we couldn't help but wonder who actually needs a feature like this. Without sounding too much like a #ProGamer, we don't tend to look at the controller all that much while playing, and we'd wager that you don't either. It's fun to set things up and revel in getting the perfect green/purple combo to match your Donatello Shredder's Revenge runthrough, but while playing, we tended to forget about the neon light emanating from the palms of our hands.
Of course, the Lumectra isn't just a light show and the pad offers a decent number of features besides its pretty profile. Rear mappable 'Advanced Gaming Buttons' let you program inputs on the fly to more efficiently pull off tricksy moves and full motion control capabilities are another welcome addition — even if it is becoming something of a given for third-party controllers these days.
The design is comfortable to hold and the analogue sticks' anti-friction rings help keep things under control even in palm-sweating moments. Like many PowerA products, the Lumectra feels very similar to Nintendo's Pro Controller in the hand. There is slightly more resistance in the face buttons, the triggers are a little smoother and the joysticks sit marginally higher from the faceplate, but overall, this is the same tried-and-tested design that we all feel comfortable with. In fact, we might even go as far as to say that the Lumectra's sticks feel marginally better than the Pro Controller, with the slight height advantage making things super smooth — though we're being really picky with our personal preferences there.
However, a Pro Controller this ain't and those who want the full range of fancy features found in Nintendo's official offering will not find them here. Much like the Spectra, Lumectra controllers come without rumble and NFC support, making scanning amiibo a no-go while playing in the docked position. The 20-hour battery life is also comparatively small to the Pro Controller's estimated 40-hour offering — though a lengthy three-metre charging cable does help ease this somewhat. They're not the most game-changing features but at $59.99 (around $25 more expensive than the wired version), we did wonder whether some more additions would have made their way over.
PowerA Lumectra Review - The Verdict
PowerA's Lumectra Switch controller delivers exactly what it says on the tin (disclaimer. The controller does not come in a tin). This is a comfortable Pro Controller alternative — minus a couple of features — that offers a fun customisable novelty in its LED options and mappable rear buttons. The former, 'headline' feature does feel a little useless in practice, but it's still a solid addition for those who are all about aesthetics. It's nice to see the Switch get a wireless option after seeing the potential in 2021's Spectra, though the increased price tag does make the missing features feel that bit more prominent. The Pro Controller is still the way to go for those after the full shebang.
