Rock Candy Wired Controller Review – You Get What You Pay For

Rock Candy Wired Controller Review

I’m a big fan of third party alternatives to expensive peripherals. Not everyone has 70 bucks to drop on a Pro controller, you know? It’s good to widen the playing field, so to speak. There’s a limit to how low you can go, however. PDP’s Rock Candy wired Switch controllers dip just below that critical line for me. They’re extremely cheap, which is good. But maybe they’re too cheap?

First of all, the Rock Candy is entirely too light in my hands. It feels like I fished this thing out of a vending machine. There’s a reason for this, of course. PDP designed this model to be all-ages, something good for kids and adults alike. Well, they mostly succeeded on that front. It’s the perfect size for little hands, but it almost feels too small. This is due more to the weight of it than anything else. I don’t know why the heft of a controller is so important to me, but it is. Once we figured this out, it became kind of a one-way road. You can’t go back to light, after you’ve experienced heavy.

Not As Hefty As You’re Hoping For

When using the D-pad, it occasionally mixes up your inputs. This is fine when using said pad is optional, but it often isn’t. Games like Pokemon Legends: Arceus use both the analog sticks and the pad for separate functions. The infuriating part is this doesn’t happen every time. Just once in a while, so you almost think you imagined it. But you didn’t! If you’re not definitive and decisive about your button presses, you might choose right instead of down. Nobody wants this. If you’re a big D-pad user, this is a huge red flag.

As an aside, some of the face buttons on PDP controllers are in weird places. Not the ones you’re thinking of! At least on the Switch pads, the +/home buttons are reversed, as well as the -/screenshot buttons. I didn’t even realize something was wrong until I tried hitting one of them. You do get used to this after a short while, but it never feels less weird. More than anything else, I’m confused as to why they decided this was a necessary change. Was there tester feedback? Is it like the DVORAK keyboard, in that it’s technically more efficient? I can’t call it a proper downside, but it mystifies me.

Just An Incredible Array Of Colors

The Rock Candy line of controllers represents a bold step backward in aesthetic design that I genuinely wish more companies would emulate. Bring back these translucent colors! I reviewed the Frost White variant, but you can also get them in blue, yellow, purple, and cherry red. There’s even variants for specific franchises, like Animal Crossing, Mario, and The Legend of Zelda. Hell, I’ll take a whole console in these colors. It’s high time that a new generation learned of the awesome powers of translucent, colorful casing.

While I have a lot of grievances with the Rock Candy controllers, they do have their uses. If you’ve got kids, these are a perfect fit for their hands. The price point is low enough ($19.99!) that you’re not taking a huge risk in picking one up. Plus, the colors all rule. But be warned – sometimes a great deal is too good to be true. Third party wired controllers are all very reasonable in price, and a little more money goes a long way. I should know – I’ve covered a boatload of them. Between the finicky D-pad, the weird button layout, and the curious weight, you get what you pay for here. PDP’s Rock Candy wired controllers are a sweet deal with some serious caveats.

***A retail copy of the hardware was provided by the manufacturer***