The Nintendo Switch remains a staunch favorite in my house, even eight years after release and with the Switch 2 finally just around the corner. A major part of that appeal is the plethora of third party accessories, many of which rival official Nintendo gear in quality and inventiveness.
Turtle Beach, whom I've reviewed in the past, sent me their REMATCH GLOW wireless controller over for review, and I spent the better part of a month with it at home, on the road, with friends, and even giving it to children for some truly horrifying rough use during an extended Mario Kart session.
Here's how the controller survived.
Features
The Rematch Glow looks, feels, and handles mostly like the official Pro Controller, though its textures make it appear just a tad smaller and lighter in the hand. It's brightly colored, even more so in person than in pictures, and the overall feel is surprisingly premium.
The buttons are tactile, especially around the back, where the clicks provide a rush of endorphins every single time. The front facing buttons are similarly well-adjusted, with good traction and comfortable feel under the thumb.
The back buttons are also mappable for custom functionality, but I found myself almost never using this. Most Nintendo games are so well-designed that any fiddling around feels like putting a hat on a hat. It isn't necessary, and for the most part I just used ignored their existence.
One thing that does bug me is how the bright white coloring overpowers the symbols, and there were a few times that I got confused which button was which when searching for the quick share and home shortcuts. Since the controller is aiming for a unified look, I get why it's made this way, but I still wish it was just a little bit more legible.
The front side of the controller is decorated in images of the iconic Boo ghost from the Mario series, with his numerous friends peppered around the edges of the device. When played in a darkened room, the controller glows lightly with the ghosts all taking a different form.
It's a cute trick, one that always delighted me when I noticed it. When the kids came over for Mario Kart antics, there was a series of delighted screams when they realized what was going on. It's the kind of simple but effective charm that has always stood out in Nintendo products, and Turtle Beach has consistently excelled in past years with their offering on this front.
Usability and Battery Life
The Rematch Glow handled everything I threw at it exceptionally well. During my month of use, I took it along for road trips, LAN parties, and made ample use of it with my main Switch unit plugged into the TV. No matter where I was or what I played, the Rematch Glow performed as one would expect from any premium product.
The joysticks are accurate and tactile, and there's a fantastic rubber coating on the top that makes them comfortable to use for longer periods of time. The shoulder buttons are a little rough and have, to my mind, less traction than the regular Pro Controller, which made for some odd miss-clicks during gameplay.
In fast-paced gaming, the Rematch Glow handled connectivity well, and I didn't notice any perceivable lag anywhere. At best, I paired my main Switch with multiple Pro Controllers and the Rematch Glow and guests couldn't tell the difference in quality. In the distant past, third party controllers were the domain of younger siblings and unwanted guests. Today, anyone can pick the controller that pleases them aesthetically.
Battery life was similarly excellent. I averaged around 25-30 hours of gaming split over multiple days. At best, I charged maybe once a week with the accompanied USB-C cable and then didn't think about the matter for a long while afterward.
Standby time is just as staggering as on the official Pro Controller. At one point, I left the Rematch Glow in my backpack for a week between trips. Arriving at the airport, I picked it up and started playing, completely forgetting that I hadn't charged it any point. This didn't seem to bother the controller at all, as it kept on going for the duration of the entire flight, the journey to the hotel, and well into the night and next day before it even considered giving a low battery warning.
Price and Competition
The Rematch Glow costs 49,99€ and is available at almost all good retailers. It competes directly with other third party controllers of its kind, but in reality it's more of a match for the official Nintendo Pro Controller.
The only downside to the Rematch Glow series is their lack of motion sensors, which is a necessity for some games. Not all, and some even provide quite decent workarounds for it, but it is notable. If this is a deal-breaker for you, I would recommend instead looking at the official Pro lineup, which is around 10-15€ more.
Who's It For?
In terms of quality, usability, and sheer fun factor, the Rematch Glow should be a strong contender for families with multiple users who want a more personalized gaming experience. It's a high-quality, super fun device that consistently made me smile when I saw it lying on the table or picked it up for a gaming session.
PDP and Turtle Beach have knocked it out of the park once again and delivered an accessory that is easy to recommend for just about everyone.
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