Nintendo Switch Minecraft Forest Biome REALMz Wireless Controller

★★★★ | You know, for kids.

“Oh my God, you’ve got a Steve!”

That was the reaction of my not-easily-impressed family friend in their early teens. I’m not sure if it was an entirely sincere display of excitement, or tinged with that backhanded snark they employ so efficiently, but there was something that broke the hard surface of pre-teen malaise.

When I reported my first impressions from Gamescom on PDP’s foray into making controllers collectible and communal again, I remember thinking that while cute, I didn’t “get” the point entirely. Now, having used the controller and seen how kids from 6 and up react to seeing it, I do. Where my generation was all about decals and personalized colors for their controllers, this younger generation appreciates the novelty of collectible characters and seeing the inner workings of their toys.

On that front, the REALMz series has impressed me more than once. It’s a perfect encapsulation of the fun that is Minecraft, packed into a solidly built and well-crafted controller you can genuinely recommend to anyone.

In effect, it’s a Nintendo Switch controller that’s slightly smaller, a little more clicky, and durable enough to handle the demonic use of a kid who can barely string a sentence together yet somehow understands the inner workings of Minecraft’s lore. Go figure.

The presentation is a delight. The see-through plastic reveals how the controller is put together on the inside, but it’s not the main draw of the article. Instead, the moment you push a button, the device lights up in Minecraft-themed color schemes and keeps going unless you turn off the extra feature. If you don’t, you won’t see a difference in battery life. No matter what I threw at it, the REALMz controller would not die before the advertised 40-hour mark. Like the official Nintendo Pro Controller, it’s a case of reliable craftsmanship that, once charged, you don’t have to think about for a good long while.

The delights continue as you take a look at the controller handles. Each comes with a Minecraft-themed figure, making each controller unique and a collectible. When I spoke with Turtle Beach and PDP reps at Gamescom, their ambition was simple:

“We wanted to move from third-party controllers being an afterthought into something that you take pleasure in collecting”, they explained. “We miss collecting and the community that it cultivates. It’s fun to meet other gamers and compare your gear. It’s a way of showing what matters to your identity”.

It’s a novel idea, one that I can fully get behind, especially when the rest of the quality matches that vision.

I tested the REALMz controller with games like Tears of the Kingdom, Mario Party Jamboree, and Dead Cells. Each requires a different kind of approach to handling and usability. The REALMz controller proved solid all around, even if it’s just a tad too small for my hands. If you’ve got meaty paws like mine, you’ll probably want to stick with the regular Pro Controller or check out the Victrix or Afterglow series from Turtle Beach.

But for younger gamers or those with smaller hands, like my partner, the REALMz controller fits a niche that is often overlooked. It’s light without feeling like a toy, and sturdy enough that if you (or a cat) drop it off the table it won’t shatter. It’s the kind of extension of the gaming setup that you don’t think about until you pick it up, at which point it always made me smile. It’s a visual treat and a promise of a lineup that I could see myself genuinely getting excited about.

I’m not a big Minecraft fan — at least, not anymore, since I devoted more than a few hours to it over 10 years ago — but should there ever be a Final Fantasy or Zelda lineup of this gear? Oh boy, I’d go broke collecting every single one.

Check out the REALMz controller on the Turtle Beach Store here