Accent maker Genki has an entire host of Swap 2 equipment in the marketplace to assist the console’s launch, and the excellently named Assault Vector is among the ones which caught my consideration from the get-go.
Described by Genki (which is at present in Nintendo’s dangerous books) as a “modular grip case for severe handheld command”, the Assault Vector is available in three completely different components. The primary bodywork clips onto your Swap 2 console, whereas the opposite two items bolt onto your Pleasure-Con 2 controllers.
On a fundamental degree, these are designed to supply slimline safety in your shiny new buy, however in actuality, they’re nowhere close to substantial sufficient to forestall injury from extreme drops; you may keep away from scratching or marking the Swap 2, however that is about it.
The three-piece modular design means you possibly can take away your Pleasure-Con 2 if you wish to, and the primary a part of the case is so skinny it does not forestall you from docking the Swap 2, which is a plus. The rear of the case additionally helps snap-on equipment because of a small MagSafe-style magnetic part; that is helpful for clipping on plug-in exterior battery packs, for instance (naturally, Genki has its personal choice right here, known as the Power Pack).
Nevertheless, by far probably the most fascinating ingredient of the Assault Vector is the trio of swappable grips that bolt onto the again of the Pleasure-Con 2 sections of the case. The smallest set (“Feather”) offers you small bumps to grip onto, whereas probably the most pronounced pair (“Anchor”) is fairly large however supplies probably the most agreeable ergonomic expertise. The “Steadiness” set is someplace in the course of these two extremes. To be sincere, except the “Feather” set (which does not actually appear to make an enormous distinction), the opposite two grips are glorious and actually do make the Swap 2 extra comfy to play for extended intervals.
The grips have a rubberised texture, so that they’re super-tactile, and there are “sweat-resistant bands” (in keeping with Genki) that imply they do not get slippy when the motion heats up.
Previous to getting my Swap 2 this week, I have been enjoying an terrible lot on my Steam Deck OLED, and I’ve to confess the ergonomics of that gadget are a lot higher than Nintendo’s new hybrid console. Nevertheless, with the Assault Vector put in, the distinction is much less apparent.
It is a disgrace, then, that some parts of Genki’s modular case let it down. As beforehand talked about, the Assault Vector feels very flimsy, and there is loads of flex and motion in the primary case, even when it is clipped onto the Swap 2 itself. Whereas the Pleasure-Con 2 grips are nice for enhancing total ergonomics, it looks like they add additional ‘pivot’ to the controllers. I truly assume the magnets which maintain the Pleasure-Con 2 to the Swap 2 are nice, however I’ve by no means been so conscious that they’re separate elements than once I used the Assault Vector. The quantity of ‘wobble’ you are feeling throughout use is fairly excessive.
This grievance apart, I truly discovered myself liking the Assault Vector case. It is fairly costly for what primarily quantities to 3 sections of skinny plastic, however the swappable grips are genuinely helpful, and having a trio of dimension choices means you are nearly certain to seek out the grip that fits you. It is only a disgrace that extra sturdy safety is not a part of the bundle.
The Genki Assault Vector is offered straight from the producer and prices $49.99 / £42.