Gulikit, a company I had no idea existed, suddenly came to my attention because DataBlitz posted an item from Gulikit on their Facebook - it was the Nintendo Switch KingKong Pro Wireless controller. I, being a complete and total controller slut, decided that I couldn't let this very interesting and feature-rich controller go without testing. The very next day, I picked one up. They're actually selling pretty fast and the branch I went to had theirs sold out the day before. Thankfully, as I was getting ready to leave, a lady from the back said they just got new stock being unboxed in the back.
Price
The regular GuliKit KingKong Wireless controller goes for Php 1,395 ($26.86) and the Pro variation goes for Php 1,995 ($38.42). For the Pro, it comes with a box, a very good hard case, a USB-C cable, an extensive manual (because you're gonna need it) and the controller itself. You can get it on Lazada for around the same price. Buy it from Lazada to support GeekOut!
The controller works on Android, Windows (both Xinput and Dinput) and of course, Nintendo Switch.
Compatibility and Support
I don't really test on Android because I don't play mobile games that much, but I can vouch for both wired and wireless compatibility for both PC and Nintendo Switch.
On the PC, I recommend just setting it as Xinput just because Windows just has less trouble with that. If you use Xinput, Steam detects it as an Xbox One controller. Using Dinput, Steam detects it as a Gulikit controller, but it tends to bug out with some games. Using Xinput, after pairing the bluetooth with the PC one time, it just automatically syncs up when you turn on the controller by pressing the top button. Easy peasy.
For the Nintendo Switch, it becomes a little more complicated. Pressing the sync button while Nintendo Switch is selected isn't going to automatically search for the closest Nintendo Switch and just magically sync up. You're going to have to go to Controllers > Change Grip Order then press the sync button. After syncing it up to your Switch, it unfortunately won't turn your Switch on from sleep. You're gonna have to use another controller to wake up your Switch, but once it's awake, syncing is a matter of pressing the sync button.
Build Quality and Form Factor
Comfort is something I value very highly when it comes to controllers and the GuiliKit KingKong Pro controller scores very high in that regard. It literally is an absolute pleasure to hold.
The contour of the controller will feel familar to you because it feels almost exaclty like an Xbox One controller. The grips on either side of the controller make it incredibly comfortable to hold with a perfect place to rest your inactive fingers. Grips are pretty much the perfect shape and length, especially for my tiny Asian hands. However, the face plate and backplate are separated by a very noticable gap that your pinky will constantly feel. It's certainly not distracting during gameplay but you'll notice it for sure.
The plastic used for the shell feels very premium. Paired with the semi-matte finish, it really does end up looking and feeling like a high-end peripheral, smooth as a baby's behind.
In terms of durability, the controller shell and buttons feel very sturdy. Nothing feels brittle or loose. I did drop it hard once, and the ZL button jammed itself up that I couldn't press it anymore, but all I had to do was force it back in and it was right as rain.
Button Feel
There's only really one issue with the feel of any of the physical controls - the A button (or B on Xbox configuration) catches on the plastic front plate sometimes. It isn't a deal breaker but it does happen and it gets annoying when it does, but it's something pretty easy to ignore. But apart from that, all face buttons feel great to press. None of them feel cheap, even though the menu buttons all feel light. The plus and minus buttons act normally on the Nintendo Switch. On PC games, though, the plus and minus buttons become the options and start menu buttons and they feel a little high. Would've been great if for PC, the home and screenshot buttons were the main menu buttons instead, but it's not a big deal.
Both L and R buttons have a distinct, meaty click, which make them very satisfying to press. The ZL and ZR triggers have a decent travel and measure pressure perfectly - you can tell when you're playing a driving game and the acceleration is pretty much on point with how far you pull on the trigger.
Both analog sticks click in about as well as you'd expect, but with a significantly chunkier sounding click than an Xbox One controller.
Another fantastic thing about the KingKong Pro is the dpad. It's very accurate, enough to be used for fighting games. There are no accidental up or down inputs when you want a left or a right. Trouble is diagonals are a little hard to hit. You'll need to really lean into them, otherwise you'll just get either the vertical or horizontal button. It's a small price to pay for dpad accuracy.
Accuracy
Speaking of accuracy, the right stick is incredibly accurate- like Dualshock 4 levels of accuracy. Tried it on Ghost Recond Wildlands, Anthem, Assassin's Creedy Odyssey (hey those arrows need some pinpoint accuracy for headshots), and Paladins on the Nintendo Switch. If you're planning on playing a shooter on the Switch or a third person game on the PC, you won't be struggling with hyper-fast acceleration or inconsistent deadzones.
Extra Features
And if the default sensitivity isn't to your liking, you can actually fix it via the hardware, which is pretty rare to find on a third party controller at that price point. By pressing the gear button and clicking on the R3 button will adjust its sensitivity. There are 3 sensitivity settings. You're gonna have to try them out to see which one suits you the best, but I found actually found myself switching from one sensitivity to another based off the need.
It gets even more accurate with gyro-enabled aim assist. It worked great on Paladins! It's a little OP, especially if you consider most Switch players probably won't have that little advantage. And if you want to adjust the aim assist sensitivity, all you have to do is press the gear button + L or ZL to either bring it up or down. Like most settings on the GuliKit KingKong Pro, there are 3 major settings to work with. I found the default to be easiest to manage.
Trigger sensitivity can also be adjusted. For when you really need to fire first. To adjust, just press the gear button + left or right on the dpad. It either ramps up as you press down on the triggers or just fires at full capacity immediately at the first sign of input.
Adjusting vibration is also possible. Gear + up or down on the dpad adjusts how much the controller shakes. And by default, the vibrations are really, really strong.
Another great feature the KingKong Pro has that most other third party Nintendo Switch controllers don't is Amiibo support. I tested it out with a Ryu Amiibo and it worked flawlessly.
And on top of all of those extra features, it also has a robust macro button. It's called the Learning button, which essentially lets you input a chain of commands for the controller to execute automatically, with timing considerations included. I was able to execute a 10-hit string with it just by pressing a single button. The downside is that it doesn't recognize screen context, meaning in fighting games, it won't care if you're facing left or right so inputs that are side dependent won't work. For example, if your combo starts off with an u/f 4, then if you start the macro facing the other direction, you'll get u/b 4. That's actually pretty powerful if you could think of something it'd be useful for. Maybe an RDC that never fails is pretty cheap.
Battery Life
The battery is rated at 500 mAh, which may not seem like much but it lasts for hours. I haven't actually tested how long it'll last because I always end up charging it before it fizzles out, and I've gamed on this thing for a full 6 hours.
Issues
So with all those bells and whistles, all of which work pretty perfectly, the GuiliKit KingKong Wireless Pro Controller for the Nintendo Switch has one massive flaw - it can NOT wake a Nintendo Switch up from standby. So in that regard, it isn't any better than any other third party controller. If it could and had a 3.5mm headphone jack, it will take my pick for the absolute best controller for the Nintendo Switch. But for now, it'll have to settle for the title of absolute best third party controller for the Nintendo Switch.
9.7Overall10Design9.5Function9.5Value