Hello there readers! How are you today? I hope you’re here for a nice, relaxed, zen review. I’m going to be gently talking to you about the new Ice themed ZenGrip Go Bundle for the Nintendo Switch from Satisfye. Now, if you’re not into transparent colored items, or items that don’t match, I’d recommend you check out my previous review. I covered the black grip originally and while it was a prototype at the time, the prototype itself was great, but the final product was even better. You can find that review by clicking here. Alright, light some incense, clear your mind, and let’s find our chi.
Description:
‘Oh snap! We’re taking it back to the 90s with our coolest looking ZenGrips yet. Introducing our ICE Edition Holiday Bundles, featuring a radical, transparent glacier design ZenGrip – available for the Nintendo Switch. Nice.’
Features:
- ‘Ice Edition Pro Grip
- Ice Edition Elite Grip Case (Black)
- Ice Edition Shoulder Strap (Black)
- (2) Ice Edition Controller Rails
- 3ft USB A-C charging cable
- (2) Black Thumbpads
- (2) White Thumbpads’
Unboxing Video:
Commercial:
Pros:
- Ease. I’m absolutely certain you can see how simple it is to place your Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch Lite into one of these grips. You leave the Joycons in the rails of the Joycon and insert the whole entire Switch. That’s right, there’s no disassembly or assembly required. You’re simply sliding the whole kit and kaboodle into the ZenGrip. There will be some resistance of course. And that seems like a perfect transition into the next section.
- Reliability. Ok, so, you want your Switch to stay in the grip, right?! Well good, because that is the sole reason for these rubber studs that are lining the inside of the ZenGrip. You’ll feel the aforementioned resistance putting it in (and also pulling it out), but it’s not a “am I about to break this?!” kind of resistance. It’s more like sliding on a shoe that’s half a size too small. It’s still able to fit, but it is not going to come off without some help. So feel free to hold this whole setup upside down, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. You can thank Satisfye for that.
- Ports. The charge port on the bottom is open, it would be insane if it weren’t. But one of the nice touches is that there is space enough also for connecting a bluetooth adapter for bluetooth headphones/earbuds. Beyond that, the ports on top are also open. Feel free to swap games easily. You have access to the power buttons and volume rocker. The headphone jack is also accessible. The ventilation grill is also open so your Switch can breathe. And while they’re not ports, it’s probably worth mentioning that the shoulder buttons are not covered or being hugged by any plastic from the grip. Sometimes grips/shells have some reasoning for grabbing the top of the device. The ZenGrip does not need to.
- Other Colors. It goes without saying that the Ice Edition and black colored grips that we’ve discussed thus far are not the only options. Satisfye also has designed a White ZenGrip for the Switch Lites (to match the thumbsticks). They have also crafted a Tropical Edition of the ZenGrip. On top of that, the Tropical Edition comes in two different color variants. To clarify what I mean by that, I first need to start by stating that the Tropical Edition is for those lucky gamers that own an Animal Crossing New Horizons themed Switch. So, the two different colors of the Tropical Edition are that of the two different Animal Crossing Joycons. So you can either choose between Palm Green or Sky Blue. Both of which, have the alternate color as the color on the backside of the grip. They really thought it all out. And of course, they come with matching thumbstick caps. But we’re here to keep talking about the Ice Edition, so let’s continue.
- Frosted Beauty. Man, this thing is sharp! It’s a treat to look at, that’s for sure. If you watched my unboxing video, you’ll hear how stunned I was. The overall fit and finish of this grip is one that leaves nothing to be desired. We’ll obviously come back to the comfort of the accessory soon. But I just wanted to quickly give this a quick thumbs up for how great it looks in the hands and how much of a grand conversation piece that has come to be. There’s nothing quite as striking when it comes to retro accessories as a transparent design.
- Lite. It also comes in a Switch Lite variant. Not just the grip, but as you may have seen in the unboxing video, it gets the whole kit. Naturally, if you’re on a tight budget, you can indeed just buy the ZenGrip on its own for the Switch Lite. But if you can hold out longer, it’s worth it to have the whole portable bundle. I feel like between the features list, the unboxing video, and my “extras” section a little further down, you know what you’re missing out on if you only get the grip.
- Comfort. This device is smooth and ergonomic, no doubt about it. I never feel like I’ve got to have a tight grasp on it as I do with the small Joycons. It relieves muscles that you didn’t know you were using when you’re playing a fast-paced game and need to hold onto the Switch for dear life. On the front, there’s no strange texturing. However, there is a grippy texture where you need it most. It’s great for those with sweaty hands especially, you know who you are. My favorite thing about the comfort is that there are no random scratchy edges where the plastic is sealed together (I think they’re called burrs).
- Tabletop Mode. You can rest the whole ZenGrip with your Switch in it vertically on the table and then play a Switch game in tabletop mode. If you have an extra pair of Joycons, simply leave your Switch in the ZenGrip, rest it upright, and sync your extra Joycons. You’ll be playing in no time. Now, I’m sure the purpose of this choice was not necessarily so you could game in tabletop mode. It’s more likely that it’s that way so that you can rest it when you need to take a break for a moment. Lying it on its front would put pressure on the sticks. Lying it on its back risks you hurting your ZL and ZR buttons since there would be more weight and downward pressure since there is a curved grip. You certainly don’t want to put any unnecessary weight/pressure on them.
- Extras. There are plenty of great extras included in this bundle. Naturally, you have the carrying case, more on that soon. But you’ll find useful additions inside of the case alongside the ZenGrip. Extras such as the caps for the thumbsticks, more on that soon as well. If you order a full-sized Switch bundle, you’ll also come across rails for keeping your Joycons safe and clean. Additionally, it will keep them from rattling around in the case. Last, but not least, there is a very nice, fabric-covered USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
- Portability. The case is bigger than it lets on, but it’s not terribly giant either. A certain type of person might refer to it as “chonky”. It can hold everything that it comes with, (duh) as well as your games, two sets of Joycons, your Switch, and your power supply. If you only game portably, this kit is all that you’ll ever need for the rest of the time that you have a Switch in your life.
- Storage space. I sort of already mentioned that you can take a lot with you. I mean, come on, why else have they called it the “Go” bundle? But I wanted to let you know, that the storage doesn’t stop there. In fact, I bet you can include so much more in that giant front pocket. I don’t have extra things to jam in there, so I can’t really test it. But for sure, earbuds or smaller sized headphones could fit in there. If you squeeze in low-profile headphones, you likely won’t be able to include everything else though. I leave a pair of earbuds in my Switch case that matches my red and black Switch setup. They’re ONLY for my Switch and I love them to death.
- Cost. So, I mentioned in my video that I hope that the Switch Lite ZenGrip Go Bundle was a lesser cost than the full-sized bundle. I said that for a few reasons, mainly because there are physically less materials used to make the stuff. I also said so because there is no need to include the Joycon rails. Luckily, I was right in my guess. Satisfye has about a $5 difference on them (when they are not on sale). Do I think the price is good? Yes, absolutely. If you compare everything to equivalents from other companies (of course other companies don’t have everything that Satisfye has in this bundle), you’ll spend more than that and who knows about the quality of the other guys’ stuff.
- Protection. My current Satisfye case that was my daily driver has been with me for about 2 years now. This case is the exact same quality and material, so I know that it’s going to withstand all of the crap I’m going to put it through. My original Satisfye case has been squished into backpacks, overhead compartments on planes, jammed in a glove compartment too. I’ve accidentally sat on it once as well and I weigh a clean 180 on a good day. I freaked out, not that I had hurt the case, but that I had destroyed my Switch. Not only did I not hurt the Switch, but the case was also still just fine. It barely gave in because it was so chock full of my belongings.
Properly implemented liquid protection is the other key to making a great case for portable devices. I’m certain that Satisfye has done their fair share of testing and so have I. My tests were always accidents over the last 2 years, and nothing like dropping it into a body of water, of course. But there is always that risk for that happening (don’t take your Switch to the tub, pool, lake, or beach please). For your standard everyday spills and indoor accidents, however, I believe that this is a well-built carrying case.
Cons:
- Doesn’t Match. Obviously, there are other color options that Satisfye makes that match a Switch. The black grip matches the classic black and grey Switch. It also does really well when you are using it with other Joycon colors. If you notice in their pictures, they’ve taken the time to shell swap the Joycon controllers to match the grip. This is an option, of course, don’t get me wrong. But it’s not practical for everyone who wants to be nostalgic and have a clear ZenGrip to also modify their Joycons. If you get this grip, you presumably have a colored or black Joycon set and this won’t match it terribly well.
But that’s not all that doesn’t quite make sense with the colors here. Because I’ve also noticed that it doesn’t make sense to have black or white caps included. Sure, the black caps that it comes with may match your Joycons, depending on what color you have. I’m also aware that certain Switch Lite models have white sticks. But no matter which of the two thumbstick caps you use, you’ll find that they too, don’t match the Ice themed ZenGrip. Yes, I’m aware thumbsticks are already black and I’m not complaining too much about the matter. I just wish there had been some caps that matched the grip itself. That would help tie the already mismatched Joycon color a bit more with the grip. - Cord. I wish the length was longer. That’s all. I know the value is there for everything else. But even a 5-foot length cord would do more to help out. I can’t see a practical use case for a 3-foot long USB cord. Unless that is, you never play while charging. Otherwise, you’d better plant your butt on the floor against the wall.
Overall Thoughts:
I do firmly believe that if you want this grip, that you should buy the entire Go Bundle. I have both the black grip and a standard Switch both from Satisfye, but they’re incompatible together. You don’t want a grip and case that don’t fit together if you love the grip as that means you’ll have to keep taking it out. The case that this comes with can house your whole portable setup while not being very large in size!
I wish that the option of a compatible case had existed since the very beginning, but I’m honestly glad that it exists now. I love the idea of dropping the ZenGrip with Switch inside into a case, zipping it up, and going. I think you can already tell that dispite my couple of gripes, that they truly have their crap together and it’s still worth the purchase. Especially because as of the time of writing this, they are having a sale on these bundles. GET YOU SOME!
Purchase Links:
ZenGrip Ice Edition Go Bundle for Switch
ZenGrip Ice Edition Go Bundle for Switch Lite
Giveaway Information:
Interested in winning the Ice themed ZenGrip Go Bundle for a Switch Lite?! Of course you are. The only way to enter is by following @V1RACY on Twitter. When the giveaway goes live on Monday the 25th, you’ll have one week to enter. The tweet will give you the details. Good luck!