The FUNLAB Firefly Pro is a third-party alternative to the Pro Controller for the Nintendo Switch, coming in at a lower price. It comes with several additional features and a selection of attractive designs to choose from, including those based on popular IPs such as Mario, Pokémon, Zelda, and Among Us.
While this controller is primarily designed for the Nintendo Switch, it also works on Windows via Bluetooth or a wired connection. It should also be compatible with Android, iOS and SteamOS, although I don’t have the requisite devices to check myself.
Lighting Up for the First Time
Setup is standard for third-party Nintendo Switch controllers. It’s fairly straightforward and all laid out in the manual and on the box. Just navigate through the menus and go through a short sequence to connect, and you should be good.
Once it’s set up, it lasts a long while thanks to its 950mAh battery. This isn’t as large as the official Pro controller’s 1300 mAh, but it’s certainly enough for an all-day gaming session, even if it would be nicer to have a higher capacity.
The material strength and components seem to be good for the most part, with one exception mentioned below. It doesn’t have the same premium feel as the PlayStation 5 or XBox controllers (understandable as it is cheaper), but the build quality appears to be good and all the components are responsive.
Holding Controllers
At first glance, the FUNLAB Firefly Pro looks more or less the same as the official Nintendo Pro controller. It has a similar layout which is comfortable to hold. There are some differences though, such as the screenshot and home buttons sticking out more which makes them easier to press. More notably, it has some additional buttons on the back for extra functions. The buttons themselves are all responsive and click in easily.
The D-Pad can be switched between a circular type and a four-directional type (both of which come with the controller) which is always a nice option to have. It fits in its slot very securely which is good for use, though I had to pull hard enough to get it out that I was starting to wonder whether it was supposed to come out that way.
The back is slightly textured adding to the grip, which is helpful. It’s not as good as some of the higher-end options, but it’s priced to fit.
Extra Features
The FUNLAB Firefly Pro includes amiibo NFC functions, but oddly enough it’s only on the Legend of Zelda series of controller designs. Most of them (including my review unit) don’t. The lack of this feature isn’t too unusual for third-party controllers, but it would’ve been nice to have. It does seem an odd choice to include it on only certain designs, especially when they’re all the same price.
As mentioned, it comes with a few buttons on the back to assist gameplay. Two are macro buttons which can be used to set a sequence of up to 24 buttons. They’re easy to set up, easy to press, and can simplify a lot of functions from pulling off a move in a fighting game to going through the sequence of several menu inputs to save the game in one click.
There’s a turbo button too, which can repeat the same button either automatically or while holding the button, at a selected speed. It’s useful, but the button itself is right on the center of the back, so it’s awkward to manually hold it.
Vibration can be adjusted as well. It’s quite easy with a button on the back letting you switch between 100%, 75%, 50%, 25% and 0% options.
Unlike some other third-party controllers, the FUNLAB Firefly Pro does include motion tracking, which I found it to be accurate with. Of course, it is limited to suitable games where you’re just tilting the controller rather than performing motions like punching.
Appearance
The controller that I’m checking out for this review is designed based on Pokémon Scarlet/Violet. You can see their other designs here.
The standout feature in terms of appearance is the ‘hidden-til-lit display’ which almost completely hides the design on the controller unless it’s lit up. The lighting up comes in seven colors: red, yellow, blue, green, purple, orange, and pink. This can either be on constantly, pulsing in a breath pattern, or off. Not only does it nicely light up the design, but it highlights the buttons and analog sticks.
I do like the design a lot, but while the controller build itself seems solid enough, a drop onto a hard floor was enough to scratch a little portion of the coating off, making the all-black appearance have a gray scuff mark. If it’s not treated well, the appearance may not stand the test of time.
Verdict
The FUNLAB Firefly Pro does have some trade-offs that are less than ideal, but between the low cost and extra functions, it has enough to make it worth the recommendation. It helps that it comes in several attractive designs, though it does hurt to lose out on NFC if you’re more of a Pokémon fan than a Zelda fan.
FUNLAB FIREFLY PRO IS RECOMMENDED
Purchase: Funlab Website
FunLab has set up a 15% off discount code for our readers: NOOKGAMING15 – this should apply to all products if you enter it at the checkout.
Looking for another controller? Why not check out the Nacon Pro Compact?
Many thanks go to Funlab for providing a review unit for the FUNLAB Firefly Pro.
A gamer since the days of Amstrad and DOS and someone who has dabbled in a variety of professions. He enjoys a wide variety of genres, but has been focusing on visual novels and virtual reality in recent years. Head Editor of NookGaming. Follow him and the website on @NookSite.
