When you buy a new console, invariably you will want to get a second controller – if you have friends, that is. And when you have had it for a while, there’s a chance it may let you down, often due to dreaded CDS – Controller Drift Syndrome.

This has happened to us far too often sadly, and with first party controllers, shamefully. We bought the expensive official Switch Pro controller, for instance, which was an appealing bit of kit, until it developed drift, and now is just a lump of black plastic gathering dust.

So buying an official controller doesn’t guarantee shit, especially when they continue to produce controllers that are still capable of drift.

Of course it was a phenomenon that was pretty much eradicated in 1998, with the launch of the Dreamcast, as their controllers use Hall Effect technology, which don’t suffer from drift. But despite being revolutionary, it’s a technology that was left back there, up until recently.

And now we’ve moved on even further with the arrival of TMR, dubbed as a premium, next-gen game controller sensor technology. And this Turtle Beach Rematch™ Wireless controller utilises it.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. First let’s just admire its art design; Mario and his loyal brother Luigi, with their arms crossed and looking ready for action. Having these characters also means the controller comes in an officially licensed Nintendo box, very much getting their seal of approval. And it’s no surprise as it’s a wonderful look, one that will certainly appeal to any Mario fan.

There’s more to it than just colourful characters, as it also has Dynamic RGB lighting up its sleeve. Using the function button you have a choice of four modes, which can really bring the controller to life in your hands. And thankfully you can also turn it off, and that’s not meant in a bad way; having the light show on during the day is pretty pointless, so it makes sense to turn it off, and using it for when its darker. And of coursed in doing so, you’re also saving your battery, which is a good thing, as the lighting is battery hungry. According to official figures, the controller lasts an impressive 40 hours with the lighting off, and 12 hours with it on, which sounds about right having used it for a while.

So then we connected to our Switch 2, which we didn’t have to refer to the online manual for, simply using the sync button next to its charging port on the top of the controller.

Our first test was Mario Kart World. We got off to a very good start with boosts on the starting line for all our races in the grand prix, hitting the acceleration button at just the right time.

And then we raced. And it was just like our official Switch 2 Pro controller (yep, we got suckered into it, sigh), with the controller behaving just the way we expected it to. Drifting, shooting, steering, all managed without any twitchiness or oddness in anyway.

We then took it for a spin in Pokopia, where it, like many of the Pokémon found, made itself right at home.

It’s a controller that’s bound to be compared to the Pro, and it does well against it; it’s about the same weight, despite not having HD Rumble, which may be an issue for some. It’s something we can live without though, so wasn’t a problem.

The thumbsticks feel the same, despite using different technology, and are just as smooth and responsive as the Pro. The face buttons aren’t as soft, and are on the clicky side, but again, do as they’re supposed to.

It also comes with two mappable quick-action back buttons, which is something we don’t really take advantage of in any version, but are there if you do.

Perhaps our biggest gripe with it is that you can’t wake the console up with it; this means having to get off your butt and turning the console on, and then the controller connects. It just takes a little re-training though, remembering to put the console on before you sit down, which is no real hardship.

It does have one big tick in its favour over the Pro however, and that’s the ability to also connect with the original Switch. And for that alone, it has to be a serious consideration over the Pro 2, having that great connectivity and not likely to suffer from drift to boot.

It also uses the lighting to good effect regarding its battery; when it’s running low when you have the lighting on, it will gently glow red to let you know it needs charging. And when you do charge it, it glows red again, until it will glow green to let you it’s fully charged, which is a nice touch.

All in all it’s a controller that we would not only eagerly recommend as a must-have second controller, but also a serious contender to the Switch Pro 2 itself, with its versatility and durability. And let’s face it, the Pro controllers are darn ugly, and this is just brighter all round in every sense, making this a genuine contender to the Pro’s throne.

All hail Mario and Luigi.