Nyko’s Joy-Con Charge Block Keeps You Gaming

Picture this: You are having some friends over for a sweat-inducing night of Mario Kart.  Everything is set up. You got your chips. You got your dip. Oh, and don’t forget the chains and the whips! All that you need to think about now is which character you will use to take down all of your buddies.  As your friends filter in one-by-one you get closer to game time. The trash talk has just gone from a simmer to a full-on boil. You grab your Switch and slam it into your dock (without trying to scratch the screen). You pop the Joy-Cons off and you hand them to two of your buddies. After a few minutes of searching, you locate the two extra Joy-Cons that you’ve purchased along with your Switch…but there’s a problem.  They’re dead. You forgot to switch out your charged Joy-Cons with the dead ones last time you docked your Switch and now your game night is ruined. Do you know how you could have avoided this depressing situation? The solution is a simple one. Let me introduce you to Nyko’s Joy-Con Charge Block!

Most gamers know that in order to keep themselves gaming, they’ll need a freshly charged set of controllers. This is usually done with a charging base that plugs into an outlet somewhere nearby the console. The beauty of Nintendo’s Switch is that the controllers seamlessly charge along with the console itself, pretty much making a charging base unnecessary. But what many Switch owners don’t think about is how they’re going to charge that extra set of Joy-Con’s that they’ll eventually be purchasing down the line. That’s where Nyko’s Charge Block comes in. Whichever set of Joy-Con’s that aren’t attached to the console can be kept charged while not in use. It’s certainly something that I didn’t think about until I had the Charge Block in my home. Before owning the Charge Block, I would just have to remember to swap out my extra set of Joy-Con’s to keep them charged. Now I don’t need to think about that at all, which comes in handy while planning a game night.  

While most controller charging stations are big and bulky, Nyko’s Charge Block is slim and sleek. It has a nice deep black color with a matte finish, so dust accumulation shouldn’t be too noticeable. There is also a small NYKO emblem embossed on the center of the unit, but it’s the same color of the unit itself, so it won’t stand out.  Measuring in at a measly three inches wide and four inches deep, it’s something that you and your guests probably won’t even notice.

There are a few options to consider when setting up the Charge Block. For gamers who have multiple consoles using up all of their surge protectors or electrical outlets, the Charge Block comes with a 3.0 USB charge cable that can easily be plugged into the Switch’s dock or anything else that has a USB connection. Of course, if there is an extra slot on the surge protector, the AC adapter that comes with the unit can also be used in conjunction with the USB charge cable.

The Charge Block functions as it should and didn’t give us any problems during our week-long testing period. We drained all four of our Joy-Con’s batteries until they powered off and then slid all four into the Charge Block via the rails built into the dock. After a slight click that let us know the Joy-Con’s were in place, a green blinking light indicated that the controllers were charging. After an hour or so the green light went solid to let us know that our Joy-Con’s were completely charged. We removed them by pulling them up the rails and out of the dock, and back to gaming, we went.  It’s as simple as that.

One feature that the Charge Block promotes but we were unable to test is the ability to expand or connect multiple Charge Blocks together. This means that if you purchased Nyko’s Switch Pro Controller Charge Block, you can connect it to the Joy-Con Charge Block for a sleeker/more convenient setup. This feature will also let you connect Charge Blocks from different platforms together. Meaning you can connect your PS4 controller Charge Block to your Joy-Con Charge Block.

If you’re a Switch owner with multiple sets of Joy-Cons, you should consider giving Nyko’s Charge Block a try. Having a set of fully charged Joy-Con’s is a must, especially if you have kids or host the occasional game night. Its ease of use and sleek look just make it that much more amazing.

Final Verdict: 5/5

Full disclosure: This review is based on a product sample provided by the manufacturer.