PowerA Pac-Man Xbox Wireless Controller & Nintendo Switch Case Review - Cute Collectibles With Retro Vibes

A very important retro game celebrates its 45th anniversary this year, and PowerA has released a line of adorable console accessories that spotlight Pac-Man and all its dot-munching glory. The Pac-Man Xbox Wireless Controller and Nintendo Switch case are cute, colorful, and perfect for fans of retro vibes and arcade fashion.

PowerA is known for quality designs and exciting crossovers. We’ve had the chance to go hands-on with multiple Pro designs, and the Pokémon crossovers are some of my favorite personal accessories. Because of this, I was very excited to see how these Pac-Man options held up and what they looked like in person.

Key Details

Developer: PowerA/Bandai Namco
Console: Nintendo Switch (certified), PC, Xbox X|S
Where to Buy Wireless Controller: PowerA Online Store
Where to Buy Nintendo Switch Case: PowerA Online Store
Controller Price: $99.99
Nintendo Switch Case Price: $22.99
Review Sample Provided: Yes

The Pac-Man Xbox Wireless Controller Is Sleek, Hefty, & Colorful

As I’ve come to expect with PowerA controllers, the Pac-Man edition of the Wireless Xbox controller is a top-quality accessory. Sporting a headphone jack, Hall Effect thumbsticks, adjustable 3-way trigger locks, mappable buttons, and textured handgrips, it is a premium controller that will serve any Xbox or PC player well.

This wireless controller brings the Pac-Man vibes with an adorable surface plate that depicts an active game. The Y, X, A, and B keys are done in iconic font, and players will spot Pac-Man himself up by the Xbox Logo button that powers the controller on.

The big features for this controller are the glow-in-the-dark overlay of the backround and a backlight glow. When first looking at the controller, I thought the backlight glow was similar to the stunning RGB seen in recent PowerA controllers. However, this controller doesn’t have any RGB. Instead, to get the backlight glow, you must hold the controller under a UV light.

Glow-in-the-dark overlays are always tricky to truly experience, and unfortunately, this is definitely the case with this controller. To see it properly, I had to shut myself in the upstairs bathroom with no windows. Even after setting it out directly in the sun for a bit and trying it in a darker room, I had to return to the bathroom to really appreciate the glowing game elements on the faceplate. Unless you are playing in a pitch-dark room, this might not be an element that is easy to enjoy.

Now, the UV is a different story. I didn’t have a UV light to initially test this feature. However, after borrowing a UV flashlight, I can definitely say this is the way to go for getting a good glow on the controller. If you have UV set up in your office or as part of a gaming space, it is a delightful edition that is very retro and makes me think of the old ’80s arcade we used to have in my town.

The overall build quality of the controller is flawless. It sits comfortably in your hands as you play, is perfectly responsive on all buttons, and the 3-way trigger locks allow for comfort and customization. The locks are one of my favorite features PowerA includes, and I was so happy to see them on this controller.

Pac-Man Nintendo Switch Case

I own about eight PowerA Nintendo Switch cases. From collector’s edition Pokémon cases to more robust, generic traveling options, I absolutely love them. The Pac-Man Nintendo Switch case is part of the primary line of options players can choose from and includes all the bells and whistles.

The case is made of hard foam, with a cushioned, fabric interior that will protect your screen from scratches. This particular option also has Pac-Man motifs inside that are very cute. There are nine slots for game cartridge storage and a zippered net area in the upper compartment for cable or accessory storage. The clamshell seals shut with a plastic zipper, ensuring nothing will come loose during travel.

While the practical build of this case is everything I love about this storage option, I have a bit of a hard time with the Pac-Man gimmick. This case allows fans to customize a sleek outer surface with reusable cling stickers.

When the clings aren’t applied, the front of the case is very boring, showing only a Pac-Man game backdrop with no characters, dots, or fruit. The surface feels like an old-school sticker book. I don’t love the texture, and I found that it shows scuffs and bumps very quickly. This makes sticking it in bags a risky business.

My real issue was with the reusable clings. These little stickers are extremely cute, but they just don’t stick reliably. This means that they could fall off and get lost in backpacks or while in transit to other locations. I found they would get pulled off just by resting face down on surfaces, and they really enjoyed resticking to my kitchen countertops.

I want so badly to doctor up my case and show off my Pac-Man pride while on the go, but I’d recommend just setting this one up in an office as a collector’s piece if you plan to use the clings. Otherwise, you’ll end up losing Inky, Blinky, and Clyde on the local bus. It’s a real tragedy, honestly.

This case is a fantastic collector’s item, but for those constantly going from place to place, the Pokémon Pikachu Garden is my personal recommendation.

Final Score – 7/10

Despite a few hiccups, Pac-Man fans looking for collector’s items to add to their office definitely won’t want to miss out on either of these adorable accessories. The Xbox Wireless Controller is a fantastic option for retro fans wanting to show off their love while gaming, and the Nintendo Switch case is just cute and great to have as a 45th-anniversary celebration piece.

While I wouldn’t recommend the case as a travel option with this specific design, it is still a top-quality storage solution for Nintendo Switch users at home, and I can’t say enough good things about how secure and well-built they are. I don’t go anywhere without my PowerA cases, and I see zero issues with owning a dozen of them to switch between for different occasions.

If you are a Pac-Man enthusiast, these are definitely worth jumping in on. Just be sure to have your UV light handy and keep track of your sticker clings.

**Bonus Action was provided with samples of the Pac-Man Wireless Xbox Controller and Nintendo Switch case for the purpose of this review**

Laura Gray

Administrator

Laura Gray, known as Ezra when not putting pen to paper, is a D&D enthusiast with a love of all things written. They are a collector of fantasy and sci-fi novels, a lover of cooking weird food, and a player of farming sims and Pokémon games. When not engrossed in a re-read of Anne McCaffrey or a deep dive into the Adventure Zone: Balance, they can be found sniffing the cats and napping in half-finished crochet projects.

Visit Website View All Posts