Introduction
Yo what up fam? Its your boy Leo straight outta LA.
Im a total game head been diving deep into digital worlds and breaking down the dopest gear for a minute now.
Got a serious passion for killer games and Im here to drop some knowledge with my signature style and a grip of experience.
You can usually catch me vibin at 3215 Overland Ave Los Angeles California(CA) 90034.
Today were gonna chop it up about this fresh piece of tech that just dropped the CRKD Fortnite Festival Edition NEO S Controller.
Its lookin like a whole new way to jam in Fortnite Festival so lets get into it.
Droppin In A New Vibe for Fortnite Festival
Word up Fortnite fans Remember back in 23 when Fortnite Festival hit the scene?
Harmonix the legends behind Guitar Hero and Rock Band cooked up this rhythm game that felt totally familiar yet fresh.
You could rock out on all the platforms where you already played Fortnite. They even added support for guitar controllers later on.
But a lot of players were still just usin their regular controllers or even keyboards to get their groove on.
Then November 2024 rolled around and CRKD dropped the NEO S. This aint your average controller nahmean?
Its got this wild psychedelic look and comes strapped with five buttons specifically for the five tracks in Fortnite Festival.
Its a whole new way for us to get our jam on for real.
Lookin Fresh The Purple Wave Design
This controller man it aint tryin to blend in. Theyre callin the colorway the Purple Wave and its straight fire.
Think boxy design with these crazy wavy graphics and pops of neon pink. Straight outta the box this thing is eyecatchin.
It looks like somethin youd wanna put right on your shelf even if you werent gonna use it. When I first picked it up I was surprised how light it was.
I was thinkin Yo is this thing gonna hold up? It almost felt a little too light like it might be flimsy.
But after spendin mad hours mashin those buttons and frets its clear this thing is built to last. It can definitely take a beatin during those intense jam sessions.
Gettin the Hang of It The Learning Curve
Alright so I spent a grip of time with the NEO S and tryin to sum up the whole experience is kinda tricky.
If youve been throwin down on rhythm games for years you might think pickin up this purple piece of gear is gonna be a piece of cake.
But hold up It actually takes a good amount of practice even for us hardcore rhythm game veterans.
But the upside? The battery life on this thing is seriously long. Youll have all the time you need to get your fingers and brain synced up.
And trust if you stick with it and get past those initial challenges youre gonna feel like you just leveled up your whole gamer skills.
After about a dozen hours of playin that muscle memory started kickin in for sure.
But yeah theres definitely a learning curve you gotta conquer.
Different Strokes Instruments and Modes
Now lets talk about how this controller handles different parts in the game. If youre all about layin down vocals this might not be the ultimate experience for you.
But if you dig bangin on the drums or droppin that bass in pro mode? Dude its an absolute blast once you get used to the controllers unique feel and shape.
For those who are already beasts on rhythm game peripherals takin on lead or bass in expert mode could be a worthy challenge.
Just be warned it might put a little strain on your wrists at first. The NEO S comes with different difficulty modes Easy Medium and Hard.
Its also got settings for Expert and Pro modes with Pro being specifically designed for guitar controllers.
Plus heres a cool twist you can actually detach those five frets and use this controller for other PC and Nintendo Switch games if youre feelin a little retro vibe.
Thats versatility right there
Feel the Groove (or the Cramp?) Comfort Levels
While the NEO S has a lot goin for it it does have some quirks. For those quick jam sessions it feels totally fine.
But try to practice for over an hour and you might start feelin it. Findin a comfortable position can be a real struggle.
Some of the buttons are kinda far apart which can make those super fast button presses a bit tough.
However the good news is that some of these buttons are programmable so you can tweak things a bit to make it easier in some situations.
Even though the triggers feel like they can handle some action theyre a little on the weak side especially if youre comin from a controller like the DualSense with more resistance.
And about those five frets while they feel great and bring back memories of Guitar Hero On Tour on the Nintendo DS the little space between em can make playin more than a few songs a serious workout for your wrist.
Master in slower tracks aint too bad and nailin those hammerons and pulloffs feels super satisfying.
Plug In and Play Connectivity and Features
Gettin this bad boy connected is pretty smooth. Out of the box it hooks up to your PC easily with a USBC cable or via Bluetooth for PC or mobile.
If youre on the Nintendo Switch you just hold the CRKD button while youre on the controller connect screen and youre good to go. Like I mentioned before the battery life is impressive.
I got a little over seven hours of playtime on a single charge. And if you wanna customize your controls the accompanying CRKD app makes it quick and easy to remap everything to your liking.
So if somethin doesnt feel right with the default layout you can totally tweak it to fit your playstyle. You can even cycle through the controllers difficulty modes easily by holdin all five frets at once and lettin go when you hit the mode you want.
It starts on the easiest (purple light yo). Just make sure if youre on Switch you gotta talk to the NPC in the Fortnite Festival lobby to set your layout to Thumbs and doublecheck it doesnt revert to custom every time you hop back in
NEO S vs. the Big Guitars Price and Convenience
Lets be real the NEO S aint tryin to replace your fullsized guitar controller. But it does offer some serious advantages especially when it comes to price.
The popular Riffmaster guitar controller will set you back a hefty $130. The Fortnite Festival Edition NEO S? Its less than half that price clockin in at $60.
For casual gamers who just want a fresh way to enjoy rhythm games without breakin the bank the NEO S is a solid choice.
If youre lookin for a novel way to play Fortnite Festival more casually youll probably have a blast tryin to master this quirky little piece of hardware. But if youre serious about the rhythm game scene you might be better off investin in a standard guitar controller.
Plus the NEO S is super easy to just grab and play a few songs without all the setup. And it doesnt take up nearly as much space as a fullsized guitar. It even works as a regular controller for navigatin menus which is way easier than tryin to do that with a guitar controller.
Throwback Vibes Guitar Hero On Tour
When CRKD first showed off this Fortnite Festival controller it instantly reminded me of Guitar Hero On Tour for the Nintendo DS.
Not to be confused with Guitar Hero World Tour mind you. On Tour was this handheld version that came with a fivefret thingy that plugged into the DSs GBA slot.
As cool as that idea was I mostly remember how much my hand would cramp up if I played for more than a few songs.
After spendin some quality time with the Fortnite Festival NEO S Im stoked to say that while it definitely brings back that Guitar Hero feel it thankfully hasnt resurrected those nasty hand cramps at least not as intensely.
Holdin the 5Fret NEO S like you would the On Tour attachment might still cause a little crampin after a few tracks. But the beauty of CRKDs design is that you dont even need to hold it that way In fact Id probably advise against it. The best way I found to play is by holdin it upsidedown and tappin those five frets with both hands. I was way better at hittin the right notes and the pain took way longer to show up.
The Lowdown Pros and Cons
Alright lets break down the good and the notsogood
Pros
- Way cheaper than a guitar controller.
- You can hold it and use it in a bunch of different ways.
- The overdrive button placement is genius.
- Super responsive right out of the box.
- Impressive battery life.
- Easy to remap controls with the CRKD app.
- Can be used for other PC and Nintendo Switch games.
- Adds a nostalgic Guitar Hero feel.
- More convenient and takes up less space than a guitar controller.
Cons
- Its not a fullon guitar controller substitute.
- Only compatible with PC and Nintendo Switch for the fivefret mode.
- Can be uncomfortable for long play sessions.
- Some buttons might feel too far apart.
- Triggers feel a bit weak.
- Learning curve can be steep for some.
- Might not be the best for players with bigger hands.
Final Verdict Is the NEO S for You?
So whats the final word on the CRKD Fortnite Festival Edition NEO S Controller? Look if youre a hardcore rhythm game enthusiast lookin for the most authentic guitar experience youll probably still want to stick with a dedicated guitar controller like the Riffmaster. But if youre a casual Fortnite Festival player who wants a more immersive and fun way to jam without droppin a ton of cash this controller is definitely worth checkin out. It brings a fresh nostalgic vibe to the game and once you get the hang of it it can be a blast. Plus the fact that you can use it for other games is a sweet bonus. Its a unique piece of hardware that offers a cool alternative to standard controllers even if its not perfect. For sixty bucks its a solid way to level up your Fortnite Festival experience and add a little somethin different to your gaming setup.
About Author Yo Im Leo a gamer enthusiast based in the heart of Los Angeles. With a passion for reviewing killer games Ive got a couple of years under my belt bringing visions to life with style and flair. Catch me chillin at 3215 Overland Ave Los Angeles California(CA) 90034.
Resource
https://www.thegamer.com/fortnite-festival-edition-neo-s-controller-review/
https://gamerant.com/fortnite-festival-edition-neo-s-controller-review/
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