MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes has been testing the NOLVA Mechanical All-Button Controller for the PS5 and PC for over a month, which is primarily intended for fighting games like Tekken 8. He is a big fan, but is it worth it for everyone?
What kind of controller is this? For a review, the peripheral manufacturer HORI provided us with the NOLVA Mechanical All-Button Controller for the PS5. The controller consists only of larger buttons and is primarily designed for fighting games like Tekken, Street Fighter, or Guilty Gear.
As a fan of the genre, I have wanted to check out such a controller for a long time, as I expected significantly better precision while gaming without sticks and just with buttons than with a pad or a classic arcade stick.
What you need to know about the controller:
- The NOLVA Mechanical All-Button Controller is officially licensed by Sony.
- It works on both the PS5 and Windows 10/11.
- There is a companion app to control the button assignments.
- A detachable USB-C cable (3 m long) with a cable lock is included.
- The controller has a retail price of €149.99 and is available on Amazon, among other places.
After over a month with several titles, I have to say: I can’t live without it, but I wouldn’t recommend the controller to everyone.
Tekken 8 is even more fun with the controller:
A great controller that makes fighting games even more fun
Overall, I’m quite satisfied with the controller, as I spend a lot of personal time playing fighting games. The buttons feel good, and the controller is relatively small compared to other arcade controllers, so it doesn’t take up much space in the cabinet. Additionally, it is quite handy, and even if you are “half-lying” on the couch, you can use it well.
A significant advantage compared to my other arcade stick is the volume. The buttons are quite quiet, so they don’t disturb my partner when I play a couple of rounds in the evening. I had more problems with a classic arcade stick. Additionally, the controller also has a headset jack.
What did I use the controller for? Most of the time, I spent with the controller in Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8, but I also tried other fighting games like Injustice, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R, or Granblue Fantasy Versus.
I had a lot of fun playing. Because you only have buttons instead of a stick, I was able to control my fighters more precisely than ever, although you do need to get used to it at first. You play almost like on a keyboard, and the jump button is standardly assigned to the left thumb.
Getting used to it takes a little time, but once you get the hang of it, it’s quite easy. You also need to get used to 3D fighters like Tekken, but that was part of the fun. It felt like I was playing a new console with a new controller.
Since I don’t have much space for large controllers in my apartment, I found the size quite pleasant when it came to storing the controller well. It also helps that you can detach the USB-C cable.
On the console, I mostly didn’t have to change button mappings, but on the PC, I did have to make small adjustments to the settings in Killer Instinct. However, that was never a major problem and could also be easily solved without the companion app within the games.
With the controller, I had more fun with the mentioned titles than ever before, and that was mainly because I made fewer mistakes after getting used to it for 1-2 days. Especially the precision you get from having only buttons excited me. After a few practice hours, I made fewer mistakes than with other controllers.
Overall, I liked gaming with it even better than with a classic arcade stick or a regular PS5 controller.
Instead of catching up on new games, I mostly played fighting games on vacation, but I wouldn’t recommend the controller to everyone.
A controller for genre enthusiasts
Who is the controller suitable for? Even though I have almost only praise for the controller, I cannot recommend it to every gamer because you have to be the right type for it. The NOLVA Mechanical All-Button Controller is specifically designed for fighting games. Other games are hardly playable due to the lack of two sticks.
I personally play many different fighting games. I occasionally check out older titles, but I also play new representatives of the genre. Thus, I have many applications for the controller and will likely use it a lot in the future.
However, if you only play such games sporadically, then the €150 is a hefty price, even though it is comparatively inexpensive in the fighting stick segment.
But if you have a great interest in the genre and engage with it a lot, then I can only recommend the controller as an entry-level device. If you are more interested in a classic arcade stick, you can check here: I bought a controller for fighting games a year ago, and now I can’t live without it
