The BigBig Won Rainbow controller brings some fun to your Nintendo Switch gaming, and anyone who finds the Joy-Con Controllers too small will love this pads' unashamed Xbox Controller design. This is a solid gamepad with a braided rainbow light strip that illuminates the innards, and brings a little swagger to Nintendo Switch's accessories.
For
Excellent form and build quality
The internal lights are fun
Plenty of customisation options
Against
You need an adapter for PS4, PS5 and Xbox
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The BigBig Won Rainbow Controller is a Nintendo Switch accessory that promises to do things a little differently. This device brings a little PC gaming glamour to Nintendo's excellent handheld, and it can be used with Windows 10 games (but not Xbox without an adapter). This review will test the controller on Nintendo Switch.
In this review I'll put the controller through its paces on a series of games for Nintendo Switch, including Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Control Ultimate Edition and Cuphead. I'll test its basic functions but also dig into the gamepads' customisation functions and it's accessibility features. You can read more about our general review process on our how we test page.
BigBig Won Rainbow review: design
Image 1 of 3
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
In many ways the BigBig Won Rainbow controller isn't so original. This is a pad built from an Xbox controller mould and it shows. Close your eyes and you could be holding Microsoft's console controller, which is no bad thing, it's a great gamepad.
Where BigBig Won has innovated is in the finish. Clearly a main draw is the RGB light beading that runs through the inside of the gamepad. Some may find it distracting but I love the pulse of colour that comes from holding it. Bright too, this feature can be customised and dimmed if desired.
This is a light controller, weighing just 226g. For comparison the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is 250g. It still feels sturdy and solid despite this weight, likely because the plastic finish is smooth this controller lacks the padded and rubberised sections of similar gamepads.
The buttons feel good, though there's a clicky sensation when pressing the face buttons. The triggers fair better and have a deep, smooth feel which is reassuring. The click of the main face buttons may only irritate others. Overall the BigBig Won Rainbow is a controller that may take its design from other gamepads but adds its own unique flair to stand out from the crowd.
BigBig Won Rainbow review: performance
Image 1 of 4
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
The big part of the BigBig Won Rainbow comes from its customisation and accessibility features, for example you can tone down (or pump up) the rumble feature. This is great as not everyone likes rumble in a gamepad. There is an app to download that can control much of what the gamepad can do, including the RGB brightness, trigger sensitivity and button mapping. This is great considering you can use the controller on any console, and particularly for Switch as the default is a PC/Xbox configuration.
You don't really need the app, however, as all of the functions of the BigBig Won Rainbow can be accessed with a few button presses on the pad itself. Anyone who's grown up on the Konami Code will find this easy to do.
During play, whether in Zelda: Breath of the Wild or a shooter like Control, the BigBig Won Rainbow holds up well. Then only downside comes from the rear-mounted M1 - M4 switches. On other pro pads these are usually paddles, here they're switches and sit just where your second index finger rests, meaning they can be toggled by accident.
The downside to the BigBig Won Rainbow is its connectivity. It works out of the box on Nintendo Switch and PC, though on a laptop you may need to download a driver and on Switch if you want to play without the TV mode stand you'll need an adaptor. The 3m cable that comes with the controller is micro-USB to USB-A, so you'll need an adaptor for wider use.
BigBig Won Rainbow review: price
It can cost more to use on every console but there's no denying the BigBig Won Rainbow looks great (Image credit: Future)
The BigBig Won Rainbow controller costs $59.99 / £49.99, which is decent price for gamepads on Nintendo Switch. An official Nintendo Pro Controller will set you back $69.99 / £69.99 while a licensed PowerA controller can vary from $59.99 / £69.99 to $89.99 / £89.99. Overall the BigBig Won Rainbow represents good value for money.
The only downside is that connectivity issue. If you want to use this controller on a PS4, PS5 or Xbox Series X/S then you'll need to buy an adapter. There are many to choose from, but as you'd expect BigBig Won has one to sell you; its adapter will cost you $39.99 / £24.99. So, while the base price of the BigBig Won Rainbow is pretty good, to make this controller work with everything will cost more.
BigBig Won Rainbow review: worth buying?
The BigBig Won Rainbow controller works really well with Nintendo Switch, and looks good too (Image credit: Future)
If you're only looking for a new controller for Nintendo Switch then the BigBig Won Rainbow is a well-priced gamepad. For the money you get a decent pad with plenty of customisation options. Nintendo fans may want to spend the extra $10 / £10 and pick up the official Nintendo Pro Controller if you want a larger pad specifically for this handheld console – the build quality of Nintendo's accessories is superior.
If you're looking for a new controller to use on more systems and consoles then you may want to look elsewhere – PS4, PS5 and Xbox have good controllers that work out of the box and don't require adapters. PC gamers may want something a little higher-grade and 'pro' specific.
Overall, for the money, the BigBig Won Rainbow controller is a good device for Switch players looking for something different. Its defining RGB light feature really does impress, and this is a solid and well-built gamepad – it comes with a 12 month warranty too, which means the manufacturer has faith in its product.
The BigBig Won Rainbow controller brings some fun to your Nintendo Switch gaming, and anyone who finds the Joy-Con Controllers too small will love this pads' unashamed Xbox Controller design. This is a solid gamepad with a braided rainbow light strip that illuminates the innards, and brings a little swagger to Nintendo Switch's accessories.
Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & 3D at Creative Bloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines. These titles included ImagineFX, 3D World and video game titles Play and Official PlayStation Magazine. Ian launched Xbox magazine X360 and edited PlayStation World. For Creative Bloq, Ian combines his experiences to bring the latest news on digital art, VFX and video games and tech, and in his spare time he doodles in Procreate, ArtRage, and Rebelle while finding time to play Xbox and PS5.
