We’ve covered a great deal of third party gaming controllers here at Gamerhub UK. But out of all of them, PB Tails’ Metal Crush Defender definitely has the most weight. And I don’t mean that in terms of what it brings to the table. It’s made pretty much entirely with solid metal, which means it’s pretty heavy. Not like “I can’t hold onto it for an hour” kind of heavy, but you can actually feel the effort that went into it. It’s very cool.
It doesn’t hurt that this controller performs admirably as well. The K-Silver TMR joysticks feel like they go a level above the usual Hall Effect ones, creating a nice feel for whatever game you’re into. You can also change around features on the controller itself with the removal of the faceplate, though it could take effort if you don’t have proper fingernails. There’s also the option to change around custom lighting, including pre-set configurations based on classic controls. Very cool.
The controller has other great options, including a Turbo mode as well as full Gyro support. And its battery assures that it’ll last a good while after a charge, around eight to ten hours depending on the game.
I do wish there was a headphone jack, and there’s a slight disconnect after you charge the controller and then get back into the action. But for a mere $110 (lower than most custom controllers these days), PB Tails has quite the hit on their hands here. There’s nothing like the Metal Crush Defender on the market, and that’s a good thing. Metal heads definitely need apply.
Enter PB Tails’ Metal Crush Defender
The build on this peripheral is absolutely solid. As I noted, most of the components are metal, from the buttons to the D-pad (which isn’t too shabby) to the actual frame of the controller. Hell, even when you take off the faceplate, you can see the metal and the finely placed magnets underneath. The only thing that isn’t metal here are the default analog sticks – and you can replace those with the included silver ones. (Which I highly suggest, despite the “clink” that comes from pushing them against the frame.)
That gives the controller a nice balance of weight, but it’s never to the point that it’s too weighted. In fact, the balance feels about right when you’re holding the controller in your hands. And the buttons and D-pad are fairly easy to use, even if they’re different from the usual garden variety offered on, say, a Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller.
One other aspect worth noting is customization. You can remove the faceplate on the Metal Crush Defender (though its battle damage orange design is excellent) and replace it with another one, or simply gawk at the amazing mix of metal and magnets underneath. It does take some effort if you don’t have proper fingernails, but we figured it out in a short period of time.
You can also change up the lighting on the controller. There are pre-set configurations based on individual consoles, but you can also go in and change around colors manually, right down to the button and below lighting. It’s ingenious how this is handled, though it may take a little time to figure out since the documentation is printed in tiny format. Again, though, easy to figure out.
What Else?
There’s also a turbo mode for those that don’t feel like tapping their buttons, and you can switch between console and mobile/PC mode with a simple flick. The controller also supports gyro for certain Switch games (like The House of the Dead Remake), and the sticks assure long-lasting capability, thanks to innovative TMR design. That’s a step above Hall Effect and we’re here for it.
That said, the build isn’t quite perfect. There’s no headphone jack to speak of, so you can’t plug it in for group chat. Also, there’s a weird disconnect when you charge it and then turn it on for play, by about a couple of minutes or so. We got it figured out, but it should be quicker than that.
Overall, though, the feel and look of the controller is excellent. And you really feel the effort that went into it. That’ll more than justify the $110 asking price, I feel. This is easily becoming one of my favorite controllers.
That’s Great, But How Does the Metal Crush Defender Perform?
Now let’s get into the important thing behind this controller – how it plays.
We tried it across a variety of games, and started with Doom Eternal. Now, we’ve seen reviews stating that this controller isn’t really the best for hardcore shooters. But it felt just fine to us, and we had no problem slaying demons using its particular features. It might take a little bit to get used to the metal sticks since they’re not concave, but that doesn’t take long at all.
Next up, we tried our hand at some old-school goodness with R-Type Delta HD Boosted and Earthion. Both games run wonderfully with this controller, especially when you activate Turbo mode. (It’s not necessary, but we wanted to give it a go.) And the precision movement is felt across both the analog stick and D-pad, even though some may consider it a bit…wide? It’s fine by me, thanks to my big thumbs.
Then we got into Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. The real test, yeah? And both games handle remarkably with the controller. We didn’t notice any problems with the TMR-based movement, and the buttons held up very nicely with functionality. The triggers are cool too, even if they aren’t necessarily Hall Effect. (They’re still very well built.)
So, overall, PB Tails’ Metal Crush Defender performed up to speed across the board. Your mileage may vary depending on your style of game, but we found very few flaws here – outside of the lack of a headphone jack. Some socialites may miss that particular feature. I’m mostly a solo gamer, so I’m alright.
Don’t Miss PB Tails’ Metal Monster
Spending $110 on a controller may not be on your list for this holiday season. But PB Tails’ Metal Crush Defender feels worth it. It’s got a lot of weight behind it, and is built with compassion and devotion to all things gaming. It works nicely across the board with different games, and its features, once you get used to them, are very cool. It doesn’t have everything, but it has most of what’s needed – and a little extra to boot. Plus it has a nice carrying case that actually contains the metal.
The Metal Crush Defender puts on enough of a show to please casual players and metal fans alike. Crank the music, put on your favorite game, and indulge.
GAMERHUB RATING: 4.5 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS
A huge thank you to PB Tails for sending us a review unit! You can get your own Metal Crush Defender right here on the official page!
