And so I gave in and picked upward one of the items I put on
last yr’southward Christmas wishlist, a Nintendo Switch. I’ve had a blast with information technology and then far. I simply finished

The Fable of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
, and I’thousand now itching for some classic 2D game action.

There’s simply ane problem, though: the Switch Joy-Cons don’t have a d-pad.

The lack of a proper d-pad won’t be a problem with 3D games similar
Zelda, simply throw in a classic-fashion game like
The Bounden of Isaac: Afterbirth+, and the analog sticks are going to get to you equally y’all try to navigate dungeon afterward dungeon. Let’s not fifty-fifty become started on fighting games like
Ultra Street Fighter two. Yous tin pick up a
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
, only at $70 it’south too expensive for something I don’t even plan on using that much except for very specific games.


8bitdo NES30 Pro Controller Review

If you’re a cheapskate like me, the
8bitdo controllers
might be up your alley. They’re half the price of the official Pro Controller! Originally released way dorsum in 2015, 8bitdo’s retro-themed controllers work with PC, Mac, Android, Linux, iOS, and with a firmware update, the Nintendo Switch.

Firmware Upgrade & Syncing

To upgrade your 8bitdo controller for Switch compatibility, head on to the
8bitdo support site, download the firmware for your controller, follow the instructions in the file included with the firmware, and y’all’re good to go. Syncing is a bit confusing – become to Controls > Change Grip/Order on the Switch, and then
don’t
follow the on-screen instructions. Instead, press the Power Push + Y to put your NES30 Pro on Switch style, wait for a minute, and it should pair similar a charm.

Read:  Asus Firmware Restoration Utility Failed to Upload

Then I got the
8bitdo NES30 Pro
and I’ve used it for about a week now. The buttons feel chunky, in a practiced fashion, and really remind you of the old Famicom/NES controllers and all the good and bad that comes with information technology. I thought it was responsive enough, and the d-pad is going to give me calluses like the original Famicom controller did. The analog sticks were modest and grippy. My merely complaint with the NES30 Pro is as well minor and the shoulder buttons are awkwardly-placed, forcing my easily to accept a weird grip when I take to use them.

Simply hey, that’s what I become with a controller that evoked the classics.

I Suck at Games

I started with
The Bounden of Isaac: Afterbirth+, and it was a massive improvement over the Joy-Con’s analog stick and directional buttons. I can actually control Isaac ameliorate, and I actually lasted more dungeons than I thought I would. I still suck at this game, though, and I died more than times than I can count. But hey, at least I got to the second basement this time!

Then I tried
Kamiko. Oh look, hither’s another game I suck at. I’m not certain if it’south lag or the game, but at that place were instances where my inputs weren’t registered. I can’t count the number of times I got hit because enemies were correct backside me and I couldn’t get my character to face them. Every bit expected, the NES30 Pro did
non
make me magically proficient at this game.

I also tested the NES30 Pro on games that I’m competent at,
The Legend of Zelda: Jiff of the Wild
and
Fast RMX. They worked every bit well as expected, although for
Zelda, the lack of motion controls meant that I had trouble aiming when I needed to use my bow & arrows.


Watch Ade suck at Ultra Street Fighter 2

Finally, I booted upward the game I really bought the NES30 Pro for:
Ultra Street Fighter 2: The Final Challengers. And I sucked at it. I had problem throwing hadoukens, but I’ll chalk information technology upwardly to my skills being terrible. Other inputs were working fine, and the controller worked perfectly when I lent information technology to an officemate who immediately wiped my donkey on SF2.

Guess who’s going to spend fourth dimension in Training Fashion.

Is information technology worth it?

So, is the NES30 Pro and other 8bitdo controllers worth it? It depends on what you’re using it for. I think it’due south a great fit for retro games and platformers. If yous don’t listen losing motion controls and HD rumble, plus if yous’re willing to live with the less-than-ideal shoulder buttons, I highly recommend it. It’s responsive, relatively cheap, and easy to set. Y’all can use it on your Nintendo Switch and a agglomeration of other systems.

You can get the 8bitdo NES30 Pro controller here.

RATING:


Notation:
I bought the 8bitdo NES30 Pro with my own money. This review was not sponsored in whatever way.

Practice you have the 8bitdo NES30 Pro controller? Do y’all like it so far? Are yous planning to become one? Practise you take other third-party controller solutions on the Nintendo Switch? Let’s talk about information technology in the comments!