I’m going to be straight forward when I say this in the intro. I didn’t grow up with the Nintendo 64. That’s really before my time even. I haven’t really gotten into collecting for the system, I haven’t even really picked up an original N64 controller. I don’t know the horrors of the third leg, and I don’t know how terrible the single stick truly is.
But I’ve had a lot of time and experience in terms of emulating Nintendo 64, and playing it on something like Nintendo Switch Online. So because of that, when 8bitdo announced their own N64 controller, I was genuinely interested. You don’t need to change the layout, it should hopefully be setup and ready to go out of the box for most things.
So indeed, I got a white model and have been using it for a while. When Stubbs decided to send me the N64 gray model, I decided that now should be the time I properly sit down and get my thoughts and review out of this controller. So how is it? And is it going to be worth your time too?
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8BitDo 64 Specs
When it comes to picking one of these up for yourself, you have two options and two different models. First there’s this one, the Bluetooth edition that’ll set you back $39.99 on the 8BitDo website, and strangely $44.99 on Amazon. If you’re not looking for Bluetooth specifically there is a 2.4GHz version that’s built specifically for the Nintendo 64 or Analogue 3D if you prefer to do things that way. This unit shows up as $39.99 on both 8BitDo’s website and over on Amazon. So regardless of what unit you want, you will be able to find it easily. But how are the specs?
8BitDo 64
- Manufacturer
- 8BitDo
- Face buttons
- AB + C Buttons
- D-pad
- Membrane
- Sticks
- Hall Effect
- Triggers
- Membrane
- Battery life (hrs)
- 30
- Charging port
- USB-C
- Weight
- 226g
- Connectivity
- Platforms
- Software
- 8BitDo Ultimate V2
Build Quality and Ergonomics
I’m going to kick it off with the build quality which unsurprisingly is really good for 8BitDo standards. The plastics are solid, it has no give when you torque it after losing a round in Mario Party, and as a whole holds together well. I would personally say it’s built as well as most of their Ultimate Controller line. Which given the familiar looks would certainly make sense to most users. Going off of past experience alone, between this and something like a Retro Fighters controller, the 8BitDo is going to be your better choice.
Following up off of familiarity, the ergonomics are pretty similar too. Being built like an 8BitDo Ultimate controller means being shaped like one too. The grips have that familiar straight down throw, but as a whole this controller is slightly shorter. It’s also a bit narrower given the lack of need for a right stick, and not having the third protruding leg that an N64 controller would have.
For individuals with big meaty claws, I’d probably say this might be a bit on the small side like a Horipad Mini, but for small and medium sized hands you’ll be satisfied. Unless of course you don’t like the ultimate controller. Then you’ll be upset either way.Â
Controls
When it comes to controls there’s luckily not a lot to cover here. The shoulder buttons are all membrane with a satisfying press to them, though L1/R1 specifically can get a bit clacky depending on how you thwack them. The face buttons are also membrane, with your C buttons quite a bit quieter than your A/B buttons. Personally I would lend that more to their size than anything as the A/B are both wider, flatter, and a bit louder. With more surface area to them, there’s a lot more around to rattle.
The D-pad is membrane unlike their other recent Ultimate controllers. It has decent pivot, and can hit your diagonals if you do it with intention, but I’ve noticed on both units that aiming up and left is just a bit louder. Last up is the hall effect stick. It features the octagon outline just like your older controllers, and while it works well in games, I have noticed it can be a bit overly sensitive without calibration. Once you adjust that though, it’s practically a perfect stick.Â
Use in Gameplay
Nintendo Switch
Starting off with the Switch, I pay for NSO because I’m on a family plan with six other people, otherwise I probably wouldn’t pay for it at all. That being said, the 8BitDo controller has been a pleasure for trying out the games in this small library. Star Fox 64, Ridge Racer 64, and Pilotwings 64 have been standouts for me, and the 64 controller does exactly what it should.
It feels like a bespoke setup meant for these games specifically. I could easily get away with playing these on a Switch Pro controller or even my 8BitDo ultimate, but having a proper setup just feels right.
Emulation
Those feelings of cohesion continue through with emulation. Using RetroAarch, I was able to map my controller to the appropriate setup for an N64 controller, and my usual go to’s of Diddy Kong Racing, and Wave Race 64 were easy to pick up and run once again. I recently have been putting this on the Alldocube iPlay 80 Mini Ultra as that’s just the perfect small screen setup for some lower end emulation like N64. And with Android compatibility it was as easy as just hitting up the Bluetooth settings menu and hitting connect. I do quite like this.Â
Software
I’m going to keep this one nice and simple. The 8BitDo 64 controller utilizes their in-house Ultimate Software V2. It’s not a bad piece of software at all, and if you plug your controller into your PC you can easily get it up and running to make your adjustments.
The one thing I will say is that it doesn’t feel too necessary outside of making sure you get updates. Overall, there’s not a whole lot to cover with this one, but if you’re one of those people that needs to know where your software is and what you can do with it. You can cover all of your needs in the Ultimate Software V2.
Final Thoughts
Do you like the Nintendo 64? If you answer no to that, don’t buy this. Do you like the original Nintendo 64 controller and don’t want to try anything new? If you answer yes to that, don’t buy this. This is a purpose built controller for those that enjoy the Nintendo 64 system and its games, but don’t want to deal with the pains and complaints of the original controller.
Alternatives like the Horipad Mini are expensive and hard to find, and creepy third party alternatives from the era aren’t any better. Today you really only have a couple of options. This, the Brawler64, and the Hyperkin Admiral wireless. While I haven’t handled either of the alternatives, my experience with the middling build quality of the Retro Fighters Striker DC Wireless doesn’t fill me with the most confidence towards their N64 controller.
If you want a known quantity in terms of well built, well performing controllers, and want it for the Nintendo 64, grab this 8BitDo controller. Otherwise, there’s plenty of other options for any other system.
