Nintendo Switch Gets SNES Controllers from 8BitDo
Mike Sanders / 8 years ago
Some people are not a massive fan of modern controllers. Particularly those on the Nintendo Switch. Don’t get me wrong, they are not bad, yet they are very different and different isn’t always popular. Fortunately, for those who do have an issue or prefer the retro feel, 8BitDo might have come to your rescue.
Who are 8BitDo?
8BitDo are a company who specialise in controllers. Most specifically and recently they have produced a number of retro controllers for Smart devices. However, they have now branched into the Nintendo Switch with a firmware update providing full compatibility with their range of controllers.
As above, not everyone likes the Switches official controller. This wasn’t helped with release day issues over connectivity.
The concept brilliantly recaptured the look of original retro controllers including replicas of;
- The NES Pro controller.
- The SNES Controller.
- N64 Controller.
- Wii Classic Style Controller.
Are they any good?
A question worth asking. Not that I like to kick a company when they are down, but Mad Catz was a highly popular supplier of peripherals. They were best known for 2 things largely, cheap prices for a cheap product. 8BitDo seem to be providing the quality at a ‘reasonable’ price. The reviews for the products are good. While I can not attest to having used them myself they do have a number of highly reputable and positive reviews including Forbes, IGN and Nintendo Life.
They are available to buy on Amazon for circa £30-£40, which is significantly less expensive than an official controller and if the quality is there, which the reviews would suggest, then maybe a retro controller is your best option for both look and functionality.
Where can I buy these?
The products are sold directly via Amazon, however, I would recommend visiting their website first just to ascertain you get what you really want.
The cynic in me has never been a fan of 3rd party controller. However, 8BitDo appear to have done their homework here. It seems to be a great product for those who love their Switch, but maybe not the controller.
The official website can be viewed here.
