8BitDo Sn30 Pro Bluetooth Controller for Switch/Switch OLED, PC, macOS, Android, Steam Deck & Raspberry Pi (G Classic Edition)

Used on retropie, works great. When emulating psx games i can use the dual shock feature and even get vibration and great analogue control on certain games. Feels like a snes controller. Battery seems ok. Great all around controller go to.

8Bitdo have done it again, but this time they've taken their retro gamepad to new heights. Pros: - Wireless works flawlessly with both RetroPi and Recalbox. I run RetroPi on a RP4 and Recalbox on a RP3, and this controller's Bluetooth is immediately detected and works beautifully with both. With my TVs on "Game Mode," there is absolutely no perceived lag on this controller with Dreamcast games and earlier. - The gamepad itself has perfect heft and even sports rumble motors. You can FEEL the quality of this controller in every aspect. The buttons are all snappy and the analog sticks work beautifully. Think Super Nintendo controller except with two extra shoulder buttons and two analog sticks (except not even Nintendo could build this any better). - Excellent battery life as far as can tell. At least a couple hours even when playing a Dreamcast game. - Perfect for my medium-sized hands. I suppose guys with large hands might not like this controller as much, but they probably wouldn't be using SNES type gamepads, anyway. Cons: - 8BitDo does sell a dongle for this controller, but I think it's strange that it doesn't just come with one (sometimes it's better to use a dongle depending on your setup... gives a stronger Bluetooth connection). - The price point is high and you'll never find this thing on sale. But I guess you get what you pay for.

This controller is fantastic. I got it mainly for my ROG Ally X and PC, and it connects flawlessly every time. The Hall Effect joysticks feel super smooth, and the classic SNES-inspired design is perfect for retro games while still handling modern ones really well. It’s compact, responsive, and works across all my devices, even tried it with my phone and Switch. Battery life is great, and the build quality feels premium. If you're into emulation, handhelds, or just love the retro vibe, this controller is a must.

I ordered this classic-style Bluetooth controller after downloading a paid emulator for my Fold7, hoping to take full advantage of that massive screen for some retro gaming. After spending some time with it, it's definitely a solid piece of hardware, though it’s not without its quirks. The Good: Right out of the box, the build quality stands out; it feels incredibly sturdy and well-made, much like the original console controllers it’s modeled after. The Hall Effect joysticks are a great addition, providing smooth movement that feels like it will hold up over time. One of the best parts was the software compatibility—my emulator app recognized the remote automatically, allowing me to jump straight into a game without any tedious button mapping. It’s a very seamless experience once you actually get it connected. The Downside: The biggest hurdle is the initial setup. The pairing process isn't exactly intuitive and took me a few Google searches to figure out how to properly sync it and restart it when needed. I suspect many of the negative reviews regarding "dead batteries" are actually just people struggling with this overly complicated connection process. It also lacks a clear charging display, so you’re left guessing whether it’s fully juiced up or about to die mid-game. I really wish there was a more straightforward, user-friendly way to manage the power and pairing, as the current "hidden" button combinations feel a bit outdated.

Really enjoy using this controller, works great with a wide variety of systems that you may be interested in emulating. I have tested it with: - The Steam Deck - On Arch Linux - On Windows and it worked flawlessly on all three platforms. It can be used in both bluetooth and wired mode, and there is no input delay with bluetooth, something I was initially concerned about as someone who hasn't used a bluetooth controller with PC games in the last decade. The last time I tried a bluetooth controller, there was terrible input lag, but with this one, there was no issue. The D-Pad is excellent, I played through several NES and SNES games that required tight controls with no issue. One problem with using an Xbox controller is the D-Pad placement, which is awkward after playing retro 2D games that rely on the D-Pad especially for extended periods. This D-Pad is superior both in quality and in placement. Both of the analogue sticks are good too. I did a 100% run of Super Mario 64 as well as a casual 16 star speedrun with no issue. I also played several other 3D games that utilized the analogue sticks, including a few PS2 games, and even some PC titles. It's also great for rogue likes. The triggers on the 8BitDo Pro 2 are also pressure sensitive, which makes them work with certain gamecube titles such as Super Mario sunshine, which requires the user to input varying pressures on the triggers to play the game properly. Finally, the face buttons and overall build of the controller are high quality. 10/10 would recommend

There's not a lot to say, these have been around for a while, and most people know about them, but I shoulda gotten one MUCH sooner because this is by far my favorite controller. I love the retro aesthetic and the fact that it's not some big heavy thing(not that other controllers are heavy themselves, but by comparison, at least the current xbox one is). And it's incredibly comfortable. And best of all it has hall effect sticks, which are supposed to be pretty much drift-proof, and it only costs $40. The only thing I can say that could be even remotely considered a complaint is the fact that you can't wake up a Nintendo Switch with it. It works on the console, but you have to boot it up and go into the "change grip order" thing every time you wanna use it. It's also a tiny bit disappointing that these used to come in color schemes/layouts that were almost exact clones of the controllers that obviously inspired them, and they no longer make those, for what are likely obvious reasons, but it's a shame... It also works for PC and Android. EDIT This is not a personal complaint, but it could be relevant information depending on what games you wanna play with this controller: The shoulder buttons are digital only, not analog. So if for some reason you really want this controller to play racing games with, and you need your shoulder buttons to work like a gas pedal, you're gonna need something else.

The controller is of high quality and feels great with clicky buttons and an exceptional D-Pad. The shoulder and trigger buttons have a longer throw but that is the case of these type of buttons. Analogue sticks are precise and feel well constructed. I haven’t had the ability to use the rumble function as I’m not sure or know how to set it up in retro arch. It pairs well with my Raspberry Pi. Battery life is good but a low power indicator of some kind would be great.

I have to admit that I took a gamble with this one. Having experienced issues with the now-discontinued NES30 Pro, I had some low expectations for this controller, but after several hours with this thing, I was pleasantly surprised by how it performed in comparison to the former. While there’s still more room for improvement, this latest entry in their series of Nintendo-inspired hardware has me thinking that they are starting to perfect their formula. 8bitdo’s controllers have a stellar build quality and attention to detail that is often lacking in many third-party offerings, but the biggest problem in their past entries lies in the one feature that is most crucial to retro-inspired controllers: the D-pad. Look on any gaming forum, and you will find numerous complaints about how their D-pad is prone to accidental diagonal inputs, which can only be partially remedied with some tape or binder reinforcement rings. My old NES30 Pro also has the unfortunate feature of too rigid an actuator pad where you can feel the feedback beneath every directional press. Thankfully, neither issue is present in the SN30 Pro, and if anything, there is a fine balance to it where it feels responsive without being too snappy or too mushy. The shoulder buttons surprised me as well, as the ones on the NES30 Pro felt as though it wouldn’t take much to break any of them. All four buttons on this model feel fine, and I was surprised at how well 8bitdo was able to incorporate the L2 and R2 triggers. Granted, the L1 and R1 buttons were cut narrow in the processed, but it’s not enough to cause a significant impact on most games that use them. As for the rest of the controller, the face buttons have a good feel to them, and I didn’t encounter any issues with the analog sticks getting stuck, which was a problem that was reported in their older model. Physically, it’s a solid controller that handles about as well as an original first-party SNES controller, which is outstanding. My only gripe is that beneath the hardware lies some imperfections with their software that haven’t been fully resolved as of this review. The controller is designed to be compatible with four platforms: the Nintendo Switch, X-input, Android, and Mac OS; but depending on the mode that you need, not all of the buttons may be available to you. The digital shoulder triggers, for example, don't register in X-input because the drivers expect them to be analog. The star button is also not registered in anything outside of Switch mode, which is unacceptable given that the Power A series of Switch controllers do register this when used as a standard USB controller. Although it's not detrimental for most purposes, seeing entire buttons become disabled with no workarounds is a disappointment. Overall, I am thoroughly impressed with this controller. Despite the software flaws that need to be ironed out, the hardware is a massive improvement over their past entries, and it easily stands out as the best retro-inspired controller on the market. Although I still have my misgivings about their slimmer N30 Pro line, I'm hoping that they can bring this level of quality to their other offerings.