My quick thoughts on the 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth controller while I wait (and wait) for the Analogue 3D to arrive… if it ever does.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Mostly-proper N64 layout | Left side analogue stick will take some getting used to |
| Also works with Nintendo Switch, Windows and Android | Limited colour choices |
| Wired or Bluetooth connectivity | Difficult to fully assess without the Analogue 3D it’s meant for |
Score: x/5
I’m holding off on a score until I can test the 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller with the Analogue 3D it’s primarily meant for.
 |
Buy The 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller! | Buy On Amazon |
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In this review
8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller Early Upsides
8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller Early Downsides
8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller Early Observations
Ethical disclaimer: I spent my own money on the 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller used in this early review, so 8BitDo has had no input at all into it.
I maintain that ethical disclosure shouldn’t be buried at the bottom of articles or ignored, especially in an era of dodgy AI-led reviews; I feel it’s better to establish trust upfront with any review you read online. For more on ART’s ethics policy, see here.
8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller Early Upsides
8BitDo make a lot of controllers, and most of them are intended for multi-system use. That’s technically true of the 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller, because it’ll work with Windows, Android and Nintendo Switch consoles, but the reality here is that anyone buying one – myself included – is likely to be doing so because they’re also waiting for the (upcoming at time of writing, still waiting…) Analogue 3D FPGA recreation of the classic Nintendo N64.
It’s just that the 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller landed on my reviews desk via Amazon US well ahead of the still-delayed Analogue 3D.
Its design is one-part N64, because it’s got nice big friendly A and B buttons and C-buttons laid out in the “correct” N64 pattern, and one part not, because the analogue stick sits on the left hand side of the controller, more like a standard Windows/Xbox controller than the classic 3-prong N64 style.
I have no idea if Nintendo still holds some level of patent on that design, but I’m going to guess it might, because otherwise I can’t see why you wouldn’t ape the style more closely.
Early testing – my plan here is very much to update this review once I can pair it properly with an Analogue 3D – reveals a controller with good response, at least for the Windows and Nintendo Switch games I’ve used for testing, including UFO 50, because it only feels right to test with retro-styled titles in the meantime.
There’s a nice spring to the analogue stick, though of course it’s early days there, and the D-Pad feels decent to my hands.
Obviously I will need more testing time. It’s a rough life, this consumer tech journalism, I tell you.
8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller Early Downsides
Rather obviously I can’t test it with the Analogue 3D that it was designed to compliment, but that should, I hope, just be a matter of time.
It is somewhat light in the hand; if you favour a controller that has a little more heft this might feel a touch hollow to you.
It also has a rear switch for switching between S and D modes (S is for Nintendo Switch compatibility, D is for everything else) and on the Black unit, the labels for that are printed in black, which is a very Disaster Area way of thinking about labels.
The white variant might dodge that issue, I’m not sure, though I’d advocate for buying the black model to minimise the appearance of scuffs, scrapes and grime over time; white plastic controllers tend to age quite disgracefully in my experience.
It’s also a bit of a bummer that there’s no “fun” colour variants, though that might come with time.
Also read:
8BitDo Ultimate 2.4G Wireless Controller Review: Great Controller, Confusing Name
8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller: Alex’s Early Verdict
At $US39.99, this isnt’ the cheapest way to get your PC or Android gaming on, though it’s clearly not really meant for that kind of usage.
If you’re a Switch gamer, it should work well enough with the Switch Online N64 titles released to date, though again getting used to that left mounted analogue stick might take some time depending on your own personal N64 history.
My plan (such as it is) is to update this review once I can assess how well it specifically works with the Analogue 3D, because rather clearly, that’s the core market for the 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller.
Stay tuned.
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8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller: Pricing and availability
The 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller used in this review was purchased through Amazon US, where (at the time of writing) it was selling for $US39.99.
|
Buy The 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller! | Buy On Amazon |
If you purchase through the above link, you’re supporting the work I do here at ART (AKA, I may earn a small commission)
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