As the launch fo Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on Switch looms – like a wonderful, long-awaited birthday – ever closer, a great many fans of the series will have one burning question on their minds: Can I play it with my trusty and dependable GameCube controller?
As we've known for a while, the answer to this question is, of course, an enthusiastic affirmative, as Nintendo is releasing a special adapter alongside the game (in the US at least) which will allow four GameCube pads to be used – the caveat being that said adapter connects to the Switch dock via USB and therefore cannot be used in tabletop mode. It also means that you're tethered to the console via a cable, which – for those of you with especially cavernous living rooms – could be an issue.
Thankfully, the wonders of technology have supplied a solution: the 8BitDo GBros. Adapter. This purple-coloured wonder is a small capsule-shaped device which allows you to wirelessly connect your GameCube pad (as well as others) to your Switch (or PC, if you're that way inclined). It's powered by two AA batteries which deliver around 30 hours of use and comes with its own built-in Home and Screenshot buttons, as the GameCube pad naturally lacks these features.
Pairing the GBros. with your Switch couldn't be easier; just set it to 'Switch' mode (XInput is for when you're using it on a PC), drop to the Controller menu and hold down the yellow 'Pair' button for two seconds. The pad will appear as a Pro Controller and all of the buttons are mapped accordingly without you having to do anything.
In short, the GBros. Works like a charm and provides silky-smooth lag-free input. There's a Micro USB port on the top of the unit which, via the bundled lead, can be connected to the Switch dock, but this causes the console to crash. It's not a massive issue as there's no noticeable latency when playing wirelessly, so we can't imagine you'd want to use a wired connection anyway. We suspect the lead is instead intended to deliver firmware updates to the unit, and, should we get confirmation from 8BitDo, we'll update this review.
The GBros. also comes with a Wii controller port which means you can use any pad which was designed for that particular console; while we imagine that most people will purchase this adapter solely for use with their beloved GameCube pads, it's a nice bonus to be able to use your Wii SNES pad or battered Classic Controller.
While being able to play wirelessly is a boon, we suspect there will be some players who find the fact that their pad is still connected by a wire to an external piece of equipment to be mildly annoying. Nintendo's own wireless option – the Wavebird – could have been the solution here, but sadly it's not physically possible to insert the Wavebird wireless adapter into the GBros., which means you'll just have to get used to that wire, we're afraid. For us, it was never a problem, but we thought we'd mention it all the same.
Where the GBros. really loses out to Nintendo's wired GameCube adapter is that it can only be used with a single pad; if you want four people involved and you all want to use your vintage controllers, then you'll need four (count 'em) GBros. Adapters.
This relatively minor oversight aside, this is yet another must-have product from 8BitDo. It's well made, reasonably priced and works like a dream, giving Smash players the chance to use their preferred controller in a wireless fashion.
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Comments 32
I just can't use the GameCube controller anymore. Just doesn't feel the same.
If I can play Switch games on Tabletop mode with Classic Pro Controller Wii + that 8bit adapter, yay.....!!
The only problem with this as opposed to modern remakes of the GC controller is the lack of complete buttons and clickable sticks.
I kind of want to try playing this Smash without going back to the GameCube controller. I've used them ever since Melee and they work really well but I want to see if I can use the Switch Pro controller properly first.
Can't use a wavebird on it? Booo
Seems like all this does is allow you to use controller from the Wii era to the Switch. It has a Wii remote controller port and a GameCube controller port just like the Wii so Wii Classic Controller, SNES and NES Classic Edition Controller, and GameCube controller will work on it. I can see this being a great suit for those NES Switch games and any retro style indie games that doesn't required too many buttons. Might have to check it out soon, if it also works with the Mayflash NES/SNES to Wii controller adapter then maybe my old dogbone NES controller might work on it too.
@MagnaRoader If you're playing Smash Bros. Ultimate with this then you probably won't need those features anyways.
@Yosher That’s my plan as well, mostly because I don’t want to have 5-6 different controllers around my media section.
@Bunkerneath Why not just use the official GameCube adapter at that point, then? No need to introduce yet another wireless device in the middle.
@Yosher @Sinton Yup, I'm in the same boat. I was a hardcore GCN controller used for Smash since Melee, but I love the Switch Pro controller so much, I have to give it a shot. Plus, the convenience of not having yet another set of controllers laying around is nice. I also tend to play portable a lot, so I need to get used to the layout anyway.
Ill stick with my pc-compatable wired one.
Does it support rumble?
No thanks, I just got two pro controllers for me and my brother to use. Much prefer that controller.
For some odd reason, I'm suddenly craving a Twinkie...
Got it preordered. A great solution for those wanting to play Smash with a GameCube controller in tabletop mode.
On a side note, for those that own an NES Classic, the controller that comes with that combined with this is a great alternative to the NES Joy Cons for the NES Online games
I own a ton of Wii era controllers and GameCube controllers, so this is a perfect solution for me. And it’ll work with the NES & SNES mini controllers too. Sold!!!!
@Medic_alert button layout is actually very good and worked well with most 1st party games. Nintendo could have stuck with it when launching the pro controllers. Everything else is now dated, except for the concept of analog triggers.
Just spit balling here, but to solve the wavebird issue, couldn't a GameCube cable extension allow it to fit? A bit ironic to add more cable to make it wireless...but I think that would work. I've got 4 GC extension cables (on eBay for relatively cheap) to help with 8-player games (smash bros and Bomberman blast).
so that's what that thing was, i saw it a couple of times when i was sighing at how the only switch compatible wireless gamecube controller didn't feature rumble
I've been feeling like a child the week before Christmas since this summer over that Pro+ controller they teased us with. Hopefully they'll do a bluetooth version of that M30 controller too.
Since one of the last updates, the Mayflash adapter for Switch (also around 20 bucks) supports the Wiimote + Classic Controller (and NES/SNES Mini/Classic controller attachments) so if you're in it for the Wii connector and not the GC one, I'd say get the Mayflash (also wireless Wii U Pro/XB360/XB1/PS3/PS4/etc) and vice versa to your PC also (with the Switch Pro also).
"the caveat being that said adapter connects to the Switch dock via USB and therefore cannot be used in tabletop mode"
This is one reason it can't go portable and will hurt more than it helps. This prevents on the road portable gaming.
@Medic_alert The C-stick was created from the C buttons of the N64 controller. If it was not included then GameCube ports of N64 games like Ocarina of Time will be complicated to work on as most of feature in the game required those C directional functionalities.
Had mine preordered when I first heard about it. Not having the cord hooked up to the dock means I don't have to worry about three dogs tripping and hurting themselves or my Switch. Plus it's a way to use an NES controller I already have for cheaper, and with more games than just the NES ones.
I'll probably get one of these to connect my Club Nintento SNES pad and NES Mini pad. I can do so with my Mayflash Magic-NS, but this adapter will make it a bit easier to do.
My obsession with using different controllers on the Switch has gotten out of hand though; today I got Hyperkin's "Duke" controller, based on the original monstrosity the Xbox used. I'd only held one briefly at a demo unit back in the day, and it's as awful as I remember. I think Iain Lee (of Channel 4's Thumb Bandits) described it as being 'designed by blind monkeys with no thumbs.'
I don't know what Switch games I'll want to play with it, but I couldn't help myself.
Move on people. You can't keep chaining yourself a dead horse. Just get used to the Switch Pro Controller.
I already have an official wired GC adapter from the Wii U era that I don't even really need. I bought it back when support was added to the Switch because I THOUGHT Gamecube games were coming to the Switch in some form. Since that never happened the adapter just sits in a drawer.
@Kalmaro Got a wireless GC controller and this...want this for my classic pads (wii, nes, snes) - but yeah, I feel you on the feel of the GC controller not feeling great anymore (haven't touched one since 2008 I think)...but my girlfriend likes it better for her smaller hands, my stupid big ones love the Pro too much (the Dpad sucks on both for any games that allow for diagonal inputs).
@Dang69 Yeah, my massive man hands just aren't going to work with the GameCube controller. I'm sure others can but the pro feels natural to me now.
As an adult the GC controller doesn't feel like it did when we were 11, but I still think it's comfortable. Maybe one step below the pro. The way the pro fills your hand is great. Like an oblong N64 grip.
@retro_player_22 No, the c-stick is there because they kept it consistent with the N64. The C(amera) buttons on the 64 turned out to be less than ideal for 3d games (and led to many interesting control schemes in Goldeneye). PlayStation had two sticks from 1997? I think.
@Rypopo That's what I'm wondering, too.
Would've been nice to see NintendoLife acquire an extension cable just to see if it works.
An easy solution is to use a dedicated stand. I have the Nintendo charging stand, and I use a USB-C to A adapter to plug the black USB cable on the adapter in. The grey is only for rumble and can be left out or in another power source. The downside is that you'd need a USB hub or somethin to charge it, so the Hori stand with dedicated USB and charging ports would be better, but it's larger and more expensive.
@Kalmaro I have big hands - have problems with lots of controllers but for some reason the GC controller feels great, IF I choke down on the bottom of the handles. PRO controller is great but really confused my old Melee muscle memory.
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