Plenty of companies tackle the surprisingly complex challenge of producing a high quality game controller, and not all pull it off successfully. We somewhat admire the effort from Retro Fighters, then, which is aiming to crowdfund a 'next gen' NES pad.
The main pitch for this pad is that it has both usb and a NES port, so can be used natively on the 8-bit system or on a shiny modern machine. It's also got the neat idea of using a traditional modern setup to provide variations based on the limited inputs of the NES pad - two face buttons are turbo A and B buttons, while the shoulder buttons are also mapped to those same inputs. The theory is that any combination of D-Pad, sticks and buttons can be used for the most comfortable control setup, though analogue sticks won't magically change how NES games control.
Emulation and button mapping can achieve these same things, of course, though it's a potentially neat addition to a batch of NES controllers for some retro gaming. Whether it'll live up to a high quality when used is naturally a question mark, though, and the Kickstarter campaign has been slow to take off.
In any case, check it out below and let us know what you think.
Comments 30
Interesting.
I know its supposed to be an NES controller, but why the two analog sticks?
It looks nice, but wouldn't an adapter of some sort be cheaper and easier?
What I'd really like to see are more Classic Controllers that replicate actual classics, such as the Club Nintendo SNES pad. The only thing more exciting than Mega Drive games finally showing up on the Wii U eShop would be finding a Mega Drive controller (better make it the Megafire version) you can plug into your Wii remote for sale on the Nintendo Store.
The D pad and the left analog should be swapped.
The D pad is not raised high enough.
The A/B Buttons and the Turbo buttons should be swapped.
3 major flaws... no thanks
What's the point?
@SteveW
I agree with the second and third points, but:
"The D pad and the left analog should be swapped."
is more of a preference thing. I'd rather have the sticks stay symmetrical, especially considering the d-pad and face buttons will be the most used buttons here.
Steve, I disagree on the swapping of the directional pad and analog stick. I agree on swapping the turbo and "normal" buttons. Still, I think I might check this one out.
Thanks for the heads up, Nintendo Life!
I'd much rather see a quality n64 controller update. That is something I could get behind.
@ToneDeath There are adapters that plug into a Wiimote for both NES and SNES gamepads. I don't know if there's one for Genesis/Mega Drive though.
@SteveW I actually like the placement of the joysticks, personally. I find the Dualshock 4 is the most comfortable controller I've ever held because the sticks are right where my thumbs rest.
Analog stick, ooookay? But why the heck a second one? O_o
Looks nice, but whats this?
30$ asking price?
lol I could get another controller instead for cheaper the price and same as effective.
Those A/B buttons are in the worst possible position. Everybody knows you have to put the A/B buttons in the X/B positions on a diamond button layout for proper comfort when playing 2 button games.
It's a nice idea but as a SNES player the B/A buttons need to be aligned like the Y/B buttons on the SNES for it to be comfortable to me.
The turbo buttons are a bad idea too, it would be much better to offer switches like the old Hori Super Famicom Commander controllers where you can turn auto-fire on and off for each button. Imagine trying to play Contra with that layout where the top button is jump and the bottom button is fire! It would be really unpleasant.
It would be cool to allow players to remap controls, for those old NES games that had stupid controls like up for jump or ones that used B to jump and A to fire. Being able to map things like Start to a face button would be cool too for games like Punch-Out!!
Finally, why not have a wireless adaptor so that the NES can be played wirelessly?
@BulkSlash Look up 8bitdo on Facebook. Scroll down and you may find something that interests you. Although I don't think they are for sale yet. And I don't know how to share comments from Facebook to point it out for you yet...
@SteveW Would like to see the AB buttons at the reverse angle.
Why on earth would you swap the dpad and stick though? It doesn't make any sense to have the sticks at an awkward angle like that. Either put them both at the top, or both at the bottom. But in this case it's being used mostly for retro games, keep the dpad in the primary position.
Who the frak puts turbo buttons IN THE WAY of using the normal buttons? Have these people honestly never owned a Famiclone?
@9th_Sage I do actually have some adapters, from Mayflash, Raphnet and Bruno Freitas in Brazil (The latter allows me to connect a Mega Drive controller), but it's nice to be able to plug in a brand new pad without having to take it apart and clean it first because one or two buttons don't respond properly anymore. I also suspect there's just a hair more lag with some of the adapters.
As for the placement of those turbo buttons, I'm pretty sure it's inspired by the NES Max controller; they should make the sticks red too!
Nice idea, but the angle of the B and A seems awkward... but hey, I grew up with the traditional NES pad and enjoyed the dogbone version as well. Their B and A placements were just so darn comfy. For purists like me, 8bitdo makes some killer pads.
The turbo button placement seems to be inspired by the NES MAX controller.
@Ayronom It's for all the NES first person shooters.
That's actually pretty sweet.
Edit: Ah; they should make it so you can use those Turbo buttons as just another set of buttons, and then it would be great as a general modern day gaming controller too—otherwise it's unnecessarily limiting its use outside of NES games.
I would like this for the Mega drive so I can play Robotron with a twin stock controller.
The NES needs two analogue sticks because...?
@ToneDeath Yeah, there is something to be said for not having to find say an old NES controller that's in good condition still. And yeah, I think you're right...the turbo buttons are very NES Max like.
Both of my standard NES controllers have 'button sticking' issues going on. Whenever I play NES games I use my NES Max or NES Advantage. If this controller is affordable and is actually half descent, I might invest and use it.
@beautifulstrong Heck yeah! N64 controller still the greatest controller of all time. Loved that Z button!
@carlt I have the 8bitdo NES controller. It's pretty high quality and awesome. Works with the Retron 5 too so that's a bonus
I'd prefer a Next Gen Kempston joystick in all honesty, the Nes pad was a bit pants imo.
@XCWarrior
I play my launch day N64 too this day, with the very same controller it came with (cleaned it once in 2007 and it's never been better), that machines racked up some serious gaming hours over the past 18 years.
Dual wielding the controllers with Goldeneye and Perfect Dark, that was Next gen years before the next gen started haha.
This looks like a redone NES Max, minus the cool swivel circle.
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