Got a new NES Classic Edition but woefully disappointed at the official controller’s short, corded-only options? Third party alternatives are popping up, but the new NES30 Classic Edition Set and Retro Receiver are a good bet, and are up for pre-order now.
The kit is from 8Bitdo, which has been making wireless and wired retro versions of classic control controllers for a while now, and doing so well. Their new $39.99 kit is shipping on December 16 from Amazon, in time for holiday gifting, and includes a Retro Receiver which will work with any modern Bluetooth gamepad including PS3, PS4 and Wii U Pro controllers, and including 8Bitdo’s entire collection of classic controllers. The company also says it’ll do so without any lag, which is great for the NES Classic’s more fast-twitch focused 8-bit titles.
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The Classic Edition Set includes an 8Bitdo NES30 Controller, the Retro Receiver, and a USB controller. You’ll need to pick up a second Retro Receiver to play two-player with another Bluetooth controller, but the NES30 gets 20 hours of battery life on a single charge, so you’ll be able to enjoy long play sessions with the kit. Plus, 8Bitdo tells me you can press down and select on the NES30 to access the NES Classic’s home screen, without having to get up and hit the physical “reset” button on the micro-console.
The NES Classic Edition from Nintendo is already guaranteed to be a hot gift this season, and its controllers are equally difficult to find. 8Bitdo’s controllers are as close as you can get to the real thing in a Bluetooth wireless package, so picking up one of these as an add-on stocking stuffer if you’re already putting a NES Classic under the tree seems like a no-brainer.