So let's talk 8bitdo. Their website is the same, plus a dotcom
They're a Hong Kong company that has a few bluetooth controllers, including the standard SNES button layout. All their controllers are capable of bluetooth wireless and USB wired modes, and in some fashion are compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Great!
Recently, they released two full layout (x-input compatible) controllers.
Actually, I'll backtrack: all the variety in controllers is basically aesthetics - they only really offer two button layouts, SNES and Xbox360-ish. There's the normal controllers, and PRO controllers.
So I got myself a NES30 controller. Great, I can emulate and play GBA. But we're not here for that (unless you play Wii arcade games). We're here for GC and Wii.
So I got the NES30 PRO.
Soooo dissapointing. TL:DR - it's the lack of true analog.
See, I thought, between Mac and Windows, between the 8 or so controller methods you can connect to a computer with, I could get something going. OHHH SURE I can play GBA games, I can play Starwhal, I can play Project M! But the control sticks are really not analog. They are only 8-directional in most modes with an additional analog range between 70%-100% stick push on a few modes.
It's crazy! I'm guessing the hardware is all there, and they've added all sorts of new features to the firmware, but they have not yet smoothed out the analog controls.
To list the hardware connection modes available (that we're interested in) (currently FW v 1.59):
NES30 PRO manual
Mode 1 - (Win compatible) - wireless - joystick
Mode 2 - (Mac, Win) - wireless - keyboard
Mode 3 - (iOS and Android only) - wireless - iCade
Mode 4 - (ROOTED iOS and Android only) - emuTouch (emulated touch screen controls)
Mode 5 - (Win) - wired - USB joystick
Special modes:
Mode R1 - (Win, Mac) - wired - Wired X-input (so a wired Xbox 360)
Mode R1 - (Win) - wireless - PC joystick
Mode L2 - (Retron 5) - Who cares
Mode Y - (Wii) - It's a Wiimote !!! I haven't tested this on an actual Wii, but I'm sure the analog must be crap again...
With FW v 1.60 (currently beta)
PRO with PS3 support
Mode Y - (PS3) - It's a PS3 remote somehow??? Apparently works excellently - with perfect analog???
This last might be good for Mac eventually, as Mac does not have a native x-input driver, but does have a native PS3 controller driver.
So you can see they added a lot of features and whatnot, but could have spent that time improving the performance/controls on existing modes.
__________
I don't really recommend the 8bitdo PRO controllers, overall, as a controller. As a SNES controller sure, but not as a Wii or GC controller.
...As a (Bluetooth) wireless controller though... it's a pretty great controller... most of them suck just as bad or worse and require drivers (instead of using the abundant platform specific drivers).
Form factor wise, portability, its feel... it's good.
My only real complaint hardware wise, is that while it does have the required four triggers, none of them are analog - GC, Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 all have at least two analog triggers.
__________
If anyone else has used these controllers, please leave your thoughts, tips, setup, or overall experience. If you have any idea how to sort this analog debacle, please, please leave your suggestion/fix!
Also, analog or analogue? Normally I use the latter :P
They're a Hong Kong company that has a few bluetooth controllers, including the standard SNES button layout. All their controllers are capable of bluetooth wireless and USB wired modes, and in some fashion are compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Great!
Recently, they released two full layout (x-input compatible) controllers.
Actually, I'll backtrack: all the variety in controllers is basically aesthetics - they only really offer two button layouts, SNES and Xbox360-ish. There's the normal controllers, and PRO controllers.
So I got myself a NES30 controller. Great, I can emulate and play GBA. But we're not here for that (unless you play Wii arcade games). We're here for GC and Wii.
So I got the NES30 PRO.
Soooo dissapointing. TL:DR - it's the lack of true analog.
See, I thought, between Mac and Windows, between the 8 or so controller methods you can connect to a computer with, I could get something going. OHHH SURE I can play GBA games, I can play Starwhal, I can play Project M! But the control sticks are really not analog. They are only 8-directional in most modes with an additional analog range between 70%-100% stick push on a few modes.
It's crazy! I'm guessing the hardware is all there, and they've added all sorts of new features to the firmware, but they have not yet smoothed out the analog controls.
To list the hardware connection modes available (that we're interested in) (currently FW v 1.59):
NES30 PRO manual
Mode 1 - (Win compatible) - wireless - joystick
Mode 2 - (Mac, Win) - wireless - keyboard
Mode 3 - (iOS and Android only) - wireless - iCade
Mode 4 - (ROOTED iOS and Android only) - emuTouch (emulated touch screen controls)
Mode 5 - (Win) - wired - USB joystick
Special modes:
Mode R1 - (Win, Mac) - wired - Wired X-input (so a wired Xbox 360)
Mode R1 - (Win) - wireless - PC joystick
Mode L2 - (Retron 5) - Who cares
Mode Y - (Wii) - It's a Wiimote !!! I haven't tested this on an actual Wii, but I'm sure the analog must be crap again...
With FW v 1.60 (currently beta)
PRO with PS3 support
Mode Y - (PS3) - It's a PS3 remote somehow??? Apparently works excellently - with perfect analog???
This last might be good for Mac eventually, as Mac does not have a native x-input driver, but does have a native PS3 controller driver.
So you can see they added a lot of features and whatnot, but could have spent that time improving the performance/controls on existing modes.
__________
I don't really recommend the 8bitdo PRO controllers, overall, as a controller. As a SNES controller sure, but not as a Wii or GC controller.
...As a (Bluetooth) wireless controller though... it's a pretty great controller... most of them suck just as bad or worse and require drivers (instead of using the abundant platform specific drivers).
Form factor wise, portability, its feel... it's good.
My only real complaint hardware wise, is that while it does have the required four triggers, none of them are analog - GC, Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3 all have at least two analog triggers.
__________
If anyone else has used these controllers, please leave your thoughts, tips, setup, or overall experience. If you have any idea how to sort this analog debacle, please, please leave your suggestion/fix!
Also, analog or analogue? Normally I use the latter :P