8bitdo Usb Wireless Adapter 2 Review

[Macedonio Heninger]

Thankfullythe 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.

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.

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.

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.

@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.

@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).

@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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

What's the best all-around gamepad you can buy for most video games? You'd think in the year 2021, the answer would be simple. But between consoles, PCs, and smartphones, even the most comfortable, affordable, and solidly built gamepads come with a compatibility caveat.

In my 25 years of writing about video games, I have tested a lot of controllers, and my current comfort-and-performance favorite is the Xbox Wireless Gamepad (MSRP: $65, which can vary based on year and color). But it only officially works on Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. You can buy third-party adapters to sync it with platforms like PlayStation or Switch, but that's not necessarily ideal. There's also a whole console-specific controller market, ranging from entry-level pads to high-priced "pro" variants, but I generally don't review anything in the weeds of nichey compatibility.

Soon after, 8Bitdo ran with that template and made an updated Bluetooth version called the SN30 Pro. Comparing them side by side, it's almost comical how 8Bitdo mutated the SN30 to add two analog joysticks and another pair of cramped index-finger trigger buttons; the latter emulates the "two triggers, two bumpers" archetype found on most modern gamepads. It was a cool Bluetooth option but ultimately felt cramped, so I was glad to see the SN30 Pro+ launch in 2020 with a welcome jump in size and new grips.

I liked the SN30 Pro+ just fine, even though it didn't send me over the threshold of heartily recommending it, and the Pro 2 (no more "SN30" branding) copies its strengths. The design language splits the difference between an SNES controller and the original PlayStation 1 DualShock. The d-pad and other buttons are quite similar to the SNES' take, while its handles and symmetrically posed joysticks are more in line with the PS1 era. Both the Pro+ and Pro 2 include Switch-specific shortcut buttons for "home" and "share," along with the same standard allotment of buttons for console-friendly video games. And both come with a removable 1000 mAh rechargeable battery for roughly 20 hours of play per charge. (And, yes, this battery is removable. Thank you.)

What 8Bitdo got right with the Pro+ joysticks, face buttons, and bumpers, it has left well enough alone for this revision. The face buttons are big, flat, and responsive as hell. The joysticks strike an ideal balance between tension and ease. And 8Bitdo's bumper buttons jut out in a way that I've always preferred, as opposed to smaller or sunk-into-the-controller designs on other gamepads.

Released alongside the Neo Geo CD in 1994, this controller replaced the bulky arcade stick which had shipped with the Neo Geo AES home console. At first glance, it looks like a pretty traditional joypad, but it hides one key difference: its D-pad uses microswitches, and this gives it a unique, 'clicky' feel when compared to other console pads from the same period. It was a move which made a lot of sense, given the Neo Geo's library of fighting games and action titles; a microswitched pad feels more precise. SNK would use a similar control system in its Neo Geo Pocket handheld a few years later.

Ever since the Neo Geo CD pad appeared on the scene, fans have been holding out for a faithful replication because, more often than not, original pads now exhibit issues such as failing microswitches and other problems.

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