Customer Ratings & Reviews

Full disclosure: I am a sucker for any retro-style device, especially controllers. So naturally, I got this without knowing the company 8BitDo or looking at any reviews. First, I really like the packaging. The box has this color faded orange/white look that seems to come straight from the ’80s that has been hanging on an electronic shop’s display window for a few years. The controller comes well packaged inside along with a USB-C cable for connectivity and charging (no power pack) and the documentation. The actual controller certainly looks like a combination between the NES and SNES, with the red/black/beige color scheme form the NES and the shape of the rounded sides of the SNES. It also has a blue LED light on the sides that tells when the device is on, in pairing mode, or connected. It is aesthetically appealing to my eyes. Because the controller is rather small and very light (pocket-size), it can “feel” very old-school. However, it is still very well built and seems durable. The control layout is simple and traditional; D-pad on the left, select and start buttons in the middle, action buttons on the right, 2 analog sticks in the lower center, and 4 top buttons (R1, R2, L1, L2). The rechargeable battery, according to 8BitDo, can last up to 18 hours. This controller is excellent for portability. If you have never used an old gamepad, are used to today’s larger controllers, or have big hands, holding it may feel strange and might even be a bit uncomfortable. I think the analog sticks are small and kind of close to each other. The top buttons are also a bit cramped as reaching for the R1 and L1 buttons can leave you flexing your fingers in a claw-like manner, which is fatiguing -especially if the game requires those button presses constantly. Having said that, the D-pad and action buttons do feel great. The buttons have a satisfying click and springiness to them, leaving no room for button misses. The D-pad also feels great, just like the old NES’. This gamepad also features rumble, some motion-sensing technology, and a rapid-fire mode. As far as connectivity, I was able to connect the controller to an Android tablet, iPad Air 3, and Switch easily. I did have a bit of trouble with connecting and set up on a Windows laptop using Bluetooth. However, it worked using the USB-C cable, although this defeats the wireless feature. The gamepad worked flawlessly on my mobile devices. From adventure, fighting, dungeon crawlers, to action games, it responded to any action or movement without any discernible issue or lag. However, on the Windows laptop, again, it was difficult to set up and did not always work -especially in Bluetooth mode. This is a bummer because this controller is awesome for portability and I was looking forward to playing some PC titles on the go. In the end, I will still recommend this controller. Although it does have questionable comfort and some Windows compatibility issues (I am hoping that the next version will address these), it does have a great retro-look and vibe, is well built, ultra-light, and highly portable. I think the 8BitDo N30 Pro 2 is certainly a good value for the features you get.

The 8bitdo controllers went on sale and they had a open box excellent condition one available. I have emulators on my phone but hate not having actual buttons to press so i wanted a controller to play games. The N30 Pro 2 is very small so it's perfect for me; some will find it a con. I grew up with controllers from the Atari and NES days and still play on retro consoles so I'm used to the small controllers. The shoulder buttons L1/R1 and L2/R2 are right next to each other so at first it takes some getting used to, afterwards just like any other controller, it becomes second nature to press the correct shoulder buttons. I was able to pair the controller easily without the instructions. I tried various PS1 and PSP games. I love fighting and platformer games and will notice lag right away if there is some. Im pleased to say there is no lag and finished Tekken 3, Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold, Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo, and Street Fighter Alpha 3 without a hitch! Now I even use this on my Switch since the controller has a real d-pad which matters for my old school shmups and most old games! Like I mentioned the only con to some may be the size and some complain about the shoulder buttons. I thought they were fine and haven't had issues!

Bought it last 6/11/2020. Easy to sync with my switch lite. No lags noticed during gameplay. Love the design, nostalgia of the NES design. I like how they placed the analog sticks at the bottom. A great buy!

Not good for playing modern games with. The shoulder/trigger buttons aren't the best. It's also very small. I have wide palms, so the controller took some getting used to. Analog sticks looks flimsy and small, but they work. Best use for this controller is while playing old simple titles via an emulator. You can get buy using it on a modern title like the Assassin's Creed games. If you try to play a FPS or 3rd person shooter though, good luck, as the shoulder buttons are lacking for that game type. The best thing about his controller is the aesthetic design.[absolutely beautiful, eye catching to other gamers] And the price. [NOTE: It was around 30$ when I brought it]

I bought this controller as an alternative to buying a Nintendo Switch Pro controller. It works pretty well, although it was a little bit finicky to pair it. I wound up plugging it into my dock and it paired one two three. My only complaint would be for the top buttons, which can be a little tricky to hit in certain situations, I find myself tapping the outer one by accident when I’m trying to get the inner. But it’s designed to look like an old NES/SNES controller, so I get it. Still works well, and the battery life is great.

I love this controller. The shoulder buttons take a little time to get use to as they are inline and not much space between them but I didn’t buy this controller to be a pro controller I bought it to be a super compact but fully functional controller I can keep in my laptop bag or my pocket. Battery lasts a long time and is easily rechargeable via usb-c. Never had any issues with Bluetooth dropping.

This hits the nostalgia button all day. I bought this purely for the look at first. Then after setting up on my switch and my surface laptop, I was impressed. My only gripe on this are the R1 and R2 buttons. They are a little to close to one another and I would have preferred a bump or a different color for those buttons to make it easier to identify. Other than that, this is an extremely well constructed product. It has a unique feel to it. The connection on the device is strong and I have not had any connection issues while using it 15ft away from my TV. I LOVE that it come with a type-c cable to charge. It just makes things easier to have one cable to rule them all you know. I will say that if you have large hands, this might not be the one for you. Remember the classic controllers are not very large to begin with. Keep that in mind if you plan to pick this up.

I would definitely recommend this controller for anyone looking for a multi-platform device! Pros: +Great for 2d and Platformers +Easy to sync +Lightweight design with unique trigger placement +Excellent battery life +Excellent dpad Cons: -Controller is pretty small and might feel awkward for those with large hands -Trigger placement takes a little while to get used to -Joystick placement seems a little weird

Everything works great on it, had no problem with the bluetooth. It paired with my old 2015 pc in an instant. Don't listen to the people saying not to use it as their main controller, I've been using it for prolonged use and it still feels great in my hands. Nice battery life too. I charged it for the first time after a week. It works great with modern games and old alike. I love it!

works great with firestick. Easy to set up and is Bluetooth so no wires.

I love this controller. It's right about the same size as an original NES controller, but has the feel of an SNES controller. I didn't notice any lag while playing some shmups on NES/SNES Online. I have large hands and I find this more than comfortable. Easy setup. Also, I'm enjoying it with my PC using emulators. Great aesthetic as well.

8bitdo makes the absolute best in retro styled controllers and these are no exception. Probably not comfortable for longer gaming sessions due to their size, these are ideal for travel or quick play sessions. I wouldn't use them for fighting games though. The button layout and size makes playing 6-button fighters difficult.

Would really go 4.5/5. Solid controller. The shoulder buttons are a little odd to use because of their side-by-side placement, but certainly functional. LEDs are a fun touch. Love the USB-C charging port—perfect to use my iPad Pro charger to recharge the controller. I do prefer the size and shape of the SN30 Pro, but I also have pretty large hands. This one works great for my 8-year-old. Recommended.

We bought a couple of these for the kids as an economical alternative to Switch Pro Controllers. They are easy to connect and work well at half the price. Maybe one day the kids will complain about the R1/R2 layout, but it doesn’t matter for Mario Kart. Personally, I wish the sticks were laid out like the Pro Controller, but that’s not necessarily a functional issue.

Great little controller that not only serves as my Raspberry Pi controller. It's easy to setup, just make sure that you update the firmware from the 8bitdo website!! Also, this doubles as a pretty nice alternative Pro Controller for the Nintendo Switch!

The 8BitDo Pro 2 Wireless Controller is very neat little controller that easily connects to my android device. You can map the buttons to whatever your using it for and it can fit in your shirt pocket. It has a rechargeable battery inside and comes with a micro USB cable so you don't need to constantly purchase AA batteries to get 13 hours of play time. This device will automatically turn itself off after one minute when not in use or you can hold the start button for 8 seconds to turn it off manually. I suggest to take a picture of the instructions with your phone so you know the button combinations to seamlessly connect it to other devices such as Windows, Mac, Android and Nintendo Switch. Definitely worth the purchase!

Functioned really well. Well constructed and user friendly. I returned it shortly after buying only because it was a little smaller than I thought it looked in the pictures and my hands are giant.

Works Great !!! - awesome quality. Well built, easy to pair, and i am actually looking to get another one.

This was a big hit and continues to be the most fun because there are no chords but you get the classic look and feel of years gone by for in-home gaming.

I've been using 2 off these controllers to play old videogames on a Raspberry Pi. Initially I had Bluetooth connectivity issues, but nothing a few online tutorials couldn't sort out. The controllers are responsive, light weight, have great battery life, and have the ability to connect to a myriad of things. Even if you don't plan on using them to game on a Retro Pi, grab one of these for your Switch.