Customer Ratings & Reviews

This is one of those keyboards that you just use to show off. It works great, and lots of fun to use, especially with a laptop. Had a few people come and say that it looks cool. My only couple complaints though. First is that the A and B button cord is not that long. I would like to have it a little longer to maybe use it as a foot pedal to use as a push to talk or possible lean. My other main gripe would be that it is not lit up. I do not need it to be RGB but it would have been nice to still have it light up some to help see at night. Last gripe is trying to download the software. It works without needing the software but that seems to be a way to make it a lot easier. It also is a bit bulky especially for not having the numbers keypad for it. But why 4 stars. Well for me just the coolness factor really and that it still does perform great with being mechanical and I enjoy hearing the clicks as I press the button. It also has 3 ways that you can connect with it. Bluetooth, wired, or with the dongle. I also like that it stores the dongle for you if you are not using it. Not only is it a retro NES look to it. But kinda also gives me the retro keyboard/typewriter as well. Overall, if you already have yourself a gaming keyboard and just looking to add another to your collection, this is a great fun keyboard to add.

Really cool design, but I had issues with it randomly loosing connection.

This is my first ever mechanical keyboard. The first thing that struck me about this keyboard when taking it out of the box was the aesthetics. It's a rather pretty keyboard. It's a great smaller tactile mechanical gaming keyboard. It's has a look of quality and solid construction. The tactile keys are soft and has just enough clack, where it's not noisy. It's by far one of the nicest looking and feeling keyboards I've used. The keys all feel and sound very uniform, and have a subdued/subtle sound. In general from the standpoint of typing, there’s nothing to complain about. Since covid, I work from home. I am a Mechanical engineer and work 8+ hours on my computer daily, and also write a few reports as part of my job a week. I've been using this keyboard for more than two weeks. The keys are soft, which delivers a very nice feel. If you barely tap the keys, you can slide right across them. Nothing about this keyboard feels cheap. The board does feel a little hollow. It has a plastic shell, and no inner foam layer to fill things out. It feels nice to type on, I enjoy typing and I'm pretty quick. I haven't had any problems with hitting the wrong keys or anything like that. It's also very satisfying, I like to hear the keys being pressed, so there is definitely a satisfying clicking sound, but I wouldn't say this keyboard is too loud at all. The fact that the keyboard is compatible with true hotswap is a standout feature. The ability to freely and effortlessly change switches is just awesome. Plus, the unique design of the switch socket structure ensures easier and more stable installation, with no wobbling. Now, let's talk about the keyboard itself. It's simply amazing! The tri-mode connection technology is a real game-changer, as it allows me to use the keyboard in three different ways: USB-C wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4Ghz wireless mode. This versatility makes my user experience unparalleled and allows me to enjoy all activities to the fullest, whether gaming, work or casual browsing. Battery life is decent. You can get up to 200 hours of use with 4 hours of charge which is less than all previous keyboard I've used so far. But that is not an issue since I can charge it while using or while I'm not working. It's selling itself mainly on the nostalgia factor of its appearance but it's quite a competent keyboard beyond that and is an excellent option for a light, triple-wireless, hotswappable mechanical keyboard with a volume knob and an included two-button macro pad. Speaking of the macro pad, it is essentially two keyboard switches with a giant keycap on top. The volume knob has a little bit of tactile feedback which is neat. I haven't even looked at the custom keystrokes you can assign to the B and A buttons either on the keyboard or the extra large external buttons. This is also my first keyboard without a numpad; it's far easier to get used to it's absence than I thought it would be, and the smaller profile and extra mouse space is worth it. I never realized how much I relied on the numpad until I got this keyboard. They also make a Retro 18 Mechanical Numpad that matches the colorway of this keyboard which can be bought separately. I might look into it if needed in future. At the time of writing this review, the numpad is $45 which is a bit expensive in my opinion. The clicky keys and key feel remind me so much of my old mechanical keyboards from the 80's and 90's. If you are a computer nerd from back then you'll love this keyboard. I heartily recommend both this keyboard and the company that makes it! Purchase with confidence! If you are a NES nerd like me, this is a must buy.

The keyboard looks cool and the keys are awesome but after a few weeks the keys started acting like they were stuck and have repeating characters. Then just stopped connecting to my PC altogether.

It's basically a gimmick, but you would likely get it for show.

I purchased this keyboard initially because I'm a fan of 8BitDo's products, I love mechanical keyboards, and they NES style it has. Previously I used a low-profile Keychron K5 Pro, which I thought was a very good keyboard. This keyboard is more comfortable to type on, sounds better (if you like a more clicky sound), and is quite a bit bigger. It worked wired, via bluetooth, or 2.4GHz via USB-A adapter that magnetically attaches to the bottom of the keyboard. The keys and switches are hot swappable, although they are not backlit. The nobs add a nice touch to the "retro" aspect, vs the usual round dials or buttons most keyboards have. Via the software, on pc, you can set various profiles for the different key combos you want to have. There's no dedicated app for Mac but you can make it work for you with some Googling, which is what I ended up doing. The Super Duper buttons are a nice touch and convenient to program and use. I haven't used them or the joystick to play games yet, but it's on my list of to-do's. Overall I'd recommend this to anyone who is a fan of mechanical keyboards, and who can live without backlighting.

I have owned quite a few gaming keyboards with both tactile and linear switches, but this is the first keyboard with extra peripherals which can be programed. I was a kid during the 80’s so I was excited about the NES theme. This 8bitdo keyboard allows multiple connections such as Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless dongle, and a direct connection/charge with USB C. The dongle is quite large but stores neatly under the keyboard, and is held in place with a magnet. I should note that the dongle is specific to only the keyboard and no other 8bitdo products. The keyboard uses Kailh Box White mechanical switches and sounds pretty good for the price. The keyboard did not perform as well as some of my other gaming keyboards, but the difference was not that noticeable. The weight of this keyboard is on the light side, but the rubber feet keep it securely in place. There is a led light to indicate power, but I would like to have seen the power light resemble the NES light instead of the commodore 64. I would have also liked to see a molded ridge above the keyboard to resemble the NES instead of a sticker. The added peripherals are awesome. The two large A and B buttons can be programed and the joystick has a built-in magnet to secure it to the side of the A/B buttons. Even though it would have been neat to have these peripherals connect wirelessly to the keyboard, the cords add something to the nostalgia part. I plan on using this keyboard for work, so the typing experience is phenomenal for this use. I have also purchased the number pad, which I discovered this keyboard has a built-in magnet to help secure it next to the keyboard. My biggest upset with this keyboard is the omission of a backlight. I would have loved to see all the keys lit up with the same red color as the NES. Overall, I recommend this keyboard for gaming and to fill that need for nostalgia. It will not blow you away in terms of performance, but it is an eye catching programable keyboard with some cool add-ons you won’t see from other manufactures.

8BitDo has made a name for itself building wonderful retro-style controllers upgraded with modern technology and creature comforts across a variety of systems. They've now applied that same approach to a keyboard and the outcome is, to me, terrific. Is it for you? Read on to find out! The style for this keyboard is straight out of the late 80s/early 90s with the classic IMB Model M board and it's just spot on - the overall shape with the old style LED power light, the key caps and the feel. And it's really the feel that sells it - it's such a smooth typing experience that it really has to be felt to be believed. The keys have a great weight to them but type very smoothly and without much resistance. It was easy for me to reach or exceed my typical typing speed. The sound is straight out of that time period as well with a solid click that's clearly audible. No mushy or quiet keys here! (That also means that you won't necessarily want to buy this to use in a crowded environment where the noise could cause an issue). Underneath the retro style, there's a thoroughly modern keyboard. The board can connect to a computer via 2.4Ghz dongle, Bluetooth or via a USB-C cable - using the cable or the custom 2.4Ghz connection will give you the lowest latency, but Bluetooth is no slouch either. You also get two mappable game keys on the keyboard itself and an awesome collection of "buttons" - a large "A and B" button set and an old school joystick. While you can use them for nearly anything you want with the mapping features, they really shine in retro gaming! The extra buttons and joystick connect to the keyboard with wires (there are extra ports for them on the back of the keyboard) and then on to the computer in whatever way the keyboard is connected. So you have a stylish and highly functional keyboard with extra gaming focused features - though it's equally at home typing long passages as well. That makes this a top notch keyboard that's easy to recommend - if you don't mind the noise, that is. Give it a try today!

As soon as I opened the box for the 8BitDo - Retro Mechanical Keyboard with Joystick - N Edition I couldn't help myself except to start grinning. Just looking at the keyboard brings back so many fond memories of hurrying home after school to my buddies house to play Excite Bike, Duck Hunt, and the rest of the all time greats from the 8 bit erra. Inside the box is the keyboard, a pair of large "A" and "B" buttons, a joystick, some stickers and labels, a quick start guide, and an instruction manual. After giving the instructions a once over, I pulled the 2.4Ghz dongle out from under the keyboard and plugged it into a spare USB on the front of my case. I got the familiar "Installing new hardware" notification, and in less than a minute the keyboard paired itself and was ready to use. The keyboard has a quick mapping feature that will allow you to set the A and B keys to whatever you want, including mapping keyboard shortcuts to them if wanted. Typing on the keyboard is great. The keys have the perfect amount of give/press back, yet are easy tp press. The clickyness isn't to loud, but it is louder than a membrane style keyboard would be. The only thing I would have liked to see would be some back-lighting to make it easier when using in the dark. The price is really good for this level of quality as well.

I’ve spent some time with this 8Bitdo keyboard. And straight out of the box it looks amazing! I love the retro vibe. It’s also very heavy and feels quality. The color scheme is sooo cool. And the inclusion of the buttons. The instructions make it clear on how to utilize these buttons. And oh boy let me tell you. I set the buttons up for ctrl-c and ctrl-v. Now it feels like I’m slamming/stamping copy and paste with my fist. It’s so fun. You don’t have to use the bottom of your fist but it’s so fun. The actual keyboard itself feels really good while typing and sounds good. Very tactile and responsive. The only key that was a-little iffy was the space bar. That has a very hollow clanky sound. I added some lube and foam and it helped a lot with the sound signature it had. There is an option for Bluetooth, wireless dongle 2.4ghz, and wired USB-C for connecting to your computer. The extra buttons attach to the keyboard via 3.5mm jack wire into a port in the back of the keyboard so no need to have another port on your computer occupied by the buttons wire. Overall, I really love the fit, finish and mostly the overall look of this keyboard. It’s great for the gamers, retro gamers, and ones at heart.

As a PC gamer, you always want the latest and up-to-date technology simply because. Yeah, it'll help you out in game, look really cool and max out your cards but, still, we need these things. However, for this setup, it's the complete opposite almost. This is a retro styled keyboard that'll bring back a lot of memories for old gamers like myself. The Nintendo NES themed keyboard set is really a nice touch to use on any PC and it's quite functional as well. The keyboard is really striking IMO. The color scheme is spot on with old NES look and feel, the keys give that nice click/clack sound. With the style, the keyboard is also up-to-date with shortcut keys and knobs for volume and such. Only real bummer is that it's not backlit but, none of the stuff back in the days was so eh. The joysticks add another level of fun to this whole setup too. You're able to play old games, perhaps on emulators, using these for really old school games. Really nice setup here and reasonably priced. While this may not appeal to the hardcore gamer, it definitely is a nice refreshing touch for us older guys

Cool keyboard with super buttons and super stick, great for gaming.