This modern N64 controller might be the best Switch 2 pad for retro Nintendo games

I’ll be honest: one look at the 8BitDo 64 Controller and I was sold on it. Styled in the colors of a classic Nintendo N64 pad — albeit with the ergonomics brought up to modern day standards — the 8BitDo 64 is all about sheer mid-90s nostalgia.

The ergonomics aren’t the only update, though. The 64 uses USB-C and Bluetooth, making it compatible with PC, Switch, Switch 2 and Android. Importantly, it’s also available in a 2.4G version that’s compatible with the original N64 (via a dongle). Meanwhile, both the Bluetooth and 2.4G versions work with the Analogue 3D — a retro console that plays original N64 cartridges. So, yes: you can play Mario Kart 64 and GoldenEye with this thing.

If that wasn’t enough, there’s a Hall Effect joystick to eliminate stick drift, retro-feeling triggers, and a very reasonable asking price. Sure, this isn’t the best gaming controller for esports, but it isn’t meant to be. It’s all about fun. And fun it is.

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So, should you buy it? Keep reading my full 8BitDo 64 controller review to find out.

8BitDo 64 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A modern Bluetooth controller for N64 and classic Nintendo gaming
• What does it cost? It starts at $39 / £34, so not much
• What’s good? The nostalgia, retro gaming performance, affordability, battery life, and compatibility options (including the original N64 and Analogue 3D)
• What’s not? The layout can be a bit awkward, and it isn’t suitable for modern gaming

8BitDo 64 review: Specs

8BitDo 64 review: The ups

Ultimate retro styling (and feel), strong compatibility with appropriate devices, Hall Effect joysticks and a palatable price — what more could you want?

Sheer mid-90s nostalgia...

If you know anything about 8BitDo, you’ll know it’s no stranger to making some rather fetching gear — like the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard, which our reviewer Nikita called “the best-looking keyboard” she’d ever tested. And I agree, having owned the dashing Commodore 64 version.

Well, the 64 Controller isn’t one to buck the trend. I find it hard to believe anyone would pass up having this thing on their shelf.

The 64 is available in a few different colorways. There are plain white and black versions — common to 8BitDo pads — which are great for minimalist setups or pairing with a white or black Analogue 3D. But it’s the N64 colorway that has my heart.

From the retro gray body and contrasting block color buttons, through to the right-hand-side button layout, and onto the damped triggers, this thing hits my nostalgia spot about as hard as is possible. On picking it up, I was immediately right back there: 8 years old, cross-legged on my best friend’s floor playing Super Mario 64 and GoldenEye on his big brother’s N64.

…With a modern-day twist

That said, while it looks the part, the 8BitDo 64 feels and acts like a modern gamepad. Its overall profile is essentially just that of the 8BitDo Ultimate Controller, which is a good thing.

The 64 is super comfortable in the hand, with chunky grips that make for a modern and more comfortable experience versus a triple-pronged original N64 pad (although it isn’t perfect, as I’ll cover later). It’s nice and lightweight too, at just 7.9 ounces, so it won’t be fatiguing to hold over long sessions.

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Obviously, there are other modern, quality-of-life features, too. It’s wireless or wired, for a start, so no need to sit close to the screen like I did as a kid. You can pass the pad about from the luxury of your far-away sofa without the wire knocking over that glass of juice, or getting tangled with another pad.

The 64 also uses a Hall Effect joystick, to eliminate stick drift over time, giving you peace of mind about longevity. And you can update firmware using the companion software.

Appropriate compatibility

Huh? “Appropriate compatibility” — what the hell does that mean? It means exactly what it looks like. The 8BitDo 64 isn’t gonna work with your PS5 or Xbox, but why should it be? This is all about retro N64 gaming.

It is compatible, on the other hand, with the devices it should work with. The Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch, of course, as well as Android devices and the Analogue 3D console that runs N64 cartridges. There’s also PC as a catch-all for any folk who, like me, don’t game on any of the other supported devices (PCMR!). Importantly, if you buy the 2.4G version, you’ll lose compatibility with Switch and Android, but gain compatibility with the original N64 via a Wi-Fi dongle. Neat!

Awesome for retro gaming

The 8BitDo 64 is awesome for retro gaming. Obviously, there’s the N64 control layout, giving you that classic D-pad / single stick feel to movement. It was so nostalgic to be playing in this format, and took a while to de-configure my brain and remember that A/B were closer to the middle, but I got there.

The analog stick has an octagonal housing, allowing you to lock precisely into a direction — this is key to accuracy in older games not designed to cope with a true 360° stick. A nice touch is the addition of a metal collar around the stick stem, which stops the angled octagonal edges damaging the stem over time. As I mentioned above, the stick is Hall Effect, making it feel extremely quick and responsive.

I experienced no latency when gaming, even over Bluetooth, which kinda figures. The kind of games you’ll be playing with this pad aren’t the fastest-paced titles that demand the sharpest inputs. They’re older games with less precise controls. Still, it’s nice to know there’s the option for lower latency wired or 2.4G connectivity if needed.

PC — Doom 64

I started my testing on Doom 64. As I’ll cover below, I found it a bit annoying having to stretch my right thumb over the controller to hit the D-pad for camera control. But other than that, I had a great time.

I especially enjoyed gunplay with the 8BitDo 64. The triggers are damped and kinda mushy-feeling compared to modern-vibe controllers, like my Razer Wolverine V3 Pro ($199) with its snappy hair triggers, and my Gamesir Kaleid ($46) with its super smooth Hall Effect triggers. However, the 64 triggers have a nice thump to them, making each gunshot feel extremely satisfying — and again, this added to the retro 90s vibe.

Switch 2 — Mario Kart, GoldenEye, Star Fox

I then played some classic N64 games on the Switch 2. First, I played Mario Kart 64, which is the game I most enjoyed on the 8BitDo pad because it only requires the joystick for movement. I loved the octagonal groves here, which made it easy to lock in directions. Just like the OG N64 pad, the C buttons are right next to A and B, so you can quickly knock the C-down to launch powerups without taking your thumb off the gas.

I then played GoldenEye, which was even trickier to control than the OG game, as the Hall Effect stick is super sensitive — this made aiming with the reticule quite tricky. But I still had lots of fun on 007. I then finished off with some Star Fox, which was super easy to get up to speed with on the 8BitDo, and made good use of the 64’s Turbo function to cut down on thumb strain.

In all these games, Z (R2 on a modern pad) launched the game menu — with my brain programmed to modern gamepads where Z (R2) would be Fire, I had to do some reprogramming to stop hitting this and pausing my games. But you could just remap this in the controller button layout via the menu.

Decent battery life

The 8BitDo's rated battery life is (up to) 36 hours from its 1,000mAh cell. That’s a good amount of playtime, even if you’re gaming for 8 hour stints. It puts the 20 hours of my much pricier Razer Wolverine V3 Pro to shame.

I haven't needed to charge the 8BitDo gamepad at all while testing, from around 8-12 hours of use (a large chunk of which was spent on Doom 64 — which I can't get enough of).

Affordable price

Best of all, the 8BitDo 64 is reasonably priced, at $39 from Amazon for the black/white versions and the 2.4G gray version, or $44 for the Bluetooth version. In the U.K., all versions cost £34 at Amazon. Given the decent build quality and how much fun this pad is for retro gaming, I’d say it’s a steal. And hey, even if you don’t use it that much, at least you won't have dropped big bucks.

8BitDo 64 review: The downs

The 8BitDo 64’s flaws are very few, and fairly minor. It isn’t the best for smaller hands, thanks to 8BitDo jerry-rigging the triple-pronged OG N64 layout into a conventional modern controller design. Plus it’s no good for non-retro gaming.

Won’t be good for smaller hands

The original N64 pad wasn’t perfect, and seems very strangely laid out to modern sensibilities. Its layout served an important purpose at a time of emerging 3D gaming, and was the best Nintendo could do at the time… but it wasn’t perfect. You had to shift your hand between the prongs to play certain games.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the N64 gamepad, it’s just a quirk of the controller, and symptomatic of where 3D gaming was at the time.

The 8BitDo 64, while a big improvement on the N64 pad’s layout in many games, is actually trickier to use than the OG N64 controller in games that use the D-Pad rather than C buttons for camera control. With the three-pronged N64 pad you’d shift your hand between the prongs, so one thumb was on the D-Pad and the other on the joystick.

The 8BitDo 64 has no middle prong and the D-Pad and joystick are next to one another. That means you need to stretch your hand across the pad to control the camera. In Doom 64, this was a bit annoying. I got by, as I have larger hands, but if you’ve got smaller mitts, you may find this problematic.

No good for non-retro gaming

This isn’t really a flaw, as it’s by design. However, with the octagonal joystick and no second stick, the 8BitDo 64 is no good for modern gaming. Unless you only play retro Nintendo games, the 64 is always going to be a supplemental purchase to your main pad — thankfully, it’s cheap enough to make that a non-issue.

If you instead need a single all-rounder pad, look at something like 8BitDo Ultimate or GameSir Super Nova ($49) instead.

8BitDo 64 review: Verdict

I love this little pad. It isn’t perfect, sure. It’s limited in its scope to retro gaming only, which will make this a secondary controller purchase for many, and if it was pricey, that would be a problem. But it isn’t. Meanwhile, jerry-rigging the inherently flawed N64 controls into a modern form has made the controls a little frustrating at times, but has dramatically improved the ergonomic experience to make up for it.

Those are really the only things I can say against the 8BitDo 64, and as you can see, my qualms were both heavily caveated. It’s a great supplementary pad to heighten the experience of playing retro games, by bringing the experience close to what was originally intended. It’s cute-looking, affordable, has decent battery life, and decent compatibility — especially with the N64 and Analogue 3D. What’s not to love?