Review of the 8Bitdo Pro 2 gamepad: a $ 50 bargain for interesting features, killer performance

What is the best versatile gamepad you can buy for most video games? You would think that in the year 2021, the answer would be simple. But among 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 tested a very of controllers, and my current favorite of comfort and performance is the Xbox Wireless Gamepad (MSRP: $ 65, which may vary by year and color). But it only works officially on Windows, MacOS, iOS and Android. You can buy third-party adapters to synchronize it with platforms like PlayStation or Switch, but this is not necessarily ideal. There is also a whole market for console-specific controllers, ranging from basic pads to high-priced “professional” variants, but I usually don’t analyze anything in niche compatibility weeds.

8Bitdo Pro 2

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I’ve made an exception for 8Bitdo controllers in the past, especially their retro-specific gems (and a super tiny and bizarre curiosity). Still, I have been hesitant to recommend the “Pro” series of gamepads, aimed at the company’s mainstream, which adds modern subtleties to the Super Nintendo archetype. My tone has changed considerably thanks to next week’s $ 50 8Bitdo Pro 2, the hardware manufacturer’s fourth generation controller for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Switch and Raspberry Pi, released on Tuesday, April 12th.

It’s a cool gamepad in isolation and outperforms Nintendo’s official Switch Pro controller in terms of functionality, design and options – for $ 20 less, to boot. If you are looking for a great versatile Bluetooth controller, 8Bitdo is now officially tied to the Xbox 65 standard.

An 8Bitdo primer

The 8Bitdo Pro 2 can trace its heritage to the 2017 “SN30” gamepad, which was designed to work on original Super Nintendo consoles. Not only was it almost identical to Nintendo’s official discontinued gamepad – even using similar rubber membranes – it also included a 2.4 GHz rad wireless receiver, intended for a SNES-shaped port. (Its launch was conveniently timed along with Analogue Super NT, which requires genuine SNES gamepads.)

Soon after, 8Bitdo ran with this template and made an updated version of Bluetooth called SN30 Pro. Comparing them side by side, it is almost comical how 8Bitdo modified the SN30 to add two analog joysticks and another pair of trigger buttons pressed on the index finger; the latter emulates the archetype “two triggers, two dampers” found in most modern gamepads. It was a cool Bluetooth option, but at the end of the day it seemed tight, so I was happy to see the SN30 Pro + launch in 2020 with a welcome leap in size and new handles.

I liked the SN30 Pro + very well, although it did not send me beyond the limit of recommending it sincerely, and the Pro 2 (without the “SN30” mark anymore) copies its strengths. The design language divides the difference between a SNES controller and the original PlayStation 1 DualShock. The d-pad and other buttons are very similar to the SNES take, while its symmetrically positioned handles and joysticks are more in line with the PS1 era. Both Pro + and Pro 2 include Switch-specific shortcut buttons for “home” and “share”, along with the same standard distribution of buttons for console video games. And both come with a removable 1000 mAh rechargeable battery for approximately 20 hours of play per charge. (And, yes, this battery is removable. Thank you.)

As good as before – and then some

Some aspects of the Pro 2 are almost identical to those of other products under the “SN30” brand. The directional still looks a lot like the SNES – again, the same rubber membrane base – so it’s firm and agile, unlike the loose, smooth and satisfying action of a Sega Genesis gamepad or the latest genius clicky Xbox. Although I prefer the feel of the latter two, I like the rigid action of Pro 2 – especially in the common use case of requiring 2D fare on a system compatible with Pro 2. It’s great for platforms, shmups and puzzle games . (Unlike the Switch Pro controller, you do not need to disassemble the Pro 2 and insert a piece of tape to ensure the responsiveness of the directional pad.)

What 8Bitdo got right with the Pro + joysticks, front buttons and bumpers, left everything in peace for this review. The front buttons are big, flat and respond like the devil. Joysticks achieve an ideal balance between tension and ease. And the 8Bitdo bumper buttons are designed in a way that I have always preferred, as opposed to smaller designs or embedded in the controller in other gamepads.

Still, this week’s Pro 2 goes a few steps beyond Pro +, and each change is for the better. The handles include a slightly redesigned curve, which fits my palms better. The pressure-sensitive triggers (L2 / R2 on the PlayStation, or LT / RT on the Xbox) have been adjusted to require a little less force to press, but they still have a little force. The rear plastic cover now has a light texture, which I never felt on an 8Bitdo pad until this one – and I’m a fan, especially since it’s quite subtle. (Anyone whose hands sweat in the middle of the game will appreciate the extra agility whenever they can.) And when you want to switch from the controller’s “Xinput” protocol (for Windows PCs) to Android, iOS / MacOS or Switch, you will no longer have to memorize and press strange button combinations. This gamepad includes a physical switch to switch from one mode to another.