While waiting to get my hands on the NES-style case reviewed in the previous post, we moved forward on another important topic for the retro console: the controller. And thanks to Black Friday, we made a purchase we have no regrets about.
8BitDo N30: The Controller That Bridges Past and Present
Anyone who’s followed the previous posts knows that the first version of our retro console was fairly budget-oriented: we talked about reusing old PC controllers or buying inexpensive versions that evoke the designs of the past. But even on this front… we couldn’t stop there.
Enter the 8BitDo N30, which arrived a few days ago. Cost: €29.90. Not the height of economy — the Raspberry Pi 3 itself costs that much — but I wanted a reasonably complete controller. When it comes to retrogaming, in my opinion you can’t limit yourself to just the 1980s, and that makes the 2 analogue joysticks necessary — even if purists of the 8-bit era tend to roll their eyes at them.
This is a matter of personal taste. For some, analogue and wireless controllers simply don’t belong when playing the classics. But that’s the beauty of this whole thing: we can all build exactly what we want, without restrictions.
Why Choose It
- NES-inspired design — perfect aesthetic for the retro console
- Bluetooth — use it from the sofa without worrying about cable length
- Wide compatibility — works with smartphones, tablets, PC, laptop and even Nintendo Switch
- Incredibly easy to configure — automatically recognised by RetroPie
- 2 analogue joysticks — essential for more recent emulators (PlayStation, N64…)
As with all well-made products, this recommendation is a must. What else is there to say? I’ll let the photos do the talking.
