Anyone have a 8bitdo Wireless SNES controller?

[tjstogy]

This one: http://amzn.to/2p6AoTt

How does it compare to the regular controller? I've heard the buttons are a bit stiff, but could that be remedied by switching out the rubber from a regular SNES controller? Also, is there any lag whatsoever?

[bigbadboaz]

The average internet casual swore up and down it was PERFECT after its release; the super-picky Reddit users claim the D-pad is faulty and that there is lag.

I have two, which I use on my SNES with their wireless receivers. Personally: it's pretty damn good. The mold and feel are very, very close to the original. I don't feel lag even using their receiver, which I suppose could be considered a second potential source for it.

The D-pad is definitely not perfect, in an odd way. It feels pretty authentic and there are plenty of games I get normal performance with. But in certain games - Contra III being the worst case - it goes crazy with the diagonals. Like I can't hold crouches properly or keep aimed diagonally because the controller can't decide whether or not a diagonal is being pressed. the aforementioned picky internet users claim it's a flaw in the way the PCB is laid out and that it can be fixed by laying electrical tape over part of the contacts. I'm not sure this is the case as the behavior I described seems more like a firmware thing.

The buttons are actually IMO less stiff than the originals. They are more tactile but also move more easily. I have no problem with them. I have also read, unfortunately, that the internals are NOT the same so you cannot swap in actual SNES contact pads.

At any rate, the only real problem I see with the pad is the weird, occasional diagonal problem. If that can indeed be fixed with firmware I'd say it's a great pad. As is, mine work great about 90% of the time.

[Guspaz]

I've got two. They work well. There isn't any lag (I get no difference in manual lag tests, people testing with high speed cameras don't get any lag). The buttons feel a bit crisper than my originals, but they're 25+ years old and the rubber might not be the same as new. The d-pad diagonals do work a bit differently, for casual use it's not bothered me yet (though I've not used them all that heavily), but I can see how it might. Some looking around shows people mentioning tape to fix it (though I can't find instructions or direct references), and swapping out the plastic d-pad part from a real SNES controller.

[LDigital]

There is no lag and all the parts can be swapped with parts from a real controller. I swapped the shoulder buttons and rubber pads from my well worn but familiar favourite snes pad and it now feels the same

[ZellSF]

Mine works perfect.

It does register diagonals more easily, but I've never thought "I didn't press that". The SNES controller you have to be pretty explicit with your diagonal inputs and some games do rely on that.

I had zero problems aiming diagonally in Contra III. Though I noticed on my SNES controller I usually transit from standing to lying down, but with the 8bitdo I aim diagonally down first, since that's the way I move my fingers from left to bottom and the 8bitdo registers that. That's definitely a problem I want to try to fix somehow.

If it has any lag, I can't tell. Lots of people order these kind of things for "my first emulator" setups and are not aware how much lag you get if you connect an emulator to a modern display. I doubt you'll find any of the people complaining about that who have connected a SNES to a CRT.

Buttons feel perfect, but I can't really elaborate on how they feel vs my SNES controllers (except for start and select actually working reliably on the 8bitdo, that's nice).

[Woozle]

I didn't notice any input lag with mine. The only issue I have is with the d-pad and the diagonals, I'll be pressing up on the d-pad the controller thinks I'm pressing up-right or up-left.

As far as how it feels in my hands, really good. Only complaint I have is with the way the buttons release after being pressed, the stick a little too much for my liking.

[Dochartaigh]

I haven't been keeping up to date on the Raspberry Pi Reddit lately, but for the longest time the most common topics about wireless-controller (mostly connectivity) problems were about the 8BitDo bluetooth controllers (followed by PS3/PS4). The numerous 8BitDo fanboys always HATED when I pointed out that indisputable fact-of-the-forum as they extolled it's virtues

I've owned three of them (and bought two more quasi-recently), and my experiences mimic theirs. Great controller, not so great on connecting and staying connected 100% of the time. Maybe they're updated the firmware since then but I've honestly stopped using them for the Pi 3 and use PS3/Xbox controllers more (they simply connect more reliably). My most recent foray with 8BitDo controllers is their Retro Receiver for my NES, which I haven't even bothered to use it with my NES30 yet (due to that being super-flaky with keeping a connection 100% before), but works perfect with my PS3 controller (well, after I returned the first defective receiver at least...).

[Guspaz]

My experience has been that, once connected to the retro receiver (with the latest firmware on both the controller and receiver), the connection stays up 100%, and that they *usually* connect extremely quickly, but maybe 5% of the time I need to push the sync button on the retro receiver. I don't think I've ever experienced the connection dropping once established. My use has been entirely the SNES30 controllers on an NTSC SNES and on the GameCube (via the raphnet snes-to-cube adapter).

That said, they're known to not have the greatest compatibility with other devices (IIRC use with mobile devices is a particular pain point?), so I wouldn't be comfortable recommending them for any situation where their primary use was to use them with something other than the retro receivers. A workaround may be to use the retro receiver as the bluetooth adapter for the PC or console (via the USB port) since the wireless segment would be entirely 8bitdo, but I've never used them as such, so for all I know it wouldn't help.