8bitdo N30 and SN30 wireless controllers for NES and SNES

[Elrinth]

I try out 8bitdo's new wireless controllers for SNES and NES. I compare the NES version vs RetroUSB's Gamepad.. Also showing some japanese retro computer footage using the SNES controller via an adapter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qD5CnS5gfc

What do you guys think about these controllers?

[bigbadboaz]

I had the SN30 for SNES Classic and was quite impressed, thought they improved the Dpad appropriately from their notorious earlier efforts.

Their SNES dongles are also one of the few where they've bothered to design an appropriate size and shape, that don't look like complete eyesores installed in the system. If this lookalike pad performs like the SNES Classic ones, I'm sure it's a good purchase.

[Elrinth]

Ahh I gave my snes classic to my childhood friend.
So I never thought of getting the wireless controllers for it.

I wish the controller itself for snes had the color schema of their first controllers (snes30). But the form atleast is perfect.

[bigbadboaz]

There was a lot of speculation that Nintendo forced them to stop directly copying the original design. For an "updated take" on the controller, I thought this design was really good.

[Elrinth]

You might be right. As nintendo are still releasing controllers looking exactly like the old nes and snes controllers for the Switch for example. They wanna protect their designs. So I guess this is the best we can get!

[bigbadboaz]

Exactly. The change happened right around the time Nintendo started making replica controllers. And with 8bitdo allowed to make Switch-compatible controllers, it would have been pretty easy to lean on them and make them change.

[korpse413]

I'm currently using my 8bitdo SFC30 (original style) to play Bloodstained Curse of the Moon 2 via Steam. I use it plugged in, not bluetooth (my PC doesn't support bluetooth and I have no reason to get a dongle right now). I've never had too many issues with this controller. The few times I've used it with bluetooth say on a SNES with the receiver there did not seem to be much lag. TBH I am not sure what the jump to 2.4g is about, I feel like it might be changing tech for the sake of changing and to get people to buy the slew of controllers all over again (my opinion). I like the idea of being able to finally use the official Nintendo bluetooth controllers intended for Switch with the 8bitdo receivers. I might even start using them with Steam since I found out they just work plugged in as well. The dpad on this is kind of a burden sometimes which I could see myself selling. I imagine playing a game like SFII and having to constantly spam quarter circle forward might be a challenge. Me being stubborn I've just worked thru it and keep giving myself false hope that it just needs to get worn in lol or that its a placebo

[bigbadboaz]

2.4G is more of a budget niche, you find a lot of controller + receiver bundles for closer to the price of comparable Bt controllers alone. But it also consistently tests faster, which is a super bonus when you're paying less for the set. 8bitdo's range of Bt pads in particular are documented all over the place as being significantly slower than their 2.4G stuff. They're fast enough for many people, and if you don't feel lag that's great - but 2.4G has really become the go-to for people wanting to get as close to a wired connection as possible.

[Dochartaigh]

2.4G is more of a budget niche, you find a lot of controller + receiver bundles for closer to the price of comparable Bt controllers alone. But it also consistently tests faster, which is a super bonus when you're paying less for the set. 8bitdo's range of Bt pads in particular are documented all over the place as being significantly slower than their 2.4G stuff. They're fast enough for many people, and if you don't feel lag that's great - but 2.4G has really become the go-to for people wanting to get as close to a wired connection as possible.

For me, I don't notice lag on either if they're working properly. I choose 2.4ghz (and in fact just re-bought the NES and SNES bluetooth versions in 2.4ghz, a pair of each) because they never, ever, drop out on me. I've owned about 100 Bluetooth controllers (used to pair all sorts and brands of them with RP3's I used to sell) and use them on everything from those RP3's, to desktops, laptops, tablets, real NES/SNES consoles, etc. etc. ALWAY had a problem on EVERY platform at one time or another (some WAY often).

Never, ever, had a 2.4ghz anything loose signal on me (if I walk 60 feet away, sure, but never normally). This goes for those cheap 2.4ghz mice and mini keyboards too - those seem to work so much better than Bluetooth it's not even funny. Many systems will recognize them from the get-go too - meaning you can actually hit keystrokes to get into BIOS or whatnot - where Bluetooth will only work once the OS is loaded.

[Elrinth]

I have some really cheap $10 keyboard+mouse by logitech we use in the garage which works like shit they work up to like 6 inches from the computer ._. then they start becoming totally unrealiable haha.
But they were cheap so I guess I got what I could expect lol.

[thebigcheese]

I bought an SN30 Pro a while back and have been pretty meh about it. The d-pad registered diagonals way too easily and both the d-pad and the buttons were too stiff. Lately I've been frustrated with my controllers and on a whim picked up the SN30 Pro+ and it is really clear that they took customer feedback to heart. The buttons all have just the right amount of snap and the d-pad works exactly how I want it to. My singular gripe is that there's no way to physically reduce the travel of the triggers - I'd love if someone made replacement trigger caps that turned them into short throws. For $50, though, I can't really fault them. I like the controller so much I just ordered another.

I've done some pretty unscientific measuring by shooting 120 FPS video of my 120 Hz TV to check the lag and when using the controller wired (with a PC), there does not appear to be any input lag (other than the one frame from the TV). When using their wireless receiver, the input lag seems to be somewhat variable (which I gather is normal for Bluetooth), but seems to range from basically no additional lag to one extra frame at 120 Hz (or roughly 8 ms). In actual use, I don't notice it and I suspect at 60 Hz, it may not even be relevant if it's truly adding less than 16 ms of lag. It's certainly no worse than any other controller on the Switch. Having said that, if you must have no lag and you want consistency, wired is and always will be the way to go, though as others have mentioned, where 2.4 GHz is available, it can be just as good. I've seen some measurements of gaming mice with good wireless tech (aka Logitech's "lightspeed" wireless) and it is as good as if not better than wired. The main issue with any wireless tech is interference, but for playing at home, it should be fine.

[kitty666cats]

Anyone else with a SN30 Pro+ have an issue with ghost inputs (specifically left and right, seems to be mostly left) on the Dpad? I've exclusively used mine on my Raspberry Pi 3B, and every firmware update of the controller has inevitably had this same issue. I'll leave the RetroPie menu sitting idle, and the thing will almost always scroll horizontally after a short amount of time. I know it's not a matter of the controller being dirty, the thing hasn't had a ton of use.

[thebigcheese]

Anyone else with a SN30 Pro+ have an issue with ghost inputs (specifically left and right, seems to be mostly left) on the Dpad? I've exclusively used mine on my Raspberry Pi 3B, and every firmware update of the controller has inevitably had this same issue. I'll leave the RetroPie menu sitting idle, and the thing will almost always scroll horizontally after a short amount of time. I know it's not a matter of the controller being dirty, the thing hasn't had a ton of use.

I haven't had that happen yet. Mostly what happens on 3.02 and above is nonstop rumbling when something (not sure what) happens in game. I haven't used it a ton, but I probably have 20 or so hours on it now? That's all that's happened for me. Granted I use it only with Windows and Switch, so YMMV.

[Dochartaigh]

Anyone else with a SN30 Pro+ have an issue with ghost inputs (specifically left and right, seems to be mostly left) on the Dpad? I've exclusively used mine on my Raspberry Pi 3B, and every firmware update of the controller has inevitably had this same issue. I'll leave the RetroPie menu sitting idle, and the thing will almost always scroll horizontally after a short amount of time. I know it's not a matter of the controller being dirty, the thing hasn't had a ton of use.

This has happened on about 30 different types of controllers, both wired and wireless. It's RetroPie.

[PAPER/ARTILLERY]

I've had similar issues with controllers on the RetroPie menus. Not always ghost inputs but single taps registering as multiple movements, so menu navigation becomes basically impossible. I ended up using a USB keyboard just for menus.

[kitty666cats]

"Greetings.

Thanks for the e-mail. I'm here to assist you.

Please try these steps:

Remove the battery pack and replace some AA batteries.

L1+R1+START = UPDATE MODE
Then connect the controller to your PC via the USB cable.

Re-flash the old/specific firmware.

https://download.8bitdo.com/Firmware/Co ... _V1.02.zip

*********

If controller cannot enter update mode.
Remove the battery pack and hold L1+R1.
Then plug directly into the USB port.
Run 8Bitdo_Update application.

Let us know how it goes.

Have a nice day."


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This was their response to an e-mail I sent them about the issue. Not feeling confident at all about it, but I'll give it a shot for the hell of it. Most times when I'm initially trying to get my Pi to scan nearby bluetooth devices & detect said controller, it also ends up taking NUMEROUS tries to finally get detected. Very great design for a controller, but also a pain in the frickin' butt. I will let you folks know how their suggested 'fix' goes.