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8BitDo is making a wireless controller for the TurboGrafx-16 mini
When Konami's TurboGrafx-16 mini becomes available sometime later this year, you'll be able to buy a wireless controller for the retro console courtesy of 8BitDo.
Everything in our holiday gift guide that you can buy for $50 or less
Depending on your budget and how many people are on your gift list this year, you might only have a modest amount to spend on each person. Even if you instill a cap of fifty bucks, though, you still have plenty of options. In Engadget's 2019 holiday gift guide, we have nearly 50 under $50, with picks running the gamut from toys, to video games, to books and movies, to mobile and gaming accessories. As it happens, today is Black Friday in the US, so chances are, many of the items here will cost you even less than the list price. Happy deal hunting!
8BitDo's tiny keychain Switch controller is now available
It feels like 8BitDo can barely let a month slip by without offering a new Nintendo Switch controller. This time around, it's putting its keychain-sized Zero 2 up for pre-order.
8BitDo turns the NES gamepad into a mouse
Many moons ago, Swedish designer Daniel Jansson brought us a cute concept mouse that took cues from the classic NES console, featuring its iconic red circular buttons, black D-pad and grey body. There was nothing ergonomic about this peripheral, but that obviously wasn't the point. 11 years later, it was accessory maker 8BitDo who finally took up the challenge to turn this foam model into a functioning wireless mouse, and you can already pick one up for $24.99.
The best gifts and games for console gamers
This year will mark the end of an era for console gaming. Next-generation consoles are coming in 2020, but it also means both the PS4 and the Xbox One are at the peak of their power and popularity. Not to be outdone, there's also Nintendo's Switch, which has already seen a second-generation hardware twist in the handheld Switch Lite. Our selection for this holiday season runs across all these consoles, as well as including Sega's nostalgia-baiting Genesis Mini. We've focused on tried-and-tested AAA titles like Overwatch on the Switch, and Control available on both Xbox and PlayStation, while also suggesting more under-the-radar hits like Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night and Risk of Rain 2. Naturally, Pokémon Sword and Shield isn't quite out yet, but from our early impressions, we know it will satisfy any Pokémon fans you're shopping for. And, if you need even more recommendations for the gamers in your life, we have a guide for every console.
8BitDo's latest Switch controller ditches thumbsticks for dual D-pads
The latest controller from 8BitDo might pique your interest if you play a lot of 2D games on Nintendo Switch. The Lite for Switch peripheral has a striking look thanks to its dual D-pads. According to 8BitDo, it has full functionality for Switch with "all core buttons supported."
8BitDo’s SN30 Pro+ is a near-perfect Switch controller
I think Nintendo's official Switch Pro Controller is brilliant. It's a full-size pad with large face buttons, textured handles and a transparent shell that reveals a circuit-inspired pattern underneath. The accessory isn't without its faults, though. The D-Pad, while a huge improvement over the left Joy-Con, is a bit stiff and spongy for my tastes. I also dislike the digital triggers, which barely depress, and the seriously steep $70 asking price. The Switch has many third-party controllers to choose from, but none of them have impressed me like the 8BitDo SN30 Pro+. Terrible name aside, it's an almost perfect pad that works not only with Nintendo's hybrid console but Windows, macOS, Android and Raspberry Pi too.
8BitDo's latest controller has fully customizable buttons
The latest controller from the minds of 8BitDo is fully customizable, allowing you to adjust button configurations and sensitivity levels for the joysticks, triggers and vibrations. Using 8BitDo's Ultimate Software, you can also set up macros for the SN30 Pro+ controller and with custom profiles, you can save settings on a game-by-game basis. The SN30 Pro+ works with Nintendo Switch, PC, macOS and Android, and the battery should be good for up to 20 hours of use on a single charge.
How to buy tech gifts for other people’s kids
Gift giving for kids has gotten a lot more complicated over the past two decades or so. Gone are the days when you could just buy a doll or toy truck and know that it would be enjoyed by the child and fairly noncontroversial with the parents. A lot of that recent complication comes from how tech-heavy toys have gotten, from robot kits to drones to AR-enabled playsets. And that's before you even consider video games and consoles like Xbox or PlayStation. When it's your kid it's a little easier: After all, you should know what they like, what they'll take care of and what rules you've set for them. But what about your best friends' kids, your nieces and nephews or young cousins? While there's no silver bullet gift since every kid is different, there are some general guidelines you can follow when purchasing a tech gift for kids, one that won't have the other adults glaring at you or the kids tossing it to the side in favor of something shinier.
8BitDo made a wireless controller for Sega Genesis fans
The latest retro-inspired controller from 8BitDo should bring a smile to the face of many Genesis fans. The M30 takes its cue from the Sega console's controllers and it works with PC, macOS and Android as well as Nintendo Switch. A single charge will give you up to 20 hours of play time, while there are screenshot and home buttons along with a turbo function. The M30 will set you back $30.
8BitDo adapter adds wireless controller support to PlayStation Classic
The PlayStation Classic, Sony's retro console that includes 20 PS1 games, arrived last week, and for those of us who prefer to play a little further away from the TV than wired controllers allow, a solution is on the way. Later this month, 8BitDo is releasing a USB adapter that lets you use its own wireless controllers with the console, along with Sony's DualShock 3 and 4, Bluetooth Xbox controllers, Switch Pro, Wii U Pro and even Joy-Cons.
8BitDo’s Bluetooth mod kits put retired controllers back to work
The mini-console trend isn't just a case of repackaging classic, beloved games and cashing in on our shared retrophilia. There's also a practical reason for their existence: Most old consoles are incompatible with today's TVs. Unless you've held on to a CRT, you've got no choice but to seek out special signal converters or, more likely, let your best childhood friend gather dust in a closet. But there is a middle ground. With 8BitDo's $20 mod kits, you can, at least, give those classic controllers a new lease on life by repurposing them for the Bluetooth era.
Make your classic gamepads wireless with 8BitDo's DIY kits
8BitDo will happily sell you wireless controllers that are vaguely similar to classic gamepads of yore, but it clearly can't sell you the real deal without invoking massive copyright battles. It can, however, offer you the next best thing. The company is now selling mod kits that add Bluetooth wireless to original NES, SNES, Super Famicom and Mega Drive controllers. You don't need a soldering iron or a toolbox -- so long as you're comfortable opening a vintage gamepad in the first place, you'll have everything you need (including a lithium-ion battery) to avoid stringing cords across the room.
8BitDo put a handy home button on its NES Classic wireless controller
To celebrate Nintendo re-issuing the NES Classic Edition, 8Bitdo has revamped its wireless retro controller to match. The new version -- dubbed "N30 2.4G Wireless Controller for NES Classic Edition" -- boasts a different button layout (a square rather than a cross), rechargeable battery and now it has a dedicated home button to get you back to the micro-console's main menu. The new gamepad will set you back $24.99 when it's released this August 20th, and pre-orders are available right now. Happy gaming!
I need one of 8Bitdo's incredibly tiny Switch controllers
It's generally quiet on the hardware front at E3 2018, cardboard arcade cabinets aside. There are always people shopping for controllers, however, and 8Bitdo is adding to its generally excellent third-party Bluetooth controllers with the Zero 2, a retro-styled controller with motion controls, glossy color options and even a slot for your keychain. And it's actually small enough to warrant attaching it to something.
8Bitdo's wireless SNES controller is perfect for Switch retro gaming
The Nintendo Switch's controllers shouldn't work as well as they do. That might be why options beyond a Joy-Con in each hand (or the Switch's own Pro controller) are few and far between. 8Bitdo's latest wireless peripheral, the SN30 Pro, might be worth considering for your secondary controller needs. Beside that allure of nostalgia, the SN30 Pro particularly shines with older games and tries to balance a classic design with modern controls. I picked up the (obviously prettier) European / Japanese model, the otherwise identical SF30 Pro, and had a play.
Which game controllers are worth buying?
If you're picking up a game console like the Xbox One X or PlayStation 4 Pro this holiday season, congratulations: You already have a great controller for your new system. Traditionally, third-party gamepads have always been a bit subpar, the kind of thing you buy cheap and pawn off on an unsuspecting younger sibling at playtime. But what if you want to game on your mobile device (or an Apple TV)? Or what if you're looking for an edge in your favorite console title? We've taken a look at the available controllers out there to find the best one for your needs, no matter which system you prefer.
The Analogue Super Nt is Nintendo's SNES Classic for grown-ups
Just as the NES Classic Edition broke ground before the SNES Classic, Analogue is also following up on Nintendo's wallet-grab on our childhood memories with another premium, no-compromise mini console that plays the gaming carts of yesteryear, and solves some of our issues with the official miniature SNES. This is all, however, for a premium price. Naturally.
8BitDo brings its wireless controllers to the SNES Classic
The SNES Classic is a cute microconsole with a hell of a selection of games. While it's a pretty accurate recreation of the original number, and its controller cords are indeed longer than the NES Classic Edition that preceded it, the modern convenience of wireless controllers is hard to beat. The good news is that if you ordered up one of 8BitDo's wireless SNES-styled gamepads and have last year's Retro Receiver, it'll work with the miniature 16-bit console in a pinch. Don't have one? Then the company has something new, just for you -- the SN30, a 2.5G wireless controller built specifically for the SNES Classic Edition.
Nintendo's Switch has a retro gamepad option thanks to 8Bitdo
If you've got a Nintendo Switch and an 8Bitdo gamepad lying around, there's good news: the two can now play together. 8Bitdo has released a firmware update that will let its entire controller family connect to Nintendo's hot new console. That includes the NES30 Pro, FC30 Pro, NES30, Zero and N64 controller, all styled in homage to classic Nintendo models.