If you missed it, last week 8BitDo has announced a recent DIY kit which permits you to turn the unique Nintendo 64 controller right into a wireless gamepad for the Nintendo Switch console. This may very well be the right design if you need to play classic Nintendo 64 games more authentically in your modern console, or check out some modern games with a retro gamepad.
Nintendo sells its own Nintendo 64 wireless controller. But despite releasing over a yr and a half ago, the official version could be annoyingly hard to return by. The $49.99 controller often sells out quickly when recent stock is on the market and availability is limited to subscribers Nintendo online services. Meanwhile, the 8BitDo kit gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling of upcycling your old gear as an alternative of letting it collect dust.
8BitDo claims the kit could be installed without the necessity for soldering, includes an LED status indicator, and may offer 8 hours of playback on a single charge. You charge it via the USB-C port within the included rumble pack, and because the mod requires you to remove the unique controller cable, you get a little bit plug for the outlet.
Like Switch, 8BitDo website says the modified N64 controllers can even work wirelessly with Android. There are also press photos of the controller used to gaming on a laptop – we contacted 8BitDo to see if this implies the modified N64 controllers also work on Windows PCs.
8BitDo sells its DIY kit in several different variants. There’s a $29.99 bundle that features the Mod Kit together with a bang pack that doubles as a controller battery, or a $39.99 bundle that adds a more durable substitute Hall effect joystick in case the unique Nintendo 64 controller stick breaks worn out or broken in time. You also can purchase the Hall Effect Joystick individually for $19.99. At the time of writing, the 8BitDo website states that the kit will ship on July 5.
