To date, Nintendo has given us plenty of NES and SNES games to play on the virtual console. It’s a shame that we haven’t seen more N64 or even GameCube games, but if you want to play those old 8-bit games in style, you need the NES30. The NES30 is a Bluetooth wireless retro controller that feels exactly like the original controller from the original Nintendo Entertainment System. The styling is even pretty much identical, with the exception of the letters being on the button face instead of on the controller.
I purchased one of these bad boys for the tidy sum of $33 (Apparently there’s a seller on Amazon now selling them for $45) and not only is it compatible with your Wii/Wii U as an additional Wii remote, you can pair it with your Bluetooth phone in order to play games on your Android or iOS device. Heck, it probably even works with Windows Phone since it’s just a standard Bluetooth controller.
In the NES-styled box, you’ll get the controller, a microUSB cord in order to charge it, a metal keychain with some pictures of the NES remote on it, a guide that teaches you how to switch the controller into the different modes to be used with the Wii/Wii U, and attached to the controller is a little piece of plastic that serves as a makeshift stand for your phone, should you decide you want to use the gadget with your phone.
The first way I tested it out was as a standard Bluetooth device for playing games on my phone. It works particularly well with an emulator I was using on Android. The controller feels just like the old NES controller and responds well to inputs. There’s no lag at all, so you don’t feel like missing a jump was the controller’s fault and not your own. Aside from that, it’s pretty compact and does have the SNES’ shoulder buttons and two extra face buttons, despite the original NES controller only having two face buttons.
The only downside of my experience with ordering the NES30 is that it ships directly from China, so you have to wait a while to receive it. From the date of ordering, mine took about a month to get here in the middle of the United States. That’s a pretty long wait time, especially for someone who is absolutely spoiled by services like Amazon Prime. Either way, if you want one of these or want to give one as a gift for Christmas, you have to order them pretty early in order for it to arrive.
The battery life on the controller is excellent and thankfully it doesn’t take arbitrary watch batteries or any other such nonsense. If you use an Android device as your daily driver, you can use the same cord that charges it to charge up your controller. I’ve had mine for several weeks now and used it to play quite a bit and I haven’t had to recharge it yet. There’s two indicator lights at the top of the controller that show when you’re connected to the phone or console. These lights will blink, letting you know when the battery is about to go dead.
Either way, if you’re interested in playing your virtual console games in a new way, be sure to check out this controller. Despite coming from China directly from the manufacturer, the build quality is great and so far the battery life has matched the build quality.