I’m a big controller collector. First party accessories generally are the most reliable, but they can be pretty pricy and some of the stuff third party manufacturers are putting together are real cool. 8Bitdo is one of the bigger names in third party controllers these past couple console generations, leveraging hard into nostalgia with a lot of options that reflect the controller designs of yesteryear. However, the 8Bitdo Ultimate Bluetooth controller is the company playing straight. This is just a solid, modern controller for your Switch or PC meant to be a solid alternative to the Nintendo Switch Pro controller, and right now it’s only $50.
Layout-wise, the 8Bitdo Ultimate controller most closely resembles Nintendo. It has asymmetrical sticks with the left stick on top and the right stick on bottom, with the letter buttons matching up with their positions on the Nintendo Switch Pro controller. Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo will never agree on where the X goes, will they?
The controller has everything you’d expect on a modern day controller from rumble vibrations to motion controls. It’s compatible with the Switch, but can also be used with a Steam Deck via Bluetooth, the 2.4g adapter, or a USB cable or it can be used with any Windows PC with the 2.4g adapter or USB cable.
The charging dock ensures you’ll always have full battery when you go to start your game and can automatically switch on and off when switching between undocked and docked. When played wirelessly, you can expect a full 22 hours of playtime before it needs another recharge.
Say Goodbye to Stick Drift
If you’re upgrading from your Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers to this 8Bitdo one, a massive improvement you’ll find is with the Hall Effect stick. The Joy-Cons notoriously do not stand up to the test of time, with many users reporting various levels of stick drift in which the controller registers directional input even when its not being touched. This results in you character running endlessly to the side or the camera spinning out of control. Hall Effect is quickly becoming the new industry standard for joystick manufacturing and its is much more reliable. You won’t experience anymore stick drift.
The 8Bitdo controller also has two pro back paddle buttons which can be assigned to any input. You can also set up custom profiles for different buttons configurations. This is great for siblings with different preferences who share controllers or for single owners when your preferred button paddle assignment differs between games. Just swap between your profiles on the fly.
