SN30 Pro+ Bluetooth Gamepad (SN Edition)

I AM NOT A GAMER!! I play Switch with my young kids sometimes and the joy cons are very difficult for me to use. After looking at several available full size controllers I chose this one based on the reviews and the shape. It came in high quality packaging and it feels absolutely perfect in my hands. It feels very well made, not like a junk aftermarket controller. It was also a breeze to connect. I can't speak for its longevity, as I just connected it and tried it right before writing this review. Additionally, I only played one race on MarioKart with it. Hardly a gruelling test. My initial impression is very good though. I am glad I chose this remote. If you like the feel of the more traditional controller and you don't want something that feels like junk I highly recommend this controller. The kids like this controller too. Unless this thing fails prematurely I will probably never buy another joy con again, but rather replace the joy cons with more of these if the need ever arises. *UPDATE* 10/11/2022 Since buying the first controller, I got a second one for my daughter since she liked mine so much. Now we have a black and a gray one. A few months ago, my daughter's controller started disconnecting from our Switch in the middle of game play. Next, mine started disconnecting as well. Eventually, it got so bad that it was impossible to get through a few minutes of play without the controllers disconnecting. Two days ago I wrote an email to 8Bitdo explaining the problem. By the time I woke up the next morning, they had responded to my email and provided a firmware update for the controllers with instructions for installation. The directions were easy to follow and it only took a couple of minutes for each controller. Simple. My daughter and I reconnected our controllers to the Switch last night and played with no problems whatsoever. I absolutely love this controller. After my customer service experience with the manufacturer, I love them even more. I have had my gray controller for 3 years now and it still feels as rock solid as it did the day I took it out of the package for the first time. I'm still not a gamer. I still only play occasionally with my 3 kids, so take that into consideration. I believe this controller would hold up to a lot more use though. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants a full sized controller and more grip. They look slick, too. It's win win, as far as I'm concerned.

I recently heard of a site that lets you test your controllers, including analog stick accuracy. Quite simply, 8bitdo controllers analog sticks blow first party controllers out of the water when it comes to stick accuracy (which also factors into stick drift). The best result I've heard from first party is Playstations dualshock 4 and dualsense having around 4.5-6% error margin even when brand new. I tested all of my controllers. My used Dualsense was 14.7%, new Dualsense was 5.5%, Switch Pro was 6.5%, Xbox Series was 8.1%, DS4 was 7.7% My xbox 8bitdo controller had 1.6% error margin!!! This specific controller, despite being used for a couple years has only a 0.8% error margin!!!!!!!!!!! That's nearly Hall Effect analog stick quality and accuracy!!! And typically, the more error margin, the more likely you will have stick drift. It's not 100% correlated but it seems to always be close. If a controller has above 15% error, you'll almost definitely have drift, depending on the game. I tried out a few games that let you set the stick deadzone to 0% and it was mindblowing how much better FPS are to play when you can set it that low. Normally, if you set deadzone below 8% even on new controllers, you will have stick drift. My older Dualsense, needs to be set to 14% deadzone to avoid drifting!! 8bitdo controllers can be set to 0% and the difference in precision you gain from this is massive. That means you can zero in even on the furthest targets relatively easily. When the deadzone is bigger, it's very easy to move the stick and your aim overshoots your target because the game isn't reacting to the smallest movements you make on the stick. Hence the term deadzone. I'm referring to the deadzone in the center of the stick in this case. Using this controller and setting deadzone to 0% in any game that will let you (not enough games have a deadzone setting that will let you put it down to 0%) will give you an advantage. It's almost like the precision of a mouse and certainly better than what you can get from any other controller. Aside from this revelation, I've always liked these controller. They have the best grips other than the dualsense IMO, great d pad and buttons. Plus the custom button mapping software and paddles is another reason these are great for platforms that don't support button mapping. The one issue is the ergonomics aren't perfect. Like if you do the CLAW technique, it's a bit harder to do on these controllers. Otherwise they are better than first party controllers. There is one issue. If you want a Switch pro controller, and you don't need paddles, the Gulikit KingKong2 Pro controller is the best choice easily, It not only has Amiibo, and motion control support, but it also can turn on your switch from standby. THE BIGGEST advantage of the KingKong2 is that it uses Hall Effect sticks, and triggers. Hall Effect sensors use magnets, not potentiometers. Meaning not only are they even more accurate (0.2-0.6% error margin), but theoretically, they will never experience stick drift. Also the kingkong2 has better and more durable buttons as well The only downside is the ergonomics of the kIng Kong 2 is that it's basically an Xbox One controller with better sticks and buttons. Personally I hate offset analog sticks, but some people might like this more It definitely feels better than the official Switch Pro controller either way. So do the 8bitdo.

I bought this controller after Mario Maker 2 came out for the Switch. I own a Wii U as well and loved Mario Maker on that. Now, I'm a huge fan of Nintendo's Pro controllers. The one for the Wii U was pretty solid, but the one for the Switch is a remarkably better controller in every way... BUT the d-pad. This became apparent to me as I tried and failed miserably to complete some initial MM2 "kaizo" levels. I realized it was because of the continuous dpad in the controller. If you press and hold the down direction, and then tilt to the left or right, you'll also trigger a left/right motion (that is, down-left or down-right). All the directional buttons are like this b/c the dpad is "continuous." Compare this to the dpad on the Joy-Con itself where each direction of the dpad is its own separate button. It is IMPOSSIBLE to trigger down-left or down-right simply by pressing the down button and tilting it in some way. The Wii U's Pro controller is much better in this regard. Unfortunately, so many newer console manufacturers are building their controllers with continuous dpads, making precise movements like those required of kaizo Mario Maker levels or high level fighting games (cough Street Fighter cough) much more difficult to perform. Soooo, I looked elsewhere and decided to purchase this controller. Is the dpad perfect? Absolutely not. It's still a continuous dpad. However, it is a MUCH better design and has enabled me to return to the insanely difficult kaizo levels of Mario Maker 2. I thusly also use this controller when playing Hollow Knight given its tight platforming. Outside from that, the rest of the controller is great. I owned an SNES forever ago (still have it) and I've always loved that controller. The DualShock controller follows a similar design, so any time I play a fighting game or tight platforming game on my Switch requiring the use of the dpad, I reach for this SN30 Pro+ controller. For games like Mario Kart or shooter style games, I prefer the Nintendo Pro controller, but this one still suffices just fine for those games as well. Now, admittedly I much prefer the Xbox (cough Elite cough) controller for 1st and 3rd person shooter games, notably due to the staggered thumbsticks. This controller does NOT have staggered thumbsticks, but given all my gaming time clocked on the PS3 and PS4, that's still fine by me. The controller holds a charge for a LONG time and has a nice auto-off functionality. I feel like I rarely ever have to charge the thing, and when I do, it *might* take 2 hours...? It isn't long, that's for sure. The controller is also very lightweight which is great. I have not connected this to a computer, but should you choose to do so, 8Bitdo provides software to configure and tweak all sorts of things about the controller. At some point I'll load up Steam and try this out. Overall the shape/design and feel of the controller is great, whether you're using the triggers, the thumbsticks, the dpad, the actual buttons, you name it. The ONLY negative I have about the controller is that you can't turn on your Switch remotely from it, though I understand why that isn't possible. I will say that it takes a sec to remember how to *initially* connect it to different consoles too (hold Y + Start or hold X + Start etc.)... but given I use it almost exclusively for the Switch, that isn't a problem for me. 5/5 recommend!

When I bought this controller, I had been using a combination of an xbox 360 controller (which is good for 3d gaming because its primary control is a thumbstick), and a Dualshock2->USB adapter with a Playstation2 controller hooked up to it for emulation and 2d indie titles, because I don't like playing 2D games on a thumbstick, I avoid that whenever possible. The problem was, is that many indie games today do not recognize D-Input, and so I needed a good X-Input compatible controller. I also have a Switch, so I thought for any game where a Pro controller is recommended, this controller could fulfill both roles, and it does! I only have three minor gripes about this controller, though: 1). There's a complicated set of instructions that you need to do to switch the controller modes, and these instructions are printed underneath the battery in the battery compartment, so if you can't remember exactly how to switch the controller's mode, you have to take the battery out to find out (which turns the controller completely off, obviously). I would rather have liked to have seen a push button or a switch or some other physical thing that you can use to select the mode. 2). X-Input compatibility is a little wonky. One must run the 8BitDo software (I don't like running apps for every little peripheral I have) and *then* tell the app to switch the controller to X-Input (it doesn't remember this setting!) before it will work. It does work after that, however, as I've tried several indie games on Steam that I previously had to use Joy2Key or x360ce for on the aforementioned PS2 controller to get to work, games like Shantae, Hollow Knight, and the like. 3). The cord is just too darn short. Seriously, 8BitDo? 12 or so inches? You're definitely going to want to buy a USB-A to C cable, so your cord can even reach the PC. With those little gripes out of the way, I'd have to say that the build quality and overall feel of the controller seems solid thusfar. The D-pad feels good and is responsive (unlike most controllers made for PC). Many controller manufacturers let the D-pad pivot freely so that you can push Right and get Down+Right even if you're trying for full Right for example. Not so with this controller, the inputs seem spot-on. The general shape of this controller is very close to (but not exact) to a Playstation controller, it's close enough that it felt good in my hands. The thumbsticks aren't too unreachable, they feel close and handy. If you're used to Playstation controllers like me, the LT and RT will feel a little strange at first; they are analog buttons, meaning the further you pull them in the more effect you get in games that support such. These can be adjusted in the app for PC but the buttons themselves will still feel strange, though I imagine this is something that should be easy enough to get used to. The fact they used USB-C on the controller end of the cable is nice to prevent the plug from wearing out due to all the movement of your hands while you hold the controller (a weakness of USB-A connectors, repeated movement and plugging and unplugging weakens the connections). Overall, a good controller. If I had to provide any feedback to 8BitDo, it'd be the following: 1). At least a 3 foot cable. Please. 2). A little button or switch to physically switch modes instead of complicated button inputs when you first activate the controller along with perhaps little LEDs to show you what mode the controller is in. 3). Let us use the controller without having to run the app, if all I wanna do is set it to Xinput, the PC should see the controller as an Xinput device without the app being needed.

Straight away, I just want to say I was going to take off a star (because you can't take off half-stars) for the price, and nothing more, but I really didn't want drop the rating of the controller (it's that good). After buying a $20 wireless adapter, this controller is $70! That's as expensive as the Pro Controller for a THIRD PARTY controller. That said though, this thing really is amazing. If you can find one for cheaper alongside an adapter for less, this is probably my favorite controller (of any kind, not just third party). Besides the price, there isn't anything else I would drop the rating for. Consider this a 4.5 * review, if Amazon allowed you to take off half a star. Pros: - Amazing comfort: I feel like this is the first time I've ever held a controller that understand human hand anatomy. I've been holding controllers since the SNES in the early 90s and never once has a controller just fit in my hands like this. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I've held basically every first party controller (Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, etc) and none of them felt this good. I just can't say enough nice things about the comfort. - Works both wired and wireless: Nice extra feature if you don't want to shell out the extra $20 for an adapter. That puts the total cost at only $50 which is way more reasonable. - Works on just about anything PC/Phone-related: Doesn't work on iPhones/Pads, and non-Switch consoles though. - Rechargeable via USB-C: You'd be surprised how many bad third party controllers only run on AAs, now also with the convenience of running on what you probably use to charge your phone (assuming you have a phone that was made in the last 5ish years). - No fake diagonal DPad inputs: Unlike the SN30 Pro non-+ which had awful, and I mean *awful* fake diagonal inputs to the point where the controller was unusable (and I bought-and-returned two of them), the + version doesn't have that. I had to really mash the DPad in a way that I wouldn't normally do to see a fake diagonal to the point where you have to be intentionally doing it to do that. Seriously though, DO NOT BUY THE NON-+ VERSION, YOU WILL HATE IT IF YOU'RE USING THAT AWFUL DPAD!!! - Has a ton of extra features: Turbo function, Macro mapping, and it even has analog triggers which Switch controllers don't have. (note that Turbo won't work while on the Switch though) - Seamless pairing: Once it's paired, you're good to go. Too many third party controllers force you to re-pair the controller and it's always a hassle. Cons: - Price: By far the biggest offender of the negatives, but you get what you pay for here, comfort and quality. - Each adapter works for ONE controller: Expected of most adapters, but if you want multiple of these, you'll need more adapters. This also means at max you can only run 3 on a Switch (2 on the front + 1 inside the dock), unless the Switch can run more with a hub (if that even works; I haven't tested it). That said though, this is a problem of the $20 adapter, not the controller itself. ... honestly, I can't come up with anything else. If money isn't an issue, definitely grab a controller or two if you want one that actually fits your hands!

I was deciding between this and the Nintendo Pro Controller. I ended up getting this in the SN colors. Here’s a list of pros and cons. Pros: – The D-pad is among the best I’ve ever used, since the original SNES. A huge plus if you play 2D and/or classic games. I like that it’s symmetrical with the buttons – an offset D-pad like on the Nintendo Pro Controller or Xbox is very uncomfortable to me. – The size and ergonomics are almost perfect. Much more comfortable than the Joy-Con Grip. I have pretty average sized hands for a man. – Buttons work well and are very responsive. – Overall feel is high-quality. – I love the classic colors. – Able to connect to almost any device I may want to game on. – Includes rumble and motion controls – Analog rear triggers, very nice for some games on consoles other than my Switch. – Ultimate Software works as hoped for. I actually didn’t end up changing anything, especially because you can customize button functions natively on the Switch now, but it’s not bad to have the option. – I was surprised not to see an option to customize the rear triggers on Switch mode. However, the default setting on the current firmware (4.0.1) works great on Switch, anyway. – A very fair price – cheaper than the Nintendo Pro Controller unless you find an amazing sale. Cons: – It doesn’t turn the Switch on, but I’m not aware of any 3rd party controller with this ability. I keep my controllers stored next to my Switch, so I almost didn’t even include this point because I am used to pushing the button on the console anyway, but I could see it being pretty annoying with a different media setup. – No HD Rumble, again true of all 3rd party controllers – I wish the controller were a little narrower. Everything feels just a tad too spread out width-wise, but nowhere near the point of being uncomfortable – Symmetrical analog sticks are just a bit less comfortable for 3D games than offset. However, this is less of a detriment than the D-pad would be with offset sticks. You’re making a trade-off either way, and, if you actually want to use your D-pad, symmetrical analog sticks mean less of a compromise in comfort overall. – Battery life is good but not as amazing as the Nintendo Pro Controller. Also, it takes too long to charge, but this isn’t a big deal for someone like me who doesn’t game all the time. – I wouldn’t mind even more color options. The only reasons to buy a Nintendo Pro Controller over this would be if you really want the ability to wake up the Switch, HD Rumble, and/or the best possible battery, and if you’re willing to sacrifice a great D-pad to get it. If you don’t play 2D games, I think the Nintendo Pro Controller would be the clear choice. For me, a great D-pad and lower price make this the best choice. Even with 2D games being only about 30% of what I play, this controller is everything I hoped for. Apart from the minor quibbles listed in the Cons, I don’t know if I could imagine a more perfect controller if I tried.

I was a little worried after ordering this, as I read reviews stating that this controller catered moreso to people with big hands, than small hands...I have small hands. I was also worried because some people described the D-pad as mushy, while others praised it as one of the best...After putting 5 hours into some SNES games on the Switch, I can definitively say that this controller is both ergonomically well designed and has a fantastic D pad with satisfying buttons. Pure and simple, it just feels good to use. After first opening the box, I noticed that the D pad was not tightly secure within it's plastic casing, which allowed it to slightly shift. This worried me...until I hopped into Super Mario World. The D pad is VERY precise compared to every other modern controller on the market I've used, and most certainly not "mushy", as some people have claimed. Maybe it was an issue before, that they have now fixed? I found the D pad to be the perfect balance between clicky and mushy. And after using it myself, and reading some forums, it became clear that the slight movement being allowed within the D pad's casing is done by design. Pure and simple, the D pad is great. It just felt AMAZING to play some classic games. The fact that it feels so comfortable in my hands, and has great buttons, triggers and buttons as well, along with gyro functionality and rumble...and this can ALL be fine tuned and customized through free software? I probably won't find any need to customize any of the settings, as the default settings are working perfect for me so far, but it's definitely great to know that it has the capability and is easy to do. This controller is well worth $50 and I can totally understand why it is the personal favorite controller for many Switch owners. The analog sticks are great, and the setup is almost exactly like the Dualshock 4, but I WOULD say that the official Nintendo Pro Controller is still the best controller to use for first person games that rely heavily on both analog sticks, but that's because I always favored Xbox style controllers over Playstation style controllers when it came to first person shooters etc. The SN30 pro plus also lacks the "HD" rumble that the official Pro Controller has. I am a big fan of rumble done well, and the extremely fine tuned rumble experience is definitely better with the more expensive Nintendo Pro Controller. The SN30 Pro Plus has decent rumble, it's just very standard and doesn't actively adapt to what you are doing on screen, unlike the highly integrated HD rumble ...That being said, the D pad on the Nintendo Pro Controller sucks, and a large percentage of the games I play on Switch, require a decent D pad to fully enjoy. So the fact that the SN30 Pro Plus has that great D pad, along with great buttons, triggers, and is comfortable to hold...It will more than likely be my personal favorite Switch controller from now on as well. I may change my review if I run into problems in the coming months, but so far I can't recommend this controller enough!

This controller is amazing. I purchased it along with the original NES and original SNES Bluetooth dongles also made by 8BitDo. One controller for two different consoles and it works beautifully. I do recommend updating everything following your purchase as per the clear instructions from 8BitDo. They also offer software that can allow you to tweak all kinds of options in the SN30 Pro+. That's because it's Bluetooth based and can connect to other consoles, computers, and devices. My primary usage is to allow wireless control of my older consoles. And it's a great pad that has no discernable lag and works just like the original controllers. In fact it's actually just a touch more responsive in my opinion, for what it's worth. I know this because I hooked up a newly cleaned original NES Controller (NES-002). I played The Legend of Zelda. I've played that game many, many times since it first came out. On the original pad it always had a tendency to stop Link a little bit (just a touch) after you stopped pressing on the D-Pad. It always had the whole 'I swear I changed directions' when Link didn't change directions causing you to miss a shot or fail to block. It performed basically that same way again, with the exception that the SN30 Pro+ felt just a little more responsive. When I first started using it, the D-Pad was a little stiff and occasionally picked up corner movements that I didn't want. But after just a few minutes it settled diwn and broke in and has worked so well that it's quickly moving up the list of my favorite controllers. Since it has all of the buttons for both the NES and SNES it works great on both of those consoles, as well as on the Nintendo Switch for its NES and SNES retro consoles. I highly recommend this controller as well as the dongles. 8BitDo is doing a great job of bringing older consoles and still great games into the modern era.