News

Aug 01, 2023

8BitDo Mod Kit Turns Classic N64 Gamepad Into Wireless Switch Controller

Looking at the Nintendo 64 controller, there's no reason it should have worked.

Looking at the Nintendo 64 controller, there's no reason it should have worked. And yet, that awkward trident-shaped gamepad was great in its own way. Decades later, gamers are still after that clunky design to play classic N64 titles via the Switch, but Nintendo's official N64 wireless controller is hard to find. A new conversion kit lets you skip the search and turn a classic N64 controller into a wireless version for use with the Switch.

The mod kit was created by 8BitDo, mainly known for its line of retro game controllers, but it also makes some high-end models with all the modern features you'd expect. That's not what anyone wants or needs from the N64 gamepad. All you need to enjoy Nintendo's assortment of classic titles is the Switch itself, but playing with an N64 controller can be worth it just for the nostalgia. With the $50 Switch-optimized N64 controller perpetually sold out, the 8BitDo kit is probably your best bet.

The 8BitDo kit costs $30 but doesn't include the controller to be sacrificed. The kit will only work with the official N64 controller, so you can't cheat by digging up the MadCatz gamepad you gave to guests. Even if you don't have an official controller in the closet, you can find one refurbished or used for $30-40.

While you don't have to solder anything, you must fiddle with tiny screws and cables to disassemble and reassemble your controller (see above). The electronics in the original controller will be discarded and replaced with 8BitDo's wireless circuit board. The kit also has a rumble module that adds a USB-C port for charging the internal battery and a few buttons to control pairing. You can also bundle a Hall effect joystick with the mod kit for another $10. This component will be smoother and more reliable than the thumbsticks Nintendo used in the 90s—or the 2020s, as it turns out.

8BitDo claims a modded controller should get about 8 hours of battery life, and you can use it with other devices like an Android phone. The listing page also shows it being used to game on a PC, although the company didn't specifically say PCs are supported. We might have to wait a while to find out—8BitDo is taking pre-orders now and plans to ship the N64 controller mod kits on July 5.