Review cover NES30 - Successor to FC30 Bluetooth Controller (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review

Product Information:

Review Approach:

I had gotten my hands on the FC30 a while back, and left some thoughts about it in a previous review. I loved the controller. It was quirky, it was unique. I received the chance to review the newer version of the controller, which was dubbed the NES30. Naturally, I jumped on the chance, and secretly hoped that the controller fixed all the issues that the FC30 had. Did it do that?
The NES30 is the successor to the FC30 Bluetooth controller, and was designed by 8BitDo. Featuring upgrades such as better button quality and micro-USB charging, this device is for sure an upgrade to its predecessor.

Going Back to the FC30...

This whole controller idea started a while back, with the 30th anniversary of the Famicom. The team came out with a commemorative controller as shown below, and even came out with some extremely limited edition controllers which had pure gold accents, which as you might imagine, had a pretty hefty price tag. 

A lot of people loved the controller, but a lot of people had some issues with it. In the first controller design, the buttons were rather mushy and loose. They had a cheap plastic feel that really didn't feel like it was truly emulating the controller, despite the controller being an homage to the real deal. Aesthetically, the device looked beautiful with its red and gold color scheme, but the quality felt a bit subpar. 

On the other hand, the controller was very easy to connect to many different devices. It had a handy little stand that could hold the phone or device in question. It had an excellent presentation that felt like it could be a real quality product. Inputting commands into the controller had no input lag and the connection was seamless and could be done in very little time. What more could the team improve on, besides the quality?

What does the NES30 controller come with?

For starters, the NES30 controller comes with much of the same materials that its predecessor had. The controller came with the following items:

  • An NES30 controller
  • Case/mini-stand
  • Promo key chain
  • Micro-USB cable
  • Instructions

The packaging on the device was exceptionally solid. It could survive an international trip from China with maybe a little bit of extra protection. The packaging was very similar to the FC30's packaging. The only difference was that instead of leaving cables and accessories in small plastic bags, the team upgraded and spent a couple more dollars on creating a more visually pleasant packaging, with small cardboard boxes for each individual item. I'm not going to lie when I say that I loved the packaging of the FC30; seeing this revision was a pleasant little surprise. 

Connecting Devices

Connecting devices is easy as pie, with almost zero need to actually set things up. All you will need to do is activate the bluetooth on your device of choice, and the controller will do the rest once you select it on the device. The LED lights will twinkle on the controller, when it attempts to pair with the device (I have a soft spot for blinkies...). You're going to see that it even has a name that's easy to recognize as well! It can connect to almost any Android or iOS device, even your computer or Wii! Yes, you can use this as a Wiimote. I tried, and it's even advertised on 8BitDo's pages. 

Build Quality and Runtime

As I noted above, one of my biggest qualms about the original FC30 was that it had a really mushy button setup. The quality felt a bit cheap and lackluster, resulting in a rather uncomfortable button setup. Some claimed that the Famicom felt like that, but to me, it could be slightly updated with a better feel. I couldn't feel attached to it, and I docked some points off on the review I had written for the controller. 

For the latest revision NES30, the controller feels very solid. The quality is improved, with a tighter button feel. The rubber start and select buttons are present, emulating the original controller. With the addition of shoulder buttons, the controller could have ended badly, but 8Bitdo pulled it off with aplomb and integrated it without sacrificing the quality. The addition of X and Y buttons has its uses as well, which was nice because a lot of the games I like to play revolve around the four button set up. The moderness of the controller was also improved, with 8Bitdo having dropped the older USB charging format and opting for a better micro-USB charging adapter. The older method of charging - honestly, I don't see it a lot anymore, so seeing something that even my own Galaxy S4 could use was absolutely wonderful. A lot of fans are going to be happy about this!

As far as the runtime of the NES30, 8Bitdo advertised twenty solid hours of gameplay. I got fifteen - sixteen hours on my initial chargethrough before I had to charge it again, which is exceptional. The device is powered by a lithium ion battery, with up to 1000 charges, which means that there is going to be a lot of runtime. It will also automatically sleep after fifteen minutes of no input. Talk about handy!

Conclusions

8Bitdo created the FC30, and it was a fine controller. Fans commented and wanted to see improvements to the next model, so 8Bitdo did exactly that. The buttons felt way better on this model and the inclusion of micro-USB charging will definitely please people. A lot of the previous concerns from the FC30 have been resolved, and the result is an absolutely wonderful little Bluetooth controller. I would like to thank the folks at 8Bitdo for providing GBAtemp with a review sample, and for listening to their fans in creating a solid product. I would recommend this controller for those who loved their NES console, and for those who want to be able to have a more accurate gaming experience on the go. 

Verdict

What We Liked ...
  • -Micro-USB charging
  • -Improved button quality
  • -Seamless bluetooth connection
  • -Supports MANY devices, including a Wii
  • -Excellent visual presentation
What We Didn't Like ...
  • -Could be pricey for some people
  • -Shoulder/XY buttons take away from the "authenticity" of the original NES controller
8.8
out of 10

Overall

8Bitdo created the FC30, and it was a fine controller. Fans commented and wanted to see improvements to the next model, so 8Bitdo did exactly that. The buttons felt way better on this model and the inclusion of micro-USB charging will definitely please people. A lot of the previous concerns from the FC30 have been resolved, and the result is an absolutely wonderful little Bluetooth controller. I would like to thank the folks at 8Bitdo for providing GBAtemp with a review sample, and for listening to their fans in creating a solid product. I would recommend this controller for those who loved their NES console, and for those who want to be able to have a more accurate gaming experience on the go.
I like the design of this one - it appears to be more rugged and resistant compared to the FC30 controller. The shoulder buttons and the X/Y buttons may very well break the illusion of authenticity, but they're certainly more well-suited for contemporary gaming, it's hard for me to imagine a controller without those these days. I'm not entirely sure if I'd invest in one of those just to feed my nostalgia, standard controllers seem to do the trick for me and the lack of analog sticks would probably bother me with some games, but then again, I can't blame the designers - where would you put them on this thing without making it look completely stupid? :P Anywho, it seems like a pretty sweet controller for those who want their nostalgia fix when emulating or just want a stylish controller reminiscent of the NES. So, what's next? SNES30? Or are we going to wait a couple years before that? :P
 
I heard reports it was an N64 controller... :ninja:

As far as design, it's a lot better this time around. I know some folk that are religiously bookish about extra addons, as they like things to be faithful, but it definitely is a welcome addition. Best part is, this thing is extremely light without excessive bulkiness.
 
So how does the Wii setup work, exactly? Is it read as a sideways remote or a classic controller, or something else entirely?
 
To be honest, a lot of very portable bluetooth gamepads are going to run the same amount for decent quality. I'm about to have an Impulse controller in the mail and it cost 45 bucks with shipping. I'll do a review of it, but I have high hopes for it.
 
Hows the D-Pad? From the pic it looks better than the original model. Do any of the buttons squeak?
 
Looks fantastic, I may have to grab one of these at some point to add to my collection ;) the microUSB is a huuuuuge plus, one of the biggest bothers is devices that insist on sticking with miniUSB ports when there's absolutely no reason to at this point.
 
  • Like
Reactions: T-hug
I recently purchased an iCade 8-Bitty controller for retro gaming on the iPad: http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/ecea/. Took some time to find one to purchase, but eventually tracked one down on eBay. Any comparison between these two, or suggestion in regard to whether the nes30 would be an upgrade? I really like the nes design and aesthetic.

Another major point of interest to me is if this controller is compatible with Blutrol. If not, then it has very limited value to me. Can anyone confirm?
 
T-hug: D-pad is a bit tighter than the FC30. My buttons didn't squeak. ;)

As far as the real product photos go, I can add those, but sadly the camera used to take them is my Galaxy S4. :( My camera seems to have died on the last vacation to Hawaii. :P
 
  • Like
Reactions: T-hug
A little research shows that the FC30 had its own app that added touch screen emulation much like Blutrol. Does the documentation suggest that this has a similar solution?
 
kid sampson: Yes! There actually was a documented feature. This one was called Emu-touch screen mode, and requires root or jailbreak depending on device (Root for Android, Jailbreak on iOS). You would need to pick up the application file on their site (nes30.com) or add the Cydia source app.8bitdo.com. From there you'd run the NES30 app and scan for the device (pair code 0000), and then press select and start to activate the NES30 app. Drag/drop keys, map them however you wish.

I hope that's what you are looking for! :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: kid sampson
Ryukouki, I just got mine in the mail today, is the keychain supposed to say NES30? If so, I think mine is for their other controller. No biggie though, still looks sweet.
 
Just got mine in the mail today. The d-pad and buttons feel great! It's exactly what I wanted for a wireless controller for retro gaming.
 
I got mine in today. When I opened the box, it felt like I was looking at a NES controller. The additional buttons felt like they belonged. The build quality is very nice. The only difference I noticed, outside of the number of buttons, is that the start and select buttons are taller than the NES controller. Updating the firmware, to 2.2, improves the controller a little bit.

I connected it fairly easily to an android phone. Once I updated the firmware, the Fire TV could see it, but it would never connect. It worked with a windows PC in both bluetooth and USB mode. The game controller control panel didn't recognize the d-pad as input, but it worked fine in game. It worked as a Wiimote, but I couldn't navigate with it.

I had some problems with input on android and the Wii. I tried playing Super Dodgeball in a NES emulator, it was very difficult to double tap in a direction to run. I'm starting to wonder if this is an emulator issue, NES.emu, FCE Ultra GX, and the VC nes emulator had the same problem.

Connecting to each device wasn't as easy as mentioned in the review. I had to connect to a PC a couple of times. android also required a couple of tries. The android Gamepad App didn't work at all, and would fail to connect even after finding the controller. The Wii seems to connect intermittently. I would prefer the Wiimote mode to use the A and B buttons as the primary input, rather than Y and B.

It's also difficult to get a non-diagonal up input. The d-pad tends to roll left or right, leading to diagonal inputs. This made PunchOut! nearly impossible to play. I wonder if it would be possible to replace the d-pad with a NES one, and if it would improve the direction input issues?

I bought mine from Supreme Equipment Co. (listed on the nes30.com for the U.S.) and it was shipped quickly. It was shipped first class, and took a little time to receive. They may have an expedited shipping option, I can't remember.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vas
cdoty: That's interesting. I had no issues setting it up and getting it good to go. I just followed the manuals but then again, I did own the FC30 at some point so that may have helped. :O
 
I have both FC30 and the NES30 and i must admit the NES30 feels alot nicer and the built quality is better.
Received mine last week from www.playmods.co.uk as they where also listed on the official website. Shipping was fast as they are based in Europe.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ryukouki
The advantage of aliexpress is that they only releases your payment to the seller when you've confirmed that you received the product you ordered. I haven't had any bad orders, so I'm not sure how hard it is to dispute problems.
 
They say this works as a Wiimote, e.g. for New Super Mario Bros Wii, but does it respond to shakes, such as is needed to use the propeller suit, or to pick things up, or to move your bubble closer to other players? And what about the tilting platforms where you have to tilt the Wiimote?
 
Still seeing what this thing can do..

It partially works on the Vita TV in Bluetooth mode. It recognizes it as the NES 8bitdo controller (or something similar). The directional pad works in the menus but no buttons work. It doesn't see it as a wired controller, but I don't think the Vita TV works with wired controllers.

It works on the Playstation 3 using a USB cable. I was able to play Metal Slug and navigate the menus. The buttons are out of order though, and there is no start, so you have to use a PS3 controller for a few things.

It partially works as in bluetooth mode. The directional pad and buttons work in the menu, but the buttons are out of order. B is X, A is Square and X is triangle, Y doesn't appear to do anything as well as the shoulder buttons or start and select.
In Metal Slug, the directional pad does not work, but the buttons do.

I did some more testing on the NES issue. I tried another NES controller connected through the Wii 2 in 1 retro adapter, and it didn't work correctly either. The adapter connects to the gamecube controller port. I connected the classic controller, and it worked fine.
 
Hi, I also got mine the day before yesterday. We are now testing it. For NES30, it has a good control experience. Also we are talking with the manufacture, hopefully we can bring this control to you guys on our on line store.
 
I'm not sure how to really power this thing off consistently. Any tips? I've been randomly switching modes until the lights go off.
 
I let it turn off on its own usually. Takes about ten minutes, goes into a "sleep" mode of sorts, and continues to stay that way until further interaction.
 
Thanks, the Start button did the trick. I just didn't want to wait 15 minutes for it to power off if I could do it manually and save some battery life.
 
So, is it possible to navigate wii menus with this? I can only get it to work as a second controller.
 
Yes like another one, but what about the only one? Like turn on wii, use the nes30 to select a game and control it.
 
awwwww fuuuuueeeeee I wish I read about the fc30 being the first edition.

I bought the fc30 because it looked retro. After playing with the controller for a while I found the down button is lousy. Down is mixed with Left or Right. A no good choice for pac man fans.
 
Review cover
Product Information:

Reviews

  1. Xiaomi has just launched its latest smartphone line, the Xiaomi 14 series. In this series, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is the top-of-the-line model, with a focus on photography and a dedicated Photography Kit to complement this focus. Let’s take a closer look!

  2. Obsidian’s Pentiment is part of a new wave of Xbox games coming to other platforms. Should you try to solve the 16th century murder mystery it presents?

  3. The second iteration of Supernote's compact e-ink notebook, we check out the A6X2 Nomad!

  4. Acting like an NPC has never been more intense

  5. The Aurvana Ace by Creative might look like your regular pair of wireless earbuds but it's the first to pack xMEMS’ solid-state silicon drivers. These are supposed to deliver richer, lifelike...

Site & Scene News

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    Sicklyboy @ Sicklyboy: *teleports behind you* "Nothing personnel, kiddo" +1