No matter how hard it is to hear, the Nintendo GameCube is "retro"; old, even. At over 20 years old, the beloved GameCube has become an antique, but even so, it still lives on in the hearts of many, to the point of controllers for the system are still being sold to this very day. Backward compatibility and nostalgia have always been aspects of Nintendo's brand, but the GameCube, more specifically, its gamepad, goes a bit further beyond. Whether it's for Super Smash Bros. games, or just for the familiarity, the GC controller has been a mainstay throughout each of the console generations that succeeded it, from the Wii, to the Wii U, and now, the Switch. 

The problem with that, is in order to get the best experience, you either have to deal with a wired controller, living like it's 2002, or, you have to shell out for an ever-dwindling supply of wireless WaveBird controllers, which still use AA batteries, uses RF technology, and stopped being produced in 2007. 

A smattering of manufacturers have tried to fill the void, to mixed results. Some have connectivity issues, others suffer from cheap build quality, and even if you're willing to look past that, at the end of the day, the GameCube controller never really had a good d-pad, and the imprecision of the C-stick hasn't aged well now that games use the right-stick for camera control. 

Which is why it's not so much of a surprise that RetroFighters has attempted to make an "improved" classic GameCube controller. After having already done the same with the N64 and their Brawler64 controller, to great success, it's time to see if they can walk the fine line between nostalgia and modernization. 

What gives this an edge over the WaveBird, besides being in "brand new" condition, is the fact that the BattlerGC supports rumble. It also works natively on PC--through either a USB-C connection, or the USB wireless dongle--the Nintendo Switch--with dedicated home, plus, minus, and screenshot buttons--or on native GameCube hardware, with a WaveBird-like adapter that plugs into the controller port. 

Right off the bat, you can easily tell that this feels right. Designed in a form factor more akin to a Switch Pro Controller, but with those same chunky big buttons, the BattlerGC flawlessly replicates the face buttons from the original GameCube controller. They're a little glossier than my go-to GC controller's are, but that might just due to age. The travel distance, clickiness, everything about them is spot-on, which is impressive, because I think a lot of gamepads try to copy 

A lot of third party controllers suffer from feeling cheap or hollow. Luckily, the RetroFighters controllers don't; they're solid and weighty, but still light enough to feel very reminiscent of the feel of the WaveBird. It's a satisfying gamepad in nearly all aspects. 

With how great everything else is, it's a little baffling that RetroFighters went with such dramatically different triggers for the BattlerGC. While they are still analog, they're more akin to the DualShock 4's triggers, rather than the original GameCube's style. They lack that tactile "click" that the original has when you press it down fully, and there's more travel time, leaving everything feeling super awkward. On top of that, they don't actually activate the moment you press them, either. It's only about 15% into the pull of the trigger do they actually register you pressing them, which can seriously impact a lot of timing in games that you might be playing with pure muscle memory.

They're terrible for Melee's air dodges, middling at best for using FLUUD in Sunshine, and just not great at all in general. I did get used to them, at least, and they're not bad enough to offset the rest of the quality in every other aspect of the BattlerGC, but I can't help but feel disappointed that they nailed everything except the triggers. 

In addition to releasing the BattlerGC, RetroFighters has also gone back to their N64 roots, by releasing a wireless variant of the Brawler64 controller. In the years since the original gamepad's release, they've addressed the two main complaints that I had with the Brawler64. First off, now that it's wireless, you're no longer relegated to using a cable that only goes a handful of feet away from your console. Additionally, the d-pad has seen a huge improvement, going from mushy sadness to clicky perfection, while the Z-trigger got the same treatment. I was already a huge fan of the Brawler64, but this is a huge bonus. 

The RetroFighters Brawler64 Wireless Edition is a no-brainer, taking an already solid controller, and tweaking it to be better than ever. Meanwhile, the BattlerGC is a bold take on one of gaming's best controllers of all time, and is a success in almost every aspect.