The face buttons and directional pads on the Nintendo systems are built to physical specification: of the proper density plastics with the correct tactile response. I’ve spent hours with each of the gamepads noted above, and my answer to that question is a highly definitive, “some better than others.” The controllers, from the simple NES pad right up to the glorious N64 trident, match the originals they emulate well, but not exactly.
The controllers tap directly into the brain’s nostalgia centers at first glance, but the more important consideration is whether they actually work worth a damn. What has me the most excited is the Retro-Link Classic Controller line, a series of USB-compatible controllers that are essentially replicas of such legendary gamepads as those that accompanied the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, and Nintendo 64. With all that in mind, it’s only fitting that I have been sampling a range of products from the time-hopping gaming accessory manufacturer, Retro-Bit, a company that makes a bevy of products you may not have known exist.
#RETROLINK N64 CONTROLLER REVIEW PC#
With a new console generation roaring in like a kitten, I’m not only fondly remembering the glory days of the games I grew up on, but also looking forward to NOT spending all the money that a new generation calls for, which means setting up my PC for maximum gaming versatility for as long as I can reasonably hold out on buying a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. For me, the holiday season is not only about merriment, giving, family, and friends, but about good memories and all the best feelings of childhood, brought back to life.