If you're on the fence between this and a M30, don't even hesitate. As of this review it's already unavailable, which is why I decided to post so quickly for future restocks.
The dpad has an actual pivot, the M30 does not leading the retrobit controller to be far more accurate.
Inputting all movement commands, especially forward half circle is butter smooth. This is a hard recommend for fighting games, you have to try this floating dpad at least once in your life. In a training environment I have not dropped one input due to how smooth it is
For shmups I would sometimes get a middle click on the dpad with the M30 causing my ship to just stutter since you can't move in all directions at once. This problem doesn't exist on the retrobit controller. I want to get out of the way that you can still perform, but the retrobit is just better.
The dpad feels a lot looser, but not in a way that affects input performance. It just glides with your finger in such a beautiful way, and that middle pivot always keeps your inputs honest.
This is a dpad centric review since that is the main allure of these pads, I think the buttons are fine and there isn't any excessive button wobble. Having triggers gives a bit more versatility. The sticks are ok, but I wouldn't play any modern stick games with this controller, they are like guillokit Hall effect sticks for joycons.
I swear that dpad is just bloody phenomenal, this is the end of your search for a good circle pad. At least until someone can make a fight pad with larger buttons and the same phenomenal pad.
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Product Description
Reviews with images
Loses connection in xinput mode - R buttons poor fits and stick
I waited 5 years for these controllers and ordered two of them when they finally came out. Unfortunately it seems after all this time the execution is not quite there yet. There is one glaring issue that makes it so I cannot recommend the controller currently: It randomly loses connectivity in xinput mode. (I have been told dinput works but I have not verified this myself.) This makes the controller 100% unreliable for any gaming purposes. I am 9 feet away from the transmitter and have clear line of sight to it so there is no reason a 2.4ghz signal should not flawlessly reach it.The other glaring issues is that there are quality issues with the fit of some of the parts. On both pads I received the R button's fit in the pad is much worse than the L's. The R buttons on both make loud clacking noises with a bit of a rattle when pressed and on the first pad the r button sticks. On both pads the L button is perfectly fine so it's hard to figure out why they both have the same problem on the same side.But other than that how is it? Well there is a bit of an annoying issue where the Z&C buttons are mirroring L&R. This is understandable on many of the controller modes as they only support so many buttons. It would be nice to be able to change it in firmware and there has been rumors of it but it has not happened yet. However the mirroring also occurs in dinput which supports 128 buttons so that really needs to be changed as there's no good reason for it unless the v2 USB receiver doesn't support more than the standard array of buttons.Everything else about controller is quite good. I compared the controller to an original Sega Saturn controller, the Fukkokuban Sega Saturn for PS2 controller that Sega made, an 8bitdo MD30 controller, and for good measure a Retro-bit BIG6 Geneis controller and a Sega Genesis 6 button controller.The main thing everyone wants to know is the dpad. As you can see in the photos it's very similar to the original. You will also notice that where the two sega issued Saturn controllers, the Original and the Fukkokuban the plastic is matte grey and non reflective where as the Retro-bit Saturn glossy and black. This different isn't just visual but tactile too. That said I just spent an extended period using it and I found it to not be a major problem. I'm not sure I would be notice unless I had them side by side but the original issue is slightly better. Out of all the D-pads I think I may actually like the MD30's dpad the best. It's a 6-button genesis clone but it is made of that softer grey matte plastic and the re-designed contours of the MD30 make that dpad function much better than the similar in the BIG6 which is again made of the harder plastic.The Retro-bit case is a bit thicker than the original I actually find this makes it more comfortable to hold. The analog sticks are also very easy to reach, don't get in the way at all, and their recessed base keeps the controller profile relatively light so this controller is a good choice for travel. I find this controller the most comfortable to grip, followed by the MD30 and then the original Saturn controllers form Sega.The face buttons are all spot on and feel great and the added select and home buttons are a god send when using this for modern games.Where we start to run into issues in design is the shoulder buttons. Perhaps this is due to these being new designs vs the original. They do not share any similarities to the originals due to the addition of the ZL and ZR buttons on the shoulder. As I mentioned before the R buttons seem to differ from the L buttons in fit and finish and pushing them gives a bit of a rattling sound. Both R and L buttons also sink lower inside than the surrounding case on the edges, and this is more pronounced on the R button, but it is not a major issue and I was not bothered by in gameplay. By contrast the ZL and ZR buttons are much better and feel great and neither one has had issues in the two I have received. They have a small lip on them which reminds you of the design of the original. The L and R buttons are raised a bit above the ZL and ZR so it's easy to tell them apart. One thing you will notice about the shoulder buttons is they're very flat overall. There is not much contouring going on here and this this makes the buttons feel worse than one would like.So in the end these are very good controllers but they have two major issues that I hope Retro-bit will resolved. With any luck the connectivity problem can be solved by firmware. The QC issues with the R button sadly will require more time with the production factory.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2023
The other glaring issues is that there are quality issues with the fit of some of the parts. On both pads I received the R button's fit in the pad is much worse than the L's. The R buttons on both make loud clacking noises with a bit of a rattle when pressed and on the first pad the r button sticks. On both pads the L button is perfectly fine so it's hard to figure out why they both have the same problem on the same side.
But other than that how is it? Well there is a bit of an annoying issue where the Z&C buttons are mirroring L&R. This is understandable on many of the controller modes as they only support so many buttons. It would be nice to be able to change it in firmware and there has been rumors of it but it has not happened yet. However the mirroring also occurs in dinput which supports 128 buttons so that really needs to be changed as there's no good reason for it unless the v2 USB receiver doesn't support more than the standard array of buttons.
Everything else about controller is quite good. I compared the controller to an original Sega Saturn controller, the Fukkokuban Sega Saturn for PS2 controller that Sega made, an 8bitdo MD30 controller, and for good measure a Retro-bit BIG6 Geneis controller and a Sega Genesis 6 button controller.
The main thing everyone wants to know is the dpad. As you can see in the photos it's very similar to the original. You will also notice that where the two sega issued Saturn controllers, the Original and the Fukkokuban the plastic is matte grey and non reflective where as the Retro-bit Saturn glossy and black. This different isn't just visual but tactile too. That said I just spent an extended period using it and I found it to not be a major problem. I'm not sure I would be notice unless I had them side by side but the original issue is slightly better. Out of all the D-pads I think I may actually like the MD30's dpad the best. It's a 6-button genesis clone but it is made of that softer grey matte plastic and the re-designed contours of the MD30 make that dpad function much better than the similar in the BIG6 which is again made of the harder plastic.
The Retro-bit case is a bit thicker than the original I actually find this makes it more comfortable to hold. The analog sticks are also very easy to reach, don't get in the way at all, and their recessed base keeps the controller profile relatively light so this controller is a good choice for travel. I find this controller the most comfortable to grip, followed by the MD30 and then the original Saturn controllers form Sega.
The face buttons are all spot on and feel great and the added select and home buttons are a god send when using this for modern games.
Where we start to run into issues in design is the shoulder buttons. Perhaps this is due to these being new designs vs the original. They do not share any similarities to the originals due to the addition of the ZL and ZR buttons on the shoulder. As I mentioned before the R buttons seem to differ from the L buttons in fit and finish and pushing them gives a bit of a rattling sound. Both R and L buttons also sink lower inside than the surrounding case on the edges, and this is more pronounced on the R button, but it is not a major issue and I was not bothered by in gameplay. By contrast the ZL and ZR buttons are much better and feel great and neither one has had issues in the two I have received. They have a small lip on them which reminds you of the design of the original. The L and R buttons are raised a bit above the ZL and ZR so it's easy to tell them apart. One thing you will notice about the shoulder buttons is they're very flat overall. There is not much contouring going on here and this this makes the buttons feel worse than one would like.
So in the end these are very good controllers but they have two major issues that I hope Retro-bit will resolved. With any luck the connectivity problem can be solved by firmware. The QC issues with the R button sadly will require more time with the production factory.
Loses connection in xinput mode - R buttons poor fits and stick
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2023
I waited 5 years for these controllers and ordered two of them when they finally came out. Unfortunately it seems after all this time the execution is not quite there yet. There is one glaring issue that makes it so I cannot recommend the controller currently: It randomly loses connectivity in xinput mode. (I have been told dinput works but I have not verified this myself.) This makes the controller 100% unreliable for any gaming purposes. I am 9 feet away from the transmitter and have clear line of sight to it so there is no reason a 2.4ghz signal should not flawlessly reach it.Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2023
The other glaring issues is that there are quality issues with the fit of some of the parts. On both pads I received the R button's fit in the pad is much worse than the L's. The R buttons on both make loud clacking noises with a bit of a rattle when pressed and on the first pad the r button sticks. On both pads the L button is perfectly fine so it's hard to figure out why they both have the same problem on the same side.
But other than that how is it? Well there is a bit of an annoying issue where the Z&C buttons are mirroring L&R. This is understandable on many of the controller modes as they only support so many buttons. It would be nice to be able to change it in firmware and there has been rumors of it but it has not happened yet. However the mirroring also occurs in dinput which supports 128 buttons so that really needs to be changed as there's no good reason for it unless the v2 USB receiver doesn't support more than the standard array of buttons.
Everything else about controller is quite good. I compared the controller to an original Sega Saturn controller, the Fukkokuban Sega Saturn for PS2 controller that Sega made, an 8bitdo MD30 controller, and for good measure a Retro-bit BIG6 Geneis controller and a Sega Genesis 6 button controller.
The main thing everyone wants to know is the dpad. As you can see in the photos it's very similar to the original. You will also notice that where the two sega issued Saturn controllers, the Original and the Fukkokuban the plastic is matte grey and non reflective where as the Retro-bit Saturn glossy and black. This different isn't just visual but tactile too. That said I just spent an extended period using it and I found it to not be a major problem. I'm not sure I would be notice unless I had them side by side but the original issue is slightly better. Out of all the D-pads I think I may actually like the MD30's dpad the best. It's a 6-button genesis clone but it is made of that softer grey matte plastic and the re-designed contours of the MD30 make that dpad function much better than the similar in the BIG6 which is again made of the harder plastic.
The Retro-bit case is a bit thicker than the original I actually find this makes it more comfortable to hold. The analog sticks are also very easy to reach, don't get in the way at all, and their recessed base keeps the controller profile relatively light so this controller is a good choice for travel. I find this controller the most comfortable to grip, followed by the MD30 and then the original Saturn controllers form Sega.
The face buttons are all spot on and feel great and the added select and home buttons are a god send when using this for modern games.
Where we start to run into issues in design is the shoulder buttons. Perhaps this is due to these being new designs vs the original. They do not share any similarities to the originals due to the addition of the ZL and ZR buttons on the shoulder. As I mentioned before the R buttons seem to differ from the L buttons in fit and finish and pushing them gives a bit of a rattling sound. Both R and L buttons also sink lower inside than the surrounding case on the edges, and this is more pronounced on the R button, but it is not a major issue and I was not bothered by in gameplay. By contrast the ZL and ZR buttons are much better and feel great and neither one has had issues in the two I have received. They have a small lip on them which reminds you of the design of the original. The L and R buttons are raised a bit above the ZL and ZR so it's easy to tell them apart. One thing you will notice about the shoulder buttons is they're very flat overall. There is not much contouring going on here and this this makes the buttons feel worse than one would like.
So in the end these are very good controllers but they have two major issues that I hope Retro-bit will resolved. With any luck the connectivity problem can be solved by firmware. The QC issues with the R button sadly will require more time with the production factory.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2023
Really wanted to spend a week to fully utilize the controller for multi purposes. I have quite a collection of import saturn games and this controller actually feels better than the vanilla Saturn 2.4 controller I had from Retro-Bit previously. All the button placements fall into the fingers naturally. I think 2 points of debate thats not really the fault of the controller is your taste of whether you’re okay with the smaller analog sticks- for me they work and feel better than you’d think by looking at it and I understand why they went that route; it really still feels like it should- a Saturn controller. I think if the analog sticks were any bigger it would just be a glorified pro controller with a saturn logo. Keeping the essence, size and overall look/feel of a saturn controller was a tradeoff, but one, at least to me, made sense.
X-input works great, though limitations on mapping z and c independently from L and R is limited due to the fact that these controllers have 2 more extra buttons than a conventional xbox one/360 controller, so it seems more a limitation of x input than the controller- wouldnt be fair to dock points off for that. It’s honestly super versatile and multi use as it is. Hopefully Retro-Bit will give us a few more optional quality of life firmware updates and looking back at their previous controllers, we can certainly count on at least a few. Build quality is SOLID!! D pad feels great, minimal button shakiness after doing the “shake test”.
X-input works great, though limitations on mapping z and c independently from L and R is limited due to the fact that these controllers have 2 more extra buttons than a conventional xbox one/360 controller, so it seems more a limitation of x input than the controller- wouldnt be fair to dock points off for that. It’s honestly super versatile and multi use as it is. Hopefully Retro-Bit will give us a few more optional quality of life firmware updates and looking back at their previous controllers, we can certainly count on at least a few. Build quality is SOLID!! D pad feels great, minimal button shakiness after doing the “shake test”.
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Lupo
Muy bueno para juegos retro en consolas modernas.
Reviewed in Mexico on January 5, 2024
Lupo
Reviewed in Mexico on January 5, 2024
Primero, no usa Bluetooth, tiene dos adaptadores, uno para consola original SEGA Saturn y otro USB 2.4GHz para Nintendo Switch, Android (con un adaptador USB) o PC, todos de forma directa.
También funciona con PS4 y Xbox si usas un adaptador de los Brook ó MyFlash (yo tengo el Magic NS2 Pro).
No compras este control para juegos 3D tipo Mario o Dark Souls, claro que te va a funcionar bien, pero su principal atractivo es el D-pad para juegos 2D y sus botones en fila de 6 sobre todo para juegos de pelea.
Al no ser Bluetooth el 2.4GHz hace todo muy responsivo, se nota la diferencia para bien. Tengo el 8bitdo SN30 Pro y sí lo deja atrás en D-pad y latencia. Tengo el 8bitdo desde que salió hace años, y funciona muy bien. Pero el Retro-Bit sí es mejor control. Se siente en juegos como Tetris (Puyo vs Tetris, Tetris Effect) o juegos de pelea (Street Fighter ó KoF).
Los joysticks son pequeños, del tamaño de un joycon, y "se puede jugar" juegos 3D, pero sí no te gustan los joycon por su tamaño pequeño, y aparte que están en posición tipo Dualshock, entonces no te van a gustar estos. No obstante, son hall effect, eso significa, sin drift. Lo cual da confianza.
Solamente hay un detalle a nivel personal que no me gusta, pero es desde el diseño original de SEGA... Los botones, X, Y y Z se sienten como muy muy curvos. Si los hubieran hecho más planitos como los de abajo, hubiera estado excelente. Es una cuestión ergonómica solamente, para juegos como Mario que oprimes dos botones (correr y saltar) durante casi todo el juego, el botón pequeño de arriba no se siente muy comfortable. Pero eso es todo, un problema menor honestamente.
Recomendado para los amantes de Streets of Rage, TMNT, MonsterBoy, etc etc.
Images in this review
