Quick Summary
Accessory-maker 8BitDo is turning 11, and making metal controllers to celebrate.
The silver and gold versions of its SN30 wired pad look pretty superb – albeit at a fairly hefty price.
It’s always nice to celebrate an anniversary – and that’s exactly what gaming accessory maker 8BitDo is doing, with a fairly lavish new release of two expensive retro controllers.
They’re gold and silver versions of its popular wired SN30 Pro controller, a retro pad that works with the Nintendo Switch and Windows devices, so it’s not a new launch by any stretch. Those limited-edition finishes are really handsome, though, and they’re not just a spray of paint.
The controllers have actually been built with a zinc-alloy metal, according to 8BitDo, and that means they’re pretty heavy at 381g. Each costs a cent shy of $100 and at the time of writing they’re both listed as sold out, but it’s very possible that more will be released at some point if the manufacturer wants to capitalise more on the level of interest they’ve generated so far.
(Image credit: 8BitDo)
That all goes to underline the level of popularity that retro-infused products are enjoying right now – it’s an area where 8BitDo has made its name, thanks to a range of controllers that call back to older consoles from the 8-bit and 16-bit era.
The SN30 Pro certainly manages to look like it’s from that era, despite its twin analogue sticks and modern features under the hood.
11 years might not be the longest innings in worldwide terms, but for a modern gaming company that isn’t attached to any giant publisher or a big tech overlord, it’s nonetheless a really impressive vintage to reach for 8BitDo.
The company also branched out away from its purely retro roots in recent times and now produces mechanical keyboards as well as a bunch of cleverly designed mini controllers that are ideal for mobile gaming or packing for a bit of travel.
Still, few of its controllers have been quite so rabidly received as these, and there will doubtless be plenty of people out there watching on hoping for a restock. If that sounds like you, our advice would be to get the store page bookmarked and keep checking.
