Debating getting the 8bitdo SN 30 Pro Plus contoller - ETA Prime reviewed it. Let's discuss it inside!

[PurpleTentacle]

The review.

I currently have the SN & SF 30 Pro controllers (one for my laptop, one for my desktop), as well as the M30 (Sega Genesis/Mega Drive 6 button style) to really capture that Genesis feeling (it's worth it for me - I never owned a Sega console, but it feels weird to me to play Sega games on a SNES style controller). 

So obviously, I don't need a new controller, but as you can see, I also love getting a controller that feels right. For the price & intent, I love the controllers I listed. But the new features on the SN30 Pro Plus seem really nice. Rechargeable battery pack, software to customize all sorts of aspects of the controller, and for me, the most important part are the upgraded components. The main flaws of the SN/SF 30 Pro controllers, at least for me, are that the D-pad, once it gets broken in, is *slightly* mushy. I still greatly prefer it to the X-Box One D-pad for retro games, but I have been wishing that it was a little bit better. The analogue sticks also aren't the literal best, although they get the job done quite well. Basically, I think they're great, but if you tend to be observant for these types of things, you'll notice the little flaws (I've read some people have had more serious issues with the D-pad, but I guess I've been mostly lucky).

 

I was planning on getting it at the beginning of October, but what ETA Prime said at the end of the video kind of made me rethink it - which was that you don't really have a reason to get the Pro Plus controller if you already have an X-Box One controller (which I do), unless you really want the customization (which is nice, but not enough to warrant the money alone). I prefer the 8bitdo controllers for retro games because the X-Box One controller just doesn't feel right for it, so I'm wondering how much to read into ETA's conclusion.

For those who have a Pro Plus, how much better are the new D-pads & analogue sticks? I'm happy with my current controllers, but if this has the types of improvements to the component quality that I've been looking for, I think it would be worth it for me.

 

Also, with the analogue triggers, do they act as simple on/off, 0/1 style inputs, or does it work like a gas/brake pedal in a car where the amount you push on it tells the games to read it incrementally? (Obviously, this only applies to games that would make use of such a feature.) That's one of the other things I'd like in an upgrade.

 

I'm still thinking of getting it, and then using my SN30 Pro controller for my Android, using a clip. With Launch Box for Android, I'm tempted to get something more dedicated for it, but the cheap ones apparently have issues, and the expensive ones are just too expensive for me. Keep in mind that I don't use my Android *too* much, so I'm much more leaning towards the improved SN30 Pro Plus for Desktop, and my older 8Bitdo for my Android.

 

Anyway, thoughts? Hope that wasn't too long, but there are some specific things I'm looking for. 

[wagonergenius]

I’m interested in this controller too. My big question right now is can you remap the buttons to keys on a keyboard for DOS games in LaunchBox?  What I would want ideally is a saved controller profile for each DOS game so I wouldn’t have to do a bunch of remapping in DosBox when switching from Doom to Wolfenstein or whatever. 

[PurpleTentacle]

19 hours ago, wagonergenius said:

I’m interested in this controller too. My big question right now is can you remap the buttons to keys on a keyboard for DOS games in LaunchBox?  What I would want ideally is a saved controller profile for each DOS game so I wouldn’t have to do a bunch of remapping in DosBox when switching from Doom to Wolfenstein or whatever. 

Ohhh, yeah! I didn't even think of that (even though that was something I've been wanting for awhile). I honestly don't know, but it sure looks like it. The question for me is - how easy is to swap between profiles? It seems like it would be clunky to pull up a separate program from LaunchBox/DOS Box every time you want to switch games. Of course, maybe switching those profiles can be automated in LaunchBox by using the "Additional Apps" option, but I typically prefer minimize doing stuff like that because it increases the chance for bugs or stuff breaking (but for all I know, it might be fine).

[Gamyr]

I have four 8BitDo controllers. The one I use right now is the SN30 pro+ (my XBOne controllers aren't working right right now). I love it because I can use it with my PC, my Android tablet, and my Switch. It feels pretty nice, and very sturdy. I haven't used the advanced features yet,but haven't had the need for them. If you want separate button mappings for different games, there are some programs that can do that for you. If you want any more info, please let me know; I might even try the extra features if there's demand for it.

[PurpleTentacle]

3 minutes ago, Gamyr said:

I have four 8BitDo controllers. The one I use right now is the SN30 pro+ (my XBOne controllers aren't working right right now). I love it because I can use it with my PC, my Android tablet, and my Switch. It feels pretty nice, and very sturdy. I haven't used the advanced features yet,but haven't had the need for them. If you want separate button mappings for different games, there are some programs that can do that for you. If you want any more info, please let me know; I might even try the extra features if there's demand for it.

I did actually end up buying it, and I love it! I haven't had much use for the advanced features either, but in the end, that's because it does everything I require from it anyway. It's definitely the best of the 8bitdo controllers (the Sega Genesis 6 button style controller is fantastic as well, but it fits a different niche, so I can't compare them directly).