This model cheats a bit with “extra” control buttons, but it keeps the Japanese Famicom shape and color scheme with a more dependable build than the more “retro” USB options.įor wireless fans, the relatively new 8BitDo (get it?) NES30 controller is one of the best Bluetooth pads around. Another well-regarded alternative is the iBuffalo USB 8-Button Game Pad. And before you cry foul on the Super NES-style bone shape, here’s a bit of video game history for you: years into its original production, Nintendo released a redesigned controller affectionately known as the “dog bone.” This updated two-button layout seems to have informed the design for the next console. However, my favorite wired option is this Retro-Link USB model. If you want the most nostalgic, square, corners-jutting-into-your-palms NES controller, this is the best one we’ve used. Unfortunately, the NES gamepad is so simple that the market seems to be flooded with cheap, low-quality replicas, most of which have poor production and serious control issues. The original Nintendo Entertainment System (or Famicom, if you’re a stickler for the Japanese version) doesn’t have the most ergonomic controller design, but the little rectangle has a lasting appeal all its own. Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Controllers
