#GameTechie
8BitDo has DIY kits that can turn your favorite retro controllers wireless
This would have been amazing as a kid.
8BitDo makes some cool controllers, but due to pesky copyright laws, they can’t be exactly the same as your old-school SNES or NES controller. Never one to be thwarted by something as silly as a possible lawsuit, 8BitDo has done the next best thing by building the boards needed to make your retro controllers wireless.
How awesome would this have been growing up? I can’t be the only one that pulled multiple consoles from their resting place due to a long, knotted grey cord. This DIY kit requires almost no skill, as all you’ll really have to do is remove a couple screws to open up your gamepad and then replace the circuit board that controls everything with the new Bluetooth-enable version.
Still on the fence? Check out this video to see just how easy it is to convert your controller over:
For controller opinions, 8BitDo is selling kits for the original SNES controller, the SNES Classic controller, both the OG and Classic versions of the NES controller, and a kit for the SEGA Mega Drive controller.
With your new Bluetooth-enabled controller, you’ll be able to use it with basically any device that accepts a Bluetooth gamepad, including the Nintendo Switch (which has a great sale right now!) and Windows PCs.
Going to give this a try? Have any old controllers you want to experiment on? Let us know in the comments.
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