- Apr 05, 2021 The drawbacks for the 8BitDo Pro 2 are the same as they were for the SN30 Pro+. It uses symmetrical analog sticks like a DualShock, and that is only a negative depending on the game you're playing.
- The worlds first fully featured retro controller. The SN30 Pro is the worlds first, fully featured retro controller. It boasts a full button set with clickable joysticks, rumble vibration², motion controls, wireless bluetooth ®, rechargeable battery, home and screen shot buttons, and a USB-C connector.Not to mention a.
8BitDo SN30 Pro+ Pro+ is the most advanced controller from 8BitDo ever. With 8BitDo Ultimate Software: Customize everything on Pro+ from button mapping, stick & trigger sensitivity, vibration control and even create macros with any button combination.
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Video games are in a good place when it comes to controllers. The Xbox Series X/S, DualSense, and Switch Pro controllers are all mostly comfortable and capable. And that extends to third-party gamepads — like those from 8BitDo, which is launching the new 8BitDo Pro 2 controller day.
The 8BitDo Pro 2 is $50, and it's now available from Amazon. It works with Switch, PC, Mac, Android, Raspberry Pi, and more. It is also the followup to 8BitDo's excellent SN30 Pro+ controller but with even more features.
This is a standard, full-featured controller that has all of the inputs you'd expect from an Xbox 360 controller. Additionally, it has two built-in back paddles that you can program using 8BitDo's Ultimate Software, which is now available on iOS and Android as well as PC and Mac.
And like the SN30 Pro+, the Pro 2 is easy to recommend. It's especially handy if you want a solid controller to take with you as you move from Switch to PC to Raspberry Pi and so on. And as with all of 8BitDo's offerings, the Pro 2 is a must have if you prioritize gaming with a D-pad.
Classic design and smart functionality
With the SN30 Pro+, 8BitDo already nailed what most people want from a classic controller design. It had nice long handles that made it easy to grip and comfortable, easy-to-reach button placement. The Pro 2 adds to that with the back paddles while simultaneously maintaining every that's great about the original controller. This D-pad is still fantastic, and if you want a gamepad that prioritizes a digital, directional input over analog, this is the go-to option.
But 8BitDo also did a lot to improve the usability of the controller. For one, it now has a hardware switch to select the Switch, Android, Dinput, and Xinput modes. On previous 8BitDo controllers, you selected the controller's connectivity profile using a combination of buttons. The Pro 2 also now has a button to switch between three saved profiles, and you can set those profiles using your phone and the 8BitDo Ultimate Software app.
That Ultimate Software is finnicky on mobile. I would lose connection when the Pro 2 was in Switch mode, but I was able to set changes using Ultimate on Windows.
This is a wonderful controller that 8BitDo has only made better. And it has done so without raising the price. The paddles are especially nice. They fit nicely under my middle finger, but I haven't found myself hitting them unless I mean to. When I do hit them, the action is responsive and clicky.
8BitDo Pro 2 still has symmetrical sticks and limited Switch capabilities
The drawbacks for the 8BitDo Pro 2 are the same as they were for the SN30 Pro+.
It uses symmetrical analog sticks like a DualShock, and that is only a negative depending on the game you're playing. If you want to prioritize D-pad play, then the big directional pad on this controller is great. I gravitate toward this gamepad for retro games and anything 2D. For 3D games or shooters, I use an Xbox controller when I'm not using keyboard and mouse.
The 8BitDo Pro 2 also cannot wake up a docked Switch from sleep. This is frustrating because it means you'll have to stand up and turn the Switch on before then controlling it with the Pro 2. It's a minor inconvenience, but it's still annoying.
I also used to have a difficult time connecting 8BitDo devices to the Switch. That's easier now thanks to improvements on Nintendo's side. But the Pro 2's hardware profile selector also helps. Still, I wouldn't describe the process as seamless. Clark lift trucks. You might have to wait a minute for the controller to pair, and dialing between Switch to another mode can cause more connection problems.
Still the controller mostly just works. And once you have a connection, it won't randomly disconnect or anything like that.
A great gamepad for $50
The 8BitDo Pro 2 is one of those controllers that makes me want to just keep playing. It aces all of the most important controller elements. It's comfortable, responsive, and mostly easy to use. I wish it turned on the Switch, but that is a Nintendo issue and not one with 8BitDo. At $50, you'll have a hard time doing better, and I prefer it over the Switch Pro controller.
The 8BitDo Pro 2 is available now for $50. The company provided GamesBeat with a sample unit for the purpose of this review.
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I'm always on the lookout for a great new gamepad. After gaming nonstop for more than 30 years, it's one of the few things I feel like I'm an expert in. And I've learned that a decent third-party peripheral is rare. That's changing, however, due to 8BitDo and devices like its new SN30 Pro+.
This is a modern-style gamepad that has all of the buttons, analog sticks, and D-pad that you would find on a DualShock 4. But unlike its standard SN30 Pro, which has all the same buttons, it has substantial handles to make it easier to hold.
The 8BitDo SN30 Pro+ also comes with the 8BitDo Ultimate Software that empowers players to customize the behavior of the controller. You can remap buttons, create macros, and more.
The device is shipping this month for $50, and you can preorder it on Amazon.
What you will like
Excellent comfort
Despite all my experience with gamepads, I still can't look at one and tell you if it's comfortable or not. Just based on its appearance, I would guess that the SN30 Pro+ is awkward to hold. But that isn't the case at all. It's really comfortable.
Those long handles that dip down deep into the palm of your hands is a big reason for that. I don't need to strain my ring and pinky fingers to comfortably grip it. Instead, I can just relax my hands around its shape, and it stays into place without much effort.
This makes the SN30 Pro+ wonderful to use for hours at a time.
Great D-pad and analog sticks
This is probably my new favorite D-pad on an affordable controller. I like the Xbox One gamepad's D-pad a lot, and this is right in line with that. Unsurprisingly, it is very similar to 8BitDo's SN30Pro (non-plus), which I said had the best D-pad for the Nintendo Switch. This feels just as good.
It isn't too squishy. Directional control is also very precise. A problem with some of Nintendo's Switch Pro controllers is that it'll register false inputs. If you are trying to run to the right you may also accidentally start crouching if you tilt the right side of the D-pad down too much. That defeats the purpose of having a cross-style directional input.
The 8BitDo doesn't register those inputs until you want it to.
You will also get some really great analog sticks with the Pro+. They felt awesome on the standard Pro, but it was slightly more difficult to use them because of the Super Nintendo-style body of the gamepad. It's more challenging to get leverage on the analog sticks when you are squeezing a smaller controller into place with your other fingers.
So the Pro+ enables what were already great sticks to really shine.
I've had no issues playing D-pad games like Dead Cells and Bloodstained. And the same is true for analog-stick games like Splatoon 2. And yes, this is by far my new favorite controller for Super Mario Maker 2.
Finally, the gamepad also has 6-axis gyro controls, a battery pack, and the option to turn on turbo buttons. And it is compatible with Nintendo Switch, Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Raspberry Pi. Post boxes for house wall.
Sn30 Pro+ Software
Easy-to-use Ultimate Software for customization
One of the big features of the Pro+ is its customization options, and the Ultimate Software is at the center of that. This free tool enables you to adjust the nearly everything about the Pro+. You can remap buttons so that the controller always behaves as you want it to. You can also adjust the sensitivity of the analog sticks and shoulder triggers. And you can control the vibration and set macros to perform a certain set of inputs by hitting a simpler button combination.
All of this is simple to set up exactly how you like. The interface is clean and easy to parse. And if you don't need it, it's just as easy to ignore.
What you won't like
Rumble is subpar
The only major problem I've had with the SN30 Pro+ so far is that it has had some bugs that led to it vibrating endlessly until I turned it off. But it's easy to update the device by plugging it into a PC with the Ultimate Software. So I'm hoping 8BitDo finds and addresses that issue soon — but it also hasn't happened again since I rebooted the gamepad.
But even when the rumble is working, it doesn't feel as nice as the Switch Joy-Cons or pro controller. I've grown used to the subtle shake that my Switch does when I pick up a coin in Super Mario Maker 2. With the Pro+, those subtle and precise vibrations come across as just any other vibration motor spinning away inside the device. It's slightly distracting, but it's also not an issue in most games — and you can always turn it off.
Conclusion
I love the 8BitDo SN30 Pro+. At $50, it's more affordable than a Switch Pro controller or even an Xbox One gamepad or DualShock 4 for use on the PC. But it's also right up there in terms of quality. And then you have the Ultimate Software customization on top of that.
This is my new go-to recommendation for people looking for a controller for the Switch. And I would definitely bring it up in the conversation for use as a dedicated PC gamepad.
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- The wonderful, educational, and fun speakers at our events
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- And maybe even a fun prize or two
- Introductions to like-minded parties
Join GamesBeat Summit 2021 this April 28-29. Register for a free or VIP pass today.
I'm always on the lookout for a great new gamepad. After gaming nonstop for more than 30 years, it's one of the few things I feel like I'm an expert in. And I've learned that a decent third-party peripheral is rare. That's changing, however, due to 8BitDo and devices like its new SN30 Pro+.
This is a modern-style gamepad that has all of the buttons, analog sticks, and D-pad that you would find on a DualShock 4. But unlike its standard SN30 Pro, which has all the same buttons, it has substantial handles to make it easier to hold.
The 8BitDo SN30 Pro+ also comes with the 8BitDo Ultimate Software that empowers players to customize the behavior of the controller. You can remap buttons, create macros, and more.
The device is shipping this month for $50, and you can preorder it on Amazon.
What you will like
Excellent comfort
Despite all my experience with gamepads, I still can't look at one and tell you if it's comfortable or not. Just based on its appearance, I would guess that the SN30 Pro+ is awkward to hold. But that isn't the case at all. It's really comfortable.
Those long handles that dip down deep into the palm of your hands is a big reason for that. I don't need to strain my ring and pinky fingers to comfortably grip it. Instead, I can just relax my hands around its shape, and it stays into place without much effort.
This makes the SN30 Pro+ wonderful to use for hours at a time.
Great D-pad and analog sticks
This is probably my new favorite D-pad on an affordable controller. I like the Xbox One gamepad's D-pad a lot, and this is right in line with that. Unsurprisingly, it is very similar to 8BitDo's SN30Pro (non-plus), which I said had the best D-pad for the Nintendo Switch. This feels just as good.
It isn't too squishy. Directional control is also very precise. A problem with some of Nintendo's Switch Pro controllers is that it'll register false inputs. If you are trying to run to the right you may also accidentally start crouching if you tilt the right side of the D-pad down too much. That defeats the purpose of having a cross-style directional input.
The 8BitDo doesn't register those inputs until you want it to.
You will also get some really great analog sticks with the Pro+. They felt awesome on the standard Pro, but it was slightly more difficult to use them because of the Super Nintendo-style body of the gamepad. It's more challenging to get leverage on the analog sticks when you are squeezing a smaller controller into place with your other fingers.
So the Pro+ enables what were already great sticks to really shine.
I've had no issues playing D-pad games like Dead Cells and Bloodstained. And the same is true for analog-stick games like Splatoon 2. And yes, this is by far my new favorite controller for Super Mario Maker 2.
Finally, the gamepad also has 6-axis gyro controls, a battery pack, and the option to turn on turbo buttons. And it is compatible with Nintendo Switch, Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Raspberry Pi. Post boxes for house wall.
Sn30 Pro+ Software
Easy-to-use Ultimate Software for customization
One of the big features of the Pro+ is its customization options, and the Ultimate Software is at the center of that. This free tool enables you to adjust the nearly everything about the Pro+. You can remap buttons so that the controller always behaves as you want it to. You can also adjust the sensitivity of the analog sticks and shoulder triggers. And you can control the vibration and set macros to perform a certain set of inputs by hitting a simpler button combination.
All of this is simple to set up exactly how you like. The interface is clean and easy to parse. And if you don't need it, it's just as easy to ignore.
What you won't like
Rumble is subpar
The only major problem I've had with the SN30 Pro+ so far is that it has had some bugs that led to it vibrating endlessly until I turned it off. But it's easy to update the device by plugging it into a PC with the Ultimate Software. So I'm hoping 8BitDo finds and addresses that issue soon — but it also hasn't happened again since I rebooted the gamepad.
But even when the rumble is working, it doesn't feel as nice as the Switch Joy-Cons or pro controller. I've grown used to the subtle shake that my Switch does when I pick up a coin in Super Mario Maker 2. With the Pro+, those subtle and precise vibrations come across as just any other vibration motor spinning away inside the device. It's slightly distracting, but it's also not an issue in most games — and you can always turn it off.
Conclusion
I love the 8BitDo SN30 Pro+. At $50, it's more affordable than a Switch Pro controller or even an Xbox One gamepad or DualShock 4 for use on the PC. But it's also right up there in terms of quality. And then you have the Ultimate Software customization on top of that.
This is my new go-to recommendation for people looking for a controller for the Switch. And I would definitely bring it up in the conversation for use as a dedicated PC gamepad.
Sn30 Pro Manual
The 8BitDo SN30 Pro+ and Ultimate Software are shipping this month. The Pro+ is $50, and the software is free. 8BitDo sent us a sample unit for the purpose of this review.
GamesBeat
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is 'where passion meets business.' What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.How will you do that? Membership includes access to:- Newsletters, such as DeanBeat
- The wonderful, educational, and fun speakers at our events
- Networking opportunities
- Special members-only interviews, chats, and 'open office' events with GamesBeat staff
- Chatting with community members, GamesBeat staff, and other guests in our Discord
- And maybe even a fun prize or two
- Introductions to like-minded parties
Sn30 Pro+ Vs Pro Controller
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