Peripheral manufacturer 8BitDo has revealed when the 64 controller will be available. It is designed to work with the upcoming Analogue 3D, a remake of the Nintendo 64 that supports 4K output. Pre-orders for the $40 controller are now available. Available in black or white to match Analogue 3D, it will ship on March 19th.
This peripheral appears to be a version of 8BitDo’s Ultimate controller, but with only one thumbstick and six control buttons (A, B, and four C buttons) on the surface. There are four bumper buttons, and both triggers appear to be able to replace the Z button on the original N64 controller (thanks to 8BitDo’s Ultimate software, the peripheral is fully remappable).
In homage to its controller ancestors, it features an octagonal gate around the thumbstick. Hall-effect sensors and wear-resistant metal joystick rings virtually eliminate the chance of stick drift. Peripherals also include Rumble Pak. This works with both Analogue 3D and Nintendo Switch. 64 controller is also compatible with PC and Android devices.
The original trident-shaped Nintendo 64 remains mysterious nearly 30 years later. Most people don’t even have three hands, Nintendo! So for anyone looking to emulate N64 gaming with a controller that actually makes sense, this looks like a strong contender.
Pre-orders for Analogue 3D also began on Monday. As of this writing, the black version is still available. Unfortunately, the console doesn’t come with a controller, so you’ll have to buy it separately if you need one.
