NES Controller + retroUSB Review

TL;DR: The NES controller feels like how PICO-8 games were meant to be played and the retroUSB adapter is perfect.

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I recently played 100 PICO-8 games with my NES controller and I wanted to write a review. So here’s my review of the Nintendo Entertainment System controller (model NES-004E, 1991) and retroUSB adapter. Some background: I’m using the NES controller in Linux to play PICO-8 games and I typically use the Xbox One and PS3 controllers. On to the review!

Construction

It’s so light! It weighs practically nothing. The rectangular shape isn’t very ergonomic, but that doesn’t make it uncomfortable. There’s plenty of empty space without buttons or triggers, so if you want to hold it vertically or upside down, go for it! It has the perfect amount of buttons for PICO-8 with only one extra (select). I tried mapping select to alt+tab so that I could open cartridges in the browser and then return to PICO-8, but it didn’t really work. I’m sure I could figure it out if I spent more time on it, though. The cable is long enough to reach from my beanbag to tv, but not outrageously long. It does tend to pile up when I play at my desk.

The D-pad

I don’t really like D-pads in general. I would almost always prefer using a thumbstick over a D-pad, even in things like menus and 8 direction games. I’m not really a D-pad person, so take everything here with a grain of salt. The NES D-pad isn’t very comfortable for me, especially in games which require holding down one direction for a long time. Maybe because it’s mushy and doesn’t provide a lot of feedback, I end up pressing it too hard. Also, the D-pad is squeaky. I’m not sure whether that’s normal; I’ve only used one NES controller. It’s still usable and I still love playing games with it. I just have to take breaks occasionally.

Comparison to other controllers

Compared to the Xbox One controller, PS3 controller, and keyboard+mouse, the NES controller is vastly superior. It really brings the games to life. It doesn’t have any unnecessary elements, like triggers, thumbsticks, or extra buttons. The NES controller’s minimalism matches perfectly with PICO-8. Using the Xbox One and PS3 controllers feels more like just providing input to the game. The extra buttons almost make PICO-8 games feel like they’re lacking something by not using them.

Compared to keyboard and mouse: when I use the keyboard and mouse, I’m in developer mode, always ready to hit escape and fix some bugs. It’s not fun to play games in developer mode.
The kbd+mouse combo is superior for some games (like Rolly), because I can use three fingers for movement and two for X/Z, instead of just two thumbs. However, it isn’t very fun for me to play games with the keyboard.

RetroUSB adapter review

It’s perfect! The experience is seamless. Just plug it in and go.
I did have to map the controller for PICO-8, but it was easy. Oddly enough, it works in the browser without any configuration. It was a little tricky to plug in the first time, but every time after was fine. I tried plugging and unplugging it a few times to test, but there’s no reason to unplug it, unless you want to use the controller with a real NES. I didn’t notice any input lag. All my inputs felt instant and without any delay. I forgot I was using an adapter.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a controller for PICO-8, the NES controller + retroUSB adapter is pretty much perfect. Other than the uncomfortable D-pad, it has my best recommendation.