Here's an intriguing thought: why not fuse two of Nintendo's consoles together? The hard-to-find NES Classic Edition with the more recent Switch, perhaps? Turns out that's entirely possible, with a fairly inexpensive third-party accessory, and a bit of creativity.
How To Play With The NES Classic Edition With Switch Controllers
Thanks to the $17 8Bitdo x Analogue Retro Receiver, a third-party dongle meant to solve the NES Classic Edition's short controller cable problem, the Switch's controllers may stand in as alternative gamepads for the elusive mini throwback, assuming you managed to snag one, of course.
The Retro Receiver Dongle
The Retro Receiver features a dongle that connects to the NES Classic Edition console that gains its compatibility with some of the most popular controllers around, ranging from the PlayStation 4's DualShock 4 controller to 8Bitdo's own custom retro-enthused gamepads. With a new firmware update, that list adds Nintendo's own Joy-Con and Pro controllers.
Of course, the right Joy-Con is notably without a D-pad, which might come as a nuisance for some. In fact, both Joy-Con controllers aren't too ideal to stand in as NES Classic Edition controllers, but the option is there, nonetheless. Those who purchased the Nintendo Switch controller may opt to use it instead, should the Joy-Con prove underwhelming.
You Can Even Access The Home Menu Using The Joy-Con Controllers
As per the press materials, as reported by Polygon, the "home" and "screen capture" buttons on both Joy-Con controllers act as the NES Classic Edition's home button, a functionality which the console itself lacked. However, the Retro Receiver bundle, which comes with a controller, solves this by pushing down "+" and "select" simultaneously.
The functionality signals great news for those looking to consolidate their controllers, especially with multiple gaming systems lying around. It also appears that Nintendo's Pro controller is more versatile than once thought, which is surprising given Nintendo's predisposition to tighten its proprietary accessories to its own consoles. It's recently been found that the Pro controller works with Macs, PCs, and Android devices, for instance.
NES Classic Edition And Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is available now for $299. It was released on March 3, the next console after the embattled Wii U. The NES Classic Edition, on the other hand, was released on Nov. 11, 2016 for $59.99. But even though we're way past its release date, the console remains a difficult conquest, save for ridiculously marked-up units on eBay, making the mini console a scalper's godsend.
Upon release, the NES Classic Edition was met with mountainous demand; Nintendo itself even admitted that it didn't expect such a level of fanfare for the throwback console. Since then, stock has been difficult to spot in any retail store. The console is a miniature version of the Nintendo Entertainment System, released in the '80s. It comes with with 30 preloaded games and a single controller.
Thoughts about the Retro Receiver? Would you use your Joy-Con or Switch Pro controllers to play the NES Classic Edition? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
