8BitDo Launches DIY Retro Controller Parts: Make DIY SNES Controllers and More!

Moe Long

By Moe Long / News / 20th July 2018

With a wave of nostalgia, retro game console clones including the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Classic and Super NES (SNES) Classic have become incredibly popular. While you can buy retro game console clones, you can make your own do-it-yourself (DIY) retro gaming machine with RetroPie, Recalbox, Lakka, or GameStation Turbo. With the likes of NES, SNES, and even Nintendo 64 cases for single-board computers (SBCs), you can cobble together your own gaming arcade. Now, hardware manufacturer 8BitDo offers DIY retro controller parts for making your own wireless NES, SNES, and Sega Mega Drive controllers. 

8BitDo DIY Controller Kits

The fantastic 8BitDo already offers a solid lineup of retro gaming accessories including wireless NES, SNES, and Sega Mega Drive controllers. Its SN30 Pro is a capable controller that can be used for both retro and modern gaming. 

Now, with a set of 8BitDo DIY wireless controller kits, you can transform your corded NES, SNES, and Mega Drive controllers into wireless versions. It's pretty simple, with a solder-less design. However, if you do solder often, you can make a solder fume extractor. 

Rather than soldering, merely replace the original PCB with the 8BitDO DIY controller mod kit PCB. Now, you've got a wireless, Bluetooth, rechargeable gamepad. The main benefit of opting for an 8BitDO DIY controller kit is that you benefit from original gamepad buttons but wireless. Therefore, you retain the classic look and feel of the same casing and buttons from your childhood, updated for wireless use.

Moreover, by swapping the original PCB for the 8BitDo Mod Kit PCB, your NES, SNES, and Sega Mega Drive controllers become compatible with Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux devices. 

Make Your Original NES, SNES, and Sega Mega Drive Controllers Wireless

With the increased device compatibility of a wireless controller combined with utilizing original gamepad hardware, these 8BitDo DIY controller PCB kits are a worthy investment. Since they boast a solder-less design, it's a simple upgrade. Snag an 8BitDo mod kit and make your retro gaming machine project a complete DIY project. For more do-it-yourself gaming, check out the Odroid-Go, a DIY GameBoy-esque console kit. 

Your turn: What retro gaming controllers, operating systems, and devices are you using?

Photo of Moe Long

Moe Long is an editor, writer, and tech buff with a particular appreciation for Linux, Raspberry Pis, and retro gaming. Writing online since 2013, Moe has bylines at MakeUseOf, TechBeacon, DZone, SmartHomeBeginner, DEV.to, DVD Netflix, and Electropages. You can read his writings on film and pop culture at Cup of Moe, check out his tech reviews, guides, and tutorials at Tech Up Your Life, and hear his thoughts on movies on the Celluloid Fiends podcast. Aside from writing and editing, Moe has an online course, the Beginner's Guide to Affiliate Blogging From Scratch. When he's not hammering away at his keyboard, he enjoys running, reading, watching cinema, listening to vinyl, and playing with his dog Sebastian. 

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