Controller Review Should You Buy the Retro Fighters Brawler 64 USB Edition for Mac, PC & Switch
95In this video, we unbox and test out the Retro Fighters brawler 64 USB Edition, designed to be compatible with Mac, PC, and the Nintendo Switch.
Ever since I first heard of the brawler 64, I was intrigued by the project. I backed it on Kickstarter, and I was glad that I did. It is definitively one of the best ways to play your Nintendo 64 games on original hardware. But what if you are playing on an emulator, or if you want to have a similar experience on your Nintendo Switch? This is where the brawler 64 USB edition comes into play, compatible with each of those three devices.
One of the things that makes the brawler 64 such a good controller is the overall layout and ergonomics. The trident design has been scrapped in lieu of a more traditional gamepad. The analog stick, d-pad, face, and shoulder buttons have all been carefully redesigned to give you a great experience. Additionally, a turbo function has been designed into the controller, making it easier for you in those rapid-fire situations.
While on the face of the controller, quite literally, it looks exactly the same as the Nintendo 64 version, around back things are dramatically different. The memory card port has been removed, and it's replaced with a new back shell was designed to maximize comfort, and as much as I made dislike the fact that it does not work with rumble packs or memory cards this new back is amazingly comfortable. I was hoping that the Brawler 64 USB Edition would include some sort of internal rumble due to the fact that it does not accommodate rumble packs, unfortunately, it does not. Retro Fighters included a 10 ft long USB cord, making it easy for you to play your games from a rather considerable distance.
I did try out the Brawler 64 USB Edition on a number of other devices not listed as compatible. For my own curiosity, I wanted to know if it would work with the PlayStation Classic, the Genesis Mini, or the Super Retrocade. Unfortunately, it does not work with any of these systems. However, plugging it into my Switch, it registered instantly.
Both the analog stick and D-Pad feel identical to the standard and 64 variants. They're both precise and comfortable. While the N64 does not have many fighting games, I honestly haven't been able to test the Brawler 64 in this scenario, that is until now. Upon firing up Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Edition on the Switch I was blown away at how amazing the analog stick felt. I was able to pull off the dragon uppercut repeatedly using both Ken and Ryu. I don't know if this has to do with the way they designed the gate around the analog stick or what, but it was awesome. The D-Pad also felt great on platformers, and the button mappings just made sense.
Why it RoX:
- Same basic ergonomic design as the N64 variant
- 10-ft long USB cable
- Responsiveness is terrific
- Budget-friendly
- Integrated turbo functionality
- Works great with the Switch
What should be improved?
- Lacks rumble
- Only one color (at this time)
- Not compatible with devices such as the PlayStation Classic, Genesis Mini, or Super Retrocade
Should you buy one?
Retro Fighters makes a fantastic controller and the Brawler 64 USB Edition is no exception to this. The analog stick works amazingly well, and I love the way this controller feels in the hand. Not having rumble support is a bit of a bummer, one I hope that Retro Fighters addresses in the future. I am not a big emulation player, but as well as this worked for the Nintendo Switch I would recommend it simply for that application alone.
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