Unboxing the Retro Fighters Wireless Brawler64 Nintendo 64 Controller
118In this episode, we unbox and share our initial thoughts about the Retro Fighters Brawler64 Wireless controller for the Nintendo 64.
At the end of September 2020, Retro Fighters announced the latest edition to their Brawler line of controllers, answering many people wishes. The announcement? The wireless Brawler64. Designed to take what players all over the world love about the wired versions, could this be the ultimate N64 controller?
Like many of their projects, the Wireless Brawler64 was launched on Kickstarter. I backed the project myself, opting for the red version. There are 4 total controllers, the blue and grey you see here, the red one I opted for on my Kickstarter pledge, and a green one. The cool thing about the blue, green, and red ones is they are transparent, similar to the Funtastic series of N64 systems. I truly hope they release a black smoke version like they had on the wired Brawler 64, and I unfortunately missed out on. The dongles also match the color scheme of the controller itself, making it quite an attractive pair.
For wireless technology, the Brawler64 utilizes 2.4GHz and not Bluetooth. This should help reduce latency, improve responsiveness, and actually help keep costs down. The also means, however, that you cannot use this with the Nintendo Switch. The battery is a 550mAh lithium polymer (LiPo), and they have implemented USB-C for charging. The charge cable included and charge port are only for charging, no data transfer goes through this. That, unfortunately, means you will not be able to use it as a USB controller.
Robert and the gang at Retro Fighters has taken the feedback that they have gotten from the original Brawler 64 over the years to make what they feel is the best Nintendo 64 controller on the market. They have integrated things that have worked well, such as the left analog stick, the button layout, the overall design, but tweaked a few things to make them even better. The "Z" triggers have been updated to give them a different feel. They sought to make them feel more like the original N64 triggers, with more of a digital press versus an analog style pull.
In the hand, the Wireless Brawler64 is heavier than I expected, but in a good way. Where the wired controllers can feel a little light in the hand, the wireless feels more substantial. The back of the controller is completely smooth and omits the Memory Card port. This also means there's no options for rumble either, one of the few features missing from this otherwise exceptional controller. The left analog stick is buttery smooth, and there's no issue with the stick hitting the L-Button. Speaking of which, the L/R & Z triggers are all here and they all feel great. Some may not dig the dual Z-triggers, but I find it very nice and convenient.
From the box, I am in love. The feel, the balance, the precision, this is nearly everything I want in a modern N64 controller. Make sure you stay subscribed for our full-fledged review, coming soon.
#RetroFighters #Brawler64Wireless #Nintendo64
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