This is going to be a bit different, as I normally don’t talk about hardware. But recent unfortunate experience with the 8BitDo Pro 2 is something I wanted to share, but to do so right, I’d need to bring some additional context about controllers that I’m using for my PC gaming. Anyway, expect this to be a sort of a review of 8BitDo Pro 2 (which I don’t recommend), and also lots of mini-review-like mentions of other controllers.
To put things into context – my main gaming platform right now is PC and it’s been this way for the majority of my life. However, I’ve also played on consoles as a kid a lot and always considered some genres or types of games to feel better with a controller in hand, while some play undoubtedly more comfortably with keyboard and mouse (or other types of input devices). Ever since Microsoft decided to monopolize and standardize the controllers on Windows to be, essentially, Xbox 360 controller clones with XInput standard, using controllers with PC games has become far easier and more pleasant. Of course, at the expense of the fact that the older DirectInput standard allowed for a far wider variety of controller types, whereas XInput is far more limiting in its defaults.
While I’ve absolutely hated the 360 controller (especially due to the unusable D-Pad that it had), almost as soon as the Xbox One Controller became a thing, I’ve gotten myself one and have been using those as my main go to controller. They have some downsides and known issues. For example the current Series controller got the “sticky triggers” issue almost as soon as I bought it, because at that time I was playing several racing games and I tend to floor the triggers in the heat of the moment in a good racing game. But this is easily moddable, even if I wish MS would finally change their approach to dampening the triggers, so this doesn’t happen at all. And in general, especially since I almost never use vibration/haptic feedback on anything, including all controllers, the Xbox Controllers are exactly what I need for almost all modern games that I play. Also for context, I use the Rechargeable Battery, which holds charge fantastically well, and the Wireless Adapter, that works more reliably than the Bluetooth connection.
However, I also play older games that work better with DirectInput and might have trouble with XInput. Emulation of older titles that often feels wrong on the layout of the Xbox Controller. And older games with tank controls that feel better on the D-Pad and thus it’s preferable to have the D-Pad on the top left instead of the Left Analogue Stick. For the last need, I currently utilize the DualSense and before that I used the DualShock 4, both of which I really like. DualSense feels nicer in my hand, hence why I’ve switched, and it’s also nice that Steam Input and several modern emulators recognize this controller and all of its separate unique inputs, like the touchbar. However, both controllers don’t have proper native support on Windows, especially for wireless Bluetooth usage, which limits their usability. And also the battery life on both is atrocious in comparison to the Xbox Controller – seriously, Sony, what the heck?
For “native feeling” controls there’s only one proper solution – having a controller that feels exactly or close enough to the one the original platform had. Luckily, there are plenty of solutions for this nowadays and that includes 8BitDo. I have their M30 controller that feels as I remember Mega Drive/Genesis controller feeling and I’m very happy with it for my classic SEGA needs or even occasional attempts at beat em ups or fighting games at which I always suck anyway.
8BitDo Pro 2, when I ordered it, was meant to fill several needs – feel like something that covers the SNES and PS1 feel, has DirectInput toggle to support older PC titles that never had XInput and serves as a longer battery substitute for DualSense for D-Pad games. Some might remember genuinely good for their time F510 and F710 from Logitech that had a similar toggle and were a real savior when you needed to play something old. However, as it turned out, 8BitDo Pro 2 fails at doing all of the things I’ve bought it for. For the toggle – it doesn’t work. Well, it does work, but not for this seemingly obvious usage I’ve described. The controller has DirectInput, but that’s explained as “Android mode” and none of the older titles with DirectInput on PC will recognize the controller, which has XInput as the only officially recognized “PC mode”. Bizarrely enough, the controller has several additional buttons, but even its own rebinding software doesn’t allow you to set those to any input, other than the limited XInput selection of buttons, plus the typical modifiers like Turbo. So, can’t natively force it to use keyboard inputs either, only via third party software, like any other controller.
More bizarre is how the controller fails to substitute PS1 or work for D-Pad games that I play. As mentioned – I play a lot of tank control classics. And for whatever reason, 8BitDo Pro 2 cannot hold the forward+turn inputs consistently when you’re making turns in tank control games, that you do quite often. Here’s a video showcasing the issue in the new Tomb Raider I-III Remastered played with tank controls. You will notice how DualSense didn’t drop the forward input at all, while with 8BitDo Pro 2 Lara stops a few times even though, I can assure you I’m keeping the forward pressed.
I’m not much of a SNES user to say if it could feel as good as a SNES controller, but for that particular use case 8BitDo already have an option – SN30 Pro. Which has considerably more positive reviews on the internet overall, so take it as you will. But point is – I have no idea who is the intended audience for 8BitDo Pro 2. Maybe it’s very good overall if you play a lot of emulation on your phone? I never even tried that and don’t plan to, so I dunno. But on PC you’re far better off with Xbox Controller+DualSense combo to cover most of your needs as of now, it seems. I’m happy with M30 as well and if I do get around to playing Sonic Origins, I’ll be doing it with this controller, but it’s a more niche tool that fills its gap with no complaints from me. I don’t recommend getting 8BitDo Pro 2, unless you’ve figured out a unique usage for it in your life, and I’ve already given my away to a friend. But I do hope that a real proper successor to the F510 and F710 concept can exist with a better controller body. That, or someone makes a super easy to use universal translation layer from DirectInput to XInput that will cover all classic titles and will natively support the Sony-made controllers.