When it comes to sprucing up your retro console with a mod-con or two, you’re never short of options. From new shells to upscalers and converters, from RGB mods to devices that emulate OG disk drives, old video game systems have been upgraded and refurbished like modern vintage cars. 20, 30, even 40 Years since they were first designed and released. However, integrating older consoles into the modern living room ecosystem can be tricky, and smaller devices like BlueRetro’s N64 adapter come in handy.
I gave little thought to the cable used to connect the pad to the console. They were a necessary evil, and didn’t seem all that bad at the time, except for stumbling on your way to the fridge to get another drink. It feels weird and limiting. Even if you’re worried about the welfare of aging hardware, it’s dangerous. What if someone trips and blows your beloved 8-/16-/32-/64-/128-bit system!?
This plug-and-play Bluetooth dongle — a collaboration of BlueRetro, 8bitmods, and RetroTime — eases those fears with a convenient wireless option that plugs into your controller port of choice and works well with just about any Bluetooth pad you care about. is intended for pair.
Inside the box, the device itself is in a small plastic sleeve. It also includes a brief guide that covers the absolute basics and directs you to a browser-based web interface for more advanced options and customizations (more on that below).
As far as build quality goes, it feels like an official product, with high-quality finishes and a look that blends perfectly with the console’s aesthetics. A sexy, streamlined kit.
Nintendo’s official Switch Online-exclusive wireless N64 pads are a natural companion for this adapter, but their availability has been patchy to say the least, regardless of region, since arriving at Nintendo’s online store. We run out of stock in just a few minutes. Have I was lucky enough to get one of these official pads, so connecting to this adapter is easy. After plugging in the adapter and powering up the console, the green LED will start blinking. As soon as you press the sync button on the NSO pad, the adapter’s LED goes out and your controller is ready.
I actually had to power off the console and retry the connection with every new pad I tested, but once paired it worked fine. Supports a number of controllers out of the box, including retro-focused third-party options like , Hyperkin, and Retro-Bit (learn more).List of tested pads and how to pair them all here) — adds even more features, including the Retro Fighters Brawler64 pad added via firmware update.
While using it, the NSO pad, Switch Pro controller, and 8bitdo FC30 all worked mostly flawlessly.While sprinting down the side of Grass Valley on the Snowboard Kids, a mysterious disconnect occurred during the race. has occurred.
Switching between a wired controller and this dongle to test latency, no input lag was noticeable. Putting it in, I was impressed with how responsive everything was.
The adapter supports vibration for compatible titles and also incorporates four virtual memory packs. We’ve asked the manufacturer for an exact explanation, but as far as we understand, each of the four packs or “banks” is assigned to one. Controller slot of the system. For example, plugging the adapter into port 3 gives access to virtual memory pack number 3. Obviously you don’t want to swap adapters between ports on your controller, so you can switch adapters by mapping that cycle function to an unused button on your controller. BlueRetro web interface.
This is where things get a little more complicated and a little beyond the advertised “plug and play” nature of the device. Never, but it takes a bit of research and requires a Bluetooth-enabled desktop or Android device to access (it was our iPhone, so we took apart our laptop instead).
To unlock the rumble and memory pack features (and be able to switch between the two on-the-fly by pressing the home button), I had to google DarthCloud’s video below, Once that was done, it worked fine. You can also remap any button per controller, but I left it at the default.
Saves from existing physical memory packs cannot be moved to this device via the N64 itself, but if you hold start when starting the game you can only delete save files for that pack, It cannot be transferred to other packs. Unfortunately all saves can be loaded. Via some other method (e.g. Everdrive 64) I backed up to one of the virtual packs via the web interface. That’s right, we were able to load the Ghost of Mario Kart 64. every day Lap Mario Raceway and keep it safe another place of posterity. Happy days.
You can even combine it with a wired controller if you prefer, or connect four of these adapters. The manufacturer warns that he may have four dongles too many to power the console unless it’s at its best. If you’re still using his original PSU from the late 90’s, it’s probably not in the best shape. — But in theory you can connect four wireless pads without any problem.
And that’s about it. I updated the firmware via web config without any issues. Yes, the customizable features might be more user-friendly for beginners, but if you’re like someone reading a review of a Bluetooth controller adapter for the Nintendo 64, perhaps I have no problem navigating some basic menus through my browser following some simple instructions.
Overall, we’re impressed with this little device, and how the N64 is a little more approachable and playable in the modern era. There are so many options when it comes to retro gaming that the slightest inconveniences (like having to dig out a controller extension cable to be able to play while sitting on the couch across the room) are simply It’s surprising that it can be enough of an obstacle not to do so. All the way. At $29.99 / £29.99 / €29,99, this adapter completely eliminates that inconvenience and leaves you with no excuse but to rediscover the game library of this incredible console. Ours came from the first production batch, but at the time of writing another product is being made with an attractive “smoke black” clear plastic case. It is highly rated by us due to all the extra features that are typically needed.
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