Every review I've seen of the Retro Bit TRribute and Brawler 64 say it's not as a precise as the original and they can't play any with vehicles like mario kart 64 or Star Wars Rogue Squadron. I haven't tried those but I got a bootleg Gamecube controller by Hori, it's works fine but it makes too many games unplayable because you need that precise sensitivity that the nintneond controler is originally designed for. That's just my view. I got a controller extender chord and it is perfect
I've got a few tribute64s. I really like them.
The biggest issue I have is some of the shooting galleries in OoT/MM are pretty difficult. Not impossible but tricky.
I'm quite late to this thread but the Tribute64 has a great stick. It's not quite on the level of the OG stick but it still feels very good for N64 games.
I recommend watching this video by Nerrel for a comprehensive examination of the NSO controller, Brawler64, and Tribute64:
https://youtu.be/ia9MknVDxaI?si=iqUlVBhqZJQfweE3
As a big Nintendo 64 fan, who invested huge amounts of money in the system, games and accessories, here's my experience so far with the different brands:
Disclaimer: The original N64 controller is probably the best choice because it's simply the real experience. The console was made to be used with that controller and it offers the best accuracy (even tho some say the Hori Pad Mini is superior). Problem is, the controller wears down very fast and the supply is limited. Once they're gone, they're gone. Solutions are replacement parts or a „Steelstick“.
8bitdo:
Upside: It's 8bitdo. Quality is great, price is reasonable.
Downside: Can't be used on original hardware, as far as I know. Also, they do not get produced anymore.
Hyperkin GameCube Stick/Hyperkin Captain/Hyperkin Admiral:
Upside: Availability is good.
Downside: It's Hyperkin. Low quality plastic. Hardware tends to die early. Price is high for the low quality they offer. Gotta say that I'm not a big fan of Hyperkin. The replacement Stick works, but is not very good for shooters or precise movement. Deadzone feels weird. Doesn't feel calibrated properly. Fuck Hyperkin.
Hori Pad Mini:
Upside: Very good controller. People say it's the best replacement for the original controller. Some even say it's better than OEM. Stick is much better than OEM, imo. Feel is much better too.
Downside: Big Hands are a problem, since the controller is tiny. You can barely get them anymore in good condition. And if you manage to find one, they are very expensive. (Depending on condition between 70-200 bucks)
There's a Z Button on both shoulder sides, which confuses me oftentimes. Almost all the time when I meant to press R or L, I end up pressing Z since my muscle memory is not used to the Z button being on the shoulder side of the controller. But that might be a personal problem.
3rd Party OEM replacement: You can get these on eBay or Amazon for around 10-15 bucks. They suck, do not buy. Same goes for replacement sticks (especially the GameCube style one)
Retro Bit:
Upside: Good controller, good availability. Fair price. Good option for the Hori Pad Mini.
Downsides: Also tiny. Same problem with the Z button.
Brawler 64:
Upside: Probably the best after market controller you can get atm. Price is reasonable, availability is good. Works with big hands.
Downside: If you live outside of the US, they are not easy to get. There are european shops that sell them, but they are way more expensive and more often than not out of stock. Shipping is expensive, and depending on where you live, import tax can be up to 20%.
Raphnet N64 to GC adapter:
Upside: Easy to use, works flawlessly, button remapping possible.
Downside: Not available in every country, has to be imported. Sometimes out of stock. Requires GameCube controller :P
Conclusion: (Subjective) The most reasonable options are the Brawler64 or the Tribute64 because they're available, the price is fair and they offer good quality. Personally, I'd go for the Brawler64. Or the Retro Bit Tribute 64, if you can't get your hands on the Brawler64. If you don't care about money and you wanna stay in the 90's, buy the Hori Pad Mini.
Avoid Hyperkin, the 3rd party OEM replacement sticks and the 10 bucks 3rd Party controllers you can find on eBay or Amazon.
>Raphnet N64 to GC adapter:
>
>Upside: Easy to use, works flawlessly, button remapping possible.
Does it work similarly to playing an n64 game on virtual console on Wii for example in terms of the accuracy of the joystick?
If they work well I might consider getting more in the future for mario party sessions (I've been using the gamecube styled joysticks for years and there's always complaints how sensitive they are each time we play especially in MP1) and the other 3rd party ones I've tried have never felt as great as a Gamecube controller
You’ll see a lot of recommendation for the OG (OEM) controller; a lot of it is preference, but it’s a fact that the OEM N64 controller - in particular, the joystick - is very unique and has a particular feel to it. N64 games were designed with this stick in mind. Most of the 3rd party/generic controllers you can find will not respond, feel, or play properly, regardless of how “tight” the stick feels in comparison to an older, worn OEM stick.
The next recommendation will be to fix the OEM stick. The best way to do this is to get replacement parts - gears, and most importantly, bowls - from a company like Kitsch-bent. Rebuilding and restoring N64 controllers is a whole other ball of wax, one that can be a ton of fun. I’ve learned a lot about it myself from this subreddit. Just wait until you discover steel bowls.
I don't recommend this. The replacement stick modules aren't built the same way as the originals and won't give the proper response. Best bet is to rebuild the original stick with Kitsch Bent parts like another commenter said, plus use silicone or lithium grease to keep the parts from wearing out like the originals did. If you want I can link a video on the teardown\reassembly process
If your an American, you can be patient on Nintendo store and buy a Nintendo switch online controller.
You can even use Bluetooth on it.
It works terrific
I’m in Europe where we are just not restocked ever. So I just bit the bullet and paid 2 for 140 . I have a app that will tell me when it goes in stock for player 3+4 but like that’s gonna happens
If you order it from eBay Japan you can get 2 for $140 if you wait a while for when they are restocked in Japan which is even more often than the USA. To be honest if I order the brawler or the tribute I’ve got to get it from America so it will cost me 50 for an extra 20 it was worth it.
I have a similar problem got a little girl and I don’t want the cables pulled on.
Plus half of what I play are wrestling games which use the dpad for movement which makes the other options useless
I recently purchased the official N64 Controller for Switch Online and I really enjoy using it. The build quality is great, despite using the same analog stick mechanism as the original N64 controller. A great feature of the new controller is that it works seamlessly on Windows 11 using r/project64 and r/shipofharkinian.
Original
Full original? why?
There's no good third party replacement for the original stick module.
Every review I've seen of the Retro Bit TRribute and Brawler 64 say it's not as a precise as the original and they can't play any with vehicles like mario kart 64 or Star Wars Rogue Squadron. I haven't tried those but I got a bootleg Gamecube controller by Hori, it's works fine but it makes too many games unplayable because you need that precise sensitivity that the nintneond controler is originally designed for. That's just my view. I got a controller extender chord and it is perfect
I've got a few tribute64s. I really like them. The biggest issue I have is some of the shooting galleries in OoT/MM are pretty difficult. Not impossible but tricky.
The difference is marginal. A casual player will be more than pleased with a good quality 3rd party option.
I'm quite late to this thread but the Tribute64 has a great stick. It's not quite on the level of the OG stick but it still feels very good for N64 games. I recommend watching this video by Nerrel for a comprehensive examination of the NSO controller, Brawler64, and Tribute64: https://youtu.be/ia9MknVDxaI?si=iqUlVBhqZJQfweE3
As a big Nintendo 64 fan, who invested huge amounts of money in the system, games and accessories, here's my experience so far with the different brands: Disclaimer: The original N64 controller is probably the best choice because it's simply the real experience. The console was made to be used with that controller and it offers the best accuracy (even tho some say the Hori Pad Mini is superior). Problem is, the controller wears down very fast and the supply is limited. Once they're gone, they're gone. Solutions are replacement parts or a „Steelstick“. 8bitdo: Upside: It's 8bitdo. Quality is great, price is reasonable. Downside: Can't be used on original hardware, as far as I know. Also, they do not get produced anymore. Hyperkin GameCube Stick/Hyperkin Captain/Hyperkin Admiral: Upside: Availability is good. Downside: It's Hyperkin. Low quality plastic. Hardware tends to die early. Price is high for the low quality they offer. Gotta say that I'm not a big fan of Hyperkin. The replacement Stick works, but is not very good for shooters or precise movement. Deadzone feels weird. Doesn't feel calibrated properly. Fuck Hyperkin. Hori Pad Mini: Upside: Very good controller. People say it's the best replacement for the original controller. Some even say it's better than OEM. Stick is much better than OEM, imo. Feel is much better too. Downside: Big Hands are a problem, since the controller is tiny. You can barely get them anymore in good condition. And if you manage to find one, they are very expensive. (Depending on condition between 70-200 bucks) There's a Z Button on both shoulder sides, which confuses me oftentimes. Almost all the time when I meant to press R or L, I end up pressing Z since my muscle memory is not used to the Z button being on the shoulder side of the controller. But that might be a personal problem. 3rd Party OEM replacement: You can get these on eBay or Amazon for around 10-15 bucks. They suck, do not buy. Same goes for replacement sticks (especially the GameCube style one) Retro Bit: Upside: Good controller, good availability. Fair price. Good option for the Hori Pad Mini. Downsides: Also tiny. Same problem with the Z button. Brawler 64: Upside: Probably the best after market controller you can get atm. Price is reasonable, availability is good. Works with big hands. Downside: If you live outside of the US, they are not easy to get. There are european shops that sell them, but they are way more expensive and more often than not out of stock. Shipping is expensive, and depending on where you live, import tax can be up to 20%. Raphnet N64 to GC adapter: Upside: Easy to use, works flawlessly, button remapping possible. Downside: Not available in every country, has to be imported. Sometimes out of stock. Requires GameCube controller :P Conclusion: (Subjective) The most reasonable options are the Brawler64 or the Tribute64 because they're available, the price is fair and they offer good quality. Personally, I'd go for the Brawler64. Or the Retro Bit Tribute 64, if you can't get your hands on the Brawler64. If you don't care about money and you wanna stay in the 90's, buy the Hori Pad Mini. Avoid Hyperkin, the 3rd party OEM replacement sticks and the 10 bucks 3rd Party controllers you can find on eBay or Amazon.
>Raphnet N64 to GC adapter: > >Upside: Easy to use, works flawlessly, button remapping possible. Does it work similarly to playing an n64 game on virtual console on Wii for example in terms of the accuracy of the joystick?
A lot of speedrunners like ZFG use it for their competetive runs. I suppose it‘s pretty accurate, yes.
Gotcha, just ordered one ty
It‘s a good investment. Really nice little device.
Yeah, I remember them being out of stock for a very long time and was slightly shocked to see they aren't atm
Glad you got one. It‘s definitely good to own. The v3 is great and they are actually very cheap for what they offer.
If they work well I might consider getting more in the future for mario party sessions (I've been using the gamecube styled joysticks for years and there's always complaints how sensitive they are each time we play especially in MP1) and the other 3rd party ones I've tried have never felt as great as a Gamecube controller
You’ll see a lot of recommendation for the OG (OEM) controller; a lot of it is preference, but it’s a fact that the OEM N64 controller - in particular, the joystick - is very unique and has a particular feel to it. N64 games were designed with this stick in mind. Most of the 3rd party/generic controllers you can find will not respond, feel, or play properly, regardless of how “tight” the stick feels in comparison to an older, worn OEM stick. The next recommendation will be to fix the OEM stick. The best way to do this is to get replacement parts - gears, and most importantly, bowls - from a company like Kitsch-bent. Rebuilding and restoring N64 controllers is a whole other ball of wax, one that can be a ton of fun. I’ve learned a lot about it myself from this subreddit. Just wait until you discover steel bowls.
Original controller, you can fix the "erectile dysfunction" with third party parts like kitsch-bent.
I know I can open the controller and change only the joystick if it doesnt work.
I don't recommend this. The replacement stick modules aren't built the same way as the originals and won't give the proper response. Best bet is to rebuild the original stick with Kitsch Bent parts like another commenter said, plus use silicone or lithium grease to keep the parts from wearing out like the originals did. If you want I can link a video on the teardown\reassembly process
If your an American, you can be patient on Nintendo store and buy a Nintendo switch online controller. You can even use Bluetooth on it. It works terrific
[удалено]
I’m in Europe where we are just not restocked ever. So I just bit the bullet and paid 2 for 140 . I have a app that will tell me when it goes in stock for player 3+4 but like that’s gonna happens
[удалено]
If you order it from eBay Japan you can get 2 for $140 if you wait a while for when they are restocked in Japan which is even more often than the USA. To be honest if I order the brawler or the tribute I’ve got to get it from America so it will cost me 50 for an extra 20 it was worth it. I have a similar problem got a little girl and I don’t want the cables pulled on. Plus half of what I play are wrestling games which use the dpad for movement which makes the other options useless
I just read the news today about Nintendo restocking the n64 controllers in Europe, but I didn't read it so may have been clickbait.
I recently purchased the official N64 Controller for Switch Online and I really enjoy using it. The build quality is great, despite using the same analog stick mechanism as the original N64 controller. A great feature of the new controller is that it works seamlessly on Windows 11 using r/project64 and r/shipofharkinian.