Retro Fighters GameCube-Style Bluetooth Controller for Nintendo Switch

In this episode, we unbox and test out the Retro Fighters Duelist Bluetooth controller designed to be compatible with the Nintendo Switch and PCs.

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
2:17 - Unboxing & Fit & Feel
5:33 - Manual Overview
6:57 - How to Pair to Your Switch
7:27 - Smash Bros Ultimate
9:42 - Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection
10:53 - Horizon Chase Turbo
12:47 - Super Mario Bros 2
15:12 - Relic Hunters Zero Remix
16:49 - Final Thoughts

One of my favorite accessory manufacturers out there has to be Retro Fighters. I don't know that I've tried one of their controllers that I didn't absolutely fall in love with. They have amazing quality, the controller's just feel right in the hands, and most importantly, they just work! I just got an email through that they have a new controller launching on Kickstarter. The result of their latest efforts is what you see here, the Duelist for the Nintendo Switch & Switch Lite.

Now that the Duelist controller is finally here, I can happily share a lot of my feelings on this wonderful controller. Whether I am playing smash Brothers, platformers, or any game on my Nintendo Switch, the Duelist is comfortable, responsive, and it's simply works. When you are playing smash Brothers, the S button is no joke. For someone like me who doesn't get to play smash Brothers as much as other people do, it helps me stay competitive in the game. If anything, it may give me a bit of an unfair advantage.

They have designed the Duelist to be the ideal controller for you to play competitively in Super Smash Brothers Ultimate on the Switch & Switch Lite. It has an oversized A button, strategically placed face buttons, and a new S button. What is an S button? Well, the S button allows you to pull off a Smash attack or Smash hop at the press of a single button. For newbies like me who suck at Smash Brothers, this is going to be an amazing feature.

Being wireless, it includes a 180 milliamp lithium ion battery. I am thrilled to see Retro Fighters adopt USB C for the power input to charge the controller. Except for an older tablet, just about all of my devices now use USB C, so I'm glad to see that on this controller and know I can charge it on cables I already own.

The buttons themselves are very responsive, but I'm not totally in love with the shape of the buttons. Having a flat top can Make you feel a little bit less confident while playing that you are hitting the right button. Having different shaped buttons, or even just buttons that were concave or convex would be an improvement in my mind. I also thought the d-pad was a little bit more firm than I would have preferred.

Why it RoX:
- Terrific ergonomics
- S button allows you to pull off smash moves much more easily
- Great range
- Terrific battery life
- Responsive
- USB-C for charging
- Wakes your Switch from sleep mode
- Easy to pair

What could be improved:
- More color options
- Change up the button shapes
- D-Pad did not feel quite as good as some of their others

Should you buy one?
Being completely honest, the Nintendo Switch controller market is getting rather flooded right now. So much so that you really need to have something different to make an impact, and the duelist is something different. It provides an enhanced experience, not just when playing smash Brothers but when playing all games. It's comfortable, responsive, and a great addition to the Retro Fighters family of controllers. Before the Kickstarter was canceled, I had already backed it. I'm glad I did, and I'm glad they did not give up on this and it is a terrific unit.

The footage used in this review are used under the Fair Use laws, referenced below:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/107

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The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.
(Pub. L. 94–553, title I, § 101, Oct. 19, 1976, 90 Stat. 2546; Pub. L. 101–650, title VI, § 607, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5132; Pub. L. 102–492, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3145.)