Unboxing The Retro Fighters Brawler64 NSO Colors!

Check it out, we have all 3 colors of the Retro Fighters Brawler64 controllers designed for the Nintendo Switch Online N64 games! And it's a Pro Controller too!!

In this episode, we unbox and test out the Brawler64BT NSO Edition, intended to be the best controller available to play Nintendo Switch online Nintendo 64 games.

I know what you're thinking, another Brawler64? Trust me, I get that. Retro Fighters has released a number of Brawler64 iterations in the last 5 years. They've had the original, the different colored editions, USB, wired, wireless, and more. In 2022 they announced a new revision of the Brawler64, this one optimized for the Nintendo Switch Online Service (NSO) and featuring Bluetooth connectivity. That controller is what you see here.

Originally available as a Kickstarter project, the Brawler64 BT comes in three different colors. We chose Arctic White for our Kickstarter, but we have the other colors on the way. Out of the box, you get the controller itself, a USB-C cable, and your instruction sheet. I missed the days when Retro Fighters would include keychains, but if people weren't using them that's something they can eliminate and reduce their costs.

What makes this Brawler different than others previously released Is the software on board. They have released earlier versions of the Brawler that can be updated to be compatible with the Switch Online Service, but this is the first one that's designed to do so right out of the box. The cool thing is they have a swap button on the top of the unit that will allow you to go back and forth between NSO operation and standard Pro Controller operation, depending on which game you are playing. This makes sure your button mapping is what you want it to be depending on what you are playing. It also eliminates any sort of dongle requirement to plug into your Nintendo Switch to be able to play, that's the joy of being Bluetooth.

The other major addition here is the fact that this is the first Brawler to incorporate rumble. I know this may seem like a minor issue for some but it is honestly one of the things that has been a major sticking point for me with the Brawler64. You can increase or decrease the intensity of the rumble as well, so that way you don't feel like you're getting stung by a bunch of bees if it is too intense, or you don't feel like it's not there if it's not intense enough. This is a welcome addition and I'm glad to see Retro Fighters continue to evolve this platform.

The other buttons you would expect are all here, home, caption, plus, and minus. The analog stick feels wonderful as always, but I have to admit that the d-pad feels a little bit on the stiff side. I don't know if they have changed their materials compared to what they've utilized in the past, but it is something that I noticed.

Pairing the Brawler64BT to my Switch was super easy. You can also tell at a glance if you are in N64 online or Pro Controller mode by going to the change controller order screen. When it is in Switch online mode it will display an N64 controller icon, and Pro Controller mode displays a pro controller.

Testing the controller was an absolute joy. From the first screens in Mario 64, the analog stick felt amazing. They've gotten rid of some of the oversensitivity I have complained about in the past, increasing the deadband slightly so that you have a little bit more wiggle room around the center. Some may not like this, I absolutely love it. The face and shoulder buttons also work amazingly well too, whether I'm doing barrel rolls or hadoukins.

None of the current NSO N64 games rely too heavily on the d-pad, so to test that I went into Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Edition. Much like I felt initially, I think the d-pad is a little bit on the firm side but should free up with repeated usage. I was able to pull off all of my moves in Street Fighter wonderfully, and that's on top of the brilliant performance I experienced playing the Switch Online Games.

Why it RoX:
- Pro controller and NSO controller mappings
- Works with PC
- Brilliant performance
- Three different colors available
- Rumble!

What could be improved:
- More color options
- D-pad a little stiff
- No LED indicator to show Pro Controller or NSO Status

Should you buy one?

This is the N64 controller I have been waiting for. It's smooth, precise, extremely comfortable, and it rumbles! I am glad to see Retro Fighters has addressed most of the concerns that I've had with the Brawler64 over the years as this is simply the finest version of the controller they have ever made. If you are looking for a controller to play the N64 online games, don't waste your money on the official Nintendo one, it's not very good. This is the way you need to go, this is exceptional and how I will be playing the N64 online library moving forward.

#NintendoSwitchOnline #n64switchonline #brawler64 #RetroFighters #shortsmas #shortsmaschallenge #AMSR #AMSRUnboxing