The Best N64 Switch Online Controller? Brawler64 Wireless USB

In this episode, we show you how you can get better controls for the N64 Nintendo Switch Online Service using a Retro Fighters Brawler64 USB Wireless Edition

Whatever you may think of the overall performance and pricing of the Nintendo Switch Online's Expansion Pack, the ability to play Nintendo 64 games on the Switch is actually a wonderful concept. These are games we could play all the way back on the Wii, two generations ago, and now, 4 years after launch, we can finally do the same thing on the Switch. One thing that becomes painfully evident, however, is how entrenched into the games for the system the controller actually was. While everybody complains about having to have three hands to hold the Trident controller, it really was the perfect mechanism to play N64 Games. That was, until the Brawler64.

Retro Fighters has continued to expand their Brawler64 lineup of controllers, this version featuring a wireless USB dongle. Utilizing 2.4 GHz technology, a 30 ft range, exceptional battery life, and more, the Brawler64 wireless USB was actually in development before the Switch Online Expansion Pack was announced. How do I know? I got to test a prototype dongle in the summer of 2021.

The controller itself is identical to the wireless version that comes with the N64 dongle. How do I know that? You can pair this controller to the N64 dongle or an N64 wireless Brawler64 to this dongle. It's super easy to do and I hope later on Retro Fighters offers a version that includes both an N64 dongle and a USB dongle.

Since this was in development before the N64 Online Expansion Pack, not all of the C-stick buttons worked properly out of the box. Working with Retro Fighters, I helped beta test doing the firmware update process that essentially adds N64 online button mapping and functionality. To activate Switch online mode, hold down the start button and the A button for 5 seconds. At the time of this filming. The firmware update has not reached the Retro Fighters website, but it will be available in the coming days.

So the big question is how does it perform? Wonderfully! Everything that I've come to enjoy about the Brawler64 is here, and now available with the USB dongle for the Switch. I tested on my original Switch, my Switch OLED, and even my wife's Switch Lite using a USB-C to USB-A adapter, and it worked excellently with all of them. The one thing you may need to do is turn on the wired Pro controller functionality in your Switch menu, I needed to do that myself. The only minor issue that I ran into was on Mario kart 64 where I felt the analog stick was a little bit too sensitive, but that could be me trying to play the game using a driving technique that I use in Mario kart 8 deluxe.

Why it RoX:
A true alternative to Nintendo's unavailable in 64 Switch online controller
You can pair N64 Brawler 64s to the dongle
exceptional battery life
amazingly comfortable
reasonably priced
USBC for charging

What could be improved:
No. Rumble. Still.
a version that includes both USB and N64 dongles would be nice

Should you buy one?

This is an easy recommendation, absolutely! This is something that if you are planning to play N64 games on your Switch, you need to pick up. I am hoping at some point Retro Fighters sells the dongle separately or has a two-ack that includes both the N64 and the USB dongles with one controller. Add in the fact that I was actually able to pair my original wireless Brawler64 to this dongle, just underscore's how wonderful their ecosystem is. I do wish that they would start working on getting rumble going, other manufacturers have done so and I don't understand what has kept the Brawler64 from getting rumble. That is the only major downfall of this controller in my view.

#RetroFighters #NinendoSwitchOnline #Brawler64 #nintendo #N64

The footage used in this review are used under the Fair Use laws

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.

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.)