8BitDo Arcade Stick Review: A sleek and stylish switch controller

8BitDo is best known for its affordable retro controllers, but its latest product is even more ambitious. It’s a wireless arcade stick for the Nintendo Switch and computers, simply called the 8BitDo Arcade Stick, and at $ 89.99 it’s now the most expensive controller in the company’s range.

However, arcade sticks can be quite expensive. For example, Hori sells a $ 199.99 PlayStation-licensed PS4 model, so 8BitDo is still at the more accessible end of the market if you want an arcade stick. And if you want one for the computer or switch, I think this is actually a great place to start.

8BitDo’s stick is specifically designed for the Switch and PC (via XInput), and it manages to feel indigenous on both platforms thanks to a neat little trick: the button labels are red LEDs that switch on and off, depending on where you play. Turn the knob on the top left of the stick and the labels you do not need will disappear. It looks cool and makes the stick easier to use, which makes it a pretty inspired decision in my book.

The visual design of the stick comes out differently like the offspring of a NES Advantage controller and a Teenage Engineering OP-1 synthesizer, with its gray, red and black color scheme compensated by round colored buttons in the corner. It’s quite small because arcade sticks go, but it feels sturdy and well built. And while the compact size and wireless connection make it easy to pack, the design is so sleek that it can happily sit on a coffee table for a while. (It could be on mine at least.)

There are three ways to connect the stick: a 2.4 GHz USB dongle, Bluetooth and a USB-C cable. The dongle can be stored in a door at the back of the stick, which is a useful touch. Hardcore fighting game enthusiasts would not dream of using a wireless stick in competition, so the wired functionality is very welcome, but I have found that wireless performance is good for casual play. The battery life is also good in wireless modes – 8BitDo says you should get 40 hours with the dongle and 30 hours with Bluetooth, and I do not have to recharge the stick since you unpack it.

As for the feel, the 8BitDo stick is not quite there, with the best options, as you would expect for the price, but it’s still very playable. The micro-switch is reassuringly clickable and the buttons feel solid, plus you have the ability to swap them out if you fancy diving into the rabbit hole of adjusting the stick. My one complaint is that I’m used to bigger sticks and tend to grab from the side, which is why I sometimes ‘slap’ my (albeit large) left hand at the edge of the boxy chassis, which was not too comfortable not. But it at least encouraged me to improve my “broomstick” grip technique.

I used the stick to play various arcade-style games, mostly fighting games like Street Fighter III: 3rd strike and Garou: Mark of the Wolves, as well as some shooters such as Ikaruga. Did it make me better at one of these games? Well, no, but I had more fun playing it than with a controller. While arcade sticks are not for everyone, there are a few types of games that I always want to use the one with, and 8BitDo’s Arcade Stick is the task.

I really like the 8BitDo Arcade Stick, and I think it will be an excellent product for most people who are looking for a stick for their Switch or PC. It is relatively affordable, but has a unique stylish design and user-friendly feature set, making it an easy way to get started in the world of arcade sticks.