Nintendo fans (and PC players who do the emulator thing) will be highly pleased with the Retro Fighters BattlerGC Pro's performance. Wireless console support stretches back as far as the GameCube and all the way up to the Switch, while the build and internal features mean this could be the last GameCube controller you ever buy. Unless you decide to buy four of them for a decent Mario Kart or Smash Bros. session.
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Design
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Features
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Build
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Value
If you’re hankering for a taste of another era, but on modern consoles, there are loads of options for you to try. The Retro Fighters BattlerGC Pro may well be the best of the bunch. It brings the GameCube era’s button and thumbstick layout to the modern day and to modern consoles. It’s mostly Nintendo consoles, but the controller is more compatible than you’d expect.
Nintendo has a long history of unusual controller designs: the Switch’s Joy-Cons, the Wiimote, and the abomination that was that tablet thing for the Wii U. But a few stand out. The GameCube’s Wavebird is one but the stock GameCube controller is also iconic. And, unfortunately, wired. That’s where the BattlerGC Pro comes in.
Old meets new
We’ve had our eyes on the BattlerGC Pro ever since it was first announced and are pleased to say that the hype around it was authentic. It merges the sensibilities of Nintendo’s own Switch Pro wireless controller with the button layout from the Nintendo GameCube. That sort of thing is less hard to find than you might think but the big issue is quality control.
A thoroughly modern take on the vintage controller, users can expect USB-C charging and excellent build quality from the BattlerGC Pro. The controller is well-sized and more comfortable to hold than the OG’s oddball dimensions. Attention has been paid to button quality and in particular the Hall-effect thumbsticks. Stick drift has been a problem even for Nintendo’s first-party hardware but it’s especially apparent in generic wired and wireless clones.
In a nod to the fact that you don’t need to use this thing with Nintendo’s hardware — it supports PCs and mobile devices — there’s a full button layout. If you could (somehow) connect it to an Xbox Series X, you’d find that you weren’t missing any buttons. And, around the back, there are two programmable buttons for the Smash Bros. Melee overachievers out there.
Get your game on
Setup is as simple as the minimal instructions make it out to be. If you’re connecting to an older Wii or a GameCube, there’s a wireless dongle that fits the relevant port. If you’ve got a newer Wii like the Wii Mini or a Wii U, you’ll need a USB adapter that suits the port. Those go for about two hundred bucks, if you need one. The Switch connects natively using Bluetooth, while the second dongle — which looks and acts very similar to this 8Bitdo Switch adaptor — allows for 2.4GHz wireless connections for PC and Mac players.
The only tricky bit? There’s a small switch on the rear to assign the BattlerGC Pro to Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless. If you’re not paying attention, your initial setup might take longer than expected. After that, though, it’s all pick-up and play.
Damn, that feels good
Actually playing games is a fantastic experience. The buttons are responsive and don’t seem prone to jamming. We’ve seen that from cheaper GameCube clones but it’s not present here. The D-pad isn’t going to set up you for esports wins, for all the ‘Pro’ in this one’s name, but the thumbsticks make up for that. They’re accurate and smooth, with the yellow nubbin clicking into its corners in a very familiar manner before whacking back to the centre. Smash Bros. players will know why this is so important. The triggers are analogue affairs, harking back to an earlier time, and the controller’s rumble feature worked with basically everything we tried.
We played mostly GameCube titles on an older Wii for this review, but there’s a selection of Wii titles that support the controller as well. That’s a slight drawback but it’s hardly Retro Fighters’ fault. Some Wii games were never made with the GameCube controller in mind and they just won’t work. Move up to the Wii U and Switch and your options are no longer limited. Ditto for the PC, whether you’re playing a Steam title or a misbehaving Dolphin emulator.
The battery claims ten hours between charges. We got a little less than that but also encountered a spot of weirdness while charging the BattlerGC Pro. The indicator lights all lit up within minutes of plugging it in but despite appearing fully charged, it was only given a small top-up. Leaving it plugged in for around three hours will get you the full battery cycle, no matter what the lights say. We found that when the lights turned off, the controller was charged.
Retro Fighters BattlerGC Pro verdict
For anyone using older Nintendo consoles regularly — and that’s not a stretch given their first-party game quality — or those who want to elevate their Mario Karo 8 Deluxe or Smash Bros. Ultimate performance, the BattlerGC Pro should be on that wishlist. Everything about it is excellent but the Hall-effect thumbsticks and analogue triggers are the highlights. But it’s not all upside. It’s a slight pain to purchase in South Africa but only slightly.
You’ll have to resort to Amazon’s American website to own one, which means pricing isn’t static. But you’ll find, depending on the exchange rate, it ranges anywhere from R1,800 to R2,000 with shipping and customs included. The only real drawback is the transit time, which can take a couple of weeks. But purchase and shipping are as painless as using this excellent wireless alternative to the Switch Pro controller is. Dual connectivity options, high build quality, and dongles that allow for backward compatibility make it the ultimate retro Nintendo controller.
