While making connections I stopped at several points (after connecting pairs of wires) to test the buttons that should be enabled. This will prevent you from getting everything connected up before realizing there is a problem. One of the rubber button pieces from the shoulder buttons worked to complete the button connections for testing. So, which controller in our round-up is the best? A is always the case, the answer to that question depends on what you need. Since I already had the hub's LED fed to a long piece of wire, I decided to put it on the front of the controller. I don't have a drill press or anything similar I could use as a replacement, so I ended up very carefully using the dremel to drill out progressively larger holes until the LED fit. I ended up stopping at a size smaller than the LED and carefully pulling the bit around in a circle to widen the hole, so I wouldn't be left trying to prevent a larger bit from making an even larger and misshapen hole. For the most part, these tips should do the job. However, should they fail to work, then the best means of moving forward may very well be to get a new gamepad.

The iBuffalo Classic is basically a SNES controller that connects with USB and features turbo functionality. The difference between this product and the millions of other SNES USB clones is the iBuffalo’s build quality. This controller actually feels pretty close to an actual SNES controller. Plus, at such a low price, most people can swing grabbing two for multiplayer action. There are so many video game systems to choose from that the "perfect" controller doesn't exist. If you want an authentic retro gaming experience, you'll generally want a controller replicating the feel of playing retro games on the older system. However, emulators do have one downside. Most classic games are not designed to be played on a keyboard and mouse or with a touch screen on the phone. Thankfully, there exist emulator controllers that you can use to capture the original experience of playing with the original console. These USB-connected controllers are designed like the originals and most emulators nowadays have some form of third-party controller support. The real benefit is that they can be used for more games. You can play both NES and SNES games with the more complex button layout. The manufacturers also offer a generous 6-month replacement warranty so you can get a full replacement if there are any manufacturer errors. Final Verdict Soldering/desoldering work is required for this, and I'm assuming you have some general knowledge of working with a soldering iron and continuity tester. I'm a software/networking person, though, and not an expert with a soldering iron by any means. A steady hand and a lot of patience can be a big help.There’s a chance the number of devices plugged into your computer is causing the problem, so what you need to do, then, is to remove them or just the ones you’re not using. The feel of the controllers are sturdy. They’re lightweight, but the buttons are responsive, springy, and do not seem to have any dead zones. The start and select buttons are made with a durable rubber material that is a bit difficult to tell when it’s fully depressing, although that was an issue that the original NES controllers had too.

When you start cutting traces, make sure to cut any connection between the buttons and the chip at the top of the board. Otherwise you'll end up with weird issues where one button press can fire off multiple buttons because a circuit gets completed through the chip. It would be a good idea to remove the chip altogether but I didn't have a soldering tip for this and couldn't find another good way to do it. Also, a good emulator controller can often be used for general[purpose gaming on the PC. Steam, Origins, Epic, and GOG.com all have generic joypad support so you can use an emulator controller to play regular games on the PC. This dual functionality is a great feature, especially in a gaming age when developers often intentionally try to mimic the look and feel of retro video games. If you’re a 90’s kid then you probably remember growing up with a Nintendo or Super Nintendo in your home. I can’t tell you how many hours I spent as a kid playing Zelda and Super Mario World. What if I told you that you could experience all those games again, right now with just your computer or smartphone? Suily made a few minor controller modifications, specifically by adding etching to the red "B" and "A" buttons. Of course, the biggest change is the somewhat short 5.6-foot cord, which ends in a standard USB-A plug for compatibility with Raspberry Pi, Windows, Mac, and Linux. You'll have no issue diving into your classic NES library, and enjoying favorites like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Ninja Gaiden, and so many more. Some of the best retro game controllers can be Nintendo Switch retro controllers that offer replicas of gamepads for the NES, N64 and GameCube; these are perfect for playing retro games on Switch. Some of the best upcoming Switch games include retro remakes, and some of the best Nintendo Switch games include games that make use of retro controllers, such as Super Smash Bros Ultimate.Retro controllers are also excellent for game development using PCs or Raspberry Pi, and there are some excellent PS5 retro controllers. If you own a mini retro console you may want one of the best USB retro controllers too. Read my guide to the best retro consoles for more, as well as my Sega Mega Drive Mini 2 review for news on the latest retro console.

If you snap pins off, you can clean the remaining bit off the board by lightly dragging the soldering iron tip with a small blob of solder along the length of the pad, the pin should come off on the iron. It's a good idea to do this on the rest of the pads as well to clean them up and make a nice, shiny pad for later soldering.

Best arcade stick for emulation

Your gamepad not being recognized can be fixed with a simple adjustment of the power management settings in Windows 10.

There's only one way to truly experience retro gaming, and that's with a controller fashioned after the iconic design. For NES titles, you'll want to go with Suily's NES USB Controller, a near 1:1 recreation of the accessory that once shipped with Nintendo's first console.

Emulator controllers plug directly into your computer and let you play for favorite games like they were meant to. Players who favor the traditional 2 or 4 button layout and d-pad on the left will probably feel a lot more comfortable playing with an emulator controller. The best emulator controllers have a similar layout to the original controller and mimic the feel of playing with a classic joypad. The Retro-Bit Official Sega Saturn USB controller is a reproduction of one of the most respected controller designs in history. The original Genesis six-button controller was already well-loved, but the Sega Saturn version refines it into something even more comfortable. So whether you want to play Genesis or Saturn games, the Saturn controller is the best choice overall.