Wireless N64 controllers are the absolute dream for me. With the onslaught of wireless options gracing other classic systems, still having to be tethered to the N64 felt very restrictive. When the Hyperkin Admiral was released I thought that perhaps the time for wireless N64 gameplay was finally upon us. Yeah, that didn’t happen for a myriad of reasons… So the wait began for an alternative, and Retro Fighters delivered with the announcement and Kickstarter of a wireless 2.4 GHz version of their popular Brawler 64. Now just a few short months after the successful funding on Kickstarter, Wireless Brawler 64’s are already shipping out to backers. After giving the controller a go I have to say it blew me away with just how much better it is over the original!
What’s In The Box
Retro Fighters has streamlined their packaging for the release of the Wireless Brawler, with the box only being as large as what was needed to house the controller and it’s wireless receiver. The front of the packaging bears a true-to-life representation of the Brawler in a nice glossy finish. This space is shared by the name of the controller and its designation for being an N64 controller. The best aesthetic touch comes from how the N64-esque stripe on the right side of the box is handled. Depending on the color of the controller you pick up, that is the color you get for the stripe and overall accent color of the box. It’s a fun touch to me and one I think brings character to the design.
The same features can also be found along the left side of the packaging. The rear of the box highlights the key concepts behind the new Brawlers and highlights its key specs including transmission range and the new Z Triggers that have ditched the spring design of the original; praise the sun! Opening the package you will find your Wireless Brawler 64, wireless receiver, USB-C charging cable, Retro Fighters keychain in a color to match the chosen controller color, and a user's manual.
Aesthetics And Build Quality
Now for the most part this is the same Brawler 64 design you have come to know since the original was released back in 2018. The modernized 2 handle design brings with it a ton of comfort and easy access to both the analog stick and d-pad depending on what the game you’re playing calls for. The thumbstick still feels great with good resistance in its movement. Unfortunately, the d-pad can’t be rolled like on the originals as pressing down on it flattens out the whole thing. The handles are long enough to accommodate any hand sizes allowing for maximum grip. The C buttons have all been enlarged over an official N64 controller, making them feel more in line with the A and B button. The distance between the A and B button hasn’t been changed over the original Brawlers, so they might still feel too close together for some of you out there.
The notable changes between the two include the removal of the cord with a new USB-C port taking its place. The port is nicely recessed to allow for the charging cord to have a bit more stability but not at the expense of making it unusable with a variety of different types of USB-C cables. The N64 expansion port has also been removed from the controller and relocated into the wireless receiver that plugs into the system itself. I love that Retro Fighters color coordinated these receivers with the controllers! They could have easily just left them all grey and I don’t think anyone would have batted an eye about it but it makes me happy they went that extra mile. The receiver fits nicely into the N64 controller ports and doesn’t cause any sagging. Unlike Hyperkins offering, the Retro Fighters receiver doesn’t include any Controller Pak backup options. Not a huge loss in my mind personally, considering how flaky it was anyways. The Wireless Brawler also reintroduces the Retro Fighters branding on the front of the controller in a nicely engraved fashion.
The biggest difference in design for the Wireless Brawler 64 is the Z triggers. On the original Brawler 64 and its colored variants, the Z triggers were placed on a spring with varying actuation points. The design led to inconsistent performance and made them rather unenjoyable to use. On the Wireless Brawler the triggers have been completely redesigned to remove the spring while keeping the trigger look. This has been accomplished by adding in new pads to the design to make them behave like the digital buttons that they are. My only concern with this new design is that there is no hard stop for the trigger itself, leaving only the pad to do the job. With a hard press you can see that the pad starts to give way, which makes me question its long term survivability, especially in the hands of a player that doesn’t understand you don’t have to beat your controllers for the inputs to register.
Speaking of beating the controller, the overall build quality on the Wireless Brawlers is fantastic aside from my concerns about the triggers. The plastic in use is sturdy and the controller has received some added weight to it over the original that makes it feel more solid in the hands. This has led to the Wireless Brawler taking my usual assortment of endurance tests in stride without a flinch. Yes, throwing controllers off of a three story balcony is extremely scientific; don’t judge!
Gameplay
While the overall redesign of the Wireless Brawler 64 is fantastic, it wouldn't mean much if it didn’t handle well in games. After a couple weeks of testing I have been very pleased by the results the Wireless Brawler has produced. The 2.4 GHz transmission has led to lag free gaming on all of my favorite N64 titles. Just to get it out of the way quickly, let’s talk about analog stick benchmarks. To date, third party offerings haven’t offered the same range or feel as an official N64 controller. For the most part I am fine with this, as a little added sensitivity has made playing a number of games feel better to me. The problem with third-party offerings has come from inconsistent ranges on the axis and diagonals of the stick and poor deadzones. For the original Brawlers, the ranges varied widely between different controllers with some offering better performance than others. My newest color variant being the worst offender of the bunch. Playing games like Goldeneye or Buck Bumble really showcase these range issues as you won’t be able to move in directions that are outside of certain bounds.
With the Wireless Brawlers, Retro Fighters have seemingly been able to tune the sticks to be far more consistent than what we have seen previously, with both of my units turning in nearly identical results. The range on both the axis and diagonals while still being more sensitive than what is seen on official controllers, provide a great experience in game with there being no turning issues in either Goldeneye 007 or Buck Bumble. The deadzones on the Wireless Brawlers are also tuned well, with the Super Mario 64 test being quite telling. Does it match what the official controller does? No, but it comes closer than we have ever seen to date! Of course, ranges and deadzones only tell part of the story, as the physical stick and its resistance play an important factor in how it feels to play games, and Retro Fighters have struck a fine balance between it all!
Playing any number of games that rely on the analog stick have felt great, and for flight games in particular, the added sensitivity directly translates to more capable turns. Thanks to the stick resistance, aiming in Goldeneye 007 has felt relatively easy, and thanks to each direction having the same range, there isn’t a wild turn to be found anywhere. The full analog range is also able to be used as seen in Super Mario 64 or Super Smash Bros., as it is quite easy to walk or run when needed. Doing Spin attacks in Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask is also a breeze. In tandem with the analog stick, each of the controller's face buttons has responded accurately and quickly to input. They are a bit clicky still as they match those found on an original Brawler 64, but the actuation point feels good.
After the improvements to the analog stick, the next biggest game changer for the Wireless Brawler 64 really is its redesigned Z buttons. Thanks to the removal of the spring, they feel much better to use over the originals. Playing games like Star Fox 64, which relied heavily on Z button input to block incoming attacks or quickly turn, or shooters have never felt this good on a Brawler before. Each action triggers as quickly as you would expect and repeated inputs are now easy to manage without there being a chance of a missed input. And they still feel great to use in the process! I am also glad that Retro Fighters has kept their turbo button functions for the Wireless Brawlers as it makes certain games more enjoyable to play, as rapid presses with my thumb are becoming harder to do as I get older.
But we need to talk about the d-pad now as there are a number of games that rely on it as the primary input method. Overall I think it’s fine, as it responds quickly and accurately to presses, and playing games like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater hasn’t been an issue. I can pull off any move I desire in any direction no problem. The biggest thing I think most will take issue with is the inability to roll the d-pad now. In fighting games, being able to roll the d-pad has always been important to me, and without it they feel harder to play. I mean I know I'm an FGC scrub but still. Thankfully there aren’t many games on the N64 that use the d-pad in general and fewer still that will be negatively impacted by this. Just something to keep in mind if your main game is Killer Instinct Gold, I suppose.
But let’s quickly touch on some other aspects of the controller. The Wireless Brawler 64 doesn’t include any sort of rumble features, just like the Hyperkin Admiral before it. So for those of you out there who love the feature like I do, this will be a bit of a negative. The receiver does include support for Memory Paks so you will be able to save on any games that require the accessory. It is also worth noting that Transfer Paks are not supported, but this is hardly surprising as no third party options to date have been able to do so, or do so reliably. The battery life on the controllers have also lasted me around 12 hours per charge, giving me a few days worth of playing before needing to be plugged in.
What It Could have Done Better
As far as my concerns with the Wireless Brawler 64 go, I have little beyond what I have already mentioned. The lack of rumble support is unfortunate and I do have concerns about the longevity of the Z triggers in rough player’s hands. The d-pad has also left me a bit underwhelmed. One last thought that I had during this review process is that I would love to be able to hook the controller up to a PC. As of this publication, PC connectivity isn’t supported over a USB-C connection so I think it would be cool if Retro Fighters release a USB receiver sometime in the future to allow for this possibility.
Verdict
As it stands today, the Retro Fighters Wireless Brawler 64 is the best wireless input option available for the N64 and might just be the best third-party input option in general. Consistent analog ranges go a long way for making the N64 gameplay experience feel better, and the redesigned Z triggers make games that rely on them far better. There is still room for improvement when it comes to the d-pad but it does well enough to get the job done. 2.4 GHz transmission also means that you won’t have to worry about lag and the 12 hour battery life ought to be sufficient for most N64 game nights. In the future I would love to see a version that includes rumble support and an optional PC receiver would definitely be a plus. For anyone looking for a new N64 controller, this is currently my top recommendation!
