Datel’s old-fashioned Wii controller harkens back to the days of Nintendo’s classic tub, the NES (or Famicom). It’s always interesting to see how online stores try to turn the appeal of nostalgia items into a series of bullet-point statements, as if there isn’t a single, overriding, intractable and very obvious single reason why people get them!
• Designed to fit in the palm of your hands for easy gaming
• Retro old school styling
• Ideal for games downloaded from the Wii™ virtual console library
• The Retro Famicom Controller™ is a familiar and a comfortable companion to the Wiimote™
• Works with any game requiring a “Classic Controller”
• PLUS Unique ‘turbo’ rapid fire mode
Here’s the point that matters most: it’s just $20.
Product Page [Code Junkies via Oh Gizmo]
looks like no NES controller i’ve e’er used!
Yeah, retro because its square?
as it lacks analog sticks, I’m almost sure the second to last bullet point is false.
Can we stop using “Old Skool” now?
The styling is unfamiliar to most because its based on the old japanese Famicom controller(the japanese version of the NES)which had a completely different casing. The controllers were hard wired into the system and they featured this colouration. The difference here seems to be that its has four buttons such that it can play SNES games
I’m still not sure why Nintendo hasn’t released an official NES/SNES classic controller in the states. It’s not like them to pass up an opportunity to print money.
Guy Jin
You had analog sticks on your NES?
Circular D-Pad vs. Cross = FAIL
Original Famicom controller: http://www.4colorrebellion.com/media/pics/07/06/Famicom_controllers.jpg
Above: DO NOT WANT.
If we’re lucky, they’ll be disabled via firmware update a la Datel’s Freeloader.
@#3: Yeah, I’m not sure the N64 titles in the Virtual Console can be played on this…
@#8: Believe it or not, the cross-shaped D-pad was under patent by Nintendo at one point (US patent 4687200). However, that patent has expired recently.