I’m surprised I actually didn’t know about Slice & Dice (Free) until I saw it pop up on our forum and Jared’s write up last month for our Game of the Week feature. The dice-based roguelike dungeon crawler from developer Tann was originally in early access on PC and Android for a while now, and it finally released on iOS alongside its big 3.0 update on all platforms. I’ve been playing it quite a bit since then, and I’m going to save you some time here. Stop reading and go download Slice & Dice. It is basically perfect, and delivers on almost everything I want not only from a quality mobile port, but also as a roguelike.

When I first tried Slice & Dice, it felt polished and slowly started getting its hooks into me like Square Enix’s Dungeon Encounters, but I soon started seeing how much depth it had. Even if Slice & Dice shipped with a single mode and no modifiers, I’d be satisfied with the asking price. It is that good. Before getting into the modes and modifiers, Slice & Dice is a dice-based roguelike dungeon crawler where you have dice that decide your actions, limited rerolls, and enemies that have their own dice for actions. You can see enemy action paths and the UI is superb at how well it gives you all the information you need without looking too busy.

After each turn, you try to take out the enemies to move forward, upgrade heroes, equip items, and work towards completing a full run with 20 battles. As you progress through the game run after run, you will unlock more of what Slice & Dice has to offer. You already have access to a plethora of content from the start, but the variety in builds and modes is crazy for a game like this. I don’t want to oversell Slice & Dice, but it really is underpriced right now, as long as the gameplay clicks for you of course. That’s why there being a free to try version is good.

The hero upgrades and items combined with the variety in foes and modifiers makes this feel too big and complex. Thankfully the tutorial is great at introducing the basics and then letting you start learning by experience. The animations and interactions are simple, but they perfectly fit the gameplay and aesthetic. I know Slice & Dice on iOS had the benefit of launching a few years and many updates later, but it really feels like one of the most polished and addictive roguelikes on mobile ever.

Slice & Dice also has a few useful interactions that help speed things up during gameplay. I already thought it was a great way to kill some time with a round or two in a run, but I didn’t expect to get obsessed with it on my phone this much. Slice & Dice being playable in portrait on iPhone is dangerous for productivity. If you’ve ever wanted a roguelike that doesn’t waste your time, Slice & Dice is all you need.

In addition to the classic mode you start with and the difficulties available, you can unlock custom modes, the ability to replay the demo12 fights, an instant random fight with no runs/history, custom modifiers in a custom mode, and loads more. I can see myself playing Slice & Dice for years to come at this rate, and not even being remotely bored.

Slice & Dice supports both portrait and landscape gameplay across iPhone and iPad. On iPad, it has small black bars though. On iPhone and iPad, the UI adjusts when you change your device orientation on the fly. Given how many touch targets and UI elements there are in Slice & Dice, the team clearly put a lot of effort into this release, and I’m glad to see it. While it looks better in landscape, Slice & Dice is the perfect game to play in portrait mode on your iPhone.

Visually, Slice & Dice has a striking aesthetic that is simple yet detailed in its art. The animations are simple, but Slice & Dice looks and feels great across all devices I tried it on outside of the small bars on the iPad version that isn’t fullscreen. The icons and pixel art for characters and enemies is all well done. The soundtrack featuring six different artists is also customizable in the in-game jukebox with loop and music selection modes and the ability to remove a song you dislike.

When I spent an hour with the free portion of Slice & Dice on iPhone, I bought the full game on both iOS and Steam. I wanted to play the PC version on Steam Deck, and I kind of regret the purchase since Slice & Dice has no controller support. It works fine with touch controls on Steam Deck simulating a mouse, but I would’ve liked full controller support. On iOS, Slice & Dice plays perfectly with touch controls. Right now, the iOS version is my favorite for sure, especially on my iPhone.

Right now, my only real complaint with Slice & Dice is the lack of iCloud saves. I couldn’t get my progress syncing across my devices at all. There’s no in-game option or iCloud Drive mentioned so I assume this hasn’t been implemented yet. Hopefully it can be considered for potential future updates. Aside from that, I did get annoyed at some of the enemies that summon more enemies for a single battle. I never enjoy those mechanics in these games.

Just like Balatro on PC and consoles, Slice & Dice includes an option to bypass unlocks. The difference here is that achievements are not affected, and you can still earn them. I like it when games include these options, but the way Slice & Dice handles it is very nice. The warning straight up tells you that the locked items are more complex and not more powerful. You even see an alert that the game will be more complex after doing this, and that you can undo it. After playing and slowly unlocking new modes and difficulty, I can see why this option has an undo available. I find these options useful for those who play on multiple devices since progress does not carry over.

Since Slice & Dice is a free to start game, I absolutely recommend downloading it and seeing how you find it before getting the full unlock. You get access to a good sample of the game for free before you need to decide if it is worth buying, but the asking price is more than justified given how much you get. The full version of Slice & Dice costs $8.99 on Steam and the one time in app purchase unlock on mobile is priced the same.

Slice & Dice isn’t just one of my favorite games of 2024, but one of my favorite roguelikes in many years already. I’m looking forward to playing it daily on iPhone, and think anyone with a remote interest in roguelikes should download the game and try it for free immediately.

Here on TouchArcade, we try to cover the best games each week and highlight our favorite as the Game of the Week each week. Jared’s Game of the Week sometimes features a game we’ve reviewed or will review as well. This basically tells you that the game in question was good enough to not only get our coveted Game of the Week feature, but also was interesting enough to have us write about it as a full review. This is where the unique roguelike deckbuilder Wildfrost (Free) comes into the picture. Both Jared and myself have been playing it, and enjoying it. In fact, I had access to it a bit before launch, but it took me a bit to not play Wildfrost like I play other games I’ve been used to in the genre. I’ve also been playing it on multiple platforms which I will cover later on in this review.

Winter isn’t just coming. It is here, and you need to banish it as you take on the Wildfrost with the help of Snowdell and its survivors in deep, strategic, and mechanics that subvert your expectations from the genre. Looking at screenshots from Wildfrost will lead you to believe it is similar to Slay the Spire or other games, but it plays very differently. I usually like learning by experience when I play a roguelike or deckbuilder, but given how much Wildfrost changes things up, I realized that wouldn’t work and I paid attention to the tutorial messages quietly after a minute into it. Wildfrost introduces many mechanics very quickly, and it does all of this while not following other games in the genre. Mechanics you’d expect, play out differently here or just don’t exist. Wildfrost feels like it has a lot of leeway for players, but you kind of need it with how hard the bosses hit you early on.

Wildfrost is a deckbuilder, and with it comes many card types, flavor text, and combat mechanics that you learn over time. After choosing a specific hero, you are thrown into the fray, and learn how positioning on the combat grid, counter (indicated below each card), interactions between cards after the countdown is over, and stats matter. The countdown mechanic is what dramatically changes how you will play because you now have to think multiple moves ahead rather than just one or two when you play cards. This can result in things feeling like a waste of time if you try to execute a specific set of actions but get destroyed by a new powerful enemy that appears after a wave, but there is always next time.

The first few runs felt relatively straightforward, but were a lot more challenging than I expected for the bosses. You will die a lot as you improve, but the progression in the game, also different to other roguelikes, makes every run feel different enough, and you end up working towards different goals because the game wants you to do different things to build up the town. Wildfrost also has a daily challenge mode, and I usually enjoy these more than the game after getting used to the mechanics. If you hate RNG, you might not enjoy Wildfrost, but I still think you should try the game for free before deciding.

Building the town lets you unlock facilities to help with future runs, spice things up, and basically keeps adding more ways to enjoy the game. I still remember Wildfrost being announced and released for $20 on Switch and Steam, and how some folks thought it was priced that “high” (it really wasn’t high) because of the visual polish and production values. Having played it, I think the asking price was too low already for how good it is and how much it includes, but the mobile asking price makes it an absolute no-brainer, if you click with the mechanics. This isn’t as big of a gamble though, since Wildfrost is a free to try game. If you end up playing it and enjoying what’s on offer here, you will enjoy the full game, but be prepared for a massive increase in challenge over what’s available for free.

On iOS, Wildfrost has full controller support in addition to sporting excellent touch controls. I usually play deckbuilders with touch controls only, but was curious to see how it felt with a controller. If you’re used to Wildfrost on other platforms, you will feel right at home with a controller here. I used my DualSense and 8BitDo controllers to play on iPad, and the game displays Xbox button prompts regardless. It automatically switches between touch and button prompts depending on your input. Wildfrost’s iOS port is so good with its visuals, performance, and interface, that it really makes Slay the Spire feel even worse on mobile at least. This is a superb and responsive conversion.

Visually, Wildfrost looks fantastic. I always loved the colorful aesthetic and animations when it was revealed, but they absolutely shine on modern iOS devices. Wildfrost has fullscreen support on my iPhone 15 Pro, but on iPad Pro 11″ (2020), it has small bars on the top and bottom. I hope this can be adjusted in a future update. On the performance side, Wildfrost has three frame rate target options on iOS: 30, 60, and 120. I set it to 120 on both my devices. I was glad to see this available unlike in Slay the Spire.

I had access to the full version of Wildfrost on Steam Deck as well as iOS, and I found myself playing it a lot more on iPad than Steam Deck. It plays well on both, but I just enjoy these games on iPad a lot more. If you do want to play on your PC or monitor, the Steam version has unlimited frame rate support. I had the Switch demo installed, and the developers did a very good job with that version as well, but I don’t see myself bothering with it on Switch outside a potential physical release for collection. Right now, the iPad and iPhone versions are definitely my favorites.

While the visuals and animation work in Wildfrost is amazing, I want to highlight the audio design as well. The sounds and the score by Paul Zimmermann are perfect complements for the colorful aesthetic. The way the music changes over the course of a round and through the game is really great. You don’t usually see this much care put into the presentation of a deckbuilder. I’m also glad Wildfrost is getting a vinyl soundtrack.

Right now, my only real issue with Wildfrost is the steep difficulty curve. Don’t let the visuals fool you into thinking this is some calm and relaxing experience. It will challenge you, and keep things going non stop until your next run. I love the unique take on the usual mechanics we see in deckbuilders and roguelikes, but think the difficulty could be balanced better. Basically, regardless of my complaints with the difficulty curve, Wildfrost is fantastic.

I know Wildfrost will not be for everyone, and I’d have that caveat with my recommendation, but it is a “free to try” game on iOS, so there’s no real reason to not download it and give it a shot. I think it is more than worth its asking price on iOS, and it is immediately one of the best mobile releases of 2024 so far. While I am glad I finally played it, I’m annoyed I wasn’t obsessing over it last year when it debuted on Switch and Steam. I have rectified my mistake at least with this new port. Go download Wildfrost right now.

Ever since I got the Razer Kitsune, I’ve been getting more and more used to leverless controllers. The Kitsune works on PS5 and PC, and I’ve since been looking to try more controllers like it. Most brands have been either too expensive or had very long lead times to deliver controllers like it. When I discovered Haute42, the controllers seemed too good to be true for the low asking price. I bought the Haute42 Board mini and was sold. I decided to try out another controller from the company, and went with the T16 which I bought a few weeks ago. I wanted something big enough to be comfortable on my lap, and also wanted to try out a 16 button controller. Having used it daily since buying it, the controller is unbelievably good, but has a few small issues holding it back.

While I wanted to try out one of Haute42’s leverless controllers after liking the Board mini, I also wanted to use a 16 button controller to see how much of a difference it made for me in games like Street Fighter 6 or Tekken 8. The Haute42 T16 let me tackle both of those in one go. While I’ve not found myself using every extra button, two of them have helped a lot, and even made me use the T16 for shmups in one situation. This Haute42 T16 will focus on the controller and how it works on the platforms we cover: iOS, Switch, and Steam Deck, but I will also have a bit about using it on the PS5 and Xbox Series X to be as thorough as I can based on my experience with the Haute42 T16. Let’s get into it then.

Haute42 T16 controller features, setup, and firmware

The Haute42 T16 is a leverless controller that has 16 main buttons, a small display to indicate inputs and mode (which can be customized), very low latency, and a turbo function in addition to the usual secondary buttons you’d expect in a controller. The buttons use Kailh low profile red switches, and each of the buttons are the same size (30mm). This is worth noting since some other leverless controllers use smaller buttons for everything but the jump button on the bottom.

The controller has a very interesting design because it is essentially a board sandwiched between acrylic layers. The layer on top is transparent which allows for adding your own artwork below it, while the one on the bottom has a frosted finish. The buttons support RGB lighting, and the Haute42 T16 controller also ships with a USB A extension port on the right in addition to the USB C port on top that you use to connect it to whatever platform you’re using. The extension port is what you’re going to use if you want to use the Haute42 T16 controller on a PS5 or Xbox Series X, but I’ll get to that in a bit.

The Haute42 T16 uses GP2040-CE and supports SOCD cleaning options. You can customize this and update the controller using an easy drag and drop process. Since this was my first Haute42 controller, I used this specific YouTube guide for help. The official Haute42 Discord server is also very useful for any customization or update related things. This is one of the easier controllers to update and customize as well. I’m also glad I wasn’t forced to do this on Windows like I was with the Razer Kitsune firmware updater.

Haute42 T16 controller compatibility –

What drew me to the Haute42 T16 controller outside the curiosity for its quality given the price, were its thinness and the 16 buttons. But what about compatibility? The Haute42 T16 officially supports Windows, Steam Deck, Android, PS3, PS4, Nintendo Switch, MiSTer, iPadOS, Linux, and Raspberry Pi as indicated on the official website. Not supporting the PS5 is definitely a negative if you want to use it in locals that run on PS5, or want to buy one for your own PS5.

When you plug your controller in, you need to press a specific button (indicated on the backside) to use it on Switch, PS4, Xinput, Dinput/PS3, or keyboard mode.

Haute42 T16 controller – what’s in the box

The Haute42 T16 ships with the controller itself, a USB cable, an instruction manual, and accessories (an extra switch, a switch puller, button caps, and anti slip pads). The controller is in a padded envelope, and all of this is packed in a cardboard box. As for using a case or storing your Haute42 T16, I recommend getting a laptop sleeve or finding a larger iPad sleeve that fits. I also recommend getting your own braided USB cable to use like this one.

Haute42 T16 controller performance – buttons and feel

Having used the Razer Kitsune which I love, I was curious to see how the Haute42 T16 buttons would feel. They feel excellent. I’m not sure which ones I like more, but I can safely say that the Haute42 T16 buttons feel excellent and work perfectly. I’ve had no trouble with the button size or responsiveness across any game. These buttons and switches are easy to swap out as well if you’d rather get your own buttons and switches here.

As for the Haute42 T16 itself, the edges are a bit sharp and it creaks sometimes. These are my only minor complaints with this. I expected a bit of creaking, but I hope a future revision can resolve this or make it less of an issue. I know the Haute42 T16 is more of a DIY controller than the rest, but these minor issues hold it back.

The buttons I dislike are the secondary ones. The buttons for start, back, home, and more on the top right are not comfortable to use. I had a similar issue with some of these in the Kitsune as well, but that is better overall for secondary buttons at least right now. The touchpad and an easy to click and spot button for the PlayStation input on a PS5 controller also help.

Haute42 T16 controller – why 16 buttons make a difference

A traditional leverless controller or Hitbox-style controller uses four buttons for movement (up, down, left, right) and eight action buttons as you can see in my Razer Kitsune review. The Haute42 T16 controller or other 16 button controllers from Haute42 opt for five movement buttons and 11 action buttons. For movement, the fifth button is above the three on the top left. This is for those who are used to WASD movement on a keyboard. I use the jump button here while playing shmups or platformers while I’ve been using the normal jump button on the bottom in fighting games.

As for the action buttons, you can map them to different things. As with most things relating to controllers or setups I’m not used to, I’ve been looking at YouTube and talking to friends who have more experience. In this case, I found a great video on how a 16 button layout helps with Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8. I haven’t stuck to that beyond testing it out, but did manage to change a few things to fit my needs better since. At this point, the 16 buttons aren’t essential, but they definitely help in specific games and with convenience.

Haute42 T16 controller customization – artwork, keys, and more

The clear acrylic layer on top can be removed easily to insert your own art in the Haute42 T16. Beyond that, you can customize the buttons and switches in the Haute42 T16 as well without any trouble. You can even add artwork on the bottom to be viewed from the back, but I recommend leaving that be as you get used to what key press is required to switch modes.

Haute42 T16 controller problems

Outside the creaking and edges, my only complaint with the Haute42 T16 is the top acrylic layer scratches easily. It isn’t too noticeable, but I noticed quite a few small scuffs or scratches on mine after a week with it. These complaints are minor given what you’re getting at a sub $100 price point including shipping though, but are worth highlighting.

Haute 42 T16 controller on PS5 and Xbox Series X

Since the Haute42 T16 doesn’t work natively on PS5 and Xbox Series X, you need a dongle or adapter used in the passthrough port. I bought the Brook Wingman Converter FGC to test out different controllers in fighting games on PS5, but I know there are other options. My Brook converter for Xbox stopped working since Microsoft keeps updating the console to block it. I’ve stopped bothering with this on the Xbox side because of that. If you do plan on buying the Haute 42 T16 for PS5, factor in the cost of the dongle, and keep in mind that this will not work in every native PS5 game.

Haute42 T16 controller vs Razer Kitsune

It feels weird comparing a sub $100 controller with a $300 controller, but that’s exactly what I’ve been doing in my head while using both of them. The Haute42 T16 does much more than the Kitsune, but it doesn’t do everything as elegantly. It is also missing native PS5 functionality, a tournament lock, and isn’t as comfortable on the lap or table. It does however have more buttons, supports multiple platforms in addition to PC, and is much easier to customize and mod. They both are clearly tackling different sides of the market, and with the T16, I have a controller I can recommend to newcomers directly with its low asking price.

Comfort and things like that are subjective, and ideally everyone would be able to try out multiple controllers before buying one, but sadly that isn’t possible for many. The Kitsune is much more comfortable on my lap and when I play, and I appreciate the quieter buttons. I feel like Haute42 (AKA COSMOX now) will have resolved a few of my issues with the upcoming M Plus line shown here.

Right now, my ideal leverless controller would be a Razer Kitsune with 16 buttons like this one. It is going to be interesting to see what else we get in 2024 from note just Haute42, but also Razer.

Should you buy the Haute42 T16 controller in 2024?

For its price, it is hard to not recommend the Haute42 T16 if you enjoy playing fighting games and want to try out a great leverless controller on Switch, PC, Steam Deck, or PS4. For PS5, factor in the cost of the adapter. For iOS, I wouldn’t buy this specific controller just to play on iPad or iPhone. I used it with Streets of Rage 4 and games like that, but I wouldn’t buy the Haute 42 T16 outside of wanting a great controller for PC, Switch, or PlayStation right now.

When I first got the controller, I was almost ready to buy a second one just to have a backup because it is so good. It isn’t something I’d recommend to everyone, but if you are in the market for a fantastic leverless controller, the Haute42 T16 is definitely worth considering. Just factor in the creaking/scratching issue and the fact that you need to buy an additional dongle if you want to use this on PS5.

If you’d like to grab it, the Haute42 T16 controller is usually available for $83 (or so) on Amazon here. If you do end up buying it or already own one, I’d love to know what you think about it. Let us know in the comments below, and also if you’d like to see any specific controller reviewed.

If you buy the controllers or items listed and linked above through our links on Amazon, it helps TouchArcade in a small way.

Ever since I bought my first 8BitDo Arcade Stick, I’ve gotten a bit obsessed with different sticks, controllers, and more for arcade games, fighters, shmups, retro games, and more. If you’ve read any of our fighting game reviews or shmup articles, you’ve likely seen the ones I use on a daily basis like my Hori SF6 edition stick or the leverless controllers I have like the Razer Kitsune and more-recently, Haute42 models. I took a chance on the Haute42 Board mini because it was very cheap, and also would be a new style of controllers for me with it basically using full keyboard keys. After spending a few weeks with the controller across multiple platforms, I’m glad I gave it a shot, because it has been eye opening in many ways, but it isn’t perfect.

Haute Board mini – the cheapest keyboard controller

So what makes the Haute Board mini worth covering? It is the cheapest keyboard style controller, and was very interesting to use in fighting games and shmups since I bought it. Instead of a d-pad or a stick like in traditional controllers for movement, the Haute Board mini has movement done via four keyboard keys that act as WASD on the keyboard. Aside from movement, the four main buttons act as A B X Y LB RB LT and RT. There are secondary buttons for home, back, start, left stick press, right stick press, and turbo as well.

Haute Board mini – what’s in the box

Well, the Haute Board mini doesn’t actually ship in a box, but a padded envelope. This includes the Haute Board mini, a USB cable (A to C), accessories (LEOBOG Graywood V4 switch, keycap puller, a switch puller, two 6mm button caps, six anti-slip pads), and a small instruction manual. Given the low asking price of the package, I didn’t expect a fantastic USB cable, but I recommend getting a good one like one of these.

Haute Board mini compatibility

The Haute Board mini works on Windows, Steam Deck, PS3, PS4, Raspberry Pi, Android, iOS (in my testing), and more as has been detailed on the official website. I’ve been using it mainly on iPhone, iPad, Switch, and Steam Deck. I also tested it on PS5 with an adapter that I’ll get to in a bit.

Haute Board mini performance and feel

Despite its low asking price, the Haute Board mini feels very sturdy and the major input buttons all feel great. It has one USB C port for plugging into other devices and a USB A extension port. The Haute Board mini is a wired-only controller. When using it to play games like Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, G-Darius HD, Dariusburst, and more, I had no trouble with inputs. I did take a few minutes to get used to the Haute Board mini when I initially got it though. I’ve also used it for some rhythm games with no trouble since.

Haute Board mini on iOS

I didn’t see any mention of iOS for the Haute Board mini when I bought it from Amazon, but I saw the official website listed iPadOS as compatible in keyboard mode. I can confirm it does work in PS4 mode (you can change mode when you plug it in by holding a specific button listed on the controller backside) in the few games I’ve been playing with controller support like Streets of Rage 4 and Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop.

Haute Board mini on Switch and Steam Deck

The Haute Board mini works flawlessly wired on both Switch and Steam Deck out of the box. There is nothing else required aside from plugging it in with the correct button held (indicated on the backside). On Switch, I use the Haute Board mini with retro games, shmups, and fighters. On Steam Deck, barring those, I also use it for some older platformers. Anything you control with an arcade stick will work fine here, as long as you are comfortable with the keys of course. Doing 360 and 720 motions on the Haute Board mini is difficult for me.

Haute Board mini on PS5 and Xbox

To get the Haute Board mini working on PS5, you need an extra dongle. I use the Brook Wingman FGC converter, but this only works for some fighting games and shmups. It will not work in many native PS5 games. The converter doesn’t work in Dragon Ball FighterZ’s PS5 version apparently as well. It does work in Tekken 8, Street Fighter, Guilty Gear Strive, and others though. On Xbox though, the Brook converter I had been using before doesn’t reliably work because Microsoft keeps pushing out updates to block it. I do not recommend getting this for use on your Xbox Series X.

Haute Board mini software and features

The Haute Board mini uses GP2040-CE and it is very easy to update, manage, and customize (software wise). The board itself doesn’t have

Haute Board mini – customization

It is easy to change the main buttons and switches on the Haute Board mini. If you’re up to it, you can even order a DIY kit from Haute42’s web store. Speaking of customization, I have two complaints with the Haute Board mini right now. The first is the secondary buttons are hard to press or differentiate while playing without looking down. You might get used to this, but I would’ve liked having one or two of them bigger than the others so I could press them easier. The second complaint is a minor one, but is customization related. Getting your own art on this is quite hard without a good quality sticker print. Haute42 has a template, but it isn’t as easy as working with art for their other controllers.

Haute Board mini – should you buy it

As my first keyboard button style arcade controller, the Haute Board mini has been amazing. Aside from the two issues I mentioned above, I have no hesitation in recommending this if you’re curious about the keyboard style controller options available. This is affordable and the compatibility is excellent. Just factor in the additional dongle purchase if you want to use this on PlayStation.

If you’d like to grab it, the Haute Board mini keyboard controller is available for $40 (or so) on Amazon here. A new Haute Board mini plus AKA the B16 is also available, but I’ll be covering that when the controller I bought recently arrives. If you do end up buying it or already own one, I’d love to know what you think about it. Let us know in the comments below, and also if you’d like to see any specific controller reviewed.

If you buy the controllers or items listed and linked above through our links on Amazon, it helps TouchArcade in a small way.

Over the last few years, I’ve been buying and using quite a few controllers across different consoles, PC, and mobile platforms. Some of them have been mediocre while others have been amazing. I also use these controllers across a variety of game genres and have slowly been finding how I sometimes prefer different controllers for different genres. After buying a few 8BitDo products, I’ve basically been a fan and buy any new product they release when I can to test out. The newest of these is the 8BitDo M30 Bluetooth controller I bought to use on mobile, Switch, and Steam Deck. There’s also an Xbox version that I will be buying soon to write about. The 8BitDo M30 controller has constantly impressed me, and I liked it enough to want to do a review of it despite its age, so here we are. Before getting into the full review, all mentions of the 8BitDo M30 controller refer to the Bluetooth version unless otherwise stated.

8BitDo M30 controller – what’s in the box

The model I have is the 8BitDo M30 Bluetooth version. This ships with the actual controller and a USB C to A cable. Mine also included an 8BitDo pin which I’ve put on my bag. The cable included is sufficient, but I’d really recommend getting one of these for use across your platforms if you don’t already have good cables.

8BitDo M30 controller compatibility

The 8BitDo M30 controller is advertised to officially support Switch, macOS, Android, Windows, Steam, and Raspberry Pi. I’ve used it on my Nintendo Switch OLED, Steam Deck (both LCD and OLED), iPad, and iPhone for daily use and for this review. When Nintendo announced those Nintendo Switch Online controllers for the various apps, I kept getting annoyed at the 6 button SEGA one being Japan-only and selling out quite fast. After getting the NeoGeo controller 8BitDo released for use on Steam Deck, I was looking at the Xbox lineup and found the M30 variant the company released. It then struck me that the M30 Bluetooth model exists and I ordered it. I’m glad I did because I love the controller and it might be my favorite fighting game and shmup controller outside of actual sticks and leverless controllers.

8BitDo M30 controller d-pad

Yes, I’m not exaggerating and this is mostly because the d-pad is that damn good on the 8BitDo M30 controller. If we look at the current consoles and the official controllers available, the Switch Joy-Cons are at the bottom tier for the d-pad (if you can even call it one) with the DualSense Edge (it improves over the regular DualSense d-pad) on the top. But that’s a big variance in price of course and the Xbox Series X controller has been very good, but none of them come close to how good the 8BitDo M30 controller d-pad feels for fighting games, arcade games, and shmups.

8BitDo M30 controller face buttons and in-hand feel

Aside from the d-pad, the in-hand feel of the controller will vary depending on your hand size and what controllers you’re used to playing with, but I like everything about it. The shoulder buttons, face buttons, and other buttons are all good and feel as they should to use. Aside from buttons, pairing the controller and the different modes are very easy to use or swap between. The back of the controller has a cheat sheet for the modes (switch, dinput, xinput, and macOS) and you basically hold one specific face button and the start button to turn the 8BitDo M30 controller on in a specific mode.

8BitDo M30 controller – battery life

The 8BitDo M30 controller has a 480mAh rechargeable battery. It is advertised as being able to deliver up to 18 hours on a full charge and it takes 1-2 hours to charge. I’ve not pushed it to 18 hours yet, but I’ve used it for more than 12 hours on a single charge multiple times. I do usually charge my controllers when not in use though. With this using USB C charging, I usually leave it plugged in after a few days of use. I don’t have any complaints with the battery life or charge time.

8BitDo M30 controller – Genesis Nintendo Switch Online, fighting games, shmups, and more

I originally thought I’d mostly use the 8BitDo M30 controller just on Nintendo Switch Online’s Genesis app and a few other games, but I found myself enjoying it more with just about every game. Playing shmups like G-Darius HD or even modern fighting games like Street Fighter 6 have felt great thanks to the excellent d-pad. Basically, you can safely enjoy the 8BitDo M30 controller across games that don’t require both analog sticks and can function with up to six or eight buttons and a d-pad.

I used the 8BitDo M30 controller over bluetooth on iOS, Switch, and Steam Deck and had no issues with inputs or connectivity. I also tried it wired and it works as it should. This is basically the perfect controller for games that don’t require the analog sticks for anything. So how does it play in modern fighting games? Well, I was surprised at how good it works. I know I shouldn’t be, but this is now my favorite fighting game controller outside of actual arcade sticks or leverless controllers.

On iOS, I used the 8BitDo M30 controller to play games like Streets of Rage 4, and it felt amazing. I’m considering buying the white variant of the controller specifically for use on iOS. When it comes to controllers for iOS, I don’t recommend buying this as your main controller though because there are too many games that require both analog sticks now with console game ports, but as a controller for older games and retro titles, this is unbeatable in its convenience and performance for its price.

The 8BitDo M30 controller has one issue though, and it may or may not be a big deal for you. The three buttons on top are smaller than the ones below. This is obviously to be as authentic as possible for the controller’s inspiration (the Mega Drive 6 button controller), but it isn’t ideal because of how the buttons sit in the concave area. This means the X button is at the edge nearly. It isn’t a dealbreaker and I got used to it, but having all six the same size would’ve been better. Outside this, I have no complaints. The 8BitDo M30 controller does more than what it advertises and I would recommend it even if it costs twice what it does right now. It is that good.

8bitdo M30 Bluetooth Review Score: 4.5/5

If you’d like to grab it, the 8BitDo M30 controller is available for $30 on Amazon in the Black and White variants. There’s also a 2.4G model that costs $5 less, but I haven’t used it yet. If you do end up buying it or already own one, I’d love to know what you think about it. Let us know in the comments below, and also if you’d like to see any specific controller reviewed.

If you buy the controllers or items listed and linked above through our links on Amazon, it helps TouchArcade in a small way.