8Bitdo N30 Turns an NES Controller Into a Wireless Mouse, and Somehow It Works

Few gadgets are better at tugging at our nostalgia strings than the N30 wireless mouse…8Bitdo converted an interesting concept by a designer named Daniel Jansson, a foam mock-up that appeared online in 2009, into a real product. The end result is a dead ringer for the vintage gray-and-red NES controller from 1985, down to the rounded red buttons and black D-Pad.

The mouse measures 110 by 56 by 35 millimeters and weighs only 71 grams with a single AA battery inside. That battery lasts between 100 and 120 hours, so you won’t have to replace it very often. It connects via 2.4GHz USB; simply insert in that little dongle and it will stay linked without any difficulty, whether you’re using Windows or a Mac. The range is also reasonable, at roughly 10 meters, which should suffice for the majority of setups. The sensor uses digital photoelectric technology and operates at 1,000 DPI, which should be smooth enough for daily use without unpleasant lag.

The controls are direct from the NES layout: the two primary buttons are right there, mimicking the A and B pads, with that familiar rubbery sensation and a little resistance to boot. They register clicks quite fine, but keep in mind that they’re a little larger and farther apart than regular mouse buttons, so pinching them will be a workout. In between them is a 3D touch panel for scrolling; simply slide your finger up or down to get started. On the left side, there’s a little D-pad that serves as a navigation tool; push left or right to move back or forth in your browser, or up and down to scroll between pages.

Let’s be honest…we all know that practicality takes a backseat to charm here. When you place the N30 next to your monitor, it becomes a shrine to memories of blowing dust out of cartridges and waiting for Duck Hunt to load up. It’s also constructed to last, with sturdy plastic, no flimsy parts or rattles, and rock-solid wireless performance to match. 8BitDo has a reputation for producing high-quality retro gadgets that endure the distance, and this mouse fits perfectly in with the rest of their collection.