Author Topic: Brawler 64 Gamepad Controller For Nintendo 64 Opinion  (Read 1871 times)

Brawler 64 Gamepad Controller For Nintendo 64 Opinion
« on: April 30, 2020, 11:44:14 am »
So far I had tried the official Nintendo 64 controllers, and the off brand non official Nintendo 64 controllers. and even a Retro Bit Hori Pad.

all of the official Nintendo controllers and the knock off original N64 controllers hurt my hand, and the knock off origionals have a vary stiff ultra sensitive joystick. Making most most games that use the analog stick impossible to play with. and while the "Retro Bit Hori gamepad/controller" was my choice for a while, I found that the joystick on the Hori Pad, sometimes does not work properly. The Hori pad is comfortable but mine now has a slightly unresponsive joystick

then I went shopping and bought a new "Retro Fighters Brawler 64 Gamepad" and so far I love it. I got mine from DKOldies online store new.

I highly recommend "The Brawler 64 GamePad/Controller" for the Nintendo 64 game console, because not only is it way more comfortable to play my Nintendo 64 games on. the joystick is better than both the Hori Pad and way better then the unofficial origoinal controllers for my Nintendo 64.

The Brawler 64 Gamepad currently costs about $40 USD inside the link listed. I got mine for less at DKOldies but they no longer have them listed now for some reason. so the link is Walmart. Although this controller is a little more expensive I think mine was well worth it's purchase.

So I would like to know if any of you guys use the Brawler 64 controller

I do know that both@emporerdragon @theflea mentioned in a post that came up on the forum search they both said they had one, so if any of you are reading this I would like to know how your's is holding up  :-\

and also what your thoughts are on this controller and if you feel the same way about yours as I do mine so far.


https://www.walmart.com/ip/Retro-Fighters-Brawler-64-Gamepad-for-Nintendo-64-N64-Gray/207161868

« Last Edit: April 30, 2020, 11:46:28 am by oldgamerz »
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Re: Brawler 64 Gamepad Controller For Nintendo 64 Opinion
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2020, 12:56:12 pm »
Its pretty good and nice alternative since it has the form factor of more modern controllers. The joystick is comfortable, buttons are pretty good even through theres like two buttons which kind of confuse me at times but otherwise, I do like it. I prefer this over the Hori pad that retro bit made. Not to say that one is bad but upon using it for a while, it feels rather small on my hands. While the colored ones are nice, I went with default grey to go along with default black N64.

Re: Brawler 64 Gamepad Controller For Nintendo 64 Opinion
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2020, 01:10:57 pm »
Was this the one that went up on Kickstarter awhile back, or is this just something similar? I really wanted to grab this to have when I want to go back and dive into a little N64 action as I've been in the mood to try stuff I haven't played in awhile lately.  Wish it came in the arctic blue to go with my N64 lol

Oh, it does come in blue, it's up on Amazon with more colors.  Definitely grabbing the blue one.

Re: Brawler 64 Gamepad Controller For Nintendo 64 Opinion
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2020, 01:15:31 pm »
Was this the one that went up on Kickstarter awhile back, or is this just something similar? I really wanted to grab this to have when I want to go back and dive into a little N64 action as I've been in the mood to try stuff I haven't played in awhile lately.  Wish it came in the arctic blue to go with my N64 lol

Oh, it does come in blue, it's up on Amazon with more colors.  Definitely grabbing the blue one.

It was a kickstarter yes. I got mines off of Amazon when they started to go up.

Re: Brawler 64 Gamepad Controller For Nintendo 64 Opinion
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2020, 11:03:42 pm »
I think it's good for casual N64 fans. It's affordable, more traditional, and has decent build quality. However, as a hardcore fan of N64, I find it lacking for a few reasons.

The joystick, while more durable out of the box, has a different sensitivity than the official sticks. Again, casual players might not notice this, but play something like F Zero X on master back to back with the Brawler and an official controller in good condition and you'll see exactly what I mean. The controls in many N64 games are fine tuned to be played with the official stick, and feel slightly off with other controllers. Also, the more traditional layout of it doesn't lend itself well to some of the more ambitious control schemes in some games. For example, Goldeneye has a control scheme were the D Pad acts like WASD and strafes in 4 directions, while using the control stick to look in all directions. This works basically identically to a modern console FPS game, and it's my preferred way to play the game. However, the Brawler puts both the D Pad and control stick on the same side, so you have to go southpaw and use the C Buttons to strafe and the control stick to look.

So I do think the Brawler is a good option for people who can't get used to the unique (but still comfy IMO) shape of the official controller, or people who just want a cheap controller that works mostly well without any adjustments. But for more serious players, I'd recommend following this guide to repair N64 control sticks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETQhlSXIsR0
I did it to my controllers years ago, and not only did it make them feel almost brand new, but they still feel perfect after tons of usage.

Re: Brawler 64 Gamepad Controller For Nintendo 64 Opinion
« Reply #5 on: May 28, 2020, 03:53:51 pm »
Another problem with the official controllers is the rippled texture analog joystick, if you use it for a while you can easily get blisters on your thumb. With the Brawler 64 Gamepad, the analog stick is not rippled. and is a soft grip rubber coating just most of the PlayStation analog stick controllers were.

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Re: Brawler 64 Gamepad Controller For Nintendo 64 Opinion
« Reply #6 on: May 28, 2020, 04:36:34 pm »
I've heard a lot of people like these, but I'm against it and won't buy it.  The kickstarter was poorly worded and managed.  They basically tricked people into spending more money, and for some reason a lot of people were happy about it.

Personally I'm waiting for Retro-bit's wireless tribute controller.  I'm considering buying the wired version for the time being.