Welcome back to Save State where I spend entirely too much time tinkering with gadgets and gizmos. This week I wanted to talk about yet another new controller I’ve received, the 8bitdo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth. Due to 8bitdo’s naming schemes one may think, “Didn’t you already review an 8bitdo Ultimate 2 controller?” The answer to that is yes, but that was the Ultimate 2 Wireless, which was intended for use on PC and mobile. The Ultimate 2 Bluetooth is 8bitdo’s newest controller primarily for use with the Nintendo Switch and was graciously provided by AKNES for purpose of review. Due to how similar this controller is to the Ultimate 2 previously reviewed on this site, I figured it would be worth breaking down some of the differences quickly for Switch-minded gamers.
The 8bitdo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth controller I received is a delightful Pikachu yellow color (though it also comes in black and white), and it’s largely distinct from the lime green Ultimate 2 reviewed earlier by being natively compatible with the Nintendo Switch systems. No need to turn the controller off and on again to enter a Nintendo Switch mode, the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth works with your Nintendo Switch right out of the box. Switch compatibility was clearly an important aspect of this controller given that it uses the Nintendo button layout with the A button on the right.
Most features of the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth match those of the Ultimate 2 Wireless that was previously reviewed. Both controllers feature TMR analog sticks, Hall effect analog triggers with trigger stops, membrane face buttons, four extra buttons, an accurate, tactile d-pad, customizable LED light rings around the analog sticks, gyro, rumble, a 1000mAh battery, and the ability to connect to your Switch, Switch 2, PC, or mobile devices. All of these features are the same across both controllers while also having the same form factor and ergonomics. Both controllers also can be customized using 8bitdo’s Ultimate Software v2, which can let you set up profiles to customize the LEDs, set macros, and the like. Even the docks are the same across both new Ultimate controllers.
You can connect the controller’s cradle to your Nintendo Switch’s dock, and the controller will start up by simply lifting it off its charger. Since this delightful Pikachu yellow Ultimate 2 Bluetooth has primarily been used on my Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, I effectively set the trigger stops and haven’t switched them off once. The additional buttons came in handy while playing Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma as well as Super Smash Bros Ultimate.
The primary allure of 8bitdo’s Ultimate 2 Bluetooth is that the controller effectively works right out of the box with a Nintendo Switch. This bright yellow controller is simply plug-and-play, working immediately every time you turn on your Switch. You can wake up a Nintendo Switch with the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth by lifting the controller from its dock and hitting the home button, though the same can’t be said for Switch 2. In fact, you’ll need to update this controller’s firmware to use it on a Nintendo Switch 2, but even after doing so, you still can’t wake the console with it. This wasn’t a dealbreaker for me personally, but it definitely can be for some. Perhaps this may get another firmware update in the future to enable waking up a Switch 2, but for now that simply isn’t a feature available for this controller.
So, the 8bitdo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth has the proper button layout for a Nintendo Switch, matches the Ultimate 2 Wireless in features, and is effectively your plug-and-play third party solution for the Nintendo Switch. So, what are the downsides? Well, there is a lower polling rate for starters. The Ultimate 2 Bluetooth, since it’s first and foremost a Nintendo Switch controller, has a polling rate of 250Hz using the included 2.4GHz wireless adapter or 125Hz using Bluetooth. This isn’t the end of the world, of course, considering most Nintendo Switch compatible controllers, when put into their respective Nintendo Switch modes, will usually lower the polling rate of the controller to match the Switch’s hardware, which doesn’t support polling rates above 250Hz (as anything higher than that would be ignored). This effectively means that the polling rate of the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth is the absolute maximum the Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 can utilize, but it also means that this isn’t a good controller for PC gamers since the Ultimate 2 Wireless has four times the polling rate for $10 less.
Really, the worst thing about the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth is the price tag: At $70, this is $10 more expensive than the comparable Ultimate 2 Wireless, though this matches in price with the official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (especially now that new tariffs have set in) with a ton of additional features that make it much more alluring. Compared to a Nintendo Switch Pro 2, however, the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth is cheaper, has two more mappable buttons, but lacks a headphone jack and the ability to wake up the Switch 2 console. Effectively, the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth is the perfect controller for someone who needs additional buttons, drift-resistant analog sticks, and extra functionality like turbo and macro mappings at a lower price than the official Switch 2 pro controller.
When it comes to actual performance, this met my already high expectations for the Ultimate 2 line of 8bitdo controllers. Whether I was playing Ultimate difficulty stages of Theatrhythm Final Bar Line with my spouse, playing B-Sides in Celeste, or ledge trapping in Super Smash Bros Ultimate. When testing the polling rates on PC, it was very stable when using the 2.4GHz adapter that comes included with the controller and still maintained a higher polling rate than my official Nintendo Switch Pro controller. I would need additional hardware to do further testing, but what I’m getting at here is the controller both looks good and plays great.
Really, I just wanted to leave a note about this controller because I received one, but I wasn’t sure if it was worth doing a full additional review on it considering the volume of similarities with this and the other Ultimate 2 being Nintendo Switch focused. This controller has been a great find considering how many Switch and Switch 2 titles I’ve been playing recently, and the turbo function on the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth has been an absolute godsend for playing Donkey Kong Bananza given how much that game requires you to press the Y button to clear terrain!
That being said, I think it’s safe to bring this entry of Save State to a close. Remember: A man is a miserable pile of little secrets, but it could always be worse. You could be one of those pale, bloodsucking dudes running around and making life worse for everybody. If you had a knee jerk reaction of anger to that statement, maybe take a moment and reflect on that this quote was originally stated by Dracula in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Until next time!