*This review assumes you will be most interested in this controller for the purpose of Super Smash Bros.
Let me start out by saying that I have never been a fan of third party anything. ESPECIALLY controllers. I have owned every first party controller of every Nintendo home console since the N64 (N64, GCN, Wavebird, Wii Remote, Nunchuk, Wii Classic Controller, Wii Remote Plus, Wii Classic Controller Pro, Wii U Gamepad, Wii U Pro Controller) and have used several third party controllers (GCN, Wii Remote, Nunchuk, Wii Remote Plus, Wii Classic Controller).
Years and years of being a Nintendo enthusiast has taught me the one rule with buying controllers: official Nintendo-made controllers are ALWAYS the way you want to go. Always.
Until now.
This controller breaks the rules. I am amazed by this product.
The HORI has quickly become my preferred controller option (amazingly, I can say this while owning four classic wired GCN controllers, four Super Smash Bros. edition GCN controllers, four Wavebirds, and an official Nintendo adapter).
My personal pros and cons...
PROS
-If you haven't already heard, this is a Gamecube-style controller that functions as Wii Classic Controller. You plug it in to the Wii Remote and voila- Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart, and a hundreds strong library of truly great classic games are yours to command. A quality Gamecube controller that functions as a classic controller. This basically gives you Gamecube controller access to every game in the last two console generations (Wii and Wii U) that accepts traditional GCN controllers PLUS each game that accepts classic controllers at the exclusion of the GCN controller. This alone was a very convincing selling point to me and along with great reviews, prompted me to give the HORI a chance. I'm glad I did.
Speaking of quality, aren't you just better off buying the Nintendo-made GCN controllers? For once in my life, I'd say not necessarily. These next few points I make will be of differentiations when viewed in comparison to the original GCN controller.
-Rather than being an attempt at a replica, I would argue that this controller is effectively an improvement upon the first party GCN controller. Let's start with the feel. It is shaped slightly differently than the original. That's not to say it is any worse, my personal opinion is that it improves on what is already the industry standard for comfortable playing. (But that's what it is; personal opinion.) It is definitely ergonomic and feels amazing.
When compared to the Classic Controller/Classic Controller Pro, I have always prefered the Gamecube feel. Again, this is personal preference. I personally find this product to be superior.
-The L and R buttons have been updated as one click (non-pressure sensitive) buttons, as opposed to the pressure sensitive buttons found on the original.
In the Super Smash Bros. series, the L and R buttons generally serve as the shield buttons. In Super Smash Bros. Melee (GCN), in order to take advantage of the newly pressure sensitive L and R buttons, a technique called "Super Shielding" was introduced. The more lightly you pressed the button; the slower your shield ran out, the more area it covered, and the easier it was to break. This functionality was removed in the subsequent installment, Super Smash Bros. Brawl (WII), and continues to be nonexistent in Super Smash Bros. for 3DS/Wii U. This controller reflects that.
Additionally, ever since the Gamecube controller (with the exception of the original Wii Classic Controller), ALL NINTENDO CONTROLLERS HAVE HAD ONE CLICK BUTTONS AS OPPOSED TO PRESSURE SENSITIVE ONES. This means that pressure sensitive buttons are a mechanism that is in Nintendo's past, not its present. Nowadays, sliding L and R buttons only delay the speed at which the button can be pressed, which can be problematic for games like Super Smash Bros.
-Larger D-Pad: I was never much of a fan of the D-Pad on the GCN controller. While not perfect (I would prefer a super tight D-Pad in the spirit of the handheld Nintendo consoles), this is a much appreciated improvement.
-There is no input lag. If you experience any, you likely have a defective product.
NEUTRAL POINTS
-Added ZL, Home, +, and - buttons to the Gamecube Controller for te HORI Battle Pad's Classic Controller funtionality. (The Z button becomes the ZR button, and the START button is removed entirely in favor of HOME/+/-.)
-Remember that, as I have repeatedly stated, this is functionally a Wii Classic Controller. You MUST have a Wii Remote to plug into to communicate with the console. It makes for a half wired, half wireless feel. As I have stated before, this funtionality is a plus for me, but if you are buying only for Smash and for nothing else, it may or may not be a con for you.
CONS
Ah, here we are. After all the glowering praise, what could I possibly have to say that would be negative? There is a pretty major dealbreaker for a very small minority of people...
-If you are a professional smash player, you would not be looking at this product, much less reading this review, because you only play with the wired official GCN controller on low resolution TVs. But I need to say it. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT if you are a high level tournament player familiar with the intricacies of the metagame. This. Is. Not. For. You.
For 99.9% of gamers, this controller is a dream come true.
For those who participate in national tournaments, this controller has one very minute flaw will disrupt your pixel-perfect, metagame ways. This flaw is known as reverse input.
Let me emphasize that for MOST OF HUMANITY, this is the controller for you. Here's why it won't work for the pros.
When you get to the highest levels of gameplay, every millisecond matters. Every last move is so calculated and precise that you could not hope to truly master the game for years upon years.
When the stick is released, once in a blue moon, the system will register it moving past the neutral position in the opposite direction of the original input. This can cause your character to turn around, rendering it useless for those whose life involves large scale smash tournaments.
I cannot emphasize enough that this is NOT as big of a deal as it sounds. It SHOULD NOT discourage you from buying a product that is as close to perfection as it gets. I say this both as someone who knows Nintendo controllers in and out and as a highly skilled casual player who has consistently won various local tournaments in my respective area. I am probably much closer on the spectrum to the serious players than you are, and this is the controller of all controllers for me. If my logic holds, it only follows that can be the controller for you, too.
If you are not one of these ridiculously skilled people whose life is Smash, good news! Buy this controller. It will cause you much joy and happiness.
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First party quality in a third party product.
I have bought many third party GameCube controllers over the years (Madcatz, Gamestop, etc.) and have used the Classic Controller/Classic Controller PRO, but they have all inevitably felt terrible or have been defective within a month. This controller, however, feels as close to a first party GameCube controller as a third party controller can get. If Nintendo made this themselves, I wouldn't question it. Structurally, it feels exactly like a GameCube controller. The only major differences are the triggers (buttons instead of analog) and the extra turbo, home, left z, and minus buttons and the turbo switch.Things to note:-This is a Wii Classic Controller with a GameCube controller build, so it plugs into a Wii remote and functions like a classic controller would and is NOT a GameCube controller.-There is no rumble feature.-It is lighter than the original, but although being lighter, it does not feel cheaper. Personally sometimes a lighter controller is more welcoming as over long periods of use a heavier controller can get uncomfortable to hold.-The turbo button works like any other turbo controller I've used. You hold the button you want to make "turbo" and press turbo. Do it again to turn it off.-The left stick is slightly more raised than the original controller, as well as the c-stick. In fact, all of the buttons seem to be slightly more elevated than the original GameCube controller.-The sticks are not as tight as the original. They require slightly less pressure to move, but don't get me wrong, they still feel like quality sticks and are by no means "loose."-The plastic (rubber?) pads on the tops of the sticks feel a little different than the original. I want to clarify that in their own right, and compared to other third party controllers, they do not feel cheap. Structurally they feel exactly like the original, but they are made of slightly different material.-The D-Pad Is larger than the original, which for most people should be a good thing.So in conclusion, I feel that there are really no flaws with this controller, and it feels a thousand times nicer than the regular Classic Controller/Classic Controller PRO. If you want something that feels closer to a first party controller than a third party controller, then look no further.
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Riccardo P.Reviewed in Italy on October 5, 2017
Eccellente
Edition: Mario VersionVerified Purchase
Eccellente, di ottima fattura giapponese. Compagnia famosa per la collaborazione con Nintendo per fornire prodotti ufficiali di qualità. Controller funzionale e solidoEccellenteRiccardo P.
Reviewed in Italy on October 5, 2017
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PekeReviewed in Spain on August 29, 2017
MANDO RECOMENDABLE LICENCIADO POR NINTENDO
Edition: Mario VersionVerified Purchase -
Frank LehnertReviewed in Germany on November 27, 2016
Prima Controller
Edition: Mario VersionVerified Purchase - Stiv SmifReviewed in Canada on September 16, 2015
love the controller.
Edition: Mario VersionVerified Purchase -
