Should You Buy the Retro-Bit Officially Licensed Bluetooth 8 Button Sega Genesis Controller

In this video, we unbox and test out the Retro-Bit 8-Button wireless Bluetooth Genesis Controller.

Some time ago, Retro-Bit announced a new partnership with Sega where they would be producing officially licensed controllers for different systems. From the Saturn to the Genesis, they announced a number of varieties. One that many people have been waiting for has been the wireless Bluetooth Genesis controllers. I was lucky to see them in-person at the 2019 Portland Retro Gaming Expo, and shortly after that, I received one in the mail for review. With much excitement, I dove in.

The Bluetooth controller looks and feels just like the traditional 6-button controller for the Sega Genesis, however, it adds 2 shoulder buttons. It also trades out the cord for Bluetooth technology to cut the cord. While going Bluetooth means that it is compatible with Android, iOS, Amazon and other devices along with the Switch and PS3. Now, it WILL work with the Genesis, Mega Drive, and Master System, however, the dongle to connect to these systems is sold separately.

Since Android devices are listed as one of the primary device groups I paired the controller to my nVidia Sheild TV. The pairing was very easy, especially with the new 2019 model. I was quickly and easily able to play games on the system, from emulators to Google Play games. It was really good to play NBA Jam!

From here I paired the Bluetooth controller to my Nintendo Switch. Again, it was super easy to do, just as with my Android TV. I thought it made the most sense to dive into the Genesis Collection available on the Switch, and it worked well but not flawlessly. Firstly, with the Genesis Collection, the A & B buttons worked properly, but the C button fast-forwarded the game footage. The Y button functioned as Y. Weird! Once I got used to that I was able to play all the games without any issue, but it was strange.

After the Genesis Collection, I tried to play the SNES Online games, and, well, it was strange. Again, the button layout just felt, but that's also because the SNES controller is one of my top-3 controllers of all time. While the Genesis controller was perfectly functional, the layout just felt... off. It functioned perfectly fine but just felt dirty.

The final test was with the Street Fighter Collection since this is one of my go-to tests for lag and latency. I had to take a few minutes to map out all the buttons, which I wish I could have done to the Genesis Collection. I have to say the responsiveness was spot-on, very little if any lag and latency, and I was able to pull off all my moves successfully.

Why it RoX:
- Officially Licensed by Sega
- Available in Blue or Black
- Great Battery Life
- Responsive
- Ergonomics are spot-on
- Exceptional Connectivity
- Long Range
- Works with Android, iOS, PS3 and other BT Devices

What could be improved:
- I initially thought the BT receiver was included
- More color options would be nice
- Weird button mapping on some games

Should You Buy One?
If your primary usage is for the Genesis, Mega Drive, Genesis Mini or Master System then you're going to be better off with Retro-Bit's 2.4GHz wireless controller instead, as that controller includes the proper dongles right out of the box. If you're looking to use this more on emulators, the PC, Android, iOS, or other Bluetooth devices, then this would be the way to go. The responsiveness felt just as good as the 2.4GHz system, but the fact that it has doesn't have the receiver dongle for either the Genesis/Mega Drive or Master System is somewhat of a bummer to me. But if you need Bluetooth, give this a look!

#RetroBit #Genesis #Controller
The footage used in this review are used under the Fair Use laws:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/107

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include—

(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
(2) the nature of the copyrighted work;
(3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.
(Pub. L. 94–553, title I, § 101, Oct. 19, 1976, 90 Stat. 2546; Pub. L. 101–650, title VI, § 607, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5132; Pub. L. 102–492, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3145.)