8BitDo is on a roll with its controllers this year, launching the hugely popular Ultimate 2 in the spring and now following it up with a remaster of one of its more retro-facing gamepads. The 8BitDo Pro 3 is now available for pre-order at $69.99, launching on August 12, but for all its face-button-swapping glory there's one feature that Nintendo Switch 2 players might miss.
'Shake to wake' is a popular 8BitDo feature, allowing OG Switch players to launch their consoles with the gamepad alone. It's a functionality that makes some of the best Nintendo Switch controllers even better, but Nintendo changed the way this function works on the Switch 2. Very few controllers can actually wake the handheld from its dock, and the 8BitDo Pro 3 isn't one of them.
If you can live without having easy access to your system's on button, then the 8BitDo Pro 3 looks like it's off to a winning start.
Anyone who regularly swaps between a PC controller and a Switch gamepad will know the confusion that A/B can bring. 8BitDo has found the solution - just swap the buttons around as you need. These face buttons can be switched and swapped for different layouts instantly - the functionality doesn't change, but I can already see my brain aching just a little less when moving from one platform to another.
Elsewhere, 8BitDo has returned to the TMR joysticks that made its Ultimate 2 release so innovative. They're an evolution of the Hall effect sticks that promised to eliminate drift problems altogether, though this time they're more power efficient and accurate.
This is also the first time an 8BitDo Pro controller has come with a charging dock in the box. While the brand has updated the gamepad with a larger 1,000mAh battery, keeping things dockable will ensure you never have to plug in mid-session again. Handily, the controller automatically reconnects to the system when removed from its hub, so no more menu navigations.
The 8BitDo Pro 3 is now available for pre-order, though make sure you're getting the Switch-compatible version if you're looking for true multi-platform connectivity, with a release date set for August 12.
- See all controller deals at Amazon
- 8BitDo Pro 3 | $69.99 at Amazon
- 8BitDo Ultimate 2 | $69.99 at Amazon
We're also hunting down all the best Xbox Series X controllers and the best PS5 controllers on the market, or take a look at all the best Nintendo Switch accessories we've tested so far.
