8BitDo has added to its lineup of wireless mod kits and receivers with ones for Nintendo’s GameCube. With them, you can turn any normal GameCube controller into a wireless one. Or you can connect a third-party controller wirelessly to the GameCube, if you’re into that sort of thing.
8BitDo has these sorts of things for a lot of consoles. Essentially, the mod kits are controller guts that you transplant into a normal wired GameCube controller, guts for guts. The new guts have Bluetooth in them, which means you can then connect the controller to your PC or, I don’t know, other things people connect Bluetooth controllers. You could connect it via a PS1 receiver to play PS1 games, if you’re really perverse.
Transplanting is a solderless process. I’d say that it’s “easy,” but have you ever taken apart a GameCube controller? It’s not as bad as, say, a Dualsense, but it can be finicky getting the thing back together. It’s simple, but it takes some patience, I should probably say.
If you manage it, you’ll not only have a fancy new Bluetooth controller, but it also comes with Hall Effect joysticks and a “trigger pack.” I’m really not sure what the “trigger pack” is. It might just be what they call the triggers that come with it. They don’t say if they’re different in any way. I think if it makes it so they don’t make a sound like your M1 Garand needs reloading every time you press it fully, that’s a good selling point right there. I’m just going to assume you’ve played enough WW2 FPS games to understand that reference.
The receiver, on the other hand, just plugs into the GameCube controller port. Like a Wavebird receiver. Except, you can pair most Bluetooth controllers to it. For example, an arcade stick. Or a wireless modded PS1 controller, if you’re really perverse. You don’t need the GameCube mod kit to make use of the receiver, is what I’m saying.
I’m not sure I’m going to bite. I have a pair of Wavebirds, and I mostly use the GameCube controllers they reissued for Super Smash Bros. Wii U. They have stupidly long cords, so they can reach into the next room if I need them to. Though, I do have some GCN controllers that could use replacement guts. My spice controller has seen better days.
The 8BitDo GCN Wireless Receiver is available now. No, wait, it’s sold out. Well, it will be available when they restock. The GCN Mod Kit, on the other hand, is available for preorder and will ship on September 25.
