Generally, controllers have gotten larger over time. Except for oddities like the Duke, progression of controller size is pretty much a straight line. But, what if you want something small? What if you want something that’s smaller than literally anything else that’s ever come with home consoles? The 8Bitdo Micro is the answer to this exact desire.
The controller itself is about the size of a pack of Tic Tacs. A controller that small begs one important question: why? Why would you want a controller this small? When would this be more convenient than just a normal controller? You may be surprised to find out, there are some pretty good answers to these questions.
8Bitdo Micro
The 8Bitdo Micro is an incredible novelty, but its usefulness wears thin beyond absolute portability.
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Price, availability, and specs
Bringing new meaning to the concept of lightweight
The 8Bitdo Micro is small. Very small. It measures in at a minuscule 72x40.7x14.1 mm. It looks absolutely timy compared to the 8Bitdo SN30 Pro, and still even small next to a Joy Con. It’s just barely larger than the8Bitdo Adapter. The controller weighs just under 0.9oz, according to 8Bitdo. That’s compared to the seemingly gargantuan 9.8oz of the PlayStation 5’sDualSense.
The 8Bitdo Micro can be purchased from third-party retailers such as Amazon and Target. It retails for $25 and is available in blue and green. The controller is compatible with the Nintendo Switch as well as Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. In the box with the 8Bitdo Micro, you’ll also receive an attachable wristband to carry the controller and a very small USB-C charging cable.
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The 8Bitdo Wireless Adapter 2 allows you to connect your wireless controller to other devices, whether that be a Switch, Windows PC, Mac, or evena Pi.
What I liked about the 8Bitdo Micro
Portability at its finest, and surprisingly comfortable
Out of the box, the 8Bitdo Micro is a stunning controller. Its size is astonishing, and the actual look of it is very nice. It looks, more or less, like a miniaturized version of the 8Bitdo Lite. An aesthetically pleasing 8Bitdo device isn’t surprising, but looks aren’t everything. Does the 8Bitdo Micro offer anything beyond looks? The short answer is yes, the longer answer lies in the controller’s two key uses.
Just as controllers have grown larger over time, they have also become more universal. No longer is a controller exclusively for the console you bought it for. Nowadays, all modern controllers are pretty much compatible with anything, other than opposing consoles. As such, it’s become really simple and easy to play games on your phone using a controller.
The 8Bitdo Micro, on the other hand, is supremely easy to carry with you at all times. For the past week, I’ve made a point to slip it in my pocket anytime I’m out of the house. And it’s barely noticeable.
There’s just one problem with this: carrying a controller around sucks. Without a bag or giant-sized pockets, there’s not really a good way to pack a controller around with you. This is where the 8Bitdo Micro shines. Its absolutely tiny size makes it easy to slip in a pocket. For this very specific purpose, the 8Bitdo Micro might just be the best controller on the market. I’m usually very concerned about how pocketable something is, and the 8Bitdo Micro is perhaps the most pocketable controller ever made. But what makes this portability so good? The answer lies in spontaneity. Emulation on a phone is easier than ever with Android’s plentiful options and some good choices on iOS as well. It is hassle-free for anyone and everyone to set up. However, there are plenty of retro games that just don’t play well with touchscreen controls. In an ideal world, you could carry around a Backbone One or an Xbox controller with a grip for your phone to play games with. But, both of those options aren’t things you can conveniently have with you at all times. The 8Bitdo Micro, on the other hand, is supremely easy to carry with you at all times. For the past week, I’ve made a point to slip it in my pocket anytime I’m out of the house. And it’s barely noticeable.
Any sparing amount of time you have can now be filled by simply propping your phone against something, and playing games with the 8Bitdo Micro. The buttons on the controller feel great, and make quick bursts of retro games like Super Metroid, Super Mario Bros 3, and Contra an actual possibility. While it is a little small, it beats using on-screen controls any day of the week.
But that kind of gaming isn’t really all that the 8Bitdo Micro is good for. Believe it or not, there’s an extra layer of use to the 8Bitdo Micro that goes beyond gaming. The 8Bitdo Micro doubles as, funny enough, amacro keyboard. Using the 8Bitdo ultimate software, you may program each of the buttons on the controller to perform different keystrokes and combinations. And this won’t mess with your control scheme, as the controller comes with a switch to set it into keyboard mode. Additionally, when you’re setting up a layout for the controller, you can make separate profiles that have different mappings for each button.
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What I didn’t like about the 8Bitdo Micro
Its greatest strength is also its greatest weakness
The flip side of the 8Bitdo Micro’s incredible portability is that it is absolutely tiny. A controller that’s just barely larger than anAirPodscase is great for slipping into your pocket, but the novelty can wear off when it comes time to use it. For emulating games on your phone, this is absolutely better than using on-screen controls. Outside of that, using the 8Bitdo Micro for any further gaming becomes puzzling.
The novelty of comfortably playing some of the greatest games ever made on your phone is hard to top, but playing something on your TV with the smallest controller you’ve ever held just feels silly.
I played quite a ways into a select few games using this controller on my phone, but I couldn’t really get that far into a game on my Switch without asking myself why I wasn’t using a larger controller. For as great as the 8Bitdo Micro is on the go, that usefulness is completely situational. For a great, portable experience, I am willing to put up with the cramped button layout. Sure, I can make pretty silly mistakes in Super Mario World while using the 8Bitdo Micro, but I’m usually playing it on my phone. The novelty of comfortably playing some of the greatest games ever made on your phone is hard to top, but playing something on your TV with the smallest controller you’ve ever held just feels silly.
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Should you buy the 8Bitdo Micro?
For the portability purists of the world
At its heart, the 8Bitdo Micro is a convenient option in terms of portability for playing retro games on your phone. There are troves of games that just feel downright unplayable without an actual controller, and the 8Bitdo Micro can open those games up to you. If this idea is important to you, then the 8Bitdo Micro is a great purchase. If portability is the most important factor for you, then the 8Bitdo Micro is an absolute must. The macro mapping is a nice bonus to the controller’s package as a whole, but not quite something that makes the 8Bitdo Micro worth it in and of itself.
However, if you own a Backbone One or any other more traditional controller for your phone, then the 8Bitdo Micro will feel like a step-down. Further still, if you carry a bag regularly or don’t mind adding one into your daily carry, then you’re far better off packing around a PlayStation or Xbox controller.
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