For all that technology moves at an alarming rate, there’s something hugely reassuring about hanging onto the trappings of the past. We’re suckers for that in gaming, keeping consoles tucked away in attics for their eventual glorious return to the light, usually so that our children can look at them in dismay at how awful and old they now feel, and what do you mean you need to blow on the cartridge? We’re also constantly looking to the next thing on the horizon, watching and waiting for the latest game, newest console or better peripheral. The Retro Fighters Battler GCPro manages to straddle those two lines, bringing the technology of the past and shoving it full of modern updates. If you’re a longtime fan of Nintendo’s consoles, this is a beautiful piece of nostalgia that’s more than ready for the present day.
The Retro Fighters BattlerGC Pro is bright purple, which is a good starting point, and it’s immediately recognisable as a modern take on the classic GameCube controller. It’s furthered by the large green ‘A’ button, dinky red ‘B’, kidney-shaped X and Y inputs and the bright yellow right analogue ‘C’ stick with its octagonal gate. This is a Gamecube controller… kind of.
Outside of the button and stick layout, the actual form sits far closer to the current Switch 2 Pro Controller than it does its older inspiration. There’s then two fully-analogue triggers, both ending in the Gamecube’s trademark digital switch, and both L and R shoulder buttons above them, and a further two ‘pro’ styled back buttons beneath the grip. The other most noticeable change is that there is a full-size D-pad, rather than the tiny one on the original Gamecube controller – I still get ghost hand cramps on rainy days from the memories of playing Capcom vs SNK 2.0 with that thing.
Under the hood things have changed as well. Both analogue sticks now host Hall Effect magnetic sensors, helping to keep stick drift at bay, and they’re clicky for L3 and R3 inputs, while the digital switches in each trigger are fitted with high-quality Kailh switches. Besides that, you’re getting both Bluetooth and 2.4Ghz wireless connections and a built-in rechargeable battery life of 10 hours. As an upgrade over the original GC controller, it’s immense.
You can actually use it with your GameCube as well. The GC wireless dongle – also bright purple – works with original hardware, so that means you can hop right into original gaming on the GameCube, Wii and Wii U – assuming you have the right era Wii, and a further USB controller dongle for your Wii U. There’s also a USB-A equipped 2.4Ghz dongle for PC and Switch play, though right now this doesn’t work with the Nintendo Switch 2. There you have to rely on the Bluetooth connection, but the team at Retro Fighters have said they’re actively working on updating the controller firmware for the latest console. All in all, it’s an incredibly versatile package.
It feels solid in the hand. The Hall Effect-equipped sticks have been tuned to feel very close to the original GC hardware, and I was immediately at home with the sensations of using the BattlerGC Pro. Both of the stick tops are also accurate, and they just feel right when you’re settling down to play Super Smash Bros.
Of course, one of the biggest draws right now is the steadily growing library of GameCube games through Switch Online the Nintendo Switch 2, and there’s a true joy to experiencing The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker or F-Zero GX with something that feels like the original hardware, especially when the controls match up properly.
You can play whatever you want with the BattlerGC Pro, and it feels so good that you might well be tempted to. I reviewed Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, and spent a good bit of my time using the BattlerGC Pro to mash up the hordes of Hyrulean enemies. Things would have been even better if there was the ability to customise the controls – surely in 2025 that should be a standard in-game feature? – but that’s not the BattlerGC Pro’s fault.
I really like the triggers and great-feeling digital switches for playing FPS games, though whether you can get on with the octgonal stick gates will be entirely up to you, and it is something of a shame that you can’t swap these out for regular circular ones. Maybe we’ll get that in a future Pro Pro version.
There’s a purity, though, to the BattlerGC Pro, and fundamentally, that purity is really targeted towards Super Smash Bros. and original GameCube hardware. If you’re heavily into the competitive scene for Smash, the layout and build quality of the BattlerGC Pro make it practically a must-buy. Attacks feel crisp and controlled, even as you’re hammering away at that huge A button. If you’re thinking about the BattlerGC Pro for Dolphin emulation, you need to be aware that getting the digital trigger inputs to work requires a bit of tinkering, though if you’re into emulation, chances are that won’t put you off.
There are a few other options outside of the BattlerGC Pro if you’re looking to relive the GameCube heyday. There is, of course, the original GameCube hardware, and then Nintendo’s recent revised version that came out for the Switch 2, but both of these options are limited to the hardware they’re designed for and lacking in the shoulder button department for modern gaming, while the BattlerGC Pro is compatible with a host of different platforms, thanks to the dual wireless dongles and Bluetooth compatibility. Outside of these, it’s worth looking at the NYXI Wizard 2, which retains a little more of the classic shape, and can be used docked with the Nintendo Switch as well.
