The Skeptical Geek has been saying for years that he has not found a Bluetooth controller that he can recommend to his customers with a clean conscience. Well never let it be said that the Geek is unwilling to be proven wrong. Allow me to present to you the Hyperkin Scout Bluetooth controller.
The Scout controller is a SNES style controller that was designed to be used with an actual SNES or Super Nintendo Classic. It has a BT receiver that plugs into the control port on a SNES and syncs to the controller the same way USB wireless controllers do. However the BT functionality allows it to connect to a Retro Box, or any other computer.
The standard wireless controllers I offer as an upgrade are fairly simple. Plug receiver into USB port, pair controller with receiver by pushing a button; easy, peasy, lemon squeezy. Setup for a BT style controller is not quite so simple.
After charging the controller, boot up the Retro Box with a single wired controller plugged in. Using the wired controller, go to the Main Screen on your Retro Box. Go to Retropie, then Bluetooth. Press the tiny button on the top of the controller, and you will see the small blue light blinking, see picture below. Choose the first option, Register and Connect. You will see a list of devices, choose Hyperkin controller. It will ask you what security option you want. Choose the first option, DisplayYesNo. The blue light should now be solid.
Exit out of the BT menu to the Main Screen, then using your wired controller, press Start, then Configure Input. Configure your controller as a standard SNES controller, leaving everything after Left and Right Shoulder as Not Defined. Here is a video to help you out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caCbOCQHnfU&t=116s
Now, using the wired controller, go to Start, Quit, Restart to reboot the system. While rebooting, unplug the wired controller, and sync the Scout controller with the Retro Box by pressing any button. The light should turn solid blue, and you can now use the controller.
I like this controller a lot. It has a very solid feel, good weight, unlike the standard wired or wireless controllers I usually offer which are a little on the light side( What can I say, I can get them reliably wholesale). The buttons and D-Pad are very responsive and overall the controller is a pleasure to use. I play tested it by playing several levels of some of my favorite SNES games, like Donkey Kong Country and Zombies Ate My Neighbors. I don’t normally like SNES controllers as a rule, as my hands are pretty large, but I felt no discomfort or fatigue no longer how long I held it.
As for the cons, this is a SNES style controller, it is not usable by a large percentage of N64, PlayStation or Dreamcast games due to no analog stick and/or not enough buttons. The setup is a lot more involved than a standard USB wireless controller although you only have to do it once. It is also a little pricey: a single Hyperkin Scout BT costs more than a pair of my standard wireless SNES style controllers. However, quality costs money, and this controller has it.
Overall, if you have the patience for the setup process, and don’t mind the price, this is highly recommended for the vast majority of the games on a Loaded or even Ultra Box. Here is the purchase link.
Have a Skeptical day, and happy gaming,
SKG