Nintendo's $60 NES Classic Edition has become a consummate stocking stuffer for the holiday season, and very hard to find in physical and online stores. The mini-NES console includes 30 built-in old-school titles including "Donkey Kong," "Super Mario Bros.," and "The Legend of Zelda" as well as an NES controller. 8bitdo's wireless controller adapter solves the short cord problem by bringing Bluetooth connectivity to the retro console.
NES Classic's controller cord is about 30.5 inches (77.5 cm). That is over 5 feet (1.5 meters) shorter than the original controller for Nintendo's 8-bit console released in October 1985 (North America).
NES fans have a few options that do not truly solve the problem. They can sit directly in front of their TV set or pull up the gaming console close to them.
The Retro Receiver bundle can be pre-ordered for $40 at Amazon. It will ship on December 16 just in time for the holiday season, according to Polygon. This bundle includes one Retro Receiver and NES30 wireless Bluetooth gamepad.
The NES30 controller looks like the classic NES/Famicom controller. However, it includes four buttons on the face instead of two.
The bundle is also compatible with other wireless Bluetooth controllers including for Sony's PS4 and PS3.
This wireless controller adapter is from the makers of the $499 Analogue NT NES console.
Playing classic NES games using a wireless controller might seem less of an old-school gaming experience without the wires and official NES gamepads. Still, the ability to play from a living room couch instead of the hard floor might be worth the trade-offs.
The Retro Receiver bundle's $40 price tag also might seem high at two-thirds the price of the mini-NES itself. It is, however, much cheaper than buying the NES Retro Receiver ($25) and NES30 controller ($35) separately.
Gamers who cannot wait two weeks to enjoy the benefits of the NES30 Retro Receiver bundle can use a basic extension cable. It costs around $10.
In related news, publishing giant Electronic Arts has announced it will release a "major game" for Nintendo Switch set to launch around March 2017, according to Digital Trends. Other third-party game developers including Ubisoft, Activision, Bethesda, and Capcom have also promised to support the home-portable hybrid.
Here's a review of NES Classic Edition: