It’s been a long time coming, but Retro-Bit has announced that their Sega Saturn Pro Controllers are finally up for pre-order. These were teased quite a while back and then shown off at the Portland Retro Game Expo last year, but they’re ready to go now. Almost.
This is the latest in Retro-Bit’s collaboration with Sega. They’ve previously released reproductions of Sega Genesis/Mega Drive controllers, as well as wired and wireless variants of the Sega Saturn controllers themselves. These ones are different from your standard Sega Saturn controllers because of the addition of dual analog sticks, rumble, and extra shoulder buttons to make them more functional with modern consoles and games.
The controllers come in both classic black/grey and original Japanese white. I mean the sleeker version, not the chunky one that North American got at first. I doubt there’s much demand for a reproduction of that monstrosity. The only listed compatibility is PC. Mac, and “other USB-enabled devices.” The sticks are said to utilize hall effect, and I’ve heard that thrown around a lot, but I don’t really know what it means—one second.
Oh, okay, that’s neat.
Not the chunky one
Its full name is the Sega Saturn 2.4 GHz Wireless Pro Controller, and, yeah, they don’t use Bluetooth, which is a bit of a bummer. A lot of people swear by 2.4 GHz, as it often reduces input lag, but I find it a lot harder to work around when connecting it to anything other than its included adapter. However, I’ve seen a few people recently posit the Sega Saturn controller as the apex of controller design with its six face buttons and exposed D-pad. I’ve always been more of a Super Nintendo gal, but that might be just because of how I was raised.
As mentioned, the Sega Saturn Pro Controller is just the next in a line of collaborations between Retro-Bit and Sega. I’ve used their Sega Genesis controllers, and they felt pretty spot on. I’ve had someone tell me that there are discrepancies when it comes to performance, but while that’s completely believable, I haven’t experienced that. I’ve heard similar things about 8bitdo’s controllers but haven’t experienced problems there, either. Maybe there’s some luck of the draw.
Preorders for the Sega Saturn 2.4 GHz Wireless Pro Controller are open right now for $49.99. The final product is expected to ship in Early December.
Published: Oct 10, 2023 11:00 am