Club Nintendo SNES Classic Controller review

If youre a nostalgic sort of person and like to play a lot of Virtual Console games on the Wii, the SNES Classic Controller might be what youre looking for

The Virtual Console is an excellent part of the Wii and will have you reliving a lot of the classics like Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario World. However the service is missing one thing from the original systems, and that is that the games just don’t feel the same on the Wii Remote or Classic Controller. Playing on those controllers doesn’t give you that same nostalgic wave that playing on an authentic SNES controller does. Luckily Nintendo has added this classic gem to Club Nintendo.

The SNES Classic Controller is by far the best offering on Club Nintendo to spend your Stars on. But it is not cheap. At 3000 Stars it will take a lot of games and patience to afford one. And it is exclusive to Club Nintendo. It is undoubtedly worth saving up for though if you fondly remember your days with the original SNES.

Build quality

What surprised me about the controller was how faithfully it mimicked the original SNES controller. I have both the original and the Wii version and it is almost impossible to tell them apart. The only thing giving it away is the cable and writing on the back.

Nintendo has done a great job in recreating the parts that go into the controller. The D-pad feels the same, the face buttons feel the same and the shoulder buttons are their same mushy selves. The controller is very sturdy and feels like a quality product made from strong plastic rather than a cheap knock-off of the original, which is what I was afraid of before I got the controller.

You’ll have no problems with the controller. It seems like it is strong enough to take a punishing gaming session just like all of Nintendo’s early products.

Comfort

If you’ve played with a SNES controller before, then you can expect the exact same experience with the Wii’s version of the controller. But if you’ve never played with a SNES controller, then I think I should point out that the Wii’s Classic Controller Pro is a much better alternative. It is much more comfortable in your hands and has better, less spongy buttons and more features, like analogue sticks. The SNES controller never really was very ergonomic. If it’s a comfortable, well-designed controller you want, pick up a Classic Controller Pro.

That said, I expect most people who have worked up 3000 Club Nintendo Stars will have already bought a Classic Controller somewhere down the line. The SNES Classic Controller may not be your go-to controller, but it is a good addition to your line-up for those days when you want to relive what gaming was like back in 1992.

One thing I would have liked the SNES Classic Controller to include is a Home button. Currently you need to press the Home button on the Wii Remote instead if you want to exit a Virtual Console game, which is a little annoying. Nintendo could have easily slipped in a Home button on the face on the controller without disturbing the other buttons. But then I guess it would not be a faithful replica. So it’s a win-loss situation.

Worth it?

The SNES Classic Controller is easy to recommend for a collector. This one is a no-brainer if you want something practical in the Club Nintendo shop to spend your Stars on. Aside from the Game & Watch classics, the other items in the store (playing cards and bookmarks) don’t seem worth it. In my opinion the SNES Classic Controller is the best item in the store.

But it needs to be made abundantly clear that if you’re looking for the best controller for your Virtual Console games, the Classic Controller Pro comes out on top. The Pro is much more comfortable and has better buttons all round.

Where the SNES controller excels is in returning the nostalgic feeling to your games. It will make you feel like you’re playing with the original system again (minus blowing on the cartridges). Nintendo have done a fantastic job making the Classic Controller mimic the original SNES controller. This is a quality product; you will be hard-pressed to tell them apart. So if you want the authentic experience, you’d best start saving up those Stars.