NES Retrolink

NES Retro Classic Controller USB List Price: $24.99 Sale Price: $11.26

When it comes to classic NES games, very few aficionados have the means or the time to collect the immense backlog of cartridges necessary for a complete collection. From simple rarity to age and damage issues, there is an ever decreasing supply of NES games available for fans to get hold of. Thus, many choose to feed their need with emulators and ROMs, acquired from a variety of sources on the ever expanding World Wide Web. These programs take up miniscule space on any computer worth the name, and can provide hours of enjoyment for very little time and investment.

A good emulator doesn't, strictly speaking, -need- a physical controller. After all, users can key bind the appropriate commands to their keyboard and play without any adjustments at all. However, a lot of the nostalgia factor comes from the familiarity of using the D-pad, and the red A and B buttons on the old NES controllers. Whether it's holding down B to run in Super Mario Bros or wall-jumping in Prince of Persia, the controller's shape and buttons were an integral part of the NES gaming experience, and it just doesn't always seem right to divorce that experience from the game. One solution? The Retrolink NES replica controller.

The Retrolink is a third party, USB connected controller. It looks exactly like the NES controller, down to the shape and colors, rather than the generic superpad style controllers many ROMs and emulators use. It doesn't require the installation of any additional drivers, users just plug it in, set it as the default controller in their emulator of choice, and can begin playing immediately. Retrolink controllers are compatible with all Windows machines between Windows 98 and Vista, and will work with any Mac using OSX 10.2 or better. The cord is a substantial six feet long, so there shouldn't be any worries about accidentally pulling it loose at a critical moment of the game or in an excited victory jump.

The Retrolink typically goes for twenty to thirty dollars, and typically comes with a money back guarantee in case of defect or consumer dissatisfaction. NES fans looking for that nostalgic touch should definitely give the Retrolink a careful look. Instead of spending money on classic consoles and cartridges that -might- still work, they can pick up a retrolink and focus on their own ROM library for a lot more certainty, and just as much fun.