8Bitdo NES30 Pro

8Bitdo is a company specializing in custom retro game-controllers (gamepads). Their motto is: "Everything Old Is New Again".

Recently I picked up a pair of NES30 Pro editions. Not too expensive either for what you get. A pro-grade game controller (ergo: can handle some abuse) made for use with practically ANY retro (and even today's) game-systems!

Compatible with: Linux (desktop+RPi3), Mac OS X, Windows, Nintendo Switch, Android and iOS!

Everything I've tested them on functions as advertised, and even some that weren't listed! Easily paired through bluetooth or connected with USB 2.0.

Best thing: its firmware can even be upgraded through desktop-Linux!

RetroPie

TIP: For those of you out there considering getting a NES Classic / SNES Classic read this blogpost first... you won't be sorry.

Since I started dabbling in Raspberry Pi SBC's, I've been testing a few emulation-distros and the like. Been playing around with this since June 2016, so a good 10 months by now I would say :P

One particular distro caught my interest while testing; namely RetroPie.
Excerpt from retropie.org.uk:

RetroPie allows you to turn your Raspberry Pi, ODroid C1/C2, or PC into a retro-gaming machine. It builds upon Raspbian, EmulationStation, RetroArch and many other projects to enable you to play your favourite Arcade, home-console, and classic PC games with the minimum set-up.

RetroPie lets you play virtually ALL arcade-/console-/PC-games released in the period 1980-2000. Every .rom I've got in my library (accumulated around 10.000+ since the 1990s) works out-of-the-box.

Tested a good few arcade- and console-roms, and they work flawlessly.

Only configuration it may require is a simple dialogue-based gamepad/joystick setup. And you're ready to game as you please :)

Zelda II - The Adventure of Link (NES)

Bubble Bobble (NES)

Super Mario Kart (SNES)

Super Mario World (SNES)

Super Bomber Man (SNES)

Super Street Fighter II (SNES)

Super Street Fighter II - In-game (SNES)

Turrican II (Amiga)

Turrican II - In-game (Amiga)

Giana Sisters (Amiga)

My Logitech F310 gamepad used testing RetroPie.

Street Fighter II (Arcade)

Street Fighter II - In-game (Arcade)

Sonic The Hedgehog (SEGA Genesis)

 Sonic The Hedgehog (SEGA Genesis)

Splatterhouse 2 (SEGA Genesis)

Splatterhouse 2 - In-game (SEGA Genesis)

New gear

My 7-8 year-old Logitech gamepads have been in heavy use over the years. Aaand they just recently crapped out.

Luckily I had put their new gamepad-series on my christmas wishlist, and as I expected, got one from a family member and one from my GF :P 2P-gaming!

I also got a steelseries gaming-mousepad, and I must admit, at first I didn't really get what the big deal was. But after playing some FPS- and RPS-games, I totally get it. Nothing else can compare to the sensitivity and movement-feel you get with these mousepads, nothing.