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I am extremely hard to please when it comes to retro controller remakes, and the very idea of the Retro-Bit Sega Saturn Pro controller admittedly upsets me a little. The gamepad technically hasn’t done anything wrong, and on paper, adding hall-effect joysticks to a pad while retaining the OG console’s six-button layout and shape should be a winning formula. Yet, I’d only really recommend this gamepad to those of you looking for a box-ready wireless accessory that feels 90% official, as I have plenty of other options to suggest to my fellow Saturn-loving sickos.
I would feel more guilty if the Retro-Bit Sega Saturn Pro controller didn’t come in at $49.99, but for that sort of cash, I feel like I can let the retro console purist in me be slightly annoying. For starters, you’re largely paying for modern conveniences here, like those aforementioned hall-effect sticks, as you really only need one larger joystick if you’re planning on playing Nights into Dreams.
Trading authentic details for modern functionality
Forgive me, as I’m about to be that sort of nerd when it comes to Retro-Bit’s Sega Saturn Pro controller design. The specific version I’m testing is inspired by the six-button gamepad included with the white Japanese console, complete with a matching burgundy pause button and colorful buttons that were a region exclusive.
Specs
Price: $49.99 / £44.99 MSRP
Connectivity: 2.4GHz, USB-C
Compatibility: Sega Saturn, Switch, PC, Sega Genesis (Mega Drive) Mini
Battery: 500mAh (around 20 hours run time)
Features: Rumble, dual hall-effect thumbsticks, 3D Control Pad receiver button
At a glance, it looks pretty much like the original, but the included analogue sticks compromise the original shape. Again, if this is a deal breaker, you could just opt for the non-pro version instead, but I’m almost questioning why this gamepad didn’t draw inspiration from the OG Control Pad rather than morphing it into something sort of new. The answer is probably so it doubles up as a way to play modern adventures, and while that’s valid, sticking with actual Sega designs would have felt more authentic.
Slightly altered boomerang shape aside, and the fact it’s got the wrong logo in the centre for the colorway it’s going for, the rest of the controller sticks to Sega’s script. The six face buttons feel pretty close to the original, and they even bothered to make the pause button out of the same rubber. The disc d-pad is close too, but not quite an exact match, as it’s missing the pleasingly grippy matt texture.
Rather than possessing just one set of shoulders, the Saturn Pro controller comes with LZ and RZ buttons too. They’re perfectly fine for modern romps that require them, but they’re certainly not built to keep up with conventional triggers on most PC controllers or even Switch gamepads. This sort of compact compromise extends to the analogue sticks, as they’re around the same size as Joy-Con sticks and are crammed at the bottom.
Naturally, Retro-Bit isn’t expecting the Saturn Pro controller to replace your daily driver, as using a six-button pad based on one for a failed ’90s console for everything in 2026 would be unhinged. Instead, including the modern conveniences is supposed to help give the accessory purpose beyond its (important) duties as a 3D fighting game accessory.
I could make peace with it if it weren’t for the fact that the Gulikit Elves 2 Pro exists, a gamepad that thematically looks like it belongs to the Sega Saturn, but includes larger hall-effect thumbsticks and a shape that could help it serve as a way to play almost everything comfortably. This isn’t the last time I’ll mention that controller in this review, but while it is the superior option overall in many ways, there are a few key elements, like the fact it doesn’t feature a six-button layout, that mean it’s not automatically the best option for the Saturn.
A missed opportunity to revive a big cursed joystick
I feel like Retro-Bit placed itself in a bit of a trap by using “Pro” in this Sega Saturn controller’s title. That buzzword is the reason the gamepad has hall-effect analogue sticks, built-in rumble, and 2.4Ghz dongles for both PC and the OG console. Compared to the standard model, I guess you could say it looks professional, but I reckon that in order to earn that accolade from retro console collectors, it should have focused on bringing back cursed 3D Control Pad elements.
Don’t get me wrong, this is still the pad you’ll want if you’re looking to play games that support Sega’s original singular analogue stick. There’s a button on the console receiver that will stick the pad into that mode since there isn’t a front switch, but you’re talking about a drastically different approach to the 30-year-old big round boi that most fans would probably grab if it weren’t so expensive.
Honestly, Retro-Bit had decided to make a modern version of the 3D Control Pad rather than a slightly altered six-button controller, I’d have picked it up for sheer novelty value. If you really need something that feels slightly more in line with the original, the Retro Fighters BrawlerGen has a singular stick, but I’d personally also want the diabolically round body.
A comfortable controller for 2D beat downs
I’ve spent more hours than I’d like to admit playing some of the Sega Saturn’s best 2D fighters with Retro-Bit’s Pro controller. My skills in single player arcade mode are questionable to say the least, but I can’t attribute being whooped by ’90s CPU players to any issues with the controller’s inputs or latency linked to the 2.4Ghz dongle.
As an A/B test, I kept my original six-button pad to hand while playing Vampire Hunter Darkstalkers Revenge, X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Dead or Alive, and Virtua Fighter. I’d be lying if I said the original didn’t feel more “right” compared to the new pad, and that’s to be expected since I’ve been using it for decades at this point, but I was able to bash out combos in a similar fashion regardless.
One thing I do know for sure, though, is that I much prefer the original d-pad over the Sega Saturn Pro’s disc. They’re almost the same, but the slightly firmer feel of the official pad paired with the rougher matt texture hits more authentic notes. That might sound like I’m being unfair, but the Gulikit Elves 2 Pro manages to provide my thumb with a more accurate experience, and even the Anbernic RG-ARC D handheld does a nice job of honoring the exact feel I’m talking about.
In 3D-supported games like Nights into Dreams, the tiny thumb stick is serviceable. I wasn’t able to sniff out any compatibility issues, but I would have preferred the massive nub of the 3D Control Pad. That’s not to say I didn’t encounter general issues, though, as while using the controller to play PC games, the stick started acting like it was drifting. Yes, that is strange, seeing as we’re talking about hall-effect tech, but the symptom turned out to be a glitch that was remedied using the reset switch at the back.
Since that happened, I’ve spent a significant amount of time playing games with the pad on PC and Switch, and the faux stick drift hasn’t cropped back up. In fact, while I do think Retro-Bit’s controller could have achieved greater heights if it solely focused on OG Saturn console functionality, I actually had a blast using it as a secondary Mario Kart World gamepad, and it even holds up pretty well as a way to play shiny new RPGs like Clair Obscure Expedition 33, since it’s responsive enough for those gruelling Gradient Counters.
One unfortunate trait that has carried over from the original Sega design when playing modern games, though, is a generally rattly feel. I can’t hold that against the pad too much since it’s just as hollow-feeling as the OG ’90s version, and the buttons will wiggle around just as much when shaken. But, while that’s forgivable when used as part of a retro console setup, it feels more apparent when you swap to the gamepad from a first-party Nintendo accessory or even just a more solid third-party contender that takes an Xbox-style modern approach.
Surprisingly contemporary and compact
Using the Saturn pad with consoles other than Sega’s box helps explain some of Retro-Bit’s decisions. By including a conventional set of tiny sticks alongside the six-button layout, the company has created a compact controller that will travel extremely well thanks to its inherent flatness. You’re not going to find many options out there with this sort of profile, as it’s going to slip nicely into a larger case with your Steam Deck OLED or Switch.
Yes, the Sega Saturn Pro controller doubles up as a great controller for travel, but it still comes at a cost. I’m not saying you shouldn’t use the pad as a way to play old and new games; it’s more that if Retro-Bit had decided to make something more in line with Sega’s 3D Control Pad, it could have revived one of gaming’s most cursed controllers with unique modern functionality.
Instead, the accessory maker has opted for mass conventional controller appeal, and that means it’s competing against a horde of other options. The glaring example is the already mentioned Gulikit Elves 2 Pro, a gamepad that I’d say strikes a better balance between contemporary features and Sega Saturn sensibilities. In truth, the only thing keeping that contender from being my top pick for the console is the fact that it requires an additional dongle and uses a traditional layout rather than a six-button fighting pad approach.
Should you pick up the Retro-Bit Sega Saturn Pro controller?
Out of the modern gamepads I’ve tested, the Retro-Bit Sega Saturn Pro controller is a serviceable option for the original console that’s box-ready. The fact it’s got both a 2.4GHz dongle and USB adapter in the box means you can plug straight into Sega’s system or something more modern like the Switch or your PC and play wirelessly without any setup faff.
If you place the included receivers to one side, though, there are options I’d consider over the Retro-Bit Sega Saturn Pro controller. The cheaper vanilla version stands out as a more authentic take on the OG six-button pad, albeit one that skips on a thumb stick for 3D game support, and if you’re looking for something that serves as the best retro controller overall with Saturn vibes, the Gulikit Elves 2 Pro is the way to go.
I am sort of mourning the fact that Retro-Bit didn’t just recreate the 3D Control Pad when designing its Pro controller. It’s still going to be the controller I end up recommending for Sega Saturn, thanks to the thumbsticks and 2.4GHz wireless adapter, but it really is the latter perk that’s ultimately keeping it on my go-to list.
Who knows, maybe Retro-Bit or a rival like 8Bitdo will eventually make a Sega Saturn 3D Control Pad remake that cuts the cord. Until that happens, though, this six-button option makes the cut for playing Sega’s full library of 2D and early three-dimensional capers.
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