8bitdo’s New Collection Celebrates The Nes’s 40th Anniversary

As portion of its NES40 collection, 8BitDo’s Ultimate 2 controller is getting its astir melodramatic makeover yet. | Image: 8BitDo

Forty years agone today, nan Nintendo Entertainment System launched successful North America, and to thief observe nan anniversary, 8BitDo has announced a caller NES40 collection. It features updated versions of 3 of 8BitDo’s existing products, including its Ultimate 2 wireless controller, Retro 87 Keyboard N Edition, and Retro Cube Speaker.

The updates made to nan N40 type of 8BitDo’s Ultimate 2 controller are mostly cosmetic, but it now features a black-and-gray creation pinch agleam reddish buttons and a charging dock that matches nan aesthetics of nan NES console. The controller will besides see 4 swappable joystick caps while its grips are printed pinch dates that correlate to launches of notable Nintendo and 8BitDo products.

Functionality is nan aforesaid arsenic nan original type of nan Ultimate 2, including nan TMR joysticks, Hall effect triggers, a ringing of color-changing LEDs astir nan guidelines of each joystick, reprogrammable bumper buttons, an other brace of buttons connected nan back, and compatibility pinch nan Switch, Switch 2, and Windows devices. The 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth Controller – N40 is disposable for preorder starting coming for $79.99 and comes pinch 8BitDo’s Retro Receiver for wirelessly connecting it to an original NES, and a 2.4GHz adapter providing a faster wireless relationship for gaming. It will beryllium released connected November 15th, 2025, but will beryllium constricted to only 1,985 units.

For nan caller 8BitDo Retro 68 Keyboard N40, nan updates are nan opposite. Despite being a small much compact than 8BitDo’s first mechanical keyboard because it features a 68-key layout alternatively of 87, nan caller N40 type looks very akin to nan original but includes immoderate important hardware upgrades. The full keyboard, including nan shell, keycaps, and buttons, is made from aluminum alloy, and 8BitDo has switched from Kailh’s clicky Box White V2 switches to its linear Box Ice Cream Pro Max switches. The Retro 68 besides includes a overmuch larger 6,500mAh artillery boosting usage to up to 300 hours betwixt charges, and it comes pinch nan original’s oversized programmable Super Buttons accessories that now wirelessly link to nan keyboard alternatively of being tethered by a 3.5mm cable.

The Retro 68 N40 keyboard is much than doubly arsenic dense arsenic nan original, weighing successful astatine a beefy 2,200 grams, and considerably much expensive. The Retro 87 debuted astatine $99.99 successful 2023, but nan caller Retro 68 will beryllium disposable for preorder starting coming for $499.99 and is expected to vessel sometime successful January 2026.

The 8BitDo Retro Cube 2 Speaker N Edition besides looks astir identical to 8BitDo’s Retro Cube Speaker that has been NES-themed since it first launched successful 2016. But nan caller type introduces dual stereo speakers pinch euphony and gaming modes, a built-in microphone, a larger 2,000mAh artillery offering up to 30 hours of playtime connected a afloat charge, and nan action to move to a 2.4GHz relationship alternatively of Bluetooth utilizing a bundled dongle. Its USB larboard has been upgraded from Micro USB to USB-C, but nan speaker tin beryllium charged by simply placing it connected a caller wireless dock that’s included.

The original type launched astir a decade agone for $35, while nan caller Retro Cube 2 speaker is disposable for preorder starting coming for $49.99 and is expected to beryllium released connected December 8th, 2025.