The Smallest Controller You Could Ever Have: 8bitdo Zero 2

'Wish you could have a small joystick that you can bring anywhere and a joystick that you can even use as a keychain accessory? It is possible! 8bitdo recently released its smallest game controller: the 8bitdo Zero 2.

Measures at around 6 inches wide and 2 and a half inches long, 8bitdo Zero 2 is the smallest game controller that I've ever used. It weighs at around 20 grams, with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and can last up to 8 hours of playtime.

It comes with 3 colors: turquoise, yellow - which are the same shade as the basic Nintendo Switch Lite colors - and pink. Of course, we wouldn't miss the chance of getting the pink one!

Inside the box

Let's see what's inside the small box:

It contains the actual controller, a short wire USB cable, a silicone strap that you can use for carrying the controller and the instruction manual.

How to use

Before anything else, be sure to head on to support.8bitdo.com and download the latest patch for your controller. Click the Zero 2 option and download the zip file.

After downloading, do the following steps:

1. Press and hold L+R+start buttons on the controller to put it on its update mode. LED on the top will light in yellow.
2. Connect the controller to your PC via the USB cable. Unzip the file.
3. Click on “USB Upgrade” on your PC, search for Firmware_Zero2_v1.03.dat in the pop-up window and run it.
4. Un-plug the gamepad when the upgrade process is done, then restart it before using it.

Now, your Zero 2 is ready! This controller is available to use for Windows, Nintendo Switch and Lite, Steam, MAC, Raspberry, and Android. You can refer to the instruction manual on how to connect. It's pretty easy to understand. Also, be sure to charge your controller before trying out some games.

Thoughts

I am fascinated by using this product! I have tried it on Steam. Not all games are compatible with the controller. I tried playing my Otome Games and surprisingly, only limited games are compatible with the controller to think that the controls for the game are pretty basic.

Comparing the 8bitdo Zero 2 to Nintendo Switch

I also tried it on my Nintendo Switch. At first, I can properly use it. But along the way, the left up-down-left-right buttons can't hold on for long. I don't know yet if its because I haven't fully charge the controller but I have to figure it out soon.

I haven't tried it on my mobile game. I'll be sure to update this post. For its size, since I'm not a big fan of bulky stuff, I like how small it is. Just keep this controller somewhere which is easy for you to see so you can just grab it once you want to use it.

8bitdo Zero 2 is available for sale here in the Philippines! You can check out Datablitz (I got mine from their SM Megamall branch) branches for only Php 695.00 ($14).