Retro-Bit Sega Saturn Pro Controller FW 1.01 Review - My Go-To For Saturn Gaming!

Retro-Bit's long-awaited Sega Saturn Pro Controller is finally here! In this video, I share my thoughts on this latest controller for the Sega Saturn and how it handles. For this video, I am using the first 1.01 firmware update for the Saturn Pro Controller.
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Time Stamps:
0:00 - Acknowledgement
0:10 - Intro
0:46 - What's In The Box
1:35 - Aesthetics And Build Quality
4:40 - Gameplay
10:16 - What It Could Have Done Better
11:01 - Verdict
11:43 - Outro/Support
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[@G.G.___162]

I was extremely bummed that Z & C are not only automatically mapped to L1 & R1, instead of being their own buttons; but also they made it even worse by mapping the wrong one to each one. i.e. Z should be L1 and C should be R1 But they screwed that up, so Z is R1, and C is L1.. This ruins a bunch of situations for me that i iniitally wanted the controller for. At least they fixed the analog trigger issue when using it on an actual Saturn in analog mode (via firmware update) But issues aside, it's built very well, and it has become my main controller for gaming on Android (it doesn't support bluetooth though [another bummer], but i always game via my Samsung Dex dock to my TV, so i can use the USB reciever)

[@HiResDez]

agreed

[@midorifox]

they could've also made Z be Z, and C be C, SDL and DirectInput support extra buttons lol. Also not having actual analogue trigger still baffles me.

[@G.G.___162]

@midorifox yes exactly; that just blows my mind. There's just no reason to have two extra buttons, that aren't actually extra buttons I have a USB N64 controller that has more buttons (I think maybe just one extra altogether [Z], but still), and everything I use it on has no problem reading an extra input. And yes why not have two, if not three extra input modes? It does have D-input & X-input.. but they both give the same result of Z & C not being their own buttons, and instead mimicking other buttons. Super mega ultra bummer for me; That was the absolute entire reason I was looking forward to that controller, and they just F'd the pooch completely on that note I really hope they make a 2nd model where every button is their own. But with that said: the Pro controller is still my go-to controller for gaming on my Android (thanks to my Samsung Dex dock, which adds 3 usb ports, so I can use the dongle; as well as an SD card slot and tf card slot; and it hdmi's right to my portable 13 inch monitor, and keeps it charged all at the same time The ultimate travel gaming setup. I visit a few friends a few times a year, and having that dock enables us to plug in three controllers directly, and bluetooth another controller for the 4th player. Lots of Power Stone 2 and Virtua Tennis tournaments going on during those trips; Smash Bros 64 and Sonic Shuffle & Mario Party sessions as well. Dex is seriously the greatest thing ever for our purposes; plus bluetoothing a keyboard and mouse on top of all of that; And while all that's happening with the Dex desktop OS on the monitor, my phone is still being a phone, so I can look up move lists and what not on my phone, while we game on the monitor; all coming from one device. Love it. But yeah.. would be better still if Z and C were just: Z & C, for god' sake lol

[@LonelySpaceDetective]

UPDATE: I've been told that this video was recorded using an early version of an upcoming firmware update that addresses much of the 3D Control Pad compatibility issues, so the first portion of this comment should be pretty much completely ignored. I still stand by the rest of my statements at the moment, though I should note my connectivity issues may have a solution; see replies. I feel like you're underselling how bad the compatibility is for 3D Control Pad games. I don't have an actual Saturn to do testing myself, but from other reviews I've seen some games such as racing titles are downright unplayable as things stand, and in particular NiGHTs has issues where the triggers just don't work at all for things like air-brakes. It seems like this isn't just a problem with the digital triggers, as in addition to that Duke Nukem 3D clip you posted the 3D Sonic World portion of Sonic Jam also has an issue where Sonic constantly walks forward. Retro-Bit are aware of these issues and are working on a firmware update, at least. That said, I exclusively use mine on PC, and it has served me well aside for two issues: The smaller is that C and Z mirroring L and R reduces the configuration options you have and in particular makes it impossible to replicate the Genesis/Saturn controller layout in emulators (trying to bind Mode to R or L and R to... L and R will just mess up your C and Z mappings), and for fighting games this means you have to treat it as a standard 8 button gamepad with either C and Z or L and R being dead buttons. They are apparently working on a firmware update to add a mode where C and Z mirror L3 and R3, which is probably the best possible solution within the limitations of it being Switch and XInput-compatible (though I'd like to also see a mode where C and Z mirror ZL and ZR, to match the behavior of the original controllers). The *bigger* issue is that my controller has been occasionally dropping connection when playing a game; going completely dead until it can reconnect, and potentially messing up the XInput player number it's associated to in Windows. It's pretty random, but it seems to happen most often when I'm pressing a number of buttons in quick succession alongside d-pad movement, which makes it unusable for something like fighting games. _Very_ annoying! But with that said, I really don't know what's happening here, I plan on trying a few things to see if it helps the issue and I hope this can be addressed in a firmware update. For the record, I play next to a router but it never posed a problem for my previous wireless Saturn controllers, and this is my first V2 controller.

[@ForeverWinter1812]

I found line of sight to be important when I was playing on Nintendo switch. Like the signal would drop when it was behind the TV but when I moved it out it stopped stopped having issues. I hope that helps you. I've actually been testing the 3d mode compatibility. And its certain titles being affected. There's 69 3D pad compatible games. Nights, Duke nukem/quake/powerslave are the most acknowledged right now. There's maybe at most 10 race games affected by this. I can confirm that panzer dragoon 2, saga, and burning ranger works great. I've used the Saturn pro controller with the wingman SD adapter on Dreamcast to play crazy taxi 2, resident evil code Veronica, and a couple other titles with great satisfaction. Hopefully retro bit can get the firmware to fix the 3D compatibility issue out soon and add a twin stick mode.

[@LonelySpaceDetective]

@@ForeverWinter1812 Yeah I just tried UMvC3 for a bit with my laptop pushed closer to me and trying to keep the controller above my desk before I saw your reply, and it seemed to make a difference; though it'll probably need more testing before I can confirm if it actually helps in my case or if I just had a good hour or so. I do appreciate the thought in giving me advice, though! As for 3D Control Pad compatibility, interesting to hear that it isn't as dire as I had figured, though I have to say that NiGHTs is a pretty high-profile game to have issues in. Oh, and I like the thought of using this gamepad on the Dreamcast, though I don't have an actual Dreamcast. I wonder if the receiver for Retro-Bit's upcoming Dreamcast repro will work with the Pro Controller.

[@ArchadesGames]

My review is done with the updated firmware. And no, I haven't had compatibility issues.

[@ForeverWinter1812]

No problem! I'm happy to help. I'm actually not surprised that Nights slipped by. A lot of people had no idea that air brakes were a thing. It is a pretty big oversight on retro-bit part not having the controller at least usable with race car games out the door. As of right now the Saturn pro controller is compatible with all their Sega V2 dongles. So you can use it on Genesis/Master system. The d-pad and left analog trigger work at the same time. Their wireless Dreamcast controller is supposed to use the same V2 dongle as well. So they should all be interchangeable. Yeah absolutely check out the Dreamcast with this controller it's great 😂

[@ArchadesGames]

What racing game doesn't work? I have tried almost all of them without a single issue.

[@Prince.Mykal.Vision]

If retrobit doesnt drop a firmware update to deal with the CZ/LR mirroring before my 30 day return policy is up, I'll be sending my controller back. Because after 5 years of development, theres no good reason this controller was still released half baked.

[@ArchadesGames]

You and I have different definitions of half baked

[@Prince.Mykal.Vision]

@@ArchadesGamesWe absolutely do have a difference opinion on what half baked means. I've been following the development of this since 2018. Conceptually this control pad is a great idea, but retro-bit fumbled the execution in ways that are hard to excuse with a 5 year head start: - Its marketed as a 10 button gamepad, but upon launch we find out its 'functionally' an 8 button controller. - The instructions contain typos, and reference functions that dont exist for this controller - No way of changing bindings to something practical for most common usage cases for modern gaming OR retro emulation - D-input implementation has been fumbled, as it allows for 128 separate inputs from a control surface - its comes with a usb-c cable/port, but can't be used in wired mode - There is currently no way to manually turn off the controller, which will reduce the longevity of the battery quicker. (Probably by design) - Dropped the ball on having analog triggers - Beta testing was poor, as there are a number of saturn games that exhibit bugs with regards to use the analog sticks. While some saturn software won't respond at all. These are issues that could and should have been addressed before launch. I would have litterally bought 10 of these if it weren't for these obvious and glaring oversights. I also would have easily been willing to pay a higher price point for analog triggers. Hopefully 8-bitdo picks up thier slack.

[@ArchadesGames]

It was marketed as a Saturn controller that can also be used for modern games. It was previewed before release and at Portland so if you thought otherwise that's you having false expectations. Oh no... It literally uses standard Xbox button mappings when used on modern titles so if that isn't standard enough for you that's a you problem. Emulation use is great for Saturn and PlayStation style gaming and it has been fun playing PS1 games with 6 face buttons of Saturn games with 4 shoulder buttons. That's nice, but modern games use Xbox/PS controls anyways. Not a problem in my eyes when the wireless has under a frame of lag, but preference. Start+Select+R can be used for such an instance if desired. Not to mention it auto shuts off after 5 minutes anyway. Analog triggers have made no significant impact on any game yet, so preference. As mentioned in the video I understand it being a deal breaker for some. I can only share my experience on the firmware I got where three games having "unnoticeable in the heat of gameplay" upward drift is hardly deal breaking. Sorry it doesn't line-up with some use case you envisioned but that is more on you and false expectations. Don't buy it, return it, I really don't care lol I will keep enjoying it regardless.

[@GamingDelight]

The firmware update (for the Saturn receiver) is available now.

[@OregonPacifist]

@@Prince.Mykal.Vision100% agree with your assessment here. Retro-Bit really dropped the ball. It’s inexcusable for how long it’s been in development.

[@Kulumi888]

I also bought it. I think it's very useful.👍

[@ArchadesGames]

Can't wait till they release the new firmware that squashes the lingering issues!

[@thomasmeldrum6238]

It seems like, with analog triggers and compatibility with more systems, this could be darn near the perfect controller/control scheme for all kinds of retro games. I really wish it came with a Genesis/MD receiver (and while we’re dreaming, an N64 receiver).

[@pausebreakreviews]

That NiGHTS footage at 11:03 is all I needed to let me know this controller is complete and utter crap. Just look at the way NiGHTS jitters and snaps to the cardinal directions, it's a far cry from the smooth and free-flowing movement you get on an original 3D Pad.

[@ultraspinalki11]

An original standard controller or the 3D pad?

[@pausebreakreviews]

@@ultraspinalki11 3D pad of course. I've edited the comment to be a little clearer!

[@ArchadesGames]

No worries, it won't be for everyone. I will keep enjoying mine regardless!

[@HKT-4300]

WOW it seriously looks like they're just playing with the D-pad.. i already wasn't impressed but DAMN.

[@DigitalAsshat]

Sega Lord X mentioned compatibility issues with Saturn in his review. How about that?

[@tubinonyou]

Yeah, apparently there are many games that, when in '3D Pad Mode', require the use of analog triggers which this pad does not have. According to Sega Lord X, these games are unplayable in that mode. Almost makes me want to cancel my pre-order.

[@ForeverWinter1812]

There are 69 3D pad compatible games. Roughly 30 of them have issues that can be fixed with a firmware update. The notable ones are less than 10 racing games. Nights (air braking) Duke nukem/quake/ powerslave can't strafe. You can use the controller as a normal controller perfectly with all these tho. I can confirm that panzer dragoon 2, saga, and burning rangers work perfectly fine. Update; just went ahead and checked deep fear compatibility. Up and down doesn't work. You can move sideways but you can't just move straight. Going to contact retro bit about that ASAP.

[@DigitalAsshat]

@@tubinonyou I planned to order but I think I'll skip this one. Planned to use it on MiSTer, so button mapping is no problem, but no analog triggers is a bummer....

[@ArchadesGames]

My review is done with the updated firmware as stated in the video intro.

[@DigitalAsshat]

@@ArchadesGames I know, but I didn't know what's fixed by this update. Thanks.....

[@Kevin-jp4rb]

Is the joystick the same size as a Switch Joycon? Wondering if thumbstick add on would work

[@KYBlueJedi]

10:04 YES!! There is no more battery drain issue like the V1 SS controller!!!

[@HiResDez]

I can't get the ZL&ZR triggers to work at all on PC

[@OregonPacifist]

Is there any way to NOT have the shoulder buttons mirror C and Z for non-Saturn gaming (like on a PC or Raspberry Pi)?

[@ArchadesGames]

No

[@Renovence]

Do you know the power off command for this controller?

[@rescuecomplex5115]

Hi. Great review. Is the pro controller compatible with Hexen and Sega Touring Car on Saturn, please? Thanks

[@ArchadesGames]

I have played both without issue

[@rescuecomplex5115]

Thank you!@@ArchadesGames

[@ArchadesGames]

I am again on the next firmware update so that should hopefully be publicly released in the next few days/week. But you can see Hexen in action in this video at 49:00 kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHvMpaqPis13jKssi=ejL2rohy-0SujsaW

[@CaptainScarLeg]

Wait, the rumble motors only work when wired? You mentioned this right after talking about using it on Switch but is this true on PC too? The rumble motors don't work when using the controller wirelessly on PC no matter what input mode you're using etc.? If that's true it's very disappointing.

[@ArchadesGames]

This controller is only wireless. Rumble only works with the USB receiver.

[@CaptainScarLeg]

@@ArchadesGames Well, good to know the rumble works with the receiver. I'm fairly certain the controller will work wired on PC though, as the previous non-pro version does (I have it) and I don't know of any modern controllers with a USB port that won't work when wired, that would be really weird.

[@kirillian358]

digital triggers aren't gonna affect games ??? big oof

[@ArchadesGames]

Yep, I still haven't found one where it made a difference to me as I said three times.

[@pausebreakreviews]

@ArchadesGames Sega AGES Outrun? Sega Touring Car Championship and Daytona Championship also use them for analogue acceleration. Powerslave also uses it for analogue strafing. Just because you haven't found one that makes a difference, doesn't mean there aren't any and doesn't mean you should gloss over them, it means you should do more research.

[@ArchadesGames]

I didn't say they didn't make a difference 🤣 I literally show them being different in the video. I said I haven't found a single title where it impacted me in any meaningful way.

[@ForeverWinter1812]

​@@pausebreakreviewsit is important to note digital triggers are not game breaking. Everyone who grew up with an N64, PlayStation 1, and the standard Saturn controller understands. Yes digital triggers for racing games is more immersive. But growing up with the first two Gran Turismo games using X and circle to accelerate and brake. It does not hinder the gameplay.

[@tittieslolo]

​@@ForeverWinter1812PS1 had pressure sensitive face buttons.

[@josephfrye7342]

These retro-bit and 8bitdo are excellent. They are compatible with Windows Mac OS Linux FreeBSD and also steam and smartphones. Which they are replacing the Xbox one ish controller or possibly ps4 controller.

[@mikeandroid3512]

How can I use this controller with my ps4?

[@josephfrye7342]

@@mikeandroid3512 maybe you should check the box if it supports it

[@mikeandroid3512]

@@josephfrye7342no not natively it doesn’t.

[@josephfrye7342]

@@mikeandroid3512 so there you go that is why I ditched ps4 controller from my mac mini

[@getterpaolo2473]

Can you try this on ps5 with brook converter and see if it works? Most especially for Street Fighter 6

[@ArchadesGames]

It should, it works on my Xbox Series X/S with the Brook Adapter

[@getterpaolo2473]

@@ArchadesGames can you try it on the brook wingman ps5? I just want to make sure.

[@ArchadesGames]

I don't have a PS5 Brook Adapter

[@getterpaolo2473]

@@ArchadesGames ok I confirmed this works on brook ps5 controller. It does drop though

[@NLSagat]

@@ArchadesGames first of enjoyed the review! One question though. On pc or ps5/xsx would it be possible to remap the 2 right side shoulder buttons as l1 and r1 (or l2 and r2 i guess)? If yes i could use the pad the way i prefer to play sf4 and sf6 ( having both 3xpunch and 3x kick on the right side shoulder buttons. While having the regular punch and kick buttons on front facing.

[@ddsq2]

Will this work on Steam / Gamepass?

[@ArchadesGames]

Yes

[@shleeve]

When is 1.01 coming out?

[@shleeve]

btw, forward drifting issue also occurs in Quake and Powerslave.

[@ArchadesGames]

Not sure, they are looking to address the stick still having the slight upward movement in some titles before dropping it.

[@mikeandroid3512]

How can I play this on my ps4 console ?

[@ArchadesGames]

Get a Brook Adapter

[@mikeandroid3512]

@@ArchadesGamesokay. Which model ? Any input lag ?

[@ArchadesGames]

I don't have one so you would be better off doing your own research

[@Fattydeposit]

I returned this controller I disliked it so much, and as a replacement for a 3D Control Pad it's a total failure. .

[@HKT-4300]

Man i dunno about this one, the saturn controller's shape is so made for your hands to be perfectly on the D-pad and face buttons that this doesn't make much sense to me, even just moving my thumbs down there on a regular saturn pad feels uncomfortable.. My biggest problem with retro-bit is how much they keep leaning towards making their stuff fully compatible with Switch, when i don't see there being a large market on switch for these controllers cause there's plenty of other ones way better suited to switch. That focus in turn makes these just not great options for the actual systems they're "for" which imo should be their #1 priority, No analog trigger when it's supposed to be a 3D pad is laughable, they'd rather add a second stick which is of 0 use on saturn, and when it could be of some use for a game like Virtual-On where they could emulate the Twin-stick controller they won't implement the feature. I got the same complaints and more seeing their new Dreamcast ones which make even less sense to me.. in addition to the contollers i had from them feeling inferior to the originals.. these systems deserve so much better.

[@waldsonsilva7980]

The execution on this controller looks like trash fire. Glad I didn't buy this.

[@Prince.Mykal.Vision]

Yup, I waited for 5 years and was hyped for this to be my universal controller, but purchasing mine the design choices and limitations are stupid. The biggest disappointment is the permanant mirrored button layout for PC, it completely defeats the point of having 4 shoulder buttons. The other glaring omission of analog triggers, and lack of wired mode pretty much ruins the potential of this pad. I'll most likely be returning it as it doesnt excell at anything, and yet fails to deliver on anything that makes it different than the other pads already available. I guess I'll be buying the victrix bfg pro for a universal controller.