Update July 13th, 11:15AM ET: Nintendo appears to have sold out of its N64 wireless controllers.
The official N64 controller for the Nintendo Switch has just been restocked at the Nintendo eShop. This $49.99 controller allows you to experience N64 games the way they were meant to be played — with a big gray controller that has an awkwardly placed central analog stick. This offer is exclusive to the Nintendo store and is only available to purchase if you’re a current Nintendo Switch Online subscriber (Note: you can only access the N64 games with the purchase of the Switch Online Expansion Pack).
Unlike some restocks for the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, the method for purchasing this controller is very straightforward. Just sign in to your Nintendo account ahead of time, click “add to cart” and cross your fingers. Stocks of this controller go remarkably fast so don’t be surprised if you see them become unavailable in short order.
For the uninitiated, Nintendo Switch Online is necessary for accessing the online components of a number of titles including Splatoon 2, Minecraft, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, just to name a few. As an added bonus, a membership also includes access to classic NES and SNES titles too. An annual subscription to this service only costs $19.99, however, to access Nintendo’s online library of N64 titles, you’ll have to subscribe to the Expansion Pack as well, which costs $49.99.
This re-release of the N64 controller is mostly what you’ll remember from the original console, with some quality-of-life improvements. Wireless connectivity that’s rechargeable via USB-C and built-in rumble support help modernize this classic controller but it retains the “classic” shape. While the overall form factor of the N64 controller remains divisive in a modern context, the popularity of this controller is proof that nostalgia will win every time.
Nintendo Switch (red and blue Joy-Cons)
The Nintendo Switch offers a 6.2-inch touchscreen, three play styles, and a Wi-Fi connection, thus enabling multiplayer gaming (with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription).