Exactly 40 years ago, the Nintendo Entertainment System hit store shelves in New York. The launch of the NES on October 18, 1985 in the United States reinvigorated gaming on home consoles in North America. To celebrate the console's crucial role in gaming history, 8BitDo is releasing new collection of NES-style hardware over the next few months. The NES40 collection includes three products: limited edition Ultimate 2 Bluetooth controllercompact wireless gaming speakerAnd Ultra-premium 68-key mechanical keyboard Made of aluminum alloy.
Pre-orders for the NES40 Collection open today. The Ultimate 2 Bluetooth Controller Bundle is limited to 1,985 units, and the N40 Edition Wireless Keyboard is also a limited edition. The new Retro Cube 2 speaker joins 8BitDo's everyday lineup as the manufacturer's first wireless speaker in a decade.
$80 | Limited to 1,985 units | Release November 15
The Ultimate 2 N40 Edition Bluetooth Controller retails for $80, which is just $10 more than the MSRP of the standard variant. white, blackAnd yellow publications Considering there are some notable extras included in the box, the N40 Edition is honestly a bargain. You will receive an exclusive clear black retro 8BitDo receiver for real NES consoles. Ultimate 2 Bluetooth and other 8BitDo Bluetooth controllers can sync wirelessly with original hardware using an adapter. Solid black option Retro receiverfor reference, the suggested retail price is $25. The kit also includes travel suitcasewhich 8BitDo usually sells separately for $20. Inside the box you'll find four custom joystick caps, including a pair labeled “NES” and “40”, as well as an 8BitBot keychain.
While the N40 has a Nintendo Entertainment System theme with red buttons on the faceplate, several shades of gray, and a custom dock to match the console's design, it's a celebration of 40 years of Nintendo hardware. The handles are decorated with the launch dates of Nintendo home consoles and handheld devices around the world. The only exception here is the June 15, 2025 date on the right side of the controller, as it represents the date 8BitDo created the N40. The NES launch date is in red and the rest are in black. Most dates relate to North American console launches or global releases, but there are a few dates associated with hardware launches in Europe and Japan. From top to bottom on each side. Here's what each date refers to:
Left Handle: Wii U (NA), NES (NA), Nintendo 64 (NA), Nintendo Switch (WW), Switch OLED (WW), SNES (NA), Wii (NA), GameCube (NA).
Right Handle: Game Boy (NA), Virtual Boy (NA), Switch Lite (WW), 3DS (EU), DS (NA), Game Boy Color (JP), Game Boy Advance (NA).
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Other than the extra accessories, the N40 is the same flagship 8BitDo controller released earlier this year. Ultimate 2 supports 2.4 GHz wireless connections on Nintendo Switch, Switch 2 and PC. It also supports Bluetooth for Switch 1/2, Android, Apple and SteamOS. It can last up to 25 hours on a full charge and has a polling rate of 1000 MHz. It features premium TMR electromagnetic joysticks, two remappable back buttons, and an additional pair of shoulder buttons. It also has two trigger modes: Linear Hall Effect and Nonlinear Microswitch (Rapid Fire Mode). Other features include 6-axis motion control, dual vibrating motors, a Turbo button, and RGB lighting rings. Control settings can be made using 8BitDo's Ultimate Software 2, and you can save up to three custom profiles that can be switched on the fly.
Read our special story on 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth for more details. In short: This is the best pro controller for the price for Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and PC.
$50 | Release December 12
Retro Cube 2 is a dual stereo speaker with retro gaming styling. The Retro Cube 2 measures approximately 3.5 inches on each side and weighs only a pound. It's a small, lightweight speaker with an affordable price and some nice features.
The red speakers are reminiscent of the Super Buttons on 8BitDo mechanical keyboards, including the new limited edition Retro 68 and the manufacturer's original 87-key N Edition.
Retro Cube 2 connects to your devices via Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless, or wired USB. It has two audio modes, one for gaming and one for music, and a built-in microphone. The NES-style D-pad isn't just for show; The D-pad controls volume, play/pause, and is used to sync your devices.
The package includes a wireless charging dock, which also has space for a USB-C cable. As with the charging dock on the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth and Pro 3 Bluetooth Gamepad, the dock has a built-in wireless extender for 2.4GHz audio.
Retro Cube 2 is equipped with a 2000mAh rechargeable battery that provides up to 30 hours of playback on a full charge. Charging time is 3-5 hours, but if you place it on a docking station, you will have a hard time draining the battery.
$500 | Release January 2026 in extremely limited quantities.
The N40 Edition 8BitDo keyboard is the manufacturer's first model with 68 keys. Typically, keyboards with 68 keys are called 65% keyboards. Until now, 8BitDo mechanical keyboards have come in 87-key models without ten keys and full-size 108-key versions.
Unlike the vast majority of 8BitDo products, Retro 68 Expensive. At $500, it is by far the most expensive product in the 8BitDo catalog. For reference, 8BitDo wireless keyboards typically retail for around $100. So why is the N40 Edition so much more expensive? Every component is made of aluminum alloy, from the frame to the keycaps and the first pair of wireless super buttons. Large microswitch buttons can be reprogrammed on the fly without the need for 8BitDo's Ultimate Software V2.
The special padded N40 Edition uses Kailh Box Ice Cream Pro Max linear switches with six custom dampers and RGB lighting. Like other 8BitDo keyboards, the N40 Edition has a hot-swappable PCB, although it's hard to imagine you'd want to swap out the aluminum alloy components.
The Retro 68 supports Bluetooth LE, 2.4GHz wireless, and wired connections on Windows and Android. When fully charged, it can work up to 300 hours. The limited edition set also includes a protective case and a certificate of authenticity.
The Retro 68 pairs perfectly with the NES-inspired 8BitDo mouse. The first wave of keyboard pre-orders also includes Retro R8 Wireless Mousewhich launched earlier this year for $50.
8BitDo Ultimate 2 and Keyboard Offers
If you like the look of the N40 Edition and don't want to spend $500, good news: the 8BitDo N Edition TKL mechanical keyboard is only $90 on Amazon. The full-size model currently costs $108.
It's also worth noting that Amazon has some good deals on the standard versions of the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth controller. You can get the white one Ultimate 2 Bluetooth for $60 (was $70)and the black and yellow editions are $63 each.
And if you don't need Nintendo Switch 1/2 support, the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 2.4GHz version for PC and mobile devices has received even more significant discounts. the white version is only $47.54 (was $60)purple is $49.19 and black is $50.39. You can also save 20% on Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Edition. On October 23, 8BitDo launches an attractive version of Ultimate 2 dedicated to Honkai: Star Railway.
Coincidentally, the Ultimate 2 N40 is not the first 40th anniversary controller 8BitDo has developed this year. In August 8BitDo partners with Xbox to release Rare 40th Anniversary Edition The ultimate 3-mode controller. The beautiful royal blue controller includes a matching charging dock and is 8BitDo's first wireless controller for Xbox. The rare 40th Anniversary Edition is on sale now. for the first time on Amazon.
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