Budget controller brand 8BitDo just opened preorders for its new Arcade Controller, an impressively thin and customizable gamepad that costs just $89.

The 8BitDo Arcade Controller measures just 16mm thick and features 16 buttons with Kailh Wizard low-profile mechanical switches (hot-swappable, of course). Each button is accompanied by an illuminated label, and the controller uses different sets of labels when swapping between S-Input (Switch) and X-Input (PC) modes—a very useful feature that I’d love to see in 8BitDo’s more conventional gamepads.

However, these illuminated labels are not “screens,” they’re just shine-through labels. You can’t customize them to show different letters or numbers. In fact, only four of the face buttons on the Arcade Controller are programmable—the bean-shaped ones labeled “P1” through “P4.” You can program them to stand in for single buttons that aren’t available elsewhere on the Arcade Controller, such as “L3,” or use them to trigger macros. Interestingly, 8BitDo includes four recessed “lock caps” that you can place on the programmable buttons in order to make them flush with the controller and reduce the chance of accidental presses.

8BitDo made the controller wireless, too, with a 30-hour battery life. A 2.4GHz dongle is included for PC connectivity, there’s Bluetooth for the Nintendo Switch, though you can opt for USB-C if you want to conserve battery life or minimize latency. 8BitDo claims that the Arcade Controller’s 1,000mAh battery will endure 20 hours of gameplay in wireless mode.

Unfortunately, as you may have noticed, the Arcade Controller is only designed for Switch and PC. 8BitDo is selling a different version specifically for Xbox and PC, but it costs $10 more than the standard model.

The 8BitDo Arcade Controller for Xbox also has an all-black design to distinguish it from the standard model. And, curiously, it features RGB backlighting around most of its face buttons. 8BitDo also chose to remove Bluetooth from the Xbox version of the gamepad, it replaced the input mode knob with a volume knob, added a headphone jack, removed programmability from two of the “P” buttons, and tossed in a larger 3,000mAh battery that boasts up to 40 hours of use with RGB disabled.

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In any case, both of these controllers look to be compelling options for fans of fighting and beat em’ up arcade games. They’re attractive, feature rich, and shockingly affordable. Similar options like the Razer Kitsune may be “better” than the 8BitDo Arcade Controller, but they cost about three times as much money.

You can pre-order the 8BitDo Arcade Controller or Arcade Controller for Xbox today. They cost $89 and $99, respectively, and are scheduled to launch on July 15th. Of course, the Arcade Controller is just a bunch of buttons. There isn’t a joystick. If you want a joystick, you should check out 8BitDo’s Arcade Stick, which we reviewed earlier this year.

8BitDo All-Button Arcade Controller

The 8BitDo Arcade Controller features a 16-button layout with four programmable buttons. It supports S-Input for Nintendo Switch, X-Input for PC, and offers wireless connectivity over Bluetooth or 2.4GHz USB dongle.

Source: 8BitDo via The Verge