Update May 17, 7:33 PM ET: The Nintendo 64 controller is sold out and will no longer be available through Nintendo for the time being.
If you’ve been waiting to get your hands on Nintendo’s remake of the classic Nintendo 64 controller – perhaps for a certain Zelda title launched last week – today is your lucky day. Right now, you can buy the controller for $49.99 from Nintendo if you’re a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber. We’re not sure how much longer it will last, so it might be smart to buy it sooner rather than later. In most cases, we’ve seen it sell out in a matter of hours.
In case you’re not familiar with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, it’s basically split into two tiers. The basic subscription starts at $19.99 per year and gives you access to online multiplayer, cloud storage, and a library of classic NES and SNES games. A higher tier known as the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack (which costs $49.99 per year) tackles a few more incentives, including access to a handful of N64 games and DLC content for games like Mario kart 8, Splatoon 3, And Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
As for the controller itself, it’s essentially a remake of the original ’96 N64. It has a gray exterior, the same shape and a central analog stick. However, it also comes with a few modern features, including wireless connectivity and USB-C charging for relatively fast charging. There’s also built-in rumble support for games like star fox 64 that support it. Plus, you can use it to play games no matter what version of the Switch you have, whether that’s the standard console, the Switch Lite or the newer Switch OLED.
