When Nintendo announced the NES Classic Edition in July, Gen Xers around the globe got excited at the prospect of reliving some childhood memories of sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of a CRT TV. Apparently Nintendo was keen to make the trip down memory lane as authentic as possible, right down to a wired controller. But with many of those same Gen Xers now dealing with creaky lower backs and flexibility issues, most would prefer sacrificing authenticity for a wireless controller – and now they can with the wireless Miniboss controller from Nyko.
The size of the console wasn't the only thing Nintendo downsized with the NES Classic Edition. Whereas the original NES controllers had a cable around 7.5 ft (2.3 m) long, the pint-sized update has controllers with cables measuring just over 30 in (76 cm) long. So if gamers wanted to put any kind of distance between themselves and the (now much larger) TV screen, they'd need to dig up a long HDMI cord.
LA-based Nyko is offering another solution with its Miniboss for NES Classic Edition controller, which makes use of "space-age technology" to allow cord-free gaming at distances of up to 30 ft (9 m). This is achieved with a dongle that plugs into the controller ports on the front of the mini console to communicate with the controller, which boasts the same rectangular form factor, four-way direction pad and buttons as Nintendo's offering – albeit with the A and B buttons slightly offset and the addition of a power button to turn the controller on and off.
The Miniboss is currently available for pre-order for US$19.99 and will be available from November 11, which is the same day the NES Classic Edition is set to launch. And for those who want to retain the authenticity of a cord but give themselves some more breathing room, Nyko is also selling a 6-ft (1.8-m) extension cable for the NES Classic Edition for $9.99.
Source: Nyko
Considering the content on the product is static, I doubt I will want it constantly connected, so I think I will go with the $5 option.