8BitDo 64 Controller D-Pad Diagonal Fix

Again? Really?

I thought 8BitDo fixed this problem, but the unwanted diagonal inputs with the D-pad is back on the 64 Bluetooth controller.

I was having trouble navigating menus on the Analogue 3D and the MiSTer. I couldn’t finish a level in Dr. Mario either. I was getting a lot of unintended diagonal and side movement while franticly trying to move pills around the screen. I decided to pop the controller open and take a look. Turns out the button contacts are on a flexible PCB and it doesn’t lay down completely flat.

My guess is this flex area is causing the contacts to raise up a little making diagonal inputs more likely to happen. I taped down the PCB and covered some of the contacts to make them less sensitive.

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Unwanted Diagonals on the 8BitDo SN30 D-Pad

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Parts List

• 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth controller
• Plastic pick or spudger
• Screw driver with a long star key tip and a Phillips head tip
• Kapton tape

Disassembly of the 8BitDo 64 Controller

1. Use a plastic pick to pop off the side panels on the controller.
2. Each side has 3 star key screws. Take them out and put aside.
3. Use the spudger again to pry the bottom seam open and pull apart from the bottom.
4. The battery has a plastic cover over it. Squeeze it to pop it off the main board.
5. Watch out not to lose the toggle switch on the back of the controller.
6. On the board are 5 Phillips screws. one was under the battery cover. remove them and put aside.
7. Now you can pull the front cover off. Turn the controller over to see the flexible PCB with the button contacts.
8. Cut a small piece of Kapton tape and tape down the PCB. You can cover the inside part of the button contacts a little to make them less sensitive to diagonals. (See photos.)
9. Once the PCB is laying flat, button the controller back up and test it out.

With this little mod, the D-pad should perform much better. Now I’m able to move pills around in Dr. Mario like I can with an original N64 controller.

Update the Firmware

Before connecting to devices, make sure you are using the latest controller firmware. You can do this by using the 8BitDo Ultimate Software V2.

How to Pair with the Analoge 3D

1. Put the controller in “D” mode with the toggle switch on the back.
2. Turn on the controller with the Start button.
3. On the top of the controller, push the Pair button until the lights on the bottom blink.
4. On the Analouge 3D, press the pairing button above the controller ports. (The light is the button.)

How to Pair with the MiSTer FPGA

1. Put the controller in “S” mode with the toggle switch on the back. (Arrow buttons won’t work in “D” mode.)
2. Turn on the controller with the Start button.
3. On the top of the controller, push the Pair button until the lights on the bottom blink.
4. Pair with the MiSTer by pushing F11 on a keyboard or using the BT pairing script in the Scripts menu.
5. Once the controller is paired, define the buttons in the top MiSTer menu.
6. Open the N64 core and in the core menu, define the buttons again.

How to Pair with the Nintendo Switch

1. Put the controller in “S” mode with the toggle switch on the back.
2. Turn on the controller with the Start button.
3. On the top of the controller, push the Pair button until the lights on the bottom blink.
4. On the Switch, navigate to the Controllers menu.
5. Then select “Change Grip/Order” and it should find the 8BitDo 64 Controller and show an icon like an N64 controller.

Once your controller is paired, hold the Start button to turn the controller on and off. The controller should automatically connect with the device it was last paired with.