8BitDo has announced an alternate version of its Ultimate C wired Xbox controller that’s 20 percent smaller and 10 percent lighter while still featuring full-sized triggers, joysticks, and buttons.
Although the new 8BitDo Ultimate Mini is designed for kids and teens, it will also appeal to any gamer with smaller hands who struggles with the size and weight of standard controllers. At 189.6 grams it’s lighter than the 287-gram Xbox Series S and X controllers (including batteries) and weighs less than half of “The Duke,” the 550-gram wired controllers the original Xbox shipped with. It’s available now in the US through Amazon for $34.99, as well as 8BitDo’s online store.
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Image: 8BitDo
The Ultimate Mini features the same layout as larger Xbox controllers but with action buttons, the directional pad, and its drift-resistant magnetic Hall effect joysticks all positioned closer together. There are also Hall effect triggers on the back, along with a pair of slightly smaller shoulder buttons.
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Image: 8BitDo
It comes with a white, pink, or green translucent shell, which makes a ring of LEDs surrounding each joystick glow more prominently. Called the Fire Ring, there are different lighting modes that react to various button presses with flashes, cycle through different colors, or follow the direction each joystick is being pushed.
The 8BitDo Ultimate Mini is compatible with the Xbox One, Xbox Series S and X, and PCs running Windows 10 or 11. There’s no wireless connectivity which helps keep the controller lightweight without batteries inside. But parents with kids who are prone to rage-quitting games and throwing their controllers may want to think twice about a gamepad that’s physically tethered to a console with no breakaway connector.