Topic: Perfect Dark (N64app) sucks.

I can't stand playing old games on new controllers, to be honest, so I'm just using the N64 controller.

But yea, they should at least let people who want to use modern controllers remap the buttons.

Can someone clarify for me? I don't actually have the N64 app. Is the control scheme not effectively the same as with the n64? Presumably, the left analog stick moves forward and strafes. The right analog stick emulates the c buttons. If I remember correctly, up and down look up and down, and left and right look left and right, which effectively turns you.

@RygelXVIII
its odd that the virtual console on wiiu did have button remapping on a per-game basis, was super handy for N64 games which used the C buttons heavily too like DK64.

While it had its flaws i did love the virtual console and felt like with some improvements it would have been amazing but the NSO feels like a step back in many ways especially with how making it exclusively service based means the games require online checks to function with no way of purchase.

while the latter i dont see changing sadly i do hope at least going forward that things like screen options and game-level button remapping become a thing for those who are okay with the subscription model.

@L27 exactly!

You can find some videos online about how to remap the buttons for GoldenEye. Perfect Dark will be the same I guess.

I remapped the buttons like this when GoldenEye released on NSO and it worked perfectly.
So, it takes a little bit of effort but it’s definitely worth it!

@Oish Nah, it definitely does take mere seconds. If it's not 5, it's no more than 15 or 20. It's two functions you need to swap. The sticks and ZL and ZR. That's it. Nothing more convoluted than swapping the functions of those two inputs (unless you really feel the need to alter anything else).

@RygelXVIII You’ll also have to swap the controllers settings in the actual game to 1.2 Solitaire to make it work.
At least that’s what I did with GoldenEye.

It’s pretty annoying to do this but it’s working.
They should’ve fixed this by now.

@RygelXVIII It takes less time to switch back. The Switch warns you the next time you turn the console on that the controller has been remapped and gives you the option to reset it to default. You can save the settings for PD/Goldeneye as a preset, which speeds things up.

It's bizarre. They already have save states per game, so button mappings per game doesn't seen hard.

When Tetris 99 came out everyone complained that is was basically unplayable on pro controller because the d-pad would constantly make a hard drop. And Nintendo quickly added other control schemes.

Since they did that with one NSO game, I don't understand why they can't with the main apps. Even the nes/snes games would be nice to be able to remap per game just to avoid little annoyances like jump button on a-button versus b-button.

I'm of the opinion every game should allow full button remapping by default. Some developers do this but Nintendo has often been actively against it (or at least actively against making it easy and convenient since you can do it annoyingly through Switch itself). Back when people were asking if they could add button remapping to BotW, there was an interview with the Nintendo person basically saying even allowing the possibility would ruin the experience of the game. So stupid...

@RygelXVIII
Really? I’m in the U.S. and was able to just go on the Nintendo Store and buy one a couple months ago, no problem. Didn’t even buy it right away actually, let it sit in my cart for a couple days.

After reading all this I decided to go on and give it a try, and all I can say about all the fuss is, "Really?" I didn't change a thing about the control layout and it was awkward at first but I got used to it in a few minutes and ran around killing all the bad guys easy-peasy. I'm sure I would be a sitting duck in multiplayer and maybe even the higher difficulties, but it's not like it's unplayable as everyone here is making it out to be. I even successfully beat Goldeneye back when that released without changing anything. Sure, I would prefer to be able to easily remap the controls to something better, but it's not going to keep me from playing a great game.

And I also went on the Nintendo Store here in the US just to check and the N64 controller is readily available right now. The biggest issue is it literally costs one cent too little to qualify for free shipping, which adds an additional $7 to the price. Not doing that.

It’s a pain. But once you’ve assigned the buttons, save as a preset. Then all you have to do is select the preset, change to 1.2 in the game, and you’re done.

I agree with all the criticism, but it’s manageable.

A little late to the topic - but I don't mind this at all (control scheme). We're given the N64 in all it's glory, and while having modern control options from the preset would be nice, it would require changing the games, which kind of defeats the purpose of the service.

With Goldeneye I made the controller presets, and it controls great (feels modern) once you know the setup. I was able to load up Perfect Dark using the presets, changed to control 1.2 and unchecked inverted, and it works great. I really don't mind the couple of seconds it takes to set up - but it would have been really nice to save the control layout in the N64 app vs at the system level. I have made similar presets for GBA and NES, and it works great.

I am so pumped to have this game on the Switch, this might be my favorite N64 game. I plowed through a few of the first levels and have loved it. Can't wait to get some people together for some 4 player Perfect Dark action, brings back so many memories.

I bought the 8bitdo N64 controller conversion kit and it’s great, the switch identifies it as a real N64 controller too. In case anyone is interested in that option.

Do keep in mind you need a real (wired) N64 controller to convert though.

I was happy that the button configurations I had saved for Goldeneye also worked for Perfect Dark without too much trouble.

I wish Nintendo had done more to make it better, but still enjoying the heck out of playing one of my favorite games that I have not played in years

@Eel I love this kit. Ordered a few different color OEM controllers and converted them

It basically ends up costing the same as the NSO controller from Nintendo, but I prefer the more modern joystick

@Bucky I used an old controller with a broken stick I was smart enough to keep from back in the day, so it was like getting one with a great discount!

@Eel That is a no brainer then, you gave that controller a new lease on life

So although playable it was still awkward, so I finally decided to just go and do the controller mapping that @L27 and @Reprise recommended. I'd never done it before so the first time it took a couple of minutes just to figure out where to go in the system menu and how to do it, but yeah, it made a world of difference. It controls perfectly now, and only takes a couple seconds now that it's set as a preset and you don't even have to do the in-game switches after the first time because they're still there. Plus as long as you take the half a second to turn the system off and back on again when you're done playing you don't have to switch it back because the system does it for you. Sure, it would be better if you didn't HAVE to do this, but some people really do like to make mountains out of molehills.

As a bonus question that I could just figure out myself but don't feel like it right now, is this a good setup for all N64 games, just the FPSs (are there any others besides Turok?), or just Goldeneye and Perfect Dark?

Is it the same as 007 on NSO? Or different and worse? Because I personally was able to get used to 007's controls.

@pikku I’m not sure but it should be pretty similar