To date, Analogue has released adaptors allowing nostalgic gamers to use modern wireless controllers on both their classic NES and Super Nintendo consoles. But the company, working with 8Bitdo, is turning the clock back even further with a new wireless adaptor for the 40-year-old Apple II and IIc computers.
Neither computer is remembered as a gaming powerhouse, but at the same time, these were some of the earliest machines to bring video games into the home. As a result, countless collectors still have fully functional Apple II and IIc computers, and it’s those early adopters/hardware hoarders that Analogue and 8Bitdo are targeting with this new adaptor.
Like with the previous versions of Analogue’s wireless controller adaptors, the newest Retro Receiver easily connects to the Apple II/IIc without the need for power cables or recharging. But instead of replacing corded controllers, it’s designed to replicate the computer’s keyboard, allowing you to play pretty much any classic game without having to deal with a cord or an awkward QWERTY layout.
The Retro Receiver for Apple II/IIc was created to help celebrate the original release of that classic computer 40 years ago. But if you’re just not a fan of the classic, and admittedly dated, games it was capable of playing, 8Bitdo has also created a retro Apple-themed wireless controller called the AP40 that can be used on most modern gaming devices with Bluetooth capabilities.
Analogue and 8Bitdo have opted to go the Kickstarter route to put their latest creations into gamers’ hands, and either the AP40 controller or the Retro Receiver can be pre-ordered with $64 pledges, and delivery is expected sometime in January. There’s also a limited edition version of the AP40 controller that comes with an aluminium stand shaped like the classic Apple II for $90, and an $111 combo that includes both the AP40 and the new Retro Receiver if you really want to maximise your Apple nostalgia.