[Review] 8BitDo Lite SE 2.4G Wireless Controller for Xbox
I'm physically challenged -- I was born with Cerebral Palsy. It’s a non-progressive condition that affects the part of the brain that handles the limbs and fine motor functions. I can't walk, am physically non-speaking, and can only use my right hand, but I play one-handed. Playing certain games one-handed can be challenging, and there are certainly some games that I cannot play, but I'm always up for a good challenge. It's part of what makes me, or anyone else, a gamer. I began to play video games at the age of 8, with Super Mario Brothers on the Nintendo Entertainment System, so I have over 30 years of gaming experience.
It’s only in recent years that the gaming industry has really pushed for better accessibility. Not only have both Xbox and PlayStation begun to put comprehensive accessibility options in games, but they’ve both released their own accessible controllers – the Xbox Adaptive Controller, and the PlayStation Access, respectively. One's choice, or lack thereof, of controller can have a major effect, good and bad, on enjoying games. Back in the day, my choices of games were limited to what I could play one-handed using a standard controller, on which I was unable to use the shoulder buttons. As I was limited to only the face buttons, my game choices mainly consisted of turn-based JRPGs, like Final Fantasy, Shin Megami Tensei, and Persona.
Thanks to attachments such as Collective Minds Gaming Co. Ltd.’s PS4 Strike Pack F.P.S. Dominator, PS4 Strike Pack Eliminator, and PS5 Strike Pack Horizon Vista, I was finally able to branch out to different genres and games. These clip-on adapters add programmable paddles (Dominator) and buttons (Eliminator; Horizon Vista) to the controller. I would just map them as shoulder buttons, which helped a fair bit. That said, while things did get easier, I still had trouble in some games due to the paddles and buttons being located on the inside of the controller's grips. This caused me to do finger gymnastics for some inputs, such as holding the L2 paddle with my thumb and reaching to press Circle with my middle finger, all while trying to avoid moving the right stick.
While both the Xbox Adaptive Controller and PlayStation Access are legitimately beneficial and have their strong points, such as the fact that they can be used in conjunction with their respective normal controllers, I have my qualms with both of them. Chief among my issues is the fact that the Xbox Adaptive Controller (henceforth “the XAC”) is $99.99 USD but it only comes with the controller itself, and a USB-C cable. The XAC has nineteen (19) 3.5mm ports and two (2) USB 2.0 ports for external inputs. What this means is that you’ll probably need to spend double that amount just to get the XAC and the Logitech Adaptive Gaming Kit, which only has 12 buttons. If you need more, you can either shell out $75 USD for each individual button, or another $99.99 for an additional Logitech Adaptive Gaming Kit.
While arguably better, the PlayStation Access (“the Access”) is subject to similar complaints. The circular controller is $89.00, has nine (9) built-in buttons and an analog stick, and comes with a USB-C cable; eight (8) pillow button caps; four (4) flat button caps; four (4) curve button caps; two (2) overhang button caps; one (1) wide flat button cap; a standard stick cap; a dome stick cap; a ball stick cap, and; twenty-three (23) button tags. Much like the XAC, the Access also has 3.5mm ports for external inputs, albeit just four (4). Nine (9) button are enough for the face buttons, shoulder buttons, and another input, but what about the D-Pad? What if a game requires two (2) analog sticks? Use a DualSense, or DualSense Edge with it, or buy a second Access.
In addition to the XAC and Access, 8BitDo has its own options in 2 variations of its Lite SE gamepad: Bluetooth, and 2.4G wireless, the latter I use daily. That said, the Bluetooth version of the Lite SE was not the first 8BitDo controller that I got for the purpose of accessibility, even if that wasn’t its intended purpose. That seems to be my “thing”: re-purposing things in the name of accessibility. For example, the Strike Pack adapters were all actually meant mainly for shooters and battle royals but I re-purposed them to suit my needs for accessibility.
First was actually the F30 Pro that I reviewed several years ago, which was 123.6mm x 53.3mm x 16mm (approximately 5” x 2.5” x 0.5”), and was styled after the Famicom controller. The F30 Pro has many replica parts, most noticeably the D-Pad and Select and Start buttons, which felt exactly like they did on the NES controller. The main reason why I got the F30 Pro was the shoulder buttons. Unlike being below L and R like on every other controller on the market, L2 and R2 were next to them on the F30 Pro, making them easier to press, thus making the controller more accessible. However, the F30 Pro had one glaring issue: the analog sticks were tiny -- about half the size of the standard ones (even smaller than those on the Joy-Cons), smooth and glossy, which made it difficult for me to keep my thumb on them. In the end, I was too hard on the F30 Pro, and the left stick is no longer registered.
I wasn’t until years later that I found the original/Bluetooth version of the 8BitDo Lite SE gamepad, which is marketed to be “for Gamers with Limited Mobility” and measures 120mm x 66mm x 26.35mm (approximately 4.7" x 2.6" x 1.04"). The original Lite SE was created in collaboration over 2021 and 2022 with Swedish father and son, Andreas and Oskar Karlsson to engineer a controller to meet the needs of passionate gamers with limited mobility like Oskar. It features lower-resistance buttons and highly sensitive analog sticks, as well as an unified face button layout, meaning that every button on the Lite SE is directly accessible on the face, including dedicated buttons for L3 and R3. The analog sticks are the size of those on the Joy-Cons, so the now-discontinued KontrolFreek Turbo thumbsticks fit on them.
Unfortunately, I have a couple problems with the original Lite SE. First is the D-Pad: It’s not like a standard one. It’s four (4) circular buttons, so it just didn’t feel right. My second problem is the size of the controller. It was designed for a child, and as such, it was entirely too small for me to like playing on; my hand felt so cramped. Nowadays, it won’t connect over USB, only Bluetooth, so I’ve since shelved it.
In 2022, I got in contact with the controller modding company, Evil Controllers who graciously created an 1 of 1 custom DualSense, modded to my specifications, and featuring mods they don’t even offer. Taking ideas from the Strike Pack adapters, it has dedicated L1, L2, L3, R1, R2, and R3 buttons located on the front of the controller's grips. It was also around this time that I discovered reWASD, which further enhanced the accessibility given to me by my modded DualSense.
As time went on however, I found that while the extra buttons were positioned to my specifications, I was running into the same problem I had with the adapters: the extra buttons are too far down to be used regularly and quickly. I was still having to hold L2 with my thumb and reaching to press Circle with my middle finger, all while trying to avoid moving the right stick. reWASD does help with this by making L2 a toggle but even so, the extra buttons being so far down makes the whole thing feel clunky and unintuitive. In recent months, the controller has also developed really bad stick drift on the right stick. As a result, I’ve since put it away.
In 2024, I found out that 8BitDo released a new, refined version of the Lite SE for Xbox Series, Xbox One, and Windows 10/11. This one ditches Bluetooth, using 2.4G wireless instead, its analog sticks have been upgraded to Hall Effect, and the controller itself is larger, measuring 145mm x 78mm x 30mm (approximately 5.71" x 3.07" x 1.18"), with the analog sticks and buttons being increased in size accordingly. For better or worse, everything from the original version is present on the 2.4G version: the lower-resistance buttons and highly sensitive sticks, the unified face button layout, even the circular button D-Pad.
Like the XAC and the Access, the Lite SE 2.4G also has two (2) 3.5mm ports for external inputs, located at the top of the controller. Included with the controller are: two (2) of 8BitDo’s Super Buttons; a 2.4G wireless adapter, and; a USB cable. The Super Button measures 75mm x 75mm x 33mm (approximately 2.95” x 2.95” x 1.30”), and feature large, programmable keys. You can map any function to them without using software by pressing the appropriate Super Button and what button you want, then the Star button. In addition, these versatile Super Buttons are also compatible with the XAC.
Unlike the original version, the Lite SE 2.4G is supported in 8BitDo’s Ultimate Software X. The Ultimate Software lets you adjust everything on the controller to your liking. You can remap the buttons; adjust the deadzone and sensitivity of each stick; program the Super Buttons, and; update the firmware of the controller. That said, it is not as powerful as reWASD, as it cannot do toggles or turbo.
I’ve also come across some quirks. First is that reWASD doesn’t see the Super Buttons, so I can’t remap or give them toggles or turbo when they’re plugged into the Lite SE 2.4G. I have to plug them into the XAC in order to do so while keeping the Lite SE 2.4G’s buttons normal. The second quirk is with using the controller wired with the BrookWingman FGC 2. While playing online matches in Tekken 8 and 2XKO, either the controller or the FGC 2, I'm not sure which, randomly freezes (like it causes me to hold back) until I restart the converter. The last quirk is that while the Super Buttons are also compatible with the XAC, I’ve been unable to get them to work with the Access.
Having a large controller not only an unified face button layout but also a symmetrical stick layout feels amazing. Used in conjunction with reWASD and a Brook Wingman P5 or XE 2, I feel like all the games that I actually want to play are finally within my reach with the Lite SE 2.4G. I have access to all the buttons, and can give them toggles or turbo if need be. The Lite SE 2.4G has allowed me to play games that I know for a fact that I would not be able to without it, such as Okami HD, Stellar Blade, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
You can purchase the 8BitDo Lite SE 2.4G from multiple sellers, including Amazon, and of course, the 8BitDo official website, and it’s currently $44.99 USD.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Accessibility Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
