Juan asked last session whether BlueRetro passes rumble and save states through to an 8BitDo controller. We didn’t have a clean answer. This stream, we got one.
First: Microscope Arm and Camera Setup
Opened by finally getting the microscope arm holder properly built and tested. It’s been on the list for a while. The question of how to capture the magnified display cleanly on camera still needed some thought, so while that sorted itself out, we pivoted to Juan’s question.
Testing BlueRetro with the 8BitDo SN30 Pro
BlueRetro receiver in the N64. Firmware updated, BLE connection established, 8BitDo SN30 Pro paired. First finding: 8BitDo doesn’t handle save states at the hardware level on its own. That’s the controller’s limitation, not a BlueRetro problem.
But BlueRetro has something built into its firmware that isn’t obvious until you know to look for it. The home button on the SN30 Pro toggles between two modes: Rumble mode and Save State mode. That’s the whole trick. One button, two behaviors, already in the firmware.
Once you know it, it works clean. Rumble passes through to the controller. Save states land correctly. No workarounds, no software patches, no drama. It’s just sitting there waiting.
Verdict on BlueRetro for N64
If you’ve been on the fence about BlueRetro as a wireless solution for the N64, this is probably the video that tips it. It’s a genuinely impressive piece of open-source firmware. The barrier to entry is knowing it exists and knowing where the mode toggle lives. Now you know both.
Shell Color Decision: Locked
At the end of the stream, a call that had been sitting out there got made. Both shells are getting the Bonus Life treatment — the translucent white AND the translucent blue. That theme is locked. Two consoles, two chances for someone in the community to take one home July 3rd.
Rob streams live repairs and builds every Tuesday and Saturday at 7pm Eastern on Twitch. The Bonus Life N64 build — a complete custom Nintendo 64 being rebuilt from scratch and given away July 3rd, 2026 — is the current main series.