Pro Controller X (also pronounced Pro Controller Cross) is a Wii U pro controller modified to use act as an 8BitDo Lite 2. It adds Gyro controls, and native Switch (and PC) support to the Wii U Pro Controller. It uses an 8BitDo Lite 2 Controller for the hardware, and shows up as a regular "Pro Controller" in Bluetooth to devices like a PC and Switch. I picked the 8BitDo Lite 2 specifically, as it had all the functionality I wanted, while being designed on a 2-layer PCB. Using GIMP, I was able to reverse-engineer the schematics with some scans of the board. The PCB was then designed within KiCAD, using scans of the Wii U Pro Controller PCB to ensure that the board size and placement was accurate.
This project was built for the Bitbuilt Summer Building Contest 2023. Originally it was entered to give myself a deadline to finish, and was designed to be a shorter project than usual, giving me a small project during College. During the project, I tracked everything on Github. Files are released "as-is", and I will not provide support for this.
The project won second place, being one of the few projects that finished.
Features:
- Motion Controls (Gyro Aim)
- Switch/PC Compatibility
- D-Input Compatibility (if trace is cut)
- Rumble
Skills Learned:
- Embedded Systems
- PCB Design (KiCAD)
- Reverse Engineering
- Lithium Batteries
- Power Management
- Power Regulator Design
- Antenna Design
- Circuit Modding
- ENIG Button Design
Inspirations:
Hardware:
- OEM Wii U Pro Controller shell and buttons
- 8BitDo Lite 2 controller for the electronics
- Custom PCB to adapt the 8BitDo Lite 2 into the shell of the Wii U Pro Controller
Versions:
Rev 1.0.0 - Initial Release - Accidentally mixed up VCC and GND on the right stick PCB
Rev 1.0.1 - Currently unreleased. Fixed issue from Rev 1.0.0
Instructions:
Instructions for this project are not available.
All Files are available on the Github
Please note that some 0402 resistors and LEDs are needed, either from the Wii U Pro Controller, or Digikey, these are:
- 4x 0603 Blue LEDs (D1, D2, D3, D4)
- 1x 0603 Orange LEDs (D5)
- 5x 1K Ohm 0402 Resistors - used for the Blue and Orange LEDs (R17, R18, R19, R20, R21)
- 2x SMD Buttons (Manufacturer number used: TL3315NF100Q)
- 2x Alps joysticks (Manufacturer number used: RKJXV122400R) - can also be desoldered and reused from the Wii U Pro Controller
The below components will need to be ordered from Digikey
- 1x 1.2K Ohm 0402 Resistor - used to increase the charge limit to 1000mAh (R3)
- 4x 1K Ohm 1206 Resistors - used to offset the joystick boards
- 1x TH USB-C Connector (CU3216SASBLR004-NH or alternative)
Can I buy this?
Not really, if you're really interested, you may contact me, but I may not be willing to sell. Please note that I don't have them in stock, so I cannot guarantee anything.
Notes:
Please note that the reverse engineered schematics are not 100% accurate. I did not test for polarity on components (primarily transistors and diodes). The reason for this is because the components need to be transplanted by hand, and only the board needed to be completely accurate, so even with the schematic discrepencies, the board still works. When assembling, polarity should already be done from factory, so all you need to do is keep the same orientation of all components, the layout matches as closely as I possibly could.
Troubleshooting
- Stick Drift Occurs:
- Note that the firmware on the controller calibrates the sticks when it turns on. It's recommended to roll the sticks 360 degrees to max out the stick limits for calibration.
- How to Connect Bluetooth:
- The Sync button needs to be pressed on the Pro Controller to start the pairing process. This is in the same location as the Wii U Pro Controller, the red button on the backside of the controller
- Powering On/Off the Device:
- To power on the Pro Controller X, press the Power button.
- To turn off the Pro Controller X, Hold the Power button for about 5 seconds.
- Note that other buttons will not turn on or off the controller
- The "Home" button and "Screenshot" button are swapped?
- This is intentional. The 8BitDo controller this is based on only allows the controller to power on when the home button is pressed, since the buttons are split on the Wii U controller, the functionality would be split anyway, so I prioritized it being clear how to power on and off the controller, rather than the function.
Images:
