The Future of Retro Gaming.

Interactive 3D Padless controller.
Modern technology for the retro era
Seven-pin NES controller plug
Fully OEM Compatible
A controller that lasts a lifetime

Made by players, for players.

Exploded view of the Padless controller's components
Spread of Padless controllers
Philosophy

Our Philosophy

The Padless Project is a passion project with the goal of designing and manufacturing fully-compatible retro controllers that use reliable, modern hardware. It is a project that aims to put an end to the days of ruined games, unpredictable controllers, and bottomless frustration. Our goal from the start has been to not only level the Esports playing field with a perfectly functional and consistent controller, but to redefine the retro gaming experience on the whole.

We believe everyone deserves to play their favorite games free from the interruptions that faulty controllers cause. Padless frees the player of all limits—with a Padless, your skill ceiling is no longer set by your controller, and you'll feel directly wired into the game like never before.

From the Community

What players say about their current controllers

Testimonials from top competitors in the Classic Tetris® community.

Blue Scuti

Blue Scuti

First to Beat Tetris® · 6× CTM Masters Event Winner

"I swap out the pads, most of the time this fixes it but sometimes I end up switching shells, and maybe motherboards. Have had a few times where I could shake the controller and get 30hz inputs."

Sidnev

Sidnev

CTM Masters Event Winner · CTWC Finalist

"Double flips were usually just cooked pads and could just replace them with any rotation pads no modification needed... Usually replacement is needed because they are just too worn out."

Giovanni

Giovanni

CTWC DAS Winner · CTM DAS Masters Winner

"Throughout my career, I have experienced all kinds of controller faults. In fact, I have a whole ritual for addressing controller troubles: check if it's in my head, look for anything broken, clean the motherboard, swap pads..."

About Us

Meet the Team

Ava, Founder & CEO

Ava

Founder & CEO

The visionary responsible for the Padless controller, Ava's love for problem-solving, her background as a maker, and her lifelong appreciation for quality gaming peripherals saw her designing and selling the very first Padless controllers. Making the controller was the easy part—after spending thousands of hours working through countless iterations, she noticed how much attention Padless had attracted, and began the hard work of building a premium brand around her invention.

Katie, COO & Head of Manufacturing

Katie

COO & Head of Manufacturing

A lifelong fan of gaming and methodical planner, Katie's arrival to the team finally let Padless transform from a passion project into a proper company. As the second full-time member of the team, she is responsible for manufacturing and shipping all of our controllers, on top of managing the essential organizational work that keeps the business moving forward.

Ben, Project Founder

Ben

Project Founder

Ben

Project Founder

A competitive retro gamer for over half a decade, Ben's dream of an NES controller powered by modern hardware and his engineering mind were the place from which the Padless Project was born. Nearly two years later, he still contributes to the now-company with his expertise in electrical engineering.

FAQ

Frequently Asked
Questions

Product
Our controllers eliminate unreliable rubber membrane pads entirely, using high-performance mechanical switches for consistent performance. They're more responsive, adjustable, and durable than even the best "padded" controllers.
Padless sales will open very soon, but not soon enough that we are confident providing a hard release date. We are comfortably in the final prototyping stages, and are working hard to ensure that every element of the controller is as perfect as it can be before we ship them out.
We ship worldwide with tracked shipping options. Delivery times vary by location.
Technical
The feel, travel distance, and actuation force/weight of the D-pad is completely user-configurable. At checkout, you will be able to select tactile, linear, or clicky button options, and choose how much force they take to activate.
Handle your Padless carefully and store it in a place where it won't fall. Don't apply excessive, prolonged force to any of the buttons (i.e. placed haphazardly in a full suitcase.) Use Padless with clean hands to ensure minimal dust and debris enters the shell.
Order & Support
You can either email support@gopadless.com or join our Discord. Check out our support page for more information.
All Padless models are made in and ship from the USA. Domestically, we offer USPS Ground Advantage (3-5 days) or Priority Mail (2-3 days). Internationally, we offer UPS Economy (5-12 days) or Expedited (2-5 days). The exact timing will depend on your location.
Join our official Discord to be the first to know about new products and updates!
Compatibility
Yes! This controller mirrors OEM behavior exactly, and is tested to work on popular NES clone consoles and other systems such as the MiSTer.
Absolutely! With the use of an external USB-adapter, Padless can be used on all emulators, and even be mapped to play non-NES games!

Can't find your answer here? Reach us on Discord or at support@gopadless.com.

Shop

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Community

Join the
Community

Be first to hear about new products, updates, and events. Connect with other players and the Padless team directly.

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