8BitDo’s new extra-green Xbox keyboard gives me 2001 vibes

8BitDo makes mechanical keyboards now, and they’re pretty good even if you’re not into the NES aesthetic. Since introducing the Retro Keyboard last year, the company has made several more versions, including ones that celebrate the IBM Model M and Commodore 64, among others. But the newest Xbox version is really plucking at my 90s-kid heartstrings.

This is almost the exact same keyboard that I reviewed a year ago, just redone in translucent green plastic. But unlike 8BitDo’s previous designs, which were evocative but not officially branded, this one has Microsoft’s official Xbox seal emblazoned on it. It also gets an RGB lighting upgrade (which didn’t really make sense for the previous 80s-style designs). Note the multi-colored arrow keys mirroring the original Xbox controller.

Just in case you’re wondering: The Xbox labeling here is entirely for the vibes. The Retro Keyboard uses a wireless USB receiver and multi-device Bluetooth, which should work fine with any desktop or laptop and most mobile devices. It’ll also work on a modern Xbox One or Series X/S, assuming you’re playing a game with mouse and keyboard support.

Of course, if you had an OG Xbox, you remember that it was big and black, not green, though its logo and flashy console interface were very green indeed. The translucent green plastic harkens back to something of a white whale of console collectors:

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