Hori Mini Pad

The red Hori Mini Pad.

The Hori Mini Pad (also sometimes called the Hori Pad Mini and the Hori Mini) is a second party Nintendo 64 controller released exclusively in Japan by Hori late in the Nintendo 64's lifespan in several color variants. Due to its scarcity caused by only releasing in Japan for a relatively short time period, it has become a rare find and is highly sought after by competitive Nintendo 64 tournament scenes and collectors. The controller typically fetches high prices on secondhand markets for this reason.

Several third party companies have made attempts to create similar controllers to the Hori Mini Pad to fill the void of scarcity. In 2018, Retro-Bit, a third party company that produces similar products, announced they had signed a deal with Hori to reprint the Mini Pad under their name. Their version of the Mini Pad has since been released on their website under the name "Tribute64", with the choice of either a Nintendo 64 or USB plug.

Differences from Nintendo 64 controller

The controller as a whole is much smaller than the original and lacks a middle prong. The control stick is moved to the left side of the controller and the Directional pad was moved to the bottom. The Mini Pad comes with two Z buttons on the shoulders, acting as a precursor to the ZL and ZR buttons of modern Nintendo controller. As such, two Z buttons are allowed on custom button layouts.

Its components are notably high-quality for a second-party controller, with buttons and durability on par with the original. Some even consider the Mini Pad the gold standard of Nintendo 64 controllers as well as one of the Holy Grails of gaming controllers in general. However, there are some flaws with the controller. It's small frame makes holding the controller difficult for some players, as well as it having an overly sensitive control stick and an unreliable D-pad in an awkward position.

In competitive play

The Hori Mini Pad is widely considered as superior to the official Nintendo 64 controller in all competitions that involve a Nintendo 64. Due to its more conveniently-shaped and high quality design, the Hori Mini Pad is considered a tournament standard and is preferred by several top Super Smash Bros. smashers, including Revan, tacos, and EmmiZhang, for its ease of Smash DI, taunt cancels, and pivoting. This reputation took a while to cultivate due to releasing only in Japan with the rest of the world not having a proper chance to experience the controller. The rise of the internet and message boards, as well as online marketplaces like Ebay and Amazon, played a major part in spreading awareness and demand for the controller internationally. The Tribute64 further increased its popularity, as players can now own a new version of the controller that is compatible with both original hardware and emulators for a reasonable price.

Gallery

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  The rebranded Tribute64 and its six colors.

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  Size comparisons between a N64, Hori Mini Pad, and GameCube controllers.