diff --git a/src/wx/CMakeLists.txt b/src/wx/CMakeLists.txt
index 6db7ea02..cf41b1e3 100644
--- a/src/wx/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/wx/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ endif(ENABLE_OPENAL)
 # adv is for wxAboutBox
 # xml, html is for xrc
 SET( wxWidgets_USE_LIBS xrc xml html adv gl net core base )
-list(APPEND wxWidgets_CONFIG_OPTIONS --version=3.0)
+#list(APPEND wxWidgets_CONFIG_OPTIONS --version=2.8)
 FIND_PACKAGE ( wxWidgets REQUIRED )
 #EXECUTE_PROCESS(COMMAND sh "${wxWidgets_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE}" --cxxflags)
 INCLUDE( ${wxWidgets_USE_FILE} )
@@ -179,5 +179,5 @@ if(APPLE)
     SET(MACOSX_BUNDLE_ICON_FILE vbam.icns)
     SET_SOURCE_FILES_PROPERTIES(${VBAM_ICON} PROPERTIES MACOSX_PACKAGE_LOCATION Resources)
 endif(APPLE)
-
+    
 SET(WX_EXE_NAME wxvbam${CMAKE_EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX})
diff --git a/src/wx/guiinit.cpp b/src/wx/guiinit.cpp
index e2223684..77a654f7 100644
--- a/src/wx/guiinit.cpp
+++ b/src/wx/guiinit.cpp
@@ -1743,7 +1743,7 @@ public:
 
 		for (int i = 0; i < NUM_KEYS; i++)
 		{
-			wxJoyKeyTextCtrl* tc = XRCCTRL_D(*p, wxString::FromUTF8(joynames[i]), wxJoyKeyTextCtrl);
+			wxJoyKeyTextCtrl* tc = XRCCTRL_D(*p, joynames[i], wxJoyKeyTextCtrl);
 
 			if (clear)
 				tc->SetValue(wxEmptyString);
@@ -3632,7 +3632,7 @@ bool MainFrame::BindControls()
 
 			for (int j = 0; j < NUM_KEYS; j++)
 			{
-				wxJoyKeyTextCtrl* tc = XRCCTRL_D(*w, wxString::FromUTF8(joynames[j]), wxJoyKeyTextCtrl);
+				wxJoyKeyTextCtrl* tc = XRCCTRL_D(*w, joynames[j], wxJoyKeyTextCtrl);
 				CheckThrowXRCError(tc, ToString(joynames[j]));
 				wxWindow* p = tc->GetParent();
 
diff --git a/src/wx/opts.cpp b/src/wx/opts.cpp
index 1369274d..27e5fdcb 100644
--- a/src/wx/opts.cpp
+++ b/src/wx/opts.cpp
@@ -102,14 +102,14 @@ const int num_def_accels = sizeof(default_accels) / sizeof(default_accels[0]);
 
 // Note: this must match GUI widget names or GUI won't work
 // This table's order determines tab order as well
-const char* const joynames[NUM_KEYS] =
+const wxChar* const joynames[NUM_KEYS] =
 {
-	("Up"), ("Down"), ("Left"), ("Right"),
-	("A"), ("B"), ("L"), ("R"),
-	("Select"), ("Start"),
-	("MotionUp"), ("MotionDown"), ("MotionLeft"), ("MotionRight"),
-	("MotionIn"), ("MotionOut"), ("AutoA"), ("AutoB"),
-	("Speed"), ("Capture"), ("GS")
+	wxT("Up"), wxT("Down"), wxT("Left"), wxT("Right"),
+	wxT("A"), wxT("B"), wxT("L"), wxT("R"),
+	wxT("Select"), wxT("Start"),
+	wxT("MotionUp"), wxT("MotionDown"), wxT("MotionLeft"), wxT("MotionRight"),
+	wxT("MotionIn"), wxT("MotionOut"), wxT("AutoA"), wxT("AutoB"),
+	wxT("Speed"), wxT("Capture"), wxT("GS")
 };
 
 wxJoyKeyBinding defkeys[NUM_KEYS * 2] =
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ void load_opts()
 					int i;
 
 					for (i = 0; i < NUM_KEYS; i++)
-						if (e == wxString::FromUTF8(joynames[i]))
+						if (e == joynames[i])
 							break;
 
 					if (i == NUM_KEYS)
@@ -949,7 +949,7 @@ bool opt_set(const wxChar* name, const wxChar* val)
 			int kno;
 
 			for (kno = 0; kno < NUM_KEYS; kno++)
-				if (!wxStrcmp(wxString::FromUTF8(joynames[kno]), slat + 3))
+				if (!wxStrcmp(joynames[kno], slat + 3))
 					break;
 
 			if (kno == NUM_KEYS)
diff --git a/src/wx/opts.h b/src/wx/opts.h
index 93f18bfd..1810d876 100644
--- a/src/wx/opts.h
+++ b/src/wx/opts.h
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #define WX_OPTS_H
 
 #define NUM_KEYS 21
-extern const char* const joynames[NUM_KEYS];
+extern const wxChar* const joynames[NUM_KEYS];
 extern wxJoyKeyBinding defkeys[NUM_KEYS * 2]; // keyboard + joystick defaults
 
 extern struct opts_t