Coin Controls Competition Pro, where have you been all my life?

[mimo]

Or even a USB version

or a clear blue one

Edited November 4, 2007 by mimo

[7800]

Scored one of these off ebay for $19.99... just got it today. It was listed as a PC controller, but I noticed that the plugs looked exactly like the one I already have for the 5200. I've said it before... these are the best controllers for playing MOST games for the 5200.

 

My original plan was to use the guts of the competition pros that I have and cannibalize some of my old 5200 sticks to make an arcade quality stick, but since these are extremely hard to find now a days, I think I'll just keep them the way they are.

[MrBubble]

Scored one of these off ebay for $19.99... just got it today. It was listed as a PC controller, but I noticed that the plugs looked exactly like the one I already have for the 5200. I've said it before... these are the best controllers for playing MOST games for the 5200.

 

My original plan was to use the guts of the competition pros that I have and cannibalize some of my old 5200 sticks to make an arcade quality stick, but since these are extremely hard to find now a days, I think I'll just keep them the way they are.

 

Wow.

 

Any tips for keyword searching? Just look for PC controller, then grab something the size of the Atari 5200 plug? Or is there visible product number/markings indicating it's for the 5200?

 

thanks!

[7800]

Periodically, I look for these things on ebay. Type in "competition pro joystick" and they all should pop up. As far as I know, the only way to recognize the 5200 version is buy the plug design, The guy who sold mine didn't know what it was for... and must have simply assumed it was for a PC.

[thegamezmaster]

Got 2 myself and love them. Work great on the .bins that support digital!

[MrBubble]

Got 2 myself and love them. Work great on the .bins that support digital!

 

Is there a formal effort to make those Atari 5200 games work flawlessly with digital controllers? (e.g. Ms. Pac-Man)

 

(A patched/fixed ROM, for example)

[7800]

As far as I know, Ms Pac-Man should work just fine with a digital controller. However, it is important for anyone just getting into the 5200 to know that some games are strictly analog; and some of them are best enjoyed with the Trak Ball Controller. With that said, It is my opinion that the Trak Ball and a solid digital controller are essential for enjoying most of the games for the 5200.

[Charlie_]

As far as I know, Ms Pac-Man should work just fine with a digital controller. However, it is important for anyone just getting into the 5200 to know that some games are strictly analog; and some of them are best enjoyed with the Trak Ball Controller. With that said, It is my opinion that the Trak Ball and a solid digital controller are essential for enjoying most of the games for the 5200.

MS. Pac-Man does work fine, you just need to start a game move the stick around all its limits for a few seconds and then reset. Start a new game to play. It needs to calibrate on the 1st play.

Same for Galaxian.

[7800]

MS. Pac-Man does work fine, you just need to start a game move the stick around all its limits for a few seconds and then reset. Start a new game to play. It needs to calibrate on the 1st play.

Same for Galaxian.

I did not know that. Galaxian is one of those games that is best enjoyed with the Trak Ball IMO.

[thegamezmaster]

MS. Pac-Man does work fine, you just need to start a game move the stick around all its limits for a few seconds and then reset. Start a new game to play. It needs to calibrate on the 1st play.

Same for Galaxian.

 

Thanks for the tip. Does that work on all analog stick games?

[Charlie_]

 

Thanks for the tip. Does that work on all analog stick games?

It all depends on how it is programmed. Some games are programmed with hard values for movement. Games like Galatians and Ms. Pac-Man do a calibration to work within the stick being used readings. The thinking probably being that the analog values could vary given the controller and calibration of the system. A way to compensate if the system was way off maybe.

[thegamezmaster]

It all depends on how it is programmed. Some games are programmed with hard values for movement. Games like Galatians and Ms. Pac-Man do a calibration to work within the stick being used readings. The thinking probably being that the analog values could vary given the controller and calibration of the system. A way to compensate if the system was way off maybe.

Thanks for the reply! Wonder if there is a list of games that are like that or if it's a trial and error thing?

[Lynxpro]

Galaxian works great with my digital NeoGeo arcade stick modded by grips03, btw.

[Charlie_]

Galaxian works great with my digital NeoGeo arcade stick modded by grips03, btw.

Yes it works great with a cx-40 and master play too. What we loose is the variable movement speed. No slow speed, your ship moves full speed only.

That's not s big deal, it makes it just like the A8 version. I haven't tried using the Tball for Galaxian in a long time.

 

Even with an analog stick in the 5200 Galaxian sends the ship shooting off to the right at the start of the first game before the self calibration is done.