Games That Rock On the Roller Controller

[VectorGamer]

Finally got a Roller Controller today. Man this thing rocks!

 

After two years I've finally been able to play Victory. Then, I played Centipede and Slither - what a difference!

 

Then, I started messing around with some other games:

 

Beamrider: Works good but sometimes you can over-spin. From now on I'm playing Beamrider with the trackball.

 

Carnival: That's what I'm talking about! Forget about wrestling with the controllers and use the trackball for accuracy.

 

Gyruss: Played very little but I think with some practice it's doable.

 

Miner 2049er: This would take a lot of practice because you have to spin downward to make sure you don't accidentally ascend ladders you don't want to (and vice versa).

 

Omega Race: I've only played it a few times but my initial reaction was that it may only give a slight edge over the joystick. I'm going to spend more time with it.

 

Star Wars: What a world of difference! If I didn't suck at this game I'd play it more but from now on it's going to be on trackball. Once you use the track, you never go back!

 

Time Pilot: No help here - the controls still suck.

 

And saving the best for last...

 

Subroc: After you get used to moving your cross-hairs the same direction you want to shoot, this game ROCKS! The trackball turns this one into a fast paced shooter.

 

Bottom line: The Roller Controller breathes new life into some of these games...

[retroillucid]

Humm, Star Wars using the Roller Controller..... I never think about that before, now I've to try it

[SlowCoder]

Yep. I recently got a roller controller too. Definitely breathes new life into the system.

[newcoleco]

Apparently, because it's a shooter like Centipede, my ColecoVision game Jeepers Creepers is also fun to play with the Roller Controller module (set to joystick mode of course). I wonder if John Donzila's Space Invasion and Opcode's Space Invaders Collection are fun to play with the Roller Controller... can someone try it?

Edited February 4, 2011 by newcoleco

[VectorGamer]

Add to the list:

 

Space Fury - this game is a lot easier to play on the Roller Controller than using a joystick

 

With the 2600 Expansion Module, plug the Roller Controller into the joystick ports and it'll breathe new life into these games:

 

Centipede

Crystal Castles

Millipede

Missile Command

Reactor

 

I'm still messing with it, I may uncover a few more games that work better on the Roller Controller.

 

Tonight I played Reactor using the Roller Controller and I beat my personal best on one try - somewhere around 70K. I got to the screens I haven't seen before: the disappearing walls.

[VectorGamer]

I tried Tron Deadly Discs which would have been awesome but the fire button didn't work.

[crom1970]

Omega Race is super fantastic!! Gorf works well also. I just got a controller so I will update as I go. Has anyone tried Galaxian? On the 5200 it works very well with the trak-ball.

[Jess Ragan]

Sort of off the subject (and yet not), Star Wars works beautifully in MAME using a trackball. You'd swear the game was designed for it, it's so accurate.

[VectorGamer]

Sort of off the subject (and yet not), Star Wars works beautifully in MAME using a trackball. You'd swear the game was designed for it, it's so accurate.

 

Still not better than the arcade controls though.

[sega_SHARK]

Operation Wolf is really fun with the roller controller.

[phattyboombatty]

Omega Race is super fantastic!! Gorf works well also. I just got a controller so I will update as I go. Has anyone tried Galaxian? On the 5200 it works very well with the trak-ball.

 

Glad you bumped this. Great article/write-up from VectorGamer. I always appreciate tips like this!

[Kiwi]

You should try Wargame with the roller controller.

[DadsGlasses]

Now I need to find a working Roller Controller......

[rodge2001]

Star Trek works great with the Roller Controller in that you can use the Roller Controller to steer and the Standard Controller to thrust and warp. It really feels like your piloting the Enterprise.

[ave1]

Sort of off the subject (and yet not), Star Wars works beautifully in MAME using a trackball. You'd swear the game was designed for it, it's so accurate.

I've used a USB trackball to play Star Wars Arcade on my modded Original Xbox Atari 5200 emulator ("joystick using mouse" mode enabled). It's really accurate and makes me wish my Atari 5200 Trakball would have been made to be compatible with the game for playing on the console itself. . . But, it's not. Anyway, yes the game rocks with trackball control and I'm really glad I tried it that way.

[crom1970]

You should try Wargame with the roller controller.

Thanks for the tip, I have owned Wargame for a year or so but never played it. Played several games had a good time.

[Lynxpro]

I've used a USB trackball to play Star Wars Arcade on my modded Original Xbox Atari 5200 emulator ("joystick using mouse" mode enabled). It's really accurate and makes me wish my Atari 5200 Trakball would have been made to be compatible with the game for playing on the console itself. . . But, it's not. Anyway, yes the game rocks with trackball control and I'm really glad I tried it that way.

 

 

Request over in the 5200 group to have it hacked for Trak-Ball mode. The 2600 version has already been hacked accordingly.

[alortegac]

Question: Omega race only with roller set to joystick mode, right? 
I cannot get it to work in roller mode

[Pixelboy]

7 minutes ago, alortegac said:

Question: Omega race only with roller set to joystick mode, right? 
I cannot get it to work in roller mode

Look up a scan of the game's manual, and you'll see that it says to use the Roller Controller in joystick mode.

 

[alortegac]

On ‎4‎/‎14‎/‎2020 at 11:20 AM, Pixelboy said:

Look up a scan of the game's manual, and you'll see that it says to use the Roller Controller in joystick mode.

 

Thanks! Yes, I saw it.  thanks a lot!