Is it blasphemy to use a stock Genesis/Megadrive controller with the VCS?

[Andromeda Stardust]

Well, somebody in another forum (NintendoAge) suggested using the Genesis controllers if I didn't like my stock 2600 joysticks. I own, in addition to almost every Nintendo system ever made (Virtual Boy excluded), a Sega Genesis, so I figured I had nothing to loose by plugging it in. In short, I have played considerably with both controller types, and I must say, I find myself doing a lot more gaming with the Genesis pad. I consistently get much higher scores in games like Ms. Pacman and Centipede using the good old Genesis controller. For example, while playing Ms Pacman with the original VCS joystick, I lose the majority of my lives because my character suddenly went in a direction other than what I thought I was inputting into the Joystick. Only downside to using a Genesis controller, is that the "B" button is the default Atari button, and if I'm not careful, being in the middle between "A" and "C", my thumb will move during heated gameplay, and I'll push the wrong button to no avail. As for the Paddles, if you clean the pots with contact cleaner, they will work flawlessly and very comfortable to hold.

 

Have I committed blasphemy in the eyes of the Atari purists by ditching the iconic joystick? Don't get me wrong, it's one of the most bad-ass looking controllers out there, and I want to love it, but it's stiffness and unresponsiveness make me want to chuck throw them sometimes.

[Schizophretard]

It is blasphemy but I try to be tolerant of others beliefs. My father's controller was the Gemstik and ,since he raised me in the faith, it was my first controller. I never liked the CX-40 too much but I'm interested in trying Best Electronic's upgrades for it. I really don't like the big joysticks that look like flight sticks, sticks with buttons on top, or anything like that. I prefer the CX-40/Gemstik type controllers. My favorites are the Suncom controllers because instead of dome contacts it is just metal touching metal inside. To restore them all that is needed is to clean them out with alcohol and polish the metal. They are very responsive. My favorites in order are the StarFighter, TAC-2, and Slik Stik. The StarFighter's full name is StarFighter The Ultimate Joystick and I agree with that name. I can't think of anything I don't like about it. I have tried a Sega Genesis controller but , for me, it doesn't work as well as the StarFighter or my other two favorites. When I use a Sega Genesis controller on my VCS the controls feel backwards in a way that I feel like I have to be left handed to do it comfortably. Anyway, here are the true gods you blasphemous heathen.

 

[Vaughan]

One of the reasons I love playing in emulation is because I can use my gamepad to play the games. If I could hook it up to my 2600 I would.

[+wood_jl]

My favorites in order are the StarFighter, TAC-2, and Slik Stik.

 

The TAC-2 is my all-time favorite. I didn't try it until about a year ago, as it came in a batch of Amiga stuff I bought. I was floored at how good it is! Have never seen the Starfighter or Slik Stik "in real life." I've since started stocking up (Ebay) on TAC-2s. Only [minor] complaint is sometimes I hit the "lefty fire button" on accident when holding it, if I'm not careful. But it's such a comfortable (and functional!) stick that it's a minor oversight. I have to wonder how it compares to the "Competition Pro" that's very popular with the Commodore crowd; I have never seen one of those in real life, either, but it sure looks and sounds pretty good.

 

[bomberpunk]

i went Slik Stik in the late 80s and never looked back.

[thevnaguy]

could always get a 7800 gamepad

[Rex Dart]

Nah, it's not any more blasphemous than using a third-party controller.

 

 

 

p.s. this:

[Gabriel]

Play with whatever controller you like.

 

Personally, I've been known to like different controllers for different games. I used to have two flight stick type controllers (one was a Discwasher and the other was a Quickshot). I liked using those to play Star Voyager, Battlezone, Defender, and stuff like that. However for games like Pac-Man, those controllers didn't feel right. For general use, I prefered using the stock 2600 stick, and that's what I tend to use nowadays.

 

Well, I use the sticks from a couple of Flashback 2's I bought. They work better than my original CX-40s.

[+Gemintronic]

You have to do weak things like use UP on the joystick when you only have one button. It was blesphemy that they never came out with 2 button joysticks for the 2600 when they were clearly trying to compete with newer systems. See the conversions for Double Dragon, Kung Fu, Ikari Warriors, etc..

Edited July 19, 2012 by theloon

[yllawwally]

Did Atari ever consider a 2 button joystick? Clearly the 2600 was capable of it. The booster grip was available for omega race in I think 1984. In my mind it certainly was major problem for converting games to the system. I think they could have done 3 buttons by using both pot wires.

[+SpiceWare]

I certainly hope not, one of the games in my development queue has this in the menu:

 

The game reconfigures itself for 2 fire buttons if the gamepad option is selected.

[+Gemintronic]

Was the Atari 7800 Joypad incompatible?

 

@Rex Dart: Thank you.

Edited July 19, 2012 by theloon

[Rex Dart]

I don't think a 2600 can see both buttons of the 7800 controller as being individual buttons.

Edited July 19, 2012 by Rex Dart

[chuckwalla]

The Genesis controller is great for some games (ie. Pitfall, Asteroids, Centipede, Galaxian, Defender, Demon Attack) whereas the CX-40 controller is best for others (ie. River Raid, Starmaster, Yar's Revenge).

Overall, the Genesis controller is my favorite of all-time.

[Tinman]

The Genesis controller is great for some games (ie. Pitfall, Asteroids, Centipede, Galaxian, Defender, Demon Attack) whereas the CX-40 controller is best for others (ie. River Raid, Starmaster, Yar's Revenge).

Overall, the Genesis controller is my favorite of all-time.

 

Agreed, it is a great controller indeed. I went through a phase where I used it exclusively on my Atari, although lately I've been using the CX-40-like controllers from the 'Flashback 2' and '3'. (I like the ones from the '2' better.) I probably ought to dig up one of my Genesis controllers, though, and work it into the mix...

[Vic George 2K3]

I would now think that a thumbstick gamepad would be much better.

[Lauren Tyler]

I only use it because I only have one joystick (An XE one at that.)

[Andromeda Stardust]

I certainly hope not, one of the games in my development queue has this in the menu:

 

The game reconfigures itself for 2 fire buttons if the gamepad option is selected.

That's awesome! The graphic even looks like a Genesis gamepad! May I ask what type of game you are creating?

 

When I use a Sega Genesis controller on my VCS the controls feel backwards in a way that I feel like I have to be left handed to do it comfortably. Anyway, here are the true gods you blasphemous heathen.

 

 

Actually, I've got something even better up my sleeves:

 

It's actually my second arcade controller project. The first was an NES controller. The Atari project was much simpler, because it didn't require any custom chips or electronics, just wires, solder, joystick, two buttons, and a female 9-pin Sub-D port. I used the Ultimark Mag-Stik Plus joystick, because it's switchable between 4-way and 8-way operation. You pull up on the Joystick knob and twist it to switch modes. It has two buttons for ambidextrous operation, but the buttons are wire in parallel, so they technically both function as a single button. The plywood box is 8x8x4 inches, not including the joystick height. I'm still waiting on a serial cable to arrive in the mail so that I can plug it into my Atari system, but I tested it on my USB adapter and it works flawlessly.

 

The NES arcade controller project was quite an overtaking, with a custom digital turbo circuit and "slow motion" switch. I don't have the Atari joystick uploaded to my Flickr account yet, but I eventually will:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30203515@N04/sets/72157629736738048/

[evilevoix]

I have never fealt and or used a game pad better then the Sega Genesis 6 botton and 3 button controller. Best D-Pad in the Business. Shockingly good.

[BillyHW]

It's not blasphemous. Sometimes it's just necessity.

[Brian R.]

Do what you like, but I prefer the original CX40 Atari controllers. Since they were my first video game controllers, I'm always going to be partial to them. I just like them.

[boxpressed]

This thread inspired me to break out the Genny pad to play some A8 Pitfall and Joust. Especially good with the latter.

[fiddlepaddle]

Oh, I'll play with just about what ever's handy, but I prefer the Genesis joystick or, of course, paddles whenever they work.

[Impaler_26]

....

I have to wonder how it compares to the "Competition Pro" that's very popular with the Commodore crowd; I have never seen one of those in real life, either, but it sure looks and sounds pretty good.

 

 

The Competition Pro is awesome! I use them since about 20 years for both the Atari 2600 and the C64. They are common as dirt here in Germany. I never saw or used a TAC-2 but it looks like a nice and solid joystick, i think they were only released in the USA ??

[Schizophretard]

My favorites in order are the StarFighter, TAC-2, and Slik Stik.

 

The TAC-2 is my all-time favorite. I didn't try it until about a year ago, as it came in a batch of Amiga stuff I bought. I was floored at how good it is! Have never seen the Starfighter or Slik Stik "in real life." I've since started stocking up (Ebay) on TAC-2s. Only [minor] complaint is sometimes I hit the "lefty fire button" on accident when holding it, if I'm not careful. But it's such a comfortable (and functional!) stick that it's a minor oversight. I have to wonder how it compares to the "Competition Pro" that's very popular with the Commodore crowd; I have never seen one of those in real life, either, but it sure looks and sounds pretty good.

 

 

I have Competition Pro joysticks for both my VCS and Supersystem. I still prefer any one of my three favorites over them. I don't like the feeling of the microswitches clicking and the throw doesn't feel as short as the Suncom joysticks. It reminds me of my Epyx 500XJ. The sound of the clicking is okay but it has a loose feeling compared to the metal on metal feeling of the Suncom joysticks.

 

The only reason the TAC-2 is my second favorite is the ball. I like the ball and it is fun sometimes but I hold it like I'm shifting gears. When I learned to play Atari, I started with the Gemstik. The way I controlled it was like how I hold a pen when writing. When I played something like PAC-MAN it was like I was drawing in the lines. I can control the StarFighter in a similar way but since it is shorter than the Gemstik it is a modified version of that writing style that feels like a mixture of that with the tapping of a D-pad. It is hard to explain but it feels like the best of both worlds like it is a joystick/D-pad hybrid.

 

If you saw the Starfighter or Slik Stik in real life then the Starfighter would feel like a smaller TAC-2 without the ball and the Slik Stik would feel like a smaller TAC-2. Inside they all work the same minus the extra button.

 

To avoid accidentally hitting the right fire button you can disable it by putting electric tape over the metal contacts inside. If you decide to do that then ,while doing so, I recommend finding out which copper piece and which side of that piece is the shiniest after polishing them. Put the shiniest side down on the left fire button to get the best contact. Also, use alcohol to clean all the other metal pieces including the ball. Here is a video that shows the insides if you haven't looked. Isn't it beautiful?