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Asteroids controller for the PSX & Williams Arcade Classics


didimo63

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Hi,

Back in the days when the first Williams Arcade Classics came out on the original Playstation, I remember seeing an Asteroids dedicated controller for sale at Gamestop. It was similar to the Starplex Video Game Controller for the Atari VCS.

It was not the Nyko trackball controller, although I suspect it could have been made by Nyko.

Google searches did not provide any more information. Can anyone help? I'd like to find one.

Thanks!

Simon

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Well, it was NOT as cool as the VCS Starplex Controller, but, still, it was an authentic way of playing Asteroids, and it did not look THAT cheap in terms of construction. But I was young (sort of. I was 32 or 33 when it came out), foolish and did not buy one when I should have.

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OMG I remember the Starplex controller ... it flashed back to my mind when you described the 90s thing you saw.

 

It's probably easier and better to just build your own out of arcade controls than trying to hunt this down! :-D I think I vaguely remember it too ... but it was 20 years ago so it's hard to be certain.

 

Yeah, I'm not crafty enough to build that sort of things. However, as a collector since the early '90s, I know that with a little bit of patience I can pretty much find anything (whether online, ebay, thrift stores, retro gaming stores, etc.). After all, if I found a 1969 Mattel Scorpio action figure at a reasonable price, I can find this, too, I'm sure ;).

At this point it's a matter of finding enough information about it.

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Here's something you might want to check out. This guy goes a little bit further with his controller than what you want but it may give you some ideas. He doesn't go into a lot of detail but the actual construction looks fairly simple. Only need some basic tools like a hole-saw, drill, soldering iron, screwdriver and maybe some pliers. Don't even have to build a box for it if you can find a little wooden box or bench at Goodwill. Or go the ultra cheap route and use a Tupperware container. You could then mark it out and use a knife to cut the holes.

 

http://seanriddle.com/psxcp.html

 

I may have some of those old leaf-switch buttons lying around, don't know their condition except used. No idea what color they are either but probably white or red. If you want to give it a try I'll see if I can find them. Looks like you need 5 for Asteroids. I know I don't have any Atari start buttons so you'd need something for that.

 

This next one is for the Raspberry Pi and shows just how far you can take the idea if you have the tools (or access) and skills.

 

http://timbartlett.net/tag/atari-asteroids/

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Thanks, I do appreciate it, but Lego and Meccano are as far as I go in terms of building anything ;).

In a strange way, I have a specific interest for that Gamestop product I am mentioning. After all, it was a commercially-produced unit meant specifically for Asteroids in the PSX Williams Classics collection, sold in 1995, 14 years after Asteroids came out in the arcades. And, therefore, a tangible tribute to the popularity of Asteroids many years after his release.

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In a strange way, I have a specific interest for that Gamestop product I am mentioning. After all, it was a commercially-produced unit meant specifically for Asteroids in the PSX Williams Classics collection, sold in 1995, 14 years after Asteroids came out in the arcades. And, therefore, a tangible tribute to the popularity of Asteroids many years after his release.

 

I can understand that. I've done some searches but so far nothing has popped up. Can you remember anything else about it? Did it have Asteroids' graphics on it? Somebody had to have bought this controller. I find it hard to believe that it somehow escaped being archived on the internet.

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It was very generic. Just black, as I recall, no fancy graphics or anything. It is very similar to the Nyko Trackball from those same days, and it might have been a Nyko product. I wonder whether they got in trouble because the box mentioned that it could be used with William's Arcade Classic's Asteroids on PSX.

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Looked through the following site but didn't see an Asteroids controller. He's got a lot of controllers, but not necessarily all that is available. Maybe something here will help remind you.

 

https://sites.google.com/site/neotechni/Home/playstation

 

 

I did find this controller which includes a copy of Asteroids, but it's for the PC and it's just a folding gamepad.

 

https://www.amazon.com/ION-Folding-Computer-Game-Controller/dp/B004YC4NN0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1455051277&sr=1-1&keywords=ION+GO+PAD+Folding+Computer+Game+Controller&linkCode=ll1&tag=atariage&linkId=4a4219237e043ed09119861a96d8f841

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