New controller that helps you go beyond digital control to enhance gameplay

[ave1]

I've got a new discovery of a special joystick that can get digital control games on the Atari 2600 and 5200 like Asteroids (2600), Gravitar (2600), Meteorites(5200), and Star Trek (2600 & 5200) to be more analog for fine-tuning the placement of your shots. This can also be helpful on The Earth Dies Screaming and Wizard of War. On the flip side this variance in movement of your onscreen character may not be such a good idea in certain digital games because it may slow you down when you need to always be full-steam-ahead (ie. PacMan, Dig Dug, Frogger, Q-bert, etc...).

 

But on the certain digital-control games which require specific shot placement or character placement, it's going to enhance your control. I am really excited to tell you that Gravitar is especially awesome with this new method of control. I have yet to try Pitfall or Pitfall II with this method, but I can imagine there'd be a benefit with them as well.

 

So I'd like to go over the details of how to set this up on the 2600. First you will need an original Playstation flightstick made by Madcatz. This controller has a switch to enable digital or 'pulse' digital control. The latter mode is similar to what is offered by the Atari Trakball for the 2600 and Atari 8 bit computers when it's in joystick mode. It delivers pulses when making smaller movements to slow things down a bit. In other words, it gives a pseudo-analog movement of your character/ship.

 

To get it to work on the 2600, you'll need the following adapters between the 2600 and the flightstick:

 

1) Best Electronics Sega Genesis controllers to Atari Systems Adapter cable (Source: Best Electronics- call their 800 number to order)

2) A Tototek Joypad Converter (Version MD). This allows Playstation controllers to work on a 9 pin port of a Sega Genesis. (Source: Tototek website)

 

Alternate method: 1) Buy a hard to find adapter made by Innovation that converts Playstation controllers to 15 pin PC gameports called the Smartjoy Emulator Adapter. (Source: Ebay (as of right now these are quite expensive))

2) Obtain an inexpensive 15 pin PC gameport to 9 pin Atari/Amiga/Amstrad controller adapter (Source: Ebay seller Ikonsgr74)

 

Methods for getting the Madcatz Flightstick connected to your 5200 are found here: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/284238-new-discovery-for-going-beyond-digital-control-on-your-5200-games/?do=findComment&comment=4140266

 

If you want to see a presentation/tutorial on this, here you go: https://youtu.be/igynk3Tfy6E

Edited October 23, 2018 by ave1