WTB: Commodore brand joystick for C64 / VIC-20

[Rickstilwell1]

I have a deal in progress for my C64 system so now all I'm missing is a Commodore brand joystick. Anyone have a spare they can sell me?

[Rickstilwell1]

bump. just need the joystick now.

[Rickstilwell1]

bump again. I'm curious, does anyone even have a picture of the official commodore 64 joystick? I am pretty sure it is supposed to be different from the VIC-20 one, because doesn't the Commodore 64 have games that require to buttons? I think Choplifter is like that. I just can't find one anywhere online to see what the stock Commodore 64 joystick looks like.

[Kid Ice]

There aren't any two button games on the C64 that I'm aware of. IIRC in Choplifter you used the spacebar to toggle shooting and bombing. I thought the 64 used the same standard Commodore joystick that the VIC used (the white one with the triangular shaft and giant action button), and also of course compatible with most Atari joysticks.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Kid Ice is right, the standard/official pack-in/bundled C64 joystick was just a standard 1 (huge) button Joystick.

http://www.geekvintage.com/images/commodore-64-1311-joystick.jpg

IIRC there was a commodore-pro type stick that had multiple buttons, but I'm not sure that those were ever considered the "standard" or "official" C64 Joystick.

http://www.spielerwitwen.de/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/comppro.jpg

[Rickstilwell1]

Weird, when playing choplifter with an Atari 7800 pad, one button shoots and the other turns the helicopter around.

When I use a Genesis controller, only the B-button works for anything much like when you use it on the Atari 7800.

So that had me thinking maybe there was an official 2-button joystick. Maybe Choplifter and other games that had two buttons were designed specifically for that multi-button joystick you showed me...

Anyway, this is a WTB thread, so I want both of those controllers in the pictures.

[Kid Ice]

The ones you have pictured are Suncom Tac-3s. If you are going that route I'd say get a Tac-2 instead.

I'm *really* surprised Choplifter can be played with two buttons on a C64.

btw I've heard more than once it's not a good idea to use a Genny pad on a C64.

[Mayhem]

Yeah, Genny pads on a C64 can short some of the chips inside the computer.

[sleepycal]

I remember that Pro 5000 joystick, but the one I had only had 2 round buttons on the base (and was a white rather than black base). I wonder if that model pictured was for the Colecovision.

I seem to recall using a Sega Master pad or the version of the Epyx joystick on a few of either C64 or Amiga games (sorry very vague here) and surprised that you would actually get use out of the second button.

[Rickstilwell1]

I remember that Pro 5000 joystick, but the one I had only had 2 round buttons on the base (and was a white rather than black base). I wonder if that model pictured was for the Colecovision.

I seem to recall using a Sega Master pad or the version of the Epyx joystick on a few of either C64 or Amiga games (sorry very vague here) and surprised that you would actually get use out of the second button.

Yeah none of the Sega ones get you use out of the second button from my experience. Only the Atari 7800 controller does.

[Kid Ice]

I remember that Pro 5000 joystick, but the one I had only had 2 round buttons on the base (and was a white rather than black base). I wonder if that model pictured was for the Colecovision.

It's actually a new-ish usb joystick with 4 buttons. Pretty cool although I don't if those base buttons would be good for anything aside from start and select.

[vulcanjedi]

I thought the two buttons on the TAC stick or other c64 sticks were the same. Just in different spots for a righty or a lefty? I have always used an Atari stick for either a 64 or vic 20.

Mark

[Flack]

I'm pretty sure you're right. I don't believe the C64 had the capability of distinguishing between two buttons. Many games that were developed on the Apple II (which DID support two buttons) had to be tweaked for the C64. In Lode Runner, the two buttons on the Apple II dug left and right; on the C64, you had to be facing the way you were digging. In Choplifter on the Apple, one button fired while the other button changed which direction your chopper was facing. On the C64, quick button presses fired, while holding down the fire button and pressing a direction turned your ship.

On some games, the space bar doubled as a second button. In Commando, the fire button shot while grenades were launched with the space bar, for example.