Famicom controller vs. NES controller

[treismac]

Does anyone know if a standard first player Famicom controller is the same size as a NES standard controller? I want to order a Famicom controller and either a) insert the circuit board guts of a NES controller into a Famicom controller's plastic case or b) solder a NES controller's cable onto the Famicom controller's circuit board. I've done the latter operation successfully with a Japanese Hudson joycard with an similar North American controller's cable. Hopefully the NES and Famicom controllers are the same size with the same circuit boards (excluding the microphoned controller 2), making the operation easy.

Your thoughts?

[Steve W]

Does anyone know if a standard first player Famicom controller is the same size as a NES standard controller? I want to order a Famicom controller and either a) insert the circuit board guts of a NES controller into a Famicom controller's plastic case or b) solder a NES controller's cable onto the Famicom controller's circuit board. I've done the latter operation successfully with a Japanese Hudson joycard with an similar North American controller's cable. Hopefully the NES and Famicom controllers are the same size with the same circuit boards (excluding the microphoned controller 2), making the operation easy.

Your thoughts?

I don't own a Famicom, but the last time I played one it seemed that the controllers were roughly the same size as the NES controllers, perhaps slightly smaller. Isn't there a built-in microphone on controller 2 on the Famicom?

[Parodius Duh!]

they are roughly the same size, a fami controller is slightly smaller. The controllers are hard wired to the system, you might just be able to get a busted famicom cheap and solder a nes cable into the famicom controller.

[Breetai]

One question; Why... what is the point of doing this?

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Q: Is a standard first player Famicom controller the same size as a standard NES controller?

A: No, not quite. The shell of an NES controller is slightly thicker, but the pcb is identical.

As long as you follow the 4021 pinouts you can do whatever you like. Nice to hear you did the Hudson Joycard mod! That's a wonderful controller. Just word of warning though: the Hudson Joycard is MUCH bigger than a Standard Famicom controller. The Joycard was build for adult hands, while the Famicom pad was build for the hands of children. Since you already have a Joycard, there's really no point in doing a standard Famicom controller to NES mod, but whatever suits your fancy.

[treismac]

One question; Why... what is the point of doing this?

On a practical level, I enjoy playing the NES with different types of controllers as each one has a different feel and personality to it. I used to practice with nunchucks regularly, and during this time I bought different types of nunchucks because each one felt, weighed, and twirled differently, changing my performance depending on which weapon I held in my hands. Some nunchucks were better for this and others were better for that, while some were just novelties. Apply the above statement to controllers and joysticks.

Aesthetically speaking, each different controller in my collection is like a different flower in my arrangement of NES controllers. Although a Famicom controller may more or less play just like a regular NES controller, the look of the controller is unique, beautiful, and even exotic due to its foreign origins and limited availability here in the States. As a collector of the NES, I seek out such rare and unique additions.

The creative process (if it can be termed such) of making a Famicom controller work for the NES will be fun!! I'm no Ben Heck or Richard Daluz, but I enjoy tinkering around and modding stuff with what little bit of electronic ability I have.

Finally, I collect Famicom games, which I play with a converter, so it just seems like an obvious step to mod THE Famicom controller to play my Famicom games with.

[treismac]

Q: The shell of an NES controller is slightly thicker, but the pcb is identical.

Awesome! I appreciate the info, man. If the pcb is identical, I'm good to go with my project.

[treismac]

Isn't there a built-in microphone on controller 2 on the Famicom?

Yeah, there is a microphone in controller 2, but I'm only buying the first player controller.

[ShadowNinja]

Yeah, there is a microphone in controller 2, but I'm only buying the first player controller.
Anybody has some info about the controller 2, specially about the microphone, because I have both and I want use boths in my NES.
Sorry the bad English.

[treismac]

The Famicom controller arrived in the mail the other day and the NES controller pcb to Famicom controller shell transplant went off without a hitch. It looks just as you imagine a Famicom controller would look like with a NES 7-pin connector, so I won't post a lack luster picture. As far as game play is concerned, I like it. The controller is roughly the same size as the NES' BUT its edges have a nice lil' bevel that don't cut into the hand. The cord on the controller shoots out, stupidly, to the left hand side of the controller which offsets the controller's feel of balance a bit. Overall, though, the controller agrees with my hands and eyes. At the present, I am using the shiny red controller to control the shiny red protagonist on Clu Clu Land, which is a fun little game that time has, for the most part, forgotten.

[InsaneDavid]

The cord on the controller shoots out, stupidly, to the left hand side of the controller which offsets the controller's feel of balance a bit.

That's because the player one controller rested on the left side of the Famicom when not in use, player two has the cable come out of the other side.

[theclaw]

Someone needs to produce NES to Famicom controller adapters. It's YEARS overdue. I was always under the assumption most should work free of any modding, if plugged into the expansion port. Or is that not true?

[Pikkon]

Glad the mod went smoothly.

Another cool thing to do is mod a snes controller to work on a nes.