Trackball controller missing from the NES Section [Archive]

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vintagegamecrazy

10-31-2002, 12:28 PM

I have seen this thing before on Ebay and I'm almost positive I've seen it in the wild too. I was just wondering if you would put a listing in the guide for it. If no one ever talks about it then how rare is it?

Vintagegamecrazy

Neo-Jorge

11-15-2002, 07:54 AM

Are you talking about the Trackball controller that came packed in with Arkanoid for the Nes?

Thanks

digitalpress

11-15-2002, 07:58 AM

I think he means an actual trackball, not the paddle controller for Arkanoid.

I'll look into it. To be honest we didn't spend much time researching peripherals for the NES, though we tried to be as complete as possilble. Like that "Zipper" joypad that someone pointed out, I'll add it and it will be listed on the addendum online.

Thanks!

nesman85

11-15-2002, 08:50 PM

i've never seen a trackball for nes.

digitalpress

11-15-2002, 09:02 PM

So far, neither has anyone else - unless you count the Hori model for the Famicom. Maybe someone will provide some proof but so far this seems like a rumor.

vintagegamecrazy

12-02-2002, 12:20 AM

search yahoo, it exists.

Vintagegamecrazy

vintagegamecrazy

12-04-2002, 01:04 PM

I searched all over Yahoo and can't find pics annmore, there used to be one on the first link that popped up. I have seen one on Ebay quite a while ago noiw. There are several links that mention it including the Nes survivor tournament, so it does exist. Calling all gamers, keep an eye out for this. Joe I think this is one of those addendum listings that will receive a $0/R0 until someone can come up with some solid info on it. Please be on the lookout and help me out.

ALL GAMERS KEEP DOING THE YAHOO!!!!!!!!

Vintagegamecrazy

vintagegamecrazy

12-04-2002, 01:10 PM

Hay Neo Jorge, there are mentions about it being an early packin with arkanoid, some sites its the quickshot trackball, I don't know if they are the same thing, one site says its just like the Sega sports pad. Anyway there is a big difference between a trackball and an arkanoid paddle. So we have to figure out which is which.

Vintagegamecrazy

TheRedEye

12-04-2002, 05:54 PM

mm, I don't think it should be in the addendum at all unless you can actually provide official evidence. Rumor mill, maybe. Up to you, Joe. I can add this in if you want me to.

digitalpress

12-04-2002, 06:25 PM

mm, I don't think it should be in the addendum at all unless you can actually provide official evidence. Rumor mill, maybe. Up to you, Joe. I can add this in if you want me to.

Don't add it to the peripheral section until we have proof! Weeks have gone by and no one has turned up so much as a picture. I don't want to get into the habit of putting things in the book based on hearsay "it WAS on Yahoo" or "I USED to own one"... if I had a dime for every time I've heard that on something that truly didn't exist, I'd be a rich, rich, man.

Just our policy, erring on the side of caution. If someone were to challenge me on this, I wouldn't have a response. So until there's proof, it's RUMOR MILL.

TheRedEye

12-04-2002, 06:43 PM

Right, which is what I was suggesting. I'll add that in to the rumor mill when I get back to work on the thing.

vintagegamecrazy

12-06-2002, 02:21 AM

Thanks guys, its a great start. I'll keep on searching for hard evidence, keep up the good work.

Vintagegamecrazy

vintagegamecrazy

12-06-2002, 07:05 PM

Joe I have a pic of the Trackball, how do I post the pic here?

Vintagegamecrazy[/url]

digitalpress

12-06-2002, 07:28 PM

You can email it to me at digitalpress@email.com - or if it's someone else's picture, just post the URL here.

zektor

12-17-2002, 02:29 AM

I'd love to see that pic as well!

digitalpress

12-17-2002, 09:08 AM

FYI I have not received this picture yet.

spoon

12-26-2002, 02:22 AM

This comes from Gundam Pilot:

I am 99.9% sure what it is is the quickshot joyball. The ball is dark grey with dark grey buttons and the rest is white. If this is it I own one, and will add pics if you want. Please ask me if you have accessory questions, as this is what I specialize in.

Gundam_Pilot_

12-26-2002, 04:36 AM

digitalpress

12-26-2002, 07:01 AM

1. Who makes it? I can't read any of the lettering, if there is any.
2. Are you sure it's an NES controller? Looks like the CD-i trak-ball.

Thanks.

bargora

12-26-2002, 12:56 PM

hello i am the guy spoon was talkin about. heres the pic of what i am talkin about. heres the link i cant put the pic on here its being gay so i just made a piece-o-shit site. http://www.geocities.com/xtreme_nes_collecta/great_outdoors.html

1. Who makes it? I can't read any of the lettering, if there is any.
2. Are you sure it's an NES controller? Looks like the CD-i trak-ball.

Thanks.

I looked at the picture at that website ( http://www.geocities.com/xtreme_nes_collecta/great_outdoors.html ) and that looks just like the controller I have and posted about in another thread (Has anyone ever seen a TRAK-BALL controller for NES? http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3933 ). You replied at the time that it was the Unroller Controller, Joe.

I've got an NES controller with the Quickshot brand on it. In pictures it may appear to be a trackball, as the upper half of the controller has a plastic ball sticking out of it. The thing is actually just a weird controller, though. The "ball" is in fact a hemisphere that doesn't roll or rotate. You just shove the hemisphere up, down, left, or right. It requires some effort and actually turns videogaming into something of a workout for one of your arms.

This is the Unroller Controller.

samuraiX

12-31-2002, 01:13 PM

I have one of those in my collection. I will look into it more if people are still interested. It would not be considered a Track-Ball. It pivits in center to make a sort of directional pad. I am pretty sure it was Quickshot that made it. That is the closest thing I have seen to a trackball on the NES thus far.

digitalpress

12-31-2002, 01:48 PM

Well if that's the picture of it, then it's NOT the UNRoller Controller - but the concept is exactly the same. The original is by Roklan and the colors are much different (gaudier, as opposed to the classic earthtones used in the picture above).

Interesting. I would like more info if possible! I'd prefer not to list this in the book as "manufacturer unknown".

samuraiX

01-02-2003, 02:08 AM

I got the pics and the info about it, just need an e-mail or somewhere to send them to. Let me know. =]

digitalpress

01-02-2003, 08:11 AM

My email is listed above. Thanks!

slapdash

01-02-2003, 06:52 PM

Well if that's the picture of it, then it's NOT the UNRoller Controller - but the concept is exactly the same. [...]

Interesting. I would like more info if possible! I'd prefer not to list this in the book as "manufacturer unknown".

I believe that samuraiX is correct and it is by Quickshot, but I can't prove that. Actually, Quickshot might be a Spectravideo brand/label... Did SV do brochures of their NES controller line? If so, I should think that you'd probably find it in one of them, if anyone has one...

samuraiX

01-03-2003, 10:27 AM

I took pictures of mine. I sent one to DP. If anyone else wants to see it just drop a line somewhere and I'll send it to you. I've got a ton of obscure NES controllers lying around.

vintagegamecrazy

01-07-2003, 12:35 AM

Hi guys,

Sorry Joe for never getting the pics posted, after I got the pics my computer crashed and was in repair twice. I have a clear pic of the controller, and it is made by quickshot for sure.

Sorry for the inconvenience

Vintagegamecrazy

digitalpress

01-07-2003, 07:22 AM

It's no problem, we've got the info. Thank ya again, SamuraiX.

Bratwurst

01-09-2003, 12:04 AM

Quickshot did indeed make it. I had one for the Sega Master System not too long ago but traded it off. They've popped up on Ebay from time to time and average about under ten bucks or so.

http://www.angelfire.com/apes/madmeat/SMSC.html

Ultimately I found it useless. You basically grip the 'sphere' with your palm and move it about like an oversized D-pad. The action buttons were the two tabs off to the side, and it would make clicking sounds when anything was pressed. Of note, there were slider switches on either side that enabled turbo fire or left hand/right hand play, so you could change the orientation of the controller.

vintagegamecrazy

01-09-2003, 01:21 AM

So will it show up in the addendum soon?

Vintagegamecrazy

digitalpress

01-09-2003, 08:19 AM

Yes, this will be in the next addendum. We're doing fairly wholesale changes this week and planning a large site update in general this weekend!

Thanks again for "TRACKING" this down. HAR HAR HAR.

intro9

01-23-2003, 10:55 PM

Ok I can confirm 100% that this is made by quickshot. Don't have one, but when I was younger my friend did and I remember it well. Very unwieldly and crappy for games. it was like a Quickshot and I think it had some sort of roman numeral after it like a quickshot iv or something. Not a track ball like previously stated, it is like a giant ball shaped directional controller. No rolling involved.

samuraiX

01-24-2003, 01:15 AM