What Joystick is best for retro computer games.

[80sGamer]

I have the Pac Man, Ms. Pac Man, the Midway ones with all the cool old games on them and need a joystick to play them. What are some good ones on the market. Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this.

[SNKFan75]

I use the Super Pro Joystick from MAS Systems. They sell one for the PC and I highly recommend it~!

It is a very sturdy joystick, has eight buttons, a turbo, is build from HAPP parts, and the buttons are micro switched.


SNKFan75

[InsaneDavid]

If you're feeling handy you can build one yourself. If the cost of a Ultimarc I-PAC (arcade controls to keyboard socket adapter) seems to be the limiting factor then you could always build it around the board inside a PlayStation 1 controller and use a PlayStation family to USB2 converter box. I use one of those converter boxes and it allows me to use any PS Family controller, including the professional arcade sticks that have popped up in recent years. The Namco PS1 stick is also a good choice for this usage.

[googlefest1]

your talking about PC right? not some other kind of computer

[SirDrexl]

Another option would be the X-Arcade.

[boatofcar]

I have the Dual X-Arcade. It's got a lifetime warranty, and building your own is not always an option if you don't have a lot of workbench space.

http://www.xgaming.com/graphics/newimages/twoplayer1.jpg

[cyberfluxor]

http://www.xgaming.com/graphics/newimages/twoplayer1.jpg

Dude... that looks so freaking nice! Makes me want to buy one but that price is deep in the pockets. Know of a cheaper vender on-line or a place to get something similar at a big chain retailer?

[boatofcar]

http://www.xgaming.com/graphics/newimages/twoplayer1.jpg

Dude... that looks so freaking nice! Makes me want to buy one but that price is deep in the pockets. Know of a cheaper vender on-line or a place to get something similar at a big chain retailer?

Buying direct was as cheap as I could find it. I don't think you can get a 2 player stick for less than $129, anywhere, especially at the quality of the X-Arcade unit.

[nate1749]

sounds like you may headed into the mame world soon, in which case the sky is the limit - you can even design your own using this companys software and they'll build it for you (not as expensive you might think).

Regardless, if you want the original experience then I would recommend getting a 4-way joystick, rather than an 8-way. I've read countless times on mame stuff that the 8-way is a little harder to play with older games (have to really push it up so that it knows you up and not up/right) that only know 4 ways (up,down,left,right).

Personally I'm not into the original experience as much and I like the nes gamepad for any game that doesn't require more than 2 buttons and 4 directions.

Nate

[whoisKeel]

If you're feeling handy you can build one yourself. If the cost of a Ultimarc I-PAC (arcade controls to keyboard socket adapter) seems to be the limiting factor then you could always build it around the board inside a PlayStation 1 controller and use a PlayStation family to USB2 converter box. I use one of those converter boxes and it allows me to use any PS Family controller, including the professional arcade sticks that have popped up in recent years. The Namco PS1 stick is also a good choice for this usage.

I agree with this statement.

Here's mine:
http://www.whoiskeel.com/projects/joystick/

The nice thing about it is I use it on my ps1/ps2/dc/saturn/pc. You just have to buy the converter thingys and it works on almost every system. I can't get it to work on the GC though because I didn't use an analogue psx controller (sucks because I really wanna play ikaruga with it).

Build once, use on each additional console for $20-25 a pop. You can't buy quality joysticks for most consoles for that price. I love the weight of it too, nice and heavy and big. Sits in the lap nicely.

[InsaneDavid]

Build once, use on each additional console for $20-25 a pop. You can't buy quality joysticks for most consoles for that price. I love the weight of it too, nice and heavy and big. Sits in the lap nicely.

Yup, and when something wears down it's all easy to replace arcade parts.