Help me ID two mysterious Atari 2600 controllers!!!

[christhegamer]

Okay, this first one i've had since who-knows-when and have been wondering about it for a long time. It's nearly Identical to Kraft's MazeMaster (http://www.videogamearchive.com/dpsightz/adverts/multi8/multi8_kraft.jpg) but with one significant feature; It has TWO buttons instead of one! I've tried to get more info on this but it's been pretty hard for me to get anything on this company.

The second one (or should I say two) I got today. Now I realise they're probably easy to find info on but I still could'nt get anything on DP. anyways, thery're apparently from an Atari 2600 clone called Sears Telegames Arcade II (ooooh! an 8 ;)).

Please help; a Meseta award will actually be presented this time (if I don't find info on it before you :evil:)

thanx,
chris.

[Pantechnicon]

The Kraft is probably nothing too special. It's very similar to the standard-issue Apple ][ joystick (link to pic) (http://popcorn.cx/computers/apple/peripherals/input/iie-joystick/joystick_iie.jpg).

As for the Video Arcade II, here it is, live from my garage.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v255/pzcortez/IMG_0133.jpg

Atari 2600 hardware in an Atari 7800 shell and sold in North America (maybe only the USA) only through Sears. Actually has four controller ports, though I have no idea why. Other than Warlords which only requires two controller ports there are no 4-player 2600 games that I know of.

Was also released in Japan under as the "Atari 2800" system:
http://www.atariage.com/2600/consoles/atari_2800.jpg

If this info helps, keep your meseta and PM me if you'd like to do a trade of some sort as I am interested in those Telegames controllers if you're not. Thx.

[kingpong]

Actually has four controller ports, though I have no idea why.

Since the controllers for the Video Arcade II are both joystick and paddle, to play a 4 player paddle game like Warlords you would need to use 4 of those controllers.

[Steve W]

I've got one of those Kraft controllers, but not a two-button version. Like it's been mentioned, Apple II controllers have two buttons on them, so do early PC joysticks. All the Kraft joysticks i've seen for early computers are beige, though. And usually sport two connectors that Y off the cable.

[Flack]

Not to derail this thread, but I owned one of those one-button Kraft joysticks for years. It was my favorite C64 joystick of all time. If anyone runs across one for sale, PLEASE let me know! I never saw a black one before, mine was beige with black stick and black button.

[christhegamer]

The Kraft is probably nothing too special. It's very similar to the standard-issue Apple ][ joystick (link to pic) (http://popcorn.cx/computers/apple/peripherals/input/iie-joystick/joystick_iie.jpg).


Actually, as far as button layout goes, it's actually quite different from your picture. It actually looks something like this ("[_]"= button; "(O)"= joystick):

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(O)