NES gamepad as card reader; innovation in controller design

Who says there's no innovation in controller design? Zieak has turned an NES controller into a 12-in-1 card reader using nothing more than a Dremel, an X-acto knife, and some glue. Gut the controller, glue the buttons, transplant new guts, cut openings, and install the cord. Voilà!
Check out the tutorial over at Instructables.
[Via MAKE: Blog]











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BklynKid @ Mar 13th 2006 12:39PM
God I'm tired of these NES mods. One, I see no real purpose for them, except if you're a total geek and get off on shit like this. And two, I think the NES is fucking ugly. Great machine for its time, yes. A classic, yes. But for gods sake, LET IT FUCKING GO!
Matt Category @ Mar 13th 2006 12:42PM
This was on my blog in January.
Although I practically gave up that blog in Feburary (I am now writing for another site) it is good to know that I can find some cool things before Joystiq!
Check out that link - there are 4 other cool things you can do with a NES pad on there...
2Kings @ Mar 13th 2006 12:50PM
we need to see more mods
c'mon
snes pads?
genesis pads?
orginal game boys?
dru @ Mar 13th 2006 1:09PM
Wow, the guy gutted the NES controller and turned it into a case for a 12-in-1 card reader. That has got to be some of the lamest crap on the internet.
flyNN @ Mar 13th 2006 1:53PM
I think this would be totally sweet if (a) the controller still worked and worked via USB and (b) is you added all your MAME/NES/etc roms onto one of the cards.
eh, it could be cool... really, it could =p
Gonzo @ Mar 13th 2006 2:25PM
Wow
Even I could do this after going through a quart of rum.
That gives me an idea.
jordan @ Mar 13th 2006 3:06PM
I agree with 5. flyNN- it would really only be cool if it was a working controller, and had cards with the roms on them.
however, that'd be several GB of roms.
James @ Mar 13th 2006 3:19PM
A lot of these mods are just taking the shell of an old product and putting it over the guts of a new one. So while its cool, its really getting old.
Now what I would love to see is someone making an attempt with interfacing "obscure" gaming hardware with a computer.
Let's say, making the "Sega Activator" into a mouse.
Now that's something I'd buy for a dollar.
C. Grant @ Mar 13th 2006 3:22PM
+10pts for the Robocop reference.