NES USB controller: don't make it, buy it

by Christopher Grant { Apr 12th 2007 at 10:10PM }

If you've got any plans to turn your Apple TV into a set-top emulation station, you're going to want to make sure you've got the right controller for the job. For playing classic NES games, there's really nothing better than the Emmy award winning NES gamepad (sorry Classic Controller). You could either follow our very own how-to guide to make your own USB-enabled NES pad, you could buy a USB adapter to retrofit your existing pad, or you could just plunk down the cash in exchange for the convenience of having it done for you. Try Phreque.com's $33 option, pairing a new USB conversion module with a used (we call that classic around these parts) NES pad.

[Thanks, WhackMushroom]

Tags: controller, NES, USB

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Gold @ Apr 12th 2007 10:24PM

this isn't the first time joystiq has advertised a usb NES controller. a while back they advertised another site (I don't remember the name), that also sold USB NES controllers. on top of that, they also sell usb NES four scores, so you can buy one item and use the NES controllers you already have. i have a usb four score, so I ended up paying less than I would have for four NES controllers.

Gold @ Apr 12th 2007 10:27PM

woot! i found the site I was talking about! http://www.retrousb.com/
they also have adapters for wii too! sweet.

Andre @ Apr 12th 2007 10:29PM

Wrecking old stuff is bad. Just buy an adapter from RetroZone.

tc @ Apr 12th 2007 10:54PM

Why are those usb converters so expensive? I'd be willing to pay at most $8 for any of those.

syco @ Apr 13th 2007 12:09AM

Is there something wrong with the Classic Controller? It's way more ergonomic than the original NES controller, and it's wireless! I mean, it's certainly cool, but I don't think it's exactly needed.

Hafk @ Apr 16th 2007 1:49AM

I wish Sega didn't stop producing those Sega Saturn USB pads. Those were the BEST!

Anticrawl @ Apr 13th 2007 1:07AM

I'm not quite sure exactly what I'm missing here, does this controller shoot lazers or something?

I must be living in some kinda parallel dimension because I've had a usb NES controller for a couple of years now, bought it at a local games or electronics store. I also have an SNES one as well, hmm... odd indeed.

Anyway why would one want to suffer through the horrors of a mac when you could have been playing nes roms on a pc with a usb nes controller for years now?

Anticrawl

Rubang B @ Apr 13th 2007 2:00AM

A USB FourScore?!? That's genius! NES controllers grow on trees. I know I have 6 or 7.

sheppy @ Apr 13th 2007 9:07AM

Hmmm, maybe Jacob will get some business about this. I still haven't checked my NES backstock to see how many controllers I can send him. Currently trying to convince him to try and mod an NES Advantage.

Jonathan Tran @ Apr 13th 2007 10:19AM

Other than nostalgia I don't know why anyone would use this. The original NES controller is iconic, but also so un-ergonomic, tiny, and almost TOO light.... don't people have Sidewinders and XBOX360 controllers?

Yoshi Likes Boys @ Apr 13th 2007 10:46AM

The NES controller is FAR better for NES games than the XBox 360 controller. Are you kidding me? The 360's D-pad is a HUGE pile of shit.

The reason to get a retroport instead of a retropad, though, is very simply one word. DOGBONE.

Bjorn Nitmo @ Apr 13th 2007 5:32PM

I like this:

http://www.jlist.com/PRODUCT/JC-U1608TWH

Charles Doty @ Apr 14th 2007 6:34PM

Gotta give the guy props for recycling the NES connector (as a keychain)!

Phreque @ Apr 16th 2007 1:39AM

Schweet - just found this article.. wondered where all my traffic was coming from all of a sudden :)

Re: "Nothing new!" - right you are. I'm certainly not doing anything new, but there is still a lot of spreading the word to do. Sure, you can plug a PS2/Xbox/whatever controller in for it (heck, I did for years), but it's not the same. It just isn't.

Re: "Props for keychain" - waste not want not! Now I just need to find something to do with SNES plugs.. finished making some USB versions of those today :)

Thanks for making my day, guys!