Modifying a Nintendo Controller

January 5, 2004 10:21 PM

Is there a way to modify an 8 bit nintendo controller to work with a computer, or else, a way to buy nintendo style controllers for the computer (definitely not super nintendo style).
posted by drezdn to sports, hobbies, & recreation (4 comments total)

Yes.

Software + Hardware.

HTH! (And yes, I used this to play Nesticle with such a modified controller myself, so I know it works very well).
posted by shepd at 10:42 PM on January 5, 2004

I know I haven't had a good thumb blister in way too long...
posted by Space Coyote at 6:23 AM on January 6, 2004

My boyfriend made me some of these for Christmas a few years back. From my layperson's perspective, it looks like he just cut the plugs off and attached a parallel port. I seem to remember him saying that the most difficult part was mapping the wiring between the correct pins. I'll ask him for any sites he used (it may well have been the ones shepd linked) and tips he remembers...
posted by web-goddess at 3:25 PM on January 6, 2004

Okay, his comments: The easiest way is to use the diagrams and driver in the Linux kernel source. :) Documentation here. That dpadpro hardware linked to is pretty much the same. However, I never could make the dpadpro driver work on Windows. Perhaps the PPJoy software works better.
posted by web-goddess at 4:26 PM on January 6, 2004