Amiga compatible gamepad recommendations?

[Stewcumber]

I've picked up an Amiga 500 recently. I need to pick up a joystick for it, but I remember from various videos online that pretty much any 9 pin controller will work. I've always preferred joypads to joysticks. Can anyone recommend a good joypad? For the moment the megadrive controller appears to be the best but there might be some question about the pin out being "a bit" incompatible?

Any other good joypads?

[Daedalus]

The KTRL-CD32 is excellent. It's based on the shell of a SNES USB controller and emulates a CD32 pad with extra features like remapping controls etc. Aside from the pin differences with MD pads, I'm not a fan of the large D-pad the MD controller uses (and the Honeybee CD32 controller for that matter). For me, the SNES-sized D-pad is much nicer to use.

Personally, I don't play that many games, but when I do, I'll either use a KTRL-CD32 or a Zipstick joystick, depending on the game.

[Solo Kazuki]

Originally Posted by Stewcumber

I've picked up an Amiga 500 recently. I need to pick up a joystick for it, but I remember from various videos online that pretty much any 9 pin controller will work. I've always preferred joypads to joysticks. Can anyone recommend a good joypad? For the moment the megadrive controller appears to be the best but there might be some question about the pin out being "a bit" incompatible?

Any other good joypads?

About MegaDrive joypads problem see this topic.


Also try to get multi-button functionality (if possible with CD32 joypad compatibility) hence there are some games which are using more than one button. Here is list of almost all games for Amiga supporting two or more buttons.


About joypads, there are some ways to get one.

First is original joypads, hard to find but possible. Here are EBay offers.

You can also get custom made joypads, e.g. KTRL CD32+.

And there are USB->DB9 converters, e.g. Tom.

Edit: There was similar discussion here.

[GearCross]

I got myself an 8bitdo M30 for my A1200.

I also made myself an adapter according to this schematic, given that there is a difference between the Amiga and the MegaDrive/Genesis controller pinout on the power delivery. It works perfectly.

[Solo Kazuki]

Safer and more useful (all 4 buttons from MD joypad available in some games) is this schematic from Flashback docs.

                Prise DB-9 Mâle                   Prise DB-9 Femelle	


                     -                                -
                    |  \                             |  \
                    |   \                            |   \
                1   | .  \---------------------------| o  \   1
                    |     \                          |     \ 
                  6 |    . --           ,------------|    o     6
                    |      | \         /             |      |  
                2   | .    |--\-------/--------------| o    | 2
                    |      |   \     /               |      |  
                  7 |    . |----\---'  ,-------------|    o |   7
                    |      |     \    /              |      |  
     ==>        3   | .    |------\--/---------------| o    | 3         ==>  
                    |      |       \/                |      |  
  Joystick        8 |    . |-------/\----------------|    o |   8      Port 
 4  boutons         |      |      /  \               |      |        Joystick
                4   | .    |-----/----\--------------| o    | 4       AMIGA
                    |      |    /      \             |      |  
                  9 |    . ----/--------\------------|    o     9
                    |     /   /          \           |     /
                5   | .  /---'            \----------| o  /   5
                    |   /                            |   /    
                    |  /                             |  /
                     -                                -       


	Cela revient donc à relier chacune des broches de la prise mâle
	à leur homologue de la prise femelle, sauf la 5 qui va à la 7,
	la 6 qui va à la 5 et enfin la 7 à la 6.

[sneckburger]

I use the Cyclone RX (form ebay) and a PS1 controller.
Doesn't seem to like pads with analogue sticks though... Unless they've updated it since?

[Daedalus]

Originally Posted by Solo Kazuki

Safer and more useful (all 4 buttons from MD joypad available in some games) is this schematic from Flashback docs.

More useful, perhaps for Flashback if it supports the adaptor in that configuration, but I can't see how it's any safer, and it has the disadvantage of not working properly in other games, since the fire button pin is reassigned.

[Stewcumber]

Thanks everyone. Gosh darn Amiga stuff is expensive (although I did ask about the best joypad!). I'm used to my old PC stuff essentially being scrap value! I also have zero skills with rewiring or soldering...

To be honest, as I can get a master system controller quite cheaply, I think I will start with that.

If I fall in love with Amigas I might invest in a KTRL CD32+.

[quantum8]

^ The MS gamepad will be perfect for your needs!

You'll only need gamepads with more buttons if you get an AGA machine and run CD32 whdload titles that utilise the extra buttons.

[Retro-Nerd]

No, there are tons of patched A500 disk games which supports all CD32 pad buttons. And the Master System pad, seriously a joke.

[Daedalus]

Yeah, there are lots of 2-button games that are non-AGA, and if you use WHDLoad, lots of games have been patched to support 2 buttons even when the original does not. Also, any title that uses the CD32 protocol for additional buttons won't use a standard 2-button pad, as those buttons are read differently. Of course, games could support both controller types, but if a game requires a CD32 pad, a standard 2-button pad won't work.

[th4t1guy]

I will vouch for the TOM adapters. I use them on my cd32 and it lets me use both pc optical mice and the cheap usb snes-style gamepads, both working quite well.

[Devlin]

I use a Sega Master System controller for my amiga - supports both buttons and is generally a nice design (also i've been playing a lot of master system games on my 1200)

I've not had a CD32 pad to hook up to my 1200 so i've mostly not touched anything in that realm.

[-Acid-]

The Ktrl CD32 pad is the best imo if you are willing to pay the price for them.

[slaapliedje]

I bought some of the Sega Master system variant Epyx 500xj joysticks. They work great in games that will support two buttons, like Leander!

[dreadnought]

Some time ago I bought a HoneyBee Competition Pro (series II) pad. Seller advertised that it's for Amiga, but I think it's really a Sega Megadrive pad. Is it safe to use it on my A500 without any mods? I seem to recall people saying something about different voltage?

[robinsonb5]

Originally Posted by dreadnought

Some time ago I bought a HoneyBee Competition Pro (series II) pad. Seller advertised that it's for Amiga, but I think it's really a Sega Megadrive pad. Is it safe to use it on my A500 without any mods? I seem to recall people saying something about different voltage?

Long-story-short: Yes, it's safe on an Amiga. (Not safe on a C64 though.)

[grelbfarlk]

The PSX adapter Kipper was selling for a while is great and PSX (or PS2) controllers can still be had new quite cheaply, not sure if he's still selling them though.

[Swevicus]

3 years late, but better late than never - the QuickShot WizMaster gamepad seems to be pretty damn good, ditto the Starfighter 3W pad... and the Honey Bee controller (originally meant for the Sega Master System).

[Daedalus]

Sega Mastersystem pads are perfectly fine as (unlike Megadrive pads) they're wired correctly for Amiga 2-button controller use.