Joysticks that self center

[Stevaside]

Hello

 

 

I am not too much of a 5200 collector, only own a handful of games..and have never actually played the system, but a friend of mine recently found about 20 games at a thrift store and is planning to find a console to buy. From what Ive read over the years, seems the controllers are pretty bad & don't self-center. My question is does this Wico stick I think it was I saw mentioned somewhere self-center? If so how much do they usually go for & are there any alternative joysticks out there that won't cause us frustration once we start playing.

 

 

Thanks,

Steve

[yell0w_lantern]

Like many analog sticks, yes, it self-centers but you can disable the self-centering. The problem is that you do not have all the buttons you need with the WICO stick just the 2 trigger buttons. You also need an interface like a Y-cable to hook it into the 5200 because the WICO uses a DB-9 like the 2600 while the ports on the 5200 are 2 row DB-15s. When I have seen them on EBAY they are about 50 dollars.

[+DamonicFury]

While the Wico is pricy, it's also a truly excellent solution to the 5200's well-known problems with the standard controller. Like yell0w-lantern said, you'll need a Y-cable to use it in tandem with a standard controller, which then provides the needed Start/Pause/Reset buttons and the keypad. Or instead, Wico also made a really nice keypad that works very nicely with their stick, but it generally runs another $50.

[sqoon]

2nd generation Atari 5200 stock controllers are self-centering because they added a nice rubber boot around the stick. Actually performs quite nice on Pac Man and Dig Dug, so no Wico's are necessary.

 

If your controllers do not have the rubber boots, they are cheap to buy through Best Electronics.

[+DamonicFury]

The rubber boots are nice, and I was pleasantly surprised by them when I first got the standard 5200 sticks. That said, they're not a true substitute for a stick that instantly springs back to true center when released. A good example is Robotron (which we are currently playing in the HSC.) Normally, your shooter will instantly stop walking or firing when you release the stick. But that does not happen with the 5200 sticks, even with the boot. This can be fatal, as you're likely to accidentally cruise right into an enemy. (I'm using a pair of Competiton Pro's for this game, as I don't have a second Wico. Comp Pro's are nice for many games, but useless for analog-only games like Missile Command, Star Raiders, Centipede, Star Wars, and a few others. The Wico works well with all 5200 games.)

 

The other problem with the standard sticks is the side mounted fire buttons. These can cause hand cramps for many gamers after a while, especially if heavy firing is required. No modifications exist that can help with that.

 

I know some folks around here swear by the standard sticks, and more power to them. By all means, gamers should try them out and see if they work well enough for them. But if, as many of us have found, they are unsatisfactory, just be aware that there are alternatives - they just are unfortunately a bit on the rare and expensive side. If you don't have a 5200 yet, it may well be worth holding out for a bundle that includes a Wico... you could potentially save some money that way.

[sqoon]

PC 15-pin controller adapters are excellent on everything except the more analog games like Missile Command and Centipede. For paddle games like Super Breakout and Kaboom, PC Ultra Racer controller is the sweet setup.

 

Using a PC digital pad or stick on games like Pac Man and Dig Dug offers far better control than with stock 5200 controllers.

[AtariBrian]

The rubber boots are nice, and I was pleasantly surprised by them when I first got the standard 5200 sticks. That said, they're not a true substitute for a stick that instantly springs back to true center when released. A good example is Robotron (which we are currently playing in the HSC.) Normally, your shooter will instantly stop walking or firing when you release the stick. But that does not happen with the 5200 sticks, even with the boot. This can be fatal, as you're likely to accidentally cruise right into an enemy. (I'm using a pair of Competiton Pro's for this game, as I don't have a second Wico. Comp Pro's are nice for many games, but useless for analog-only games like Missile Command, Star Raiders, Centipede, Star Wars, and a few others. The Wico works well with all 5200 games.)

 

The other problem with the standard sticks is the side mounted fire buttons. These can cause hand cramps for many gamers after a while, especially if heavy firing is required. No modifications exist that can help with that.

 

I know some folks around here swear by the standard sticks, and more power to them. By all means, gamers should try them out and see if they work well enough for them. But if, as many of us have found, they are unsatisfactory, just be aware that there are alternatives - they just are unfortunately a bit on the rare and expensive side. If you don't have a 5200 yet, it may well be worth holding out for a bundle that includes a Wico... you could potentially save some money that way.

The new gold fire buttons might work well for games like Gyruss. I havent tried them yet but I did just get some, they are supposed to have more bounce back... a clicky reaction.

[yell0w_lantern]

You could probably rig together a keypad like the WICO one for quite a bit less. All you really need is a project box, 2row DB-15 male socket, and the actual pad... and maybe a header for the pin connection. Heck if you go that route, you could convert over an old analog PC stick using capacitors and a male DB-9 socket. If you're selective you can get a PC or PC Jr stick for 7 to 9 dollars.

[SRGilbert]

My vote goes for the Comp Pros, great stick. That or the Sega Genesis adapters that Prodos makes.

 

Also, the Trak-ball is a must have as well.

[Stevaside]

Thanks for all the replies....I'll prob go with the controller with the rubber boots if I we get a console...seems the other alternatives are pretty hard to find too