Just received my RetroGameBoyz keypad adapter combo for using DB9 controllers

[RockLobster]

Works great and they did a good / honest thing of listing some of the quirks with some unpatched titles and workarounds.   

 

As a new 5200 enthusiast, variations of these adapters almost seem like a must to play digital control games (much of the library). 

 

How do you "purist" feel about adapters like this or not using the OEM controllers?

[RB5200]

 

Don't care for adapters, don't need em.

[Giles N]

3 hours ago, RockLobster said:

 

Works great and they did a good / honest thing of listing some of the quirks with some unpatched titles and workarounds.   

 

As a new 5200 enthusiast, variations of these adapters almost seem like a must to play digital control games (much of the library). 

 

Great to hear it works great.

 

But is this an adapter which alliws for analog PC-joysticks, or an adapter that will let you use Genesis/MD-controllers and the like?

 

What quirks does it have (I’d like to know if I should consider buying one, if they’ll be restocked)?

 

Nice to hear you’ve become an 5200-enthusiast!

 

Even though I was more active at playing it back in 2019-2020 I’ve had great fun with some of the contemporary home ports of the big Arcades at the time 1982-1986… and also some of big non-arcade titles at the time blew me away (Resque on Fractalus for example).

 

Very cool console really.

 

I believe if Atari had made it super-easy to get a 2600-converter-piece, (or built it in) and packed it with a joystick like the Wico, they’d never lost ground in the 80ies, or at least not dropped from the 2600-numbers to what the 5200 eventually ended up with (if they delayed it intentionally, that cannot have been good either).

 

But given a relatively small library, there are tons of fun to be had with it.

[RockLobster]

10 hours ago, RB5200 said:

 

Don't care for adapters, don't need em.

Heh, I appreciate that!   Have you tried games like 5200 Defender with digital controls?

 

8 hours ago, Giles N said:

But is this an adapter which alliws for analog PC-joysticks, or an adapter that will let you use Genesis/MD-controllers and the like?

 

It's for traditional digital controllers from the 80's.  Here are tested controllers from their site:

• 8Bitdo M30 2.4G Wireless Controller Gamepad for The Original Sega Genesis and Sega Mega Drive-Black (2.4G Version)
• RetroGameBoyz Sega Master System Game Pad (B and A)
• RetroGameBoyz Atari 5200 "Themed" Game Pad (B and A) - sold separately or as combo
• AMIGA - (1 button only)
• ATARI 8bit - (1 button only)  - Atari 7800 (DOES NOT WORK)
• ATARI ST - (1 button only)
• Commodore 64/128 - (1 button only)
• AMSTRAD CPC - (1 button only)
• Sega Master System (buttons 1 and 2)
• Sega Genesis - buttons ( B and C)

  8 hours ago, Giles N said:

  What quirks does it have (I’d like to know if I should consider buying one, if they’ll be restocked)?

  So games that actually take advantage of the analog inputs like Missile Command will have problems.  

For other ones like the list below (from their site), it happens to some consoles (maybe pokey settings?).   Pengo works perfect fine for me.  Others like Countermeasure, it'll go one direction but if I move the joystick around then the movement is fine for the rest of the gaming session.  and also reported that this works for the games below.

 

• Pengo - Pengo seems to move up on his own (ROM tested) 
• Millipede / Centipede - ship moves to left
• Space Invaders - ship moves to the left
• Kangaroo - Kangaroo moves to left

9 hours ago, Giles N said:

Nice to hear you’ve become an 5200-enthusiast!

 

Even though I was more active at playing it back in 2019-2020 I’ve had great fun with some of the contemporary home ports of the big Arcades at the time 1982-1986… and also some of big non-arcade titles at the time blew me away (Resque on Fractalus for example).

 

Yeah thanks!

 

I had an Atari 2600 followed by the C64 and Amiga after that.

 

During the pre-internet/usenet era, all the info about the latest came from your friends, magazines and stores.    ...and most of my friends at school and in the neighborhood had the same systems so the 5200 was always one I'd only seen briefly at the stores.   ...and I think I only had a friend of a friend who had an atari8bit computer for similar games.

 

Anyway, so the 5200, atari8bit, colecovision, intelivision and odyssey2 were largely systems I'd only read about or seen briefly but never spent much time on.   and now it's one of the last ones to hoard/collect for.   

 

I have to say, the only retro system that did not come close to my general expectations is the Atari ST.    In my mind and by specs, I expected it to be very similar to the Mac and Amiga.  But man, I hope I don't offend anyone here but that GEM / OS feels like a step backwards.   No command line interface or feels like just an ugly app launcher.   I get that the built-in MIDI is what propelled it in that industry but man, it's neither as elegant as a Mac nor as capable and flashy as an Amiga.

 

ok retro/nostalgia rant over....  (for now).  

 

9 hours ago, Giles N said:

I believe if Atari had made it super-easy to get a 2600-converter-piece, (or built it in) and packed it with a joystick like the Wico, they’d never lost ground in the 80ies, or at least not dropped from the 2600-numbers to what the 5200 eventually ended up with (if they delayed it intentionally, that cannot have been good either).

So.... a 7800.  

 

9 hours ago, Giles N said:

But given a relatively small library, there are tons of fun to be had with it.

Yeah, it was a little hard to swallow getting the Atarimax flashcart for it like I had to with the Odyssey2.   So few games.

 

Is there a good place for browsing all the 5200 home-brew?

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I pretty much only use the original CX-52 controllers for most of the games I play. But then those games I play work best with the analog nature of the controller so it makes sense.

 

But, I do own an older redemption adapter so that I can use a Genesis controller and that works great for everything else! But when I use my redemption, I pair it with a 3 button Genesis and Wico command control keypad vs using an actual CX-52.

 

[BIGHMW]

.....amnd as for the issues involving using Atari 7800 controllers (CX24 joystick and CX78 Europad), those you would need the 7800 model of Redemption 5200 (they also have a 2600 model of Redemption 5200 too, both built by Nimbleswitch) to operate those on a 5200. Of course, then you would have that 6-foot line from the Redemption unit to the 5200, and as for the RetroGameBoyz adapter/keypad you simply plug that in to the Redemption 5200's own onboard DB15 connector. I myself years ago used to use the vintage Wico 5200 keypad (before I stupidly sold both of them in 2019) into it instead of the standard 5200 controller and it worked great for me. Of course nowadays with the Wico 5200 keypad nearing unobtainium status I would utilize the RetroGameBoyz keypad in its place.

[Giles N]

4 hours ago, RockLobster said:

So.... a 7800.

… but as for staying ahead in competition, little too late, and with poorer inbuilt sound than the 5200 …

[Giles N]

4 hours ago, RockLobster said:

Is there a good place for browsing all the 5200 home-brew?

Well, depends what you’re looking for …there should be homebrews on the shop right here on AA…, but my impression is there are way fewer homebrews on the 5200 than the 7800…

 

… but get AtariBlast … it’s a free download for use with AtariMax or AtariMax Ultra, - they say it’s awesome …

[Giles N]

From another thread:

 

»AtariBlast! posted earlier in this thread because it only seems to be a .hyb file, it should be a .hyb and a .dat file.

 

The final 5200 version (with the updated music) can be downloaded from:

 

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/217200-something-new-gtiablast-5200-wip-for-ultimate-sd-cart/?do=findComment&comment=3612319

 

More recently there was a thread about where to obtain 5200 homebrews and conversions. I posted a .zip file of everything I'd done which included AtariBlast!:

 

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/321728-5200-homebrew-roms-and-conversions/?do=findComment&comment=4857195

Edited July 25, 2023 by Giles N

[RockLobster]

3 hours ago, BIGHMW said:

Of course nowadays with the Wico 5200 keypad nearing unobtainium status I would utilize the RetroGameBoyz keypad in its place.

Oh wait.  You can use the 5200 Wico stick without its original keypad and use the RetroGameBoyz adapter instead?

[RockLobster]

2 hours ago, Giles N said:

More recently there was a thread about where to obtain 5200 homebrews and conversions. I posted a .zip file of everything I'd done which included AtariBlast!:

 

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/321728-5200-homebrew-roms-and-conversions/?do=findComment&comment=4857195

Thank you very much!

 

[RockLobster]

2 hours ago, Giles N said:

The final 5200 version (with the updated music)

Holy crap this game is incredible!

 

Are hyb/dat formats a higher memory type game rom?

[Giles N]

31 minutes ago, RockLobster said:

 

 

Are hyb/dat formats a higher memory type game rom?

Unfortunately I’m unaquainted with exactly what these format- and file-categories do, and how they operate:  I’ll have to ask around here myself when I get my AtariMax Ultimate in the mail.

 

If you have the cart-type that can run it, you could start a thread where you assemble the answers into a neat a-b-c for other who’ll come in here (AA/5200-forum) and wanting to know how to install and use the AtariMax and to play AtariBlast / GTIAblast.

[BIGHMW]

On 7/25/2023 at 2:36 PM, RockLobster said:

Oh wait.  You can use the 5200 Wico stick without its original keypad and use the RetroGameBoyz adapter instead?

No. Unfortunately the RetroGameBoyz adapter 9 pin connector only recognizes digital (2600/Sega) joysticks, not the Wico analog one, that, you still have to use the original Wico 5200 keypad on its 9-pin connector instead.

[Dantaipan]

So far I am really liking it. I am not a hater on the original controllers when they have been well restored however for certain games even at the best of times they prove a real challenge. I've been using a 8bitdo m30 mostly so that I can use a second button. I have also tried my Tac-2 which works well for single button games.

[RockLobster]

2 hours ago, Dantaipan said:

I am not a hater on the original controllers when they have been well restored however for certain games even at the best of times they prove a real challenge.

This is my stance and opinion as well.   Out of all the Gen2 controllers, I rank 5200 controllers right after the 2600 ones.   After that, the Intellivision and ColecoVision ones are by far worse.  Growing up, I always thought the ColecoVision Super Action controllers would make for the best home controller but now having them and seeing how they're just arcade LOOKING controllers with the same bubble switches as 2600 ones but in a clunky form factor... bleh.   

 

Anyway, when the 5200 controllers are working they're great.   But as usually, twitch digital controlled games like Defender are just awful to use.   Great as a mouse/trackball stand-in for analog games like Missile Command or Super Breakout but otherwise...

 

3 hours ago, Dantaipan said:

I've been using a 8bitdo m30 mostly so that I can use a second button. I have also tried my Tac-2 which works well for single button games.

For two buttons and in general, I've been happy using Sega Master System gamepads and occasionally Genesis ones.   Otherwise, I too enjoy using the TAC-2 and its little brother Slik Stik as my all purpose Atari/Commodore 1-button controllers.

[RockLobster]

13 hours ago, BIGHMW said:

RetroGameBoyz adapter 9 pin connector only recognizes digital (2600/Sega) joysticks, not the Wico analog one

Outside of adapters, are there any 3rd party analog 2-button sticks for the 5200 other than that Wico one?

[+-^CrossBow^-]

51 minutes ago, RockLobster said:

Outside of adapters, are there any 3rd party analog 2-button sticks for the 5200 other than that Wico one?

Retrogameboyz also makes a full on 5200 replacement controller setup in addition to the adapter. Edladdin will also be releasing their 5200 controller option as some point. There have a been few other projects here and there over the years. But again for me between my redemption adapter with a Genesis pad or using my stock controllers, I've never really wanted or desired anything better for the 5200.

 

[RockLobster]

29 minutes ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

Retrogameboyz also makes a full on 5200 replacement controller setup in addition to the adapter.

I've seen that.  Is that joystick digital or analog?

[+-^CrossBow^-]

1 minute ago, RockLobster said:

I've seen that.  Is that joystick digital or analog?

I've not used it myself but they include calibration knobs on them that can double as paddles so analog would be my guess?

 

[+GoldLeader]

4 hours ago, Dantaipan said:

So far I am really liking it. I am not a hater on the original controllers when they have been well restored however for certain games even at the best of times they prove a real challenge. I've been using a 8bitdo m30 mostly so that I can use a second button. I have also tried my Tac-2 which works well for single button games.

 

When I saw this picture...

 

Well I thought maybe there was a LEGO 5200 available  (haa)...

[Giles N]

On 7/25/2023 at 11:54 PM, RockLobster said:

Are hyb/dat formats a higher memory type game rom?

Gotten it to work yet?

 

Do you have the right Multicart/AtariMax to run it…?

[phuzaxeman]

I use the original sticks 99% of the time.  I think the adapter for 2600 sticks are good for those people that can't work with the 5200 sticks.

 

There's only one game I use using an adapter and that is 5200 Pitfall.  

[RockLobster]

On 7/30/2023 at 6:36 PM, Giles N said:

Gotten it to work yet?

 

Do you have the right Multicart/AtariMax to run it…?

Oh sorry I thought I had replied already but yes it's fantastic!   

 

6 hours ago, phuzaxeman said:

I think the adapter for 2600 sticks are good for those people that can't work with the 5200 sticks.

Since there's no fast auto-centering for the sticks, there's no way games that require quick direction changes to work well enough on the 5200 sticks.

 

The distance (and the time) to change directions quickly for games like Defender is made so much easier in digital.

[Giles N]

12 minutes ago, RockLobster said:

Oh sorry I thought I had replied already but yes it's fantastic!

Perhaps you did but I didn’t catch up.

 

I have ordered an AtariMax Ultra.

 

Is it difficult to install and run?

 

—

Good to hear it’s fantastic - it looks mind-blowing…