Reimagined 3rd-Party joystick/arcade controllers...because if Atari can bring old stuff back, so can I! (by DoubleDown)

[doubledown]

So as most of us are aware, new Atari has released a new 2600-ish console...with additional 7800-ish compatibility...called the 2600+.  To go along with this new console, they have also released new, old-ish style joysticks and paddles, which are hardware compatible with our original systems.  So no more hunting garage sales and online ads/auctions, for "hopefully working" controllers when our old ones start to fail...we can just buy new ones from Atari.  

 

But that got me thinking...I remember back in the before times (when the original Atari 2600/8-bits/7800 were new), there were a boat-load of 3rd party replacement/upgrade controller options...sold in stores along side these consoles, and advertised for in the back of magazines.  Granted, most of these were crap, but several, are absolutely iconic.  Unfortunately for us, all of these 3rd party controllers are now long out of production, and, as most of those 3rd party companies don't exist any more, we probably won't be seeing any new versions of these controllers, coming back, any time soon.  So I figured I'd take it upon myself to play "what if," and re-imagine some of these iconic, vintage, 3rd party controllers, into modern arcade type controllers, for use with our original consoles, and Atari's new console.  So let's start with these few:

 

WICO Command Control Mk. II Edition - VVG Micro Controller - "The Red Special"

 

 

The WICO Command Control joysticks are probably the most recognizable, 3rd party, Atari compatible joysticks, ever sold in the U.S.  I had one as a kid, as well as one of WICO's trackballs, too.  So I modeled this one after the "Famous Red Ball" variant from the Command Control line, as I generally prefer a ball knob for my old-school gaming.  The obvious styling cues that I borrowed from the original, are the 2 color housing (bottom = red / top = black), 1-1/2" red ball knob w/ white top-fire button, exposed steel shaft, 24 mm pushbuttons (w/ black bodies, & red concave plungers), brand/model text from the retail boxes, and the detailing surrounding the joystick.  Now some of you may be thinking...I've never seen any sort of arrows around my WICO Command Control joystick, but I assure you...they're there.  On the originals, it was very small, and molded into the upper plastic housing...thus black on black.  Since I can't print black on black, I drew this detailing in red to make it pop a bit...and enlarged its scale, as my detail ring is larger than the one on the originals.  

 

Details of the build:

 

** Serpac 17S,BK & 17S,AL, 7" x 5", molded ABS enclosures (top half from the BK (black) enclosure, and bottom half from the AL (almond) enclosure...which was dyed red)

 

** VVG / Suzo HAPP C-45 microswitch joystick, w/ Cherry (ZF) D44X microswitches, w/ steel shaft cover, w/ 1-1/2" red ball knob, w/ white top-fire button (top fire button from original Command Control joystick, but non-functional due to a lack of necessary mounting depth to accommodate its function...just for looks so to say)

 

** Sanwa OBSF-24 pushbuttons (2) (ambidextrous), w/ A.S. Classic Concave caps...black/red

 

** 10' Custom crimped cable (wired to the 2600 wiring standard)

 

** WICO Command Control inspired CPO/Artwork

 

Competition PRO 5000 Mk. II Edition - VVG Micro Controller

 

 

The Coin Controls Ltd. Competition PRO joysticks are also very iconic (although maybe a bit more for Commodore enthusiasts), and as the joystick I used for this build is a microswitch joystick...as was the Competition PRO 5000 originally, I used that model as my inspiration.  The obvious styling cues that I borrowed from the original are the the all black housing, 32mm red textured ball knob & red shaft cover, 30 mm pushbuttons (w/ red bodies, & red concave plungers), and brand/model text from the retail boxes & advertising flyers.  

 

 

Details of the build:

 

** Serpac 17S,BK, 7" x 5", molded ABS enclosure

 

** VVG / iL PSM-45 microswitch joystick, w/ Cherry (ZF) D44X microswitches, w/ 32mm red ball knob, w/ red shaft cover

 

** Sanwa OBSF-30 pushbuttons (2) (ambidextrous), w/ A.S. Classic Concave caps...red/red

 

** 10' Custom crimped cable (wired to the 2600 wiring standard)

 

** Coin Controls Ltd. Competition Pro 5000 inspired CPO/Artwork

 

Of course the Competition Pro line was sold in lots of color variants...but as I feel the black/red scheme is the most iconic, its the one that I decided to create first.  

 

Arcade Stick Station Edition - VVG Lap Controller

 

 

The inspiration for this controller…is not from a 3rd party controller per se, but rather a 3rd party accessory, that was sold to enhance your Atari CX-40 or WICO Command Control joystick.  The original “Stick Station”, made by Skywriter of Louisville, Kentucky, was a very nice plank of wood, approximately 17-1/2” long, by 6” wide, by 1-1/2” thick, and weighing ~3lbs., into which, you would place your CX-40 or Command Control joystick.  This fabulous accessory would transform your simple, hand-held joystick, into an arcade experience, that could comfortably sit across your lap, or on a table in front of you, all while eliminating dreaded hand-cramping.  As it would hold the joystick base for you, all you had to do was use your fingertips to manipulate the joystick and the button.  Well, I have no aspirations of re-creating a plank of wood, but when I found this Serpac enclosure of similar size, I figured why not check it out and see what I could do with it.  This enclosure, the 182I,BK, is approximately 14-1/4" long, by 4-7/8" wide, by 2" thick, and when outfitted with controls, weighs only ~1.25 lbs.  But, I decided to design and machine some steel bars for weights, that can be installed into any of these Serpac enclosures.  I have (3) 1" x 0.5" x 4.5" bars in this model...which brings its total assembled weight to just over 3 lbs....just like the original plank of wood.

 

Details of the build:

 

** Serpac 182I,BK, 14.25" x 5", molded ABS enclosure

 

** VVG / iL PSM-30 microswitch joystick, w/ Cherry (ZF) D44X microswitches, w/ 30mm black ball knob, w/ black shaft cover

 

** Sanwa OBSF-24 pushbuttons (2) w/ A.S. Classic Concave caps...black/orange

 

** 10' Custom crimped cable (wired to the 7800 wiring standard)

 

** Atari CX-40 & Skywriter Stick Station inspired CPO/Artwork

 

A controller like this is perfect for someone who wants to gameplay with a "smaller/inexpensive-ish" arcade stick controller, without having to place it atop of a lap pillow (or some other such similar nonsense), and/or without having to try to balance it on one leg...as its wide enough to sit across both of your legs, stably.  Of course it would probably look "prettier" if the joystick were centered, and the buttons were in a perfect horizontal row...but that doesn't work really well for human hands, so it was laid out ergonomically, so that humans, with normal human hands (fingers with different lengths and the likes) could actually enjoy using it, as both hands can be completely resting on the control surface, during play.

 

I can also envision a "Bat Handle" variant of the WICO Command Control Edition controller, as well as editions of Suncom's Tac-2, Slik Stik, and Star Fighter joysticks...as well as building any of these, as 7800 variants, wherein the joystick would be on one side, and the 2 buttons on the opposite side...versus the centered-joystick, ambidextrous 2600 models that I've presented above.  Anything is possible with a little imagination.  Enjoy, and happy new year to all!

[chad5200]

Fantastic ideas! I’d definitely purchase the Wico if it somehow came to reality. Would love it if the top white button could be configured to be the second button on a 7800!

[doubledown]

12 hours ago, chad5200 said:

Fantastic ideas! I’d definitely purchase the Wico if it somehow came to reality. Would love it if the top white button could be configured to be the second button on a 7800!

Each of these controllers are in fact real.  The photographs posted above, are actual photographs of these controllers as physically built...not computer generated models.  If anybody is interested in one, I'd be happy to build one for them, just send me a PM and we can discuss.  The WICO Command Control Edition was definitely the most expensive of these new 3 controllers to build, as it requires the most hardware, the most machining, and the most time.  To build a WiCO version, wherein the top-fire button was actually functional though, would require a different enclosure.  One that has more mounting depth (either flat topped, or a larger sloped-top enclosure), that would allow for the installation of the 5th joystick switch. And, if built with a functional top-fire button, that button could be hard-wired for either 7800 button (left or right), or it could be wired through a switch, which would let the user select/alternate which button (left or right), it was wired to.