After reading the thread about Genesis controllers in other consoles, I thought to hook up my Atari 2600 joystick (actually the Wico Command controller) to see if it would work. Naturally the best game to try this out on is Sonic the Hedgehog, since once you get into the game, you only use one button plus the control pad. It works, although it's certainly not comfortable, and you still need a Genesis controller to press start before switching it out for the joystick.
Two questions:
1) Is this bad for the Genesis?
2) What other games only require one button that you could use an Atari joystick for it?
Other Controllers in a Genesis
- Hobie-wan
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Re: Other Controllers in a Genesis
Atari 2600 sticks simply connect 5 volts when a direction or the button is pressed. SMS/NES and later have more buttons than wires, so the signals are either sent as high/low to give more possibilities per wire or may even send actual digital data. If the console isn't expecting to see the full 5 volts coming back down a return wire, that might be bad for the console. I dunno though, just musing.
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- Anthony817
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Re: Other Controllers in a Genesis
Anthony817 wrote:You could also use 3DO controllers too I believe.
I know many people warn about using a Genesis controller on a 3DO because of possible damage to the console, would it not be the same way with a 3DO controller on a Genesis? (serious question, not being mean here)
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Re: Other Controllers in a Genesis
you run the risk of damaging the 3DO if you try to use Genesis pads on it.
The reason is that the 3DO uses a serial bus for communication between 3DO peripherals and therefore 3DO peripherals are active devices. Genesis pads are simple switch boxes that when hooked up to a 3DO run the risk of directly shorting the power supply lines running from the 3DO peripheral port.
While the physical layout of the pins is similar between the Genesis and 3DO, the signaling standards are completely different.


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RyaNtheSlayA
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Re: Other Controllers in a Genesis
Aren't you mistaking 3DO with C64? I've never heard this about the 3DO...jay_red wrote:Anthony817 wrote:You could also use 3DO controllers too I believe.
I know many people warn about using a Genesis controller on a 3DO because of possible damage to the console, would it not be the same way with a 3DO controller on a Genesis? (serious question, not being mean here)
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Re: Other Controllers in a Genesis
Since the 2600 joysticks are worthless pieces of shit, I do the opposite, I use my genesis (or master system since it feels more period correct) when playing my 2600 once a year.
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Re: Other Controllers in a Genesis
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Last edited by BoringSupreez on Thu Apr 17, 2025 12:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Other Controllers in a Genesis
This reminds me. Hori released a controller for Mega Drive that was modeled after the Super Famicom controller.


Re: Other Controllers in a Genesis
sexy.samsonlonghair wrote:This reminds me. Hori released a controller for Mega Drive that was modeled after the Super Famicom controller.


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