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Does anyone have an Arkanoid controller that they can take detailed pictures of the inside (or plop them on a scanner)? I just picked up a bare cart, and I have a broken NES controller on my pile. I imagine that the rotary controller just reports short ticks of the left and right directions as it turns and I'd like to possibly have a go at making one.

Hobie-wan wrote:Does anyone have an Arkanoid controller that they can take detailed pictures of the inside (or plop them on a scanner)? I just picked up a bare cart, and I have a broken NES controller on my pile. I imagine that the rotary controller just reports short ticks of the left and right directions as it turns and I'd like to possibly have a go at making one.

Sorry, I tried opening mine up but with the way the paddle is connected to the board I can't get it apart without risking breaking it. Hard to explain, but I really can't get it apart like I can a regular controller without risking damage (and I've taken apart the analog stick box inside the N64 controller with no problems).

I could sell you one, though!

Is the Arkanoid controller anything like the knob used for Tempest? I had my dad over playing Tempest on my MAME'd Xbox and he had a blast, but kept asking if I could find something more like the original knob controller. I've looked around online, but I haven't really found anything other than track balls.

Sell me one? Where's the fun in that?

I appreciate you trying to take a look for me. I guess others will have the same difficulty getting it open. Are the controllers more plentiful and cheaper over there than they are in the US? Aside from the fun of making my own the prices they go for are kid of off putting.

jfe2 wrote:Is the Arkanoid controller anything like the knob used for Tempest? I had my dad over playing Tempest on my MAME'd Xbox and he had a blast, but kept asking if I could find something more like the original knob controller. I've looked around online, but I haven't really found anything other than track balls.

It is exactly the same as the Tempest knob, or a Paddle if you prefer the Atari way of calling it.

Hobie-wan wrote:Sell me one? Where's the fun in that?

I appreciate you trying to take a look for me. I guess others will have the same difficulty getting it open. Are the controllers more plentiful and cheaper over there than they are in the US? Aside from the fun of making my own the prices they go for are kid of off putting.

Was it even released here in the US?

I know for a fact that it got a massive release in Japan due to Taito's marketing push behind Arkanoid DS and Space Invaders Extreme at the time of it's release.

jfe2 wrote:Is the Arkanoid controller anything like the knob used for Tempest? I had my dad over playing Tempest on my MAME'd Xbox and he had a blast, but kept asking if I could find something more like the original knob controller. I've looked around online, but I haven't really found anything other than track balls.

They're going to be similar. The NES Arkanoid controller probably uses what are effectively tiny taps on the direction buttons. They might be IR gates like the rollers in ball mice or N64 analog sticks, or they might be all funky like the inside of the Atari 2600 racing paddles.

Mod_Man_Extreme wrote:I know for a fact that it got a massive release in Japan due to Taito's marketing push behind Arkanoid DS and Space Invaders Extreme at the time of it's release.

In this case I'm talking about the NES Arkanoid controller. I guess I wasn't clear, though I did mention using a broken NES controller to perhaps make one. Editing the title for clarity now.

Although I do want a DS one as well for Space Invaders Extreme, but I don't want to pay the $40+ shipping those go for since they didn't come out over here. $40 for a controller to use in 1 or 2 games is a bit rich for me.

Hobie-wan wrote:

Mod_Man_Extreme wrote:I know for a fact that it got a massive release in Japan due to Taito's marketing push behind Arkanoid DS and Space Invaders Extreme at the time of it's release.

In this case I'm talking about the NES Arkanoid controller. I guess I wasn't clear, though I did mention using a broken NES controller to perhaps make one. Editing the title for clarity now.

Although I do want a DS one as well for Space Invaders Extreme, but I don't want to pay the $40+ shipping those go for since they didn't come out over here. $40 for a controller to use in 1 or 2 games is a bit rich for me.

Heh, my bad.

I don't personally know anything about the Arkanoid controllers for the NES as I've never actually seen one. Good luck on getting one for a good deal!

Hobie-wan wrote:Sell me one? Where's the fun in that?

I appreciate you trying to take a look for me. I guess others will have the same difficulty getting it open. Are the controllers more plentiful and cheaper over there than they are in the US? Aside from the fun of making my own the prices they go for are kid of off putting.

I'd charge about $15 plus shipping for just the controller. $20 with the game (if I can find it...).Negotiable
I don't think that's off putting. Whenever I see them, which is relatively often, they're fairly cheap.

Unfortunately, it won't plug into an NES without modification. It uses the Famicom expansion port, as all 3rd party Famicom controllers do.