Evolution of Atari Controllers

In this video we take a look at all the Atari Controllers that are required to play the minimum amount of content and are packed in with Atari Consoles. This evolution looks at things like the home pong consoles, the 2600, 5200, 7800 (in 2 regions!), the Jaguar, and the all new VCS 800! So join us as we see how the controllers have evolved with Atari consoles, for better or for worse!
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[@jeremiahthomas8140]

It was never called the Gamepad until recently. It was officially a JoyPad.

[@Chemical_Ali]

The Jaguar Pro controller is one of my favorite controllers.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Finally somebody who also enjoys a good jag controller!

[@adm712]

Great video as always. Speaking of controllers, I'd love to see a video about the 2600 driving controller (used for only 1 game) and the keyboard controller (kind of an oddity).

[@lorensims4846]

The CX40 joystick is still my game controller of choice. I'll have to wait for the release of the new CX30+ paddle controllers on Amazon because my old paddle controllers are shot and I can't play Super Breakout anymore. I recently got all my Atari stuff back after thirty years, and it includes two Atari Trak Ball Controllers, one of which still works fine! It basically replaces a joystick, but it's head-and-shoulders superior when playing Missile Command, the very first arcade game to offer a trackball controller, and Centipede, which also originally had a trackball controller. As I recall, the original arcade version of Asteroids actually used button controllers. One for "thrust," two for "turn right" and "turn left", one for "fire," one for "shields," and one for "hyperjump." With a joystick, forward is "thrust," right and left are "turn right" and "turn left," and back is "hyperjump." Shields just aren't a thing anymore, I guess. This works all right, to the point a lot of people don't even know that Asteroids was originally played with buttons, but I find that I keep accidentally selecting "hyperjump" in the heat of action. I also got an Atari 7800 game system, but the controllers don't seem to work at all. I've considered using one of my CX40s with it, but it doesn't have two triggers. I was looking forward to my new Atari VCS so I could finally try to become accustomed to the "Modern" controller. I've found the "Classic" joystick to be entirely too "hot" for use with the arcade version of Missile Command so I tried using my old Atari Trak Ball Controller instead. This is MUCH better, but the trigger (it has one on each side of the ball) only launches missiles from the center missile base, not from either base on the sides. I can't seem to get the hang of this "Modern" controller enough to see if it's any better with the arcade version of Missile Command. I also don't think the "paddle' function of twisting the "Classic" joystick's stick is good enough. I'll try my CX30+ Paddle Controllers when I get them. I used my CX40 joystick controllers with my Atari ST.

[@socrates0603]

Having grown up with arcade coin-ops and the CX-40, to this day, I still prefer a joystick, and it's the controller type that feels most natural to me. Dpads are just.. ugh. I really love the fact that Atari provided paddles for the 2600 and understood the importance of form along with function.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

I really liked that they included paddles too. There's something about early paddle games that felt special to me on Atari. I wish they could find a way to replicate that feeling today. I like the dpad personally. I guess I'm not much of a joystick guy but I do like it for certain games...

[@socrates0603]

@@TheAtariNetwork and you are not alone :) I think the NES's popularity cemented the d-pad as the de facto base controller type. Some controllers have better d-pad than others. The Xbox360 controller d-pad is definitely atrocious, at least for me. 8bitdo gamepads have very nice ones. Regarding paddles, Video61 has the best one called the CX-30 Evolved. Have you seen it? It's housed in the Proline controller chassis but with a knob in place of the stick. The knob is velvety smooth, and that's the best way I can describe it. Over the years, I've invested quite a few dollars to improve the joystick experience. Even back in the 80s, I tried a variety of joysticks for my 2600 and Atari 8bit -- Gemstick, Slik Stick, TAC-2, all the Wico joysticks. I even tried a few flight stick type controllers like the Quickshot. My favorite controller and jack-of-all-trades was the Wico Redball, and I still have my original (one of the very few gaming relics from my past). On my quest for joysticks, I have bought several arcade style controllers from Retrogameboyz for the 2600/7800, 5200, and Intellivision. Most recently, I ordered the twin stick from Edladdin which is suppose to ship this week and another 5200 controller from Cyberfreak (a self-centering analog joystick!). I'm still on the quest for an all-button controller for the optimal Asteroids and Decathlon experience (I've tried the Starplex and a custom order from Retrogameboyz, and they were all too cramp for me). I even bought the 8bitdo arcade joystick to use with the VCS 800 but I couldn't get it to work unfortunately. I had read that it would work. Anyways... I'm a controller junkie and would love to see you make more videos about all things controllers. And don't forget the various adapters out there beyond the Seagull.

[@pierregareau6590]

Cool and informative video , my favorite one is the Jag controller , I dont own a jaguar but I bought a used jag controller with a jagadaptor to play games on my PC with the Bigpemu emulator , thanks Jon

[@kevinstrade2752]

The 2600 controller is iconic to gaming in general. Sometimes the original just brings back the feeling of being a kid playing Atari. Yes there are better more modern alternatives and to each thier own. I prefer to play as originally intended, sore hands and figures or not. Lol

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Sometimes it hurts so good

[@TheAtariCreep]

What a fun video, man. PADDLEs RULE!

[@TheAtariNetwork]

I do like a good set of paddles!

[@TheAtariNetwork]

I do like a good set of paddles!

[@indieeric6530]

Great video. I had a 2600 as my first console and spent a ton of time playing it. But going back to the joystick controller now feels completely unnatural. I love the new pro controller though.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

The new controllers are fantastic. Not perfect but as a one two punch they work great!

[@andromedaone3640]

I like the Jaguar, it needs a revival.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

People seem to be ready for that in general. I guess we'll have to wait and see!

[@runpcjon]

I love the classic controller on the new VCS. But you forgot about its predecessor which was packed in with the Atari 2800 and Sears arcade 2. It also had an iintegrated joystick/ paddle.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

I'm not familiar with that one

[@runpcjon]

@@TheAtariNetwork en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sears-Video-Arcade-II-Controller-FL.jpg

[@tomevil6]

Great and interesting video, I really like the VCS controllers but the original 2600 joystick will always be the most iconic.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Good points, I too really like the controller for the VCS! But I have a soft spot for the Jaguar controller believe it or not ...

[@Jolt7800]

An awesome look at the pack in joysticks. Growing up with CX-40, it is still a challenge for me to use a more complicated controller.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Lol the classics are classics for a reason!

[@jackofallgamesTV]

Everyone from the American 2nd generation controllers to the Japanese 3rd generation controllers and beyond, has this obsession with requiring the controller to be held in the hand. Hence why we got designs that were painful yet ambidextrous in America (think Intellivision, ColecoVision) The Japanese realize that arm symmetry was important more than ambidexterity in handheld controls. Hence the pioneered horizontal layouts where Americans tend to be more vertical. Personally I don't understand why the floor or a table or the lap couldn't be used for controller like a modern fight stick. That's how arcade panels were. The joke of these 2nd generation controllers is "The good news is the joystick is ambidextrous. The bad news is they're so painful when you get beyond a certain point you're going to learn to become ambidextrous, whether you want to or not. " I don't know why they couldn't invent an ambidextrous pad. That would be easy to do just rotate the pad 180° and you got an ambidextrous joypad. I guess hand choice doesn't matter so much when one hand is not grabbing a joystick. The tasks are more symmetrical physically.

[@cryptocoffee13]

Good video. 😊

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Thanks you!

[@jackofallgamesTV]

Hey Brook: If you make a USB to Jaguar adapter, I could you use a thunderstick Ikari Warriors in free mode for the spinner in Tempest 2000 for the Jaguar. That has both a joystick and a spinner in the same physical handle. And it also has a 6 button for games that use it.

[@ActuallySanFrancisco]

i only had the driving paddles on the 2600 and never the ones with the tennis rackets on them. i am curious to know what the difference is, as they look completely identical. also the jaguar controller is surprisingly comfortable to hold and use given how it looks (minus the num pad)... also also, you forgot the jaguar 6 button controller, which was a vast improvement on the regular jaguar controller, albeit certainly too little too late for that console.

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Perhaps a sequel is necessary

[@MarquisDeSang]

Hey 8BitDo, if you make an Atari Jaguar controller, I will buy 2 (3 button onlly like God intended)

[@TheAtariNetwork]

Agreed!