N64 Analog Stick Replacement - GameCube Style on the Nintendo 64 / MY LIFE IN GAMING

Try4ce and Coury install a Gamecube-style analog stick for N64 controllers. Sounds great, but what do they think?
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Coury Carlson
My Life in Gaming
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Newport, KY 41072
Marc "Try4ce" Duddleson
My Life in Gaming
P.O. Box 2684
Indian Trail, NC 28079
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My Life in Gaming makes documentaries, deep dives into retro console hardware, and more.

[@NightSprinter]

Tryce, the big reason why the OEM stick has a finer degree of control is in the fact it is NOT "analog" as people call it. It actually functions a bit more like how older PC mice do. The stick uses an opto-mechanical encoder, with springs. As each divot on the wedge passes through a sensor, the encoder sends out that "analog position" so far out in X or Y. So far, additional mods have been made with a soldered IC in the controller shell to add back the finer degree of control in the OEM sticks. Lastly, the construction of the pivoting bowl and stick itself were not the highest quality. As the OEM sticks are used, the plastic in the pivoting bowl is ground out (and original lubricant drying out). That causes the "loose stick" issue that is so commonplace. And I'm nerding out again..

[@mylifeingaming]

+NightSprinter [Try4ce] Very interesting! Much as it blew me away in 1996, and as much as I have always thought the stick was mostly fine, I'm starting to rediscover that it's actually a very fascinating device, especially considering when it was made. And yeah, I've always been a bit uneasy with the "analog" terming myself - I always preferred Nintendo's official terms "control stick" and "control pad," but everyone says "analog stick" and "D-pad," so I've kinda switched over the years so that people know what I'm talking about.

[@sonicheroes8364]

+My Life in Gaming I always thought the stick was perfectly fine, but admittedly, I wish it was "less stiff" in the plastic - rubber would have been better overall. There also was a reason for your controller NOT loosing its position (Sort of) My friend has a grey N64 controller, the stick has NO resistance, it literally flops over every direction. I have two controllers (grey and red) which I had growing up and EXESSIVELY played the system. But was always more inclined to play via grey controller. So that control stick is "slightly" worse than the red, but the middle "prong" - actually lines up fine, my blue (no loose-stick) and the red one, both on the right middle prong "slightly" dont fit properly, and my friend said "yeah - your controllers have been opened before" - Has yours done that at all? The reason your control stick and my own has not become loose (Although mine are a bit loose - but still playable, and I have gotten used to the loose element) There was two versions of the controller. Version 1. I believe was from launch and they tried dying it off - are plastic, And have the control stick itself incased in a block - When you move the stick about, it causes the stick to grind against the chamber and wear down - it also becomes harder for it to read and register. This version (and all other versions from my knowledge) have lights that fires through to register movement (Like a ball mouse) Version 2. was a metal casing for the chamber, which made it much more resistant against becoming loose - but was "slightly" more expensive to make. it did NOT mean your controller will never become loose - its just, it does not loose its resistance as quickly - Which was a nice thing.

[@digitalblasphemy1100]

+My Life in Gaming the replacement sticks (all of them) are inputting in 2s instead of 1s which is why you're getting that sensitivity. 3D platformers are impossible with any of them. The ONLY game I found that I do decent with is Starfox. I can't believe you didnt add the Raphnet adapter. I have been looking for a solution to my N64 joystick problem for years and years 2007 to be exact and havent found any solution except the hori pad UNTIL I found out about the raphnet gamecube to N64 adapter. If you haven;t tried them out, I have the 1st and 2nd revision and Id be MORE than happy to lend them to you for a review. I promise youre not going to want to play on anything else. The adapter also has memory and you can select different macros and save them so I can play goldeneye with call of duty controls using both joysticks. You can purchase replacement joysticks for the gamecube controller and replace the C stick with no modification, it slips right on so both of the sticks match. The product is supposed to have virtually no noticeable lag and I have found that to be the case in all of my games. I can even pull off some (almost) frame perfect jumps speedrunning SM64 so there isn;t a problem in that regard. Let me know if you;d like me to send one to you. Thanks for the great content!

[@NightSprinter]

That is interesting, as a new hack I saw utilizes a programmed PIC (I forgot which one, exactly) for the GC-styled ones to actually create the necessary steps in movement to make up for the standard deficiency that the standard replacement mod has.

[@brunor.1127]

N.E.R.D

[@NLuKa420]

The only people that hate the N64 are the ones not holding the middle arm with their left hand when using the analog controls.

[@BaxzXD]

NLuKa420 why wouldn't you when every game uses a and b...........

[@NVUSAttitude]

NLuKa420 i grew up with the n64 ONLY using the middle and right stick,i cringe when i see people use the left one, and when i first played wrestlemania 2000 i got so pissed at first when i realized you cant use the analog stick,you have to use the d pad for that game.

[@NVUSAttitude]

SoulEradicator [GD] yeah,for me its comfortable as hell

[@Disgaustang]

I agree

[@WH250398]

I think it's very comfortable, but the stick just sucks.

[@RJinthematrix]

these dudes are awkward and uncomfortable in front of the camera, and i like that keep making more videos

[@eriks8382]

how can you possibly like that? This dude needs a coach

[@nickhartman6372]

@@eriks8382 Eat shit you elitist douche. These guys are real, and that's why so many of us enjoy their work. We don't need more actors in the world: we need more genuine, passionate people like these guys.

[@Green_Stache_Productions]

Nick Hartman that’s probably why he loves how awkward they are. Because he can tell that they’re very genuine and passionate in what they do. Idk

[@danielhenderson762]

I don't find them awkward

[@joseyoshitake2122]

Thank you so much for exposing your personal opinions!! The larger dead zone and lack of sensitivity definately repel me from doing this mod! Love you guys!

[@MezzoForte4]

I replaced my oldest and most used N64 controller with a GC style stick and almost immediately I had an issue with it not responding after playing a long while. It would make me move in one direction, so I had to reset my controller via the reset button input. I was wondering if getting a replacement N64 style stick would eliminate the problem and would feel more like the original stick. It's too late now anyway, my Grape N64 controller has quite literally been falling apart with each use. The casing is shattered. But man, I remember when I opened the thing up and saw that there was nothing left of the mechanism that made the analog stick work. After playing it to oblivion for many years, it simply stopped working because the insides were worn to dust. RIP Grape N64 controller, you did good.

[@Stickygod]

Just a small observation, but Cory said the dead zone was greater, not smaller.

[@mylifeingaming]

+Stickygod [Try4ce] You're right! And Coury is right. My brain at 12:30 in the morning was not right and I said the exact opposite thing of what I meant. We added an annotation, thanks for pointing that out.

[@JustAFilmGuy]

RIP annotations

[@thedankachu8653]

Wtf... This guy knows how to film and edit videos.

[@RaimarLunardi]

such quality on a small-ish channel!!

[@chestosneakoinc]

Dumbass! There are many other youtubers who can also edit videos. You act like he's the only one!

[@embalmed]

or maybe he acts like there are quite a few that can't... Coury is a video editor by profession, so I'd hope the videos were well edited.

[@bryanedds8922]

This guy are sick!

[@2train297]

@@chestosneakoinc wow you really dont know what a Joke is

[@minecraftplayer90]

Amazing quality videos, especially for a channel that's not very well known. Just got a new sub, keep it up!

[@camfratus8636]

Thank you so much for your honesty! Now I know to bring the old stick back to life in the best way. Thank you!!

[@Casellda]

Thank you for this. I Almost bought the GC stick but now after watching your video i know it wont be the right way to treat my baby N64 controller. I want to keep it as original as possible.

[@samuelchurch5124]

You just gotta replace the gears inside the analog stick

[@detilbury]

My best friend and I would have to get new 64 controllers at least once a year because of the obscene amount of Smash Bros we played! Also, Mario 64 can be pretty rough on the stick if you go heavy with the flips and Bowser fights. But yeah, still LOVE my 64 controllers to this day, and was thrilled to find replacement sticks for all my worn ones a few years ago. (Never got rid of any of them, and because we always bought new colors, I wound up with quite the colorful collection!)

[@Ampersand1988]

Put some grease on the stick.

[@kevinvandorst]

I 100% agree One of my N64 controller had a dead stick, but like really.. really... dead, it just had to be replaced! So I went with the Gamecube Style stick, but it really blows! Luckily they also sell original N64 replacement sticks, so I got that one instead, and now it feel likes a new controller! Love it!

[@tinleo333]

for me it was the best controller of the 90s

[@magacop5180]

Really.

[@magacop5180]

No.

[@ChubbyCheeks01]

Me too! I love that thing! I mean look at it. It looks so cool!

[@quarterswede]

Same here. It was pure magic when it was released. I can still remember where I was when I got to play Super Mario 64 Japanese release before it was released in the states (a mall game store). I was entranced.

[@Lone432345]

Well i haven't met a official controller i didn't like. Its usually the third party stuff that sucks.

[@kennyextreme1754]

I was raised on n64 since 2003, Im used the the original controller and love it. You did great making this video and camparing the 2 controllers.

[@austinborton8693]

Like a few others have said the replacement gears that you can buy for the Nintendo 64 controller from Kitch- Bent are awesome. They use a much sturdier plastic than the originals and as long as the bowl of the controller isn't too worn out though usually fix the problem. I've currently fixed about 20 controllers using these and have had great results. It sounds like you got the first model of the GameCube style replacement joystick. A newer one was released and it fixes the main issue you talked about. More degrees of movement were added and the stick feels tighter. The dead zone is also nearly unnoticeable. One thing they changed that has received mixed opinions on was their decision to not include a rubber covered stuck this time around.

[@jamessmithandgarrettsmith3623]

Can an update video about the Gamecube style analog stick be possible given the information?

[@vejza1108]

3rd party potentiometers in analog sticks are always horrible, no exceptions. What you should do is swapping them out with some good ones, preferably with some from a dead 1st party Gamecube controller. It is a way harder process and definitely one for advanced users only, but it pays off. The" dead zone" gets eliminated and you do get all of the directions which stock 3rd party potentiometers simply don't have (they tend to register only 45° turns, or 8 directions, and only 3 positions of pushing/pulling the stick - almost nothing, medium and full, with nothing in between, basically making them an advanced d-pad, but still a d-pad).

[@xXCid]

Alen Vejzagić The issue with this replacement joystick is the microcontroller converting the signal from the potentiometer to the same kind of signal from the original stick. It doesn't work exactly as it should for some reason. I wonder what Repairbox was thinking. Severatius made a video about it a couple years ago. It's missing some degrees of movement in both axis.

[@everythingpony]

8:11 what dead zone? I did what this guy said and boom deadzone gone

[@GUCFan]

There's been so many developments in replacement sticks, it would be worth doing another video about this. I've replaced a stick on a controller that had a replacement N64 style joystick that was quite sensitive with an 8BitDo hall effect stick. And wow, the 8BitDo comes very close to an original OEM stick!

[@marioboi323]

No it doesn’t. My experience with an 8bitdo stick is horrible. None of the inputs register properly. Pressing up-right for me registers as a full right rotation and also the stick came crooked and I can’t fix it.

[@JamieBainbridge]

I'm glad you posted this video. I repaired some N64 controllers many years ago with GC-style joysticks. The deadzone is horrible, but most importantly, the ones I got don't have the same max range of movement. So you aim in GoldenEye, press the joystick to the left/right edge, but the aiming doesn't move far enough to turn the player movement. The N64 has a design flaw that the stick gears wear out and the cup which the joystick sits in grinds away as you press on the stick. These days you can get replacement gears off eBay and they're a much better option.

[@StevenTimothyTorres]

1:50 That's My all time favorite controller, in fact that exact model green translucent controller is my favorite one I got back in 2003. lol

[@leahsutter3929]

The Nintendo 64 controller joystick was beautiful, the accuracy is unrivaled when you owned a new official one, but sadly the chosen material let down an otherwise spectacular design with optical/digital input.

[@JoshuaGillespieMusic]

I love this channel. You guys are pretty cool. Keep it up dudes, I love it!

[@DhinCardoso]

I LOVE the N64 controller! I loved! I still love it! And it was very important for the gaming community

[@towatchutube123]

I don't know what all the fuss is about with the acting, but I really enjoyed the video and how you both conveyed everything. The epic outtro song along with the speech made for a solid ending!

[@syncmonism]

I'm really sick of people saying that they hate the N64 controller. Calling the N64 Controller a bad controller is like calling the Model T a bad car because it's nowhere near as good as a 1980's Toyota Corolla. It just completely lacks any understanding of historical context. When this thing was first released to the market, it was BY FAR the best standard controller to ever come with a video game console. The Nintendo 64 was the first system to make an analogue control stick a standard feature, and all home videogame consoles have included one as a standard feature ever since then. That analogue stick's biggest weakness was that it had less than stellar reliability. However, as long as it was in good condition, it was extremely precise, and actually more precise than the analogue sticks being used in controllers nearly 30 years later, which is why speedrunners actually prefer original controllers, or (if they're lucky) versions which have had some of the parts replaced with more durable metal components. Considering these were the very first standard controllers to use analogue sticks, this was actually an excellent first attempt. The durability was a major downside, but they still tended to last for years before getting really bad, and replacement sticks (or replacement stick parts) are a lot cheaper than replacing the entire controller, so it's not like you have to replace the entire thing every year or two.

[@IcePrincessZeroK]

The main part on the stock stick that goes bad is the X and Y Axis gears, especially the X-Axis gear. The gear-replace process is a bit trickier than installing a new analog stick. The gears are fortunately pretty cheap though I don't know how much shipping of them costs. Kitsch-Bent has a set of replacement gears for $0.87 a piece. The replacement gears are pretty good though not quite as good as the rare stock gears that are in good shape. You need to scrape off a bit of what's called "flash" due to the molding process. Reassembling the analog stick is a bit tricky though. There is also a way to make a small pcb that interperets the joystick more accurately for the GC style stick but that is considerably more advanced. My personal N64 controller just has a stock N64 analog stick that was in good condition replace the old one. Additionally using ceramic grease can keep the N64 analog stick's internal parts from grinding eachother down more.

[@realRaven575]

I love that you made a video about this. I'm glad we were able to chat during your live stream. I hope you love your new analog stick.

[@mylifeingaming]

+Raven575 [Try4ce] Haha, was it you? Thanks for pointing it out!

[@realRaven575]

+My Life in Gaming I saw the "credit" at the end...LOL. I'm just glad to help out in any way. I'll try to pop in to any future live streams that I can. I really appreciate the videos you guys make. This info that you share is usually not easy to find and, a lot of times, even harder to decipher. Keep up the great work.

[@realRaven575]

To clarify, I was the N64 Analog stick info. Another person had the Lodgenet Controllers info. Cheers.

[@gyroh6593]

There is a bit of a fix to the dusty and loose control stick that I thought you would cover in this video. I tried it out myself and it wasn't that hard. At 5:28 you accidentally disassembled the control stick and it showed all the dust in that white bowl. The dust comes from that bowl being scratched by the control stick as you keep moving it around. Eventually (to my understanding) you scratch it too much that the surface in that bowl is now too low for the control stick to sit on properly, and becomes loose. What you do in that stage shown at 5:28 is clean off all the dust with a Q-tip and add a little bit of White Lithium grease to the bowl, just enough for it to spread inside. That black thing sitting on the bowl is like a swing, its the X-axis (or was it the Y axis?), you also put a bit of grease in it so that when it makes contact with the other axis, it's slippery. What this does is make the control stick not scratch the bowl anymore, as the grease is making the surface slippery, lubricated. And this will prevent the stick to ever become loose, or create more dust. You can even put your ear in the control stick and move it around before and after this small fix and notice how different it sounds, and not necessarily because the dust isn't there anymore. This is the video I followed to do this small fix, check it out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXatnoaHn7SBiMk Oh and btw, great videos. I'm looking forward to your new stuff and subbed!

[@marioboi323]

No, don’t use lithium grease, use silicone grease cuz that’s better for the plastic.

[@MellowGaming]

I used to love watching people struggle to figure out how to hold the N64 pad. Their instinct was to always hold the two outside prongs and reach across with their thumb to the analogue stick. When they did that I just watched for them to need to his the Z trigger. The pad gets some flack but it's a really versatile design suited for all sorts of games. Also, nice log cabin setting you got there Try.

[@mylifeingaming]

+Mellow Gaming [Try4ce] Heh, yeah, I was 12 when I first saw an N64 demo kiosk at Toys R Us, and I forget if my first instinct was holding the outside prongs or holding it with my fingers like a joystick, but whichever I did, I definitely did it wrong! It wasn't until a friend rented a system a few weeks later that I even knew the Z button existed. Blew my mind! Heh, I installed two panels of wood paneling in my studio room for shooting purposes back in May. Best thing I've ever done, love that old-fashioned look!

[@MellowGaming]

It makes a change from seeing KZbinrs stood in front of Ikea bookshelves filled with games that are nearly always shot flat on. The presentation on your videos is superb. I noticed you're rarely in the same spot from one video to the next which helps keep things visually interesting.

[@DomeCandyGames]

+My Life in Gaming HA! Gotta have the wood grain! I remember seeing commercials of people playing the 64 and remembering how they were holding the controller, so I never had a problem when I played the demo unit in Toys R Us... ;)

[@normietwiceremoved]

Your voice sounds like Tom Hanks...

[@seriosbrad]

A drunk Tom Hanks

[@rassilontdavros3004]

normie twice removed A little bit

[@BigAssNigga311]

WILSON!!!!!!!!!

[@JeanRodo]

I think it was during there 8bitdo controller stream somebody asked him to do a tom Hanks impersonation and he screamed Wilson. Best ting ever :)

[@Ballowax]

You know what he really sounds like, he sounds likes Steven's Dad from Steven Universe

[@davideblonda6159]

I really love this channel, your jobs is amazing guys, the way you love gaming and the intro music are just top!

[@ActuallySanFrancisco]

i just don't fuck around with 3rd party controller anything for nintendo consoles as a general rule. everything i've tried from anyone other than nintendo on a nintendo console always pales significantly in comparison. also imho the n64 controller is one of the best ever made and it absolutely set the standard for absolutely every controller that came after it. even the playstation didn't have analogue sticks or force feedback until after the n64 pioneered both of these features on a home console.

[@jackmcslay]

I feel the same. When I play goldeneye with the autoaim disabled and set the controls to turok-style I can easily get headshots. The same is not true with any other console FPS I've played, as trimpots just don't have the same precision as the optical sensors in the N64 analog. People keep saying controllers don't match mice in precision, I think the gap would be much fewer if not negligible if modern analogs were like the N64's instead of the crappy ones we have today.

[@lolomixed6442]

To me It´s one of the best controller in the world.

[@Ferromancer86]

I was already enjoying the video, and then the Blast Corps soundtrack kicked in and elevated it further. Time to go fire that up again. Keep up the good work, lads!

[@daniellikahong]

thumbs up for testing 3rd party controller sticks, so we don't need to buy crappy ones, which are a LOT!

[@coonyman10]

All you need to repair your original stock n64 joysticks are replacement plastic thumbsticks (that aren't worn down from rubbing in the dome track) and white lithium grease to lubricate them so they never wear again! No replacement module can hope to compare to the original modules in terms of precision and smoothness, my repairs went so well that I was surprised at how immersed I was able to get into my old 64 games again! The sticks are like new!

[@TheGameGrinder]

Excellent review! Honestly, I'm not too surprised a 3rd party replacement part wasn't as spot on as the real deal. It's unfortunate though, because I was really excited for this to be THE replacement for my janky 64 analog sticks. Oh well.

[@ilcool90]

Got the GameCube style analogue sticks for both my controllers and they work great

[@VictorHugo-iz7qw]

Try4ce you should analize the steel stick, it's substitute the plastic parts that get lose and break by steel, the reviewers said it was great.

[@Jake261]

1080 snowboarding was the game that destroyed the n64 stick in hours

[@cacadordorio]

No way Mário party does even a gamecube analog stick become loss after 2 days of gameplay

[@museshop6357]

The aftermarket sticks don't have good interpolation programmed into the microcontroller that drives them. It basically takes the input from the potentiometers that exist in the stick and convert it to the 'steps' in the original control stick. But it doesn't smoothly calculate it, so there are issues with it. A replacement PCB with a properly programmed microcontroller is available, but it requires opening of the replacement stick and soldering components onto the replacement board, so it's not so accessible to all gamers. Some people selling the aftermarket stick -may- be switching out the boards, but it's hard to say for sure.

[@MiguelPerez-cn4ee]

I love the Nintendo 64 controller. It's comfortable. I love the joystick but they wore out quick. I got 2 of my authentic Nintendo 64 controller joysticks replaced 2-3 years ago with the Repair Box's GameCube style joystick. I like it but I still prefer the original stick. Old Skool Sharpshooter joystick replacement is great. Looks and feels like the original authentic Nintendo 64 joystick.

[@willhaskell739]

I find that a lot of bad analog sticks seems to have been ground down over time. It is a little bit trickier, but if disassemble the analog assembly (as you did in the video), you will find it collects plastic dust in the bottom. Cleaning this out and reassembling can really improve the original assembly.

[@breachless5320]

Oh how I love Blast Corps and it's wonderful soundtrack.

[@notthatguy1447]

The N64 controller is still my all time favorite. In 1997 I crush-amputated my left hand and actually became better at Goldeneye playing with only my right hand than I was playing with the two controller method. Mind you I loved the controller equally as much when I still had two good hands. Thanks for the video.

[@RealAlphaDrum]

I ordered the gamecube style stick as well to see what it was about, and yeah, Try is right. The deadzone and snap are very noticeable.

[@Imthenegro1]

I did it years ago and the stick I used was gamecube style but it doesn't suffer from the issues yours has. It is very smooth and a must have. They must have changed the stick internals.

[@Imthenegro1]

It's also not rubbery its hard

[@webckesanimereviews]

every time i pick up my n64 controller i love it i still wouldn't swap it for any other controller . that feeling of it in the hand is the best nostalgia is defs clouding my judgement

[@OADStokes]

Not sure why people hate the 64 controller, this video makes pretty accurate points as to why it's great for what it does.

[@retrogaming3098]

l love the n64 controller left and right handers alike...and the trigger underneath..genius... my fav....controller

[@n64glennplant]

Id say to invest in a hori minipad if you're a big n64 player. just a shame it's not perfect for all n64 games and the stick can be a little sensitive for some games

[@paisleyboxers]

+N64 Glenn Plant I also purchased a Hori Minipad after torturing myself with research. It's easily the best controller for the N64 that fits my needs, with a plus for having to rear triggers that are BOTH the Z button. My one and smaller complaint is about the build quality for the front facing buttons. They feel almost sticky.. and after multiple disassembly and cleaning sessions, I came to realize, that's just how they are. For the most part though, if having a near perfect analog stick is your goal, then the Hori pads are the way to go.

[@mylifeingaming]

+N64 Glenn Plant [Try4ce] Does it also not have the full analog input range that the original stick has? I've come close to buying one a few times, but two things hold me back... one, I'm very very unsure about how I feel about how it handles the Z buttons. And two, I like the feel of the N64 controller in the first place, and my analog sticks are quite fine... so I've never been able to get myself to drop that much money when I'm already fairly happy.

[@Waifu4Life]

+N64 Glenn Plant I had those at first (had 4 of them), but I felt there were too small, even for my tiny hands, thumbs kept touching. Also, the Z trigger was converter to 2 front shoulder buttons, making them hard to reach (unlike L triggering like they did for GameCube games like Zelda WW). Finally, playing games like Kirby 64 that requires the D-pad is impossible because not only is it small like the GameCube d-pad, but also because of it's position and proximity to the buttons.

[@dylbob9000]

+My Life in Gaming i tried writing something to explain how it handles but its just something to have to try for yourself. just buy one and if you dont like it just pack it away somewhere, sell it in a couple of years and brake even. that how i rationalise most of the gaming crap i buy :p

[@n64glennplant]

+My Life in Gaming yeah its really only useful for certain games. Take fzero x for example it gives you much tighter control when you get used to it but for other games the z button positioning isn't ideal which is why i still prefer the original for general gaming. plus most fighting games and the awesome THQ wrestling games are not playable with the hori mini pad. if you want to borrow one to try just let me know you can always borrow mine if you'd rather test it before dropping that much on one

[@s01itarygaming]

Actually there's things to love about the n64 controller, and when you try to use newer "remakes" or replacement parts for it they don't control things properly, as this video shows. Remakes and 3rd party controllers often left you with shaky aiming in goldeneye, horrible bow accuracy in OOT, and that awkward movement control (too fast ramp up, large inner deadzone, large outer deadzone, and other weird issues) in games like mario 64. The N64 joystick actually was pretty precise, especially for its time, and the tension just felt really good. I don't understand the inner workings well enough to explain why, but a lot replacement joysticks and remake controllers are simply not made to input the way the n64 one is; more specifically if you were to use a analog input debugging tool you'll notice that the OG actually draws an octagonal shape on the outer ring where as others are only really capable of either a square or circular shape. I want to say it has something to do with the optical sensor being able to read beyond the physical outer ring, while others aren't, but again I'm not expert enough to know how much that impacts everything, but suffice to say it worked in a very particular way that isn't really replicated without just 1:1 copying the inner parts. FURTHERMORE: since it used optical sensors to translate your joystick motion into digital input means, unlike every first party controller you buy today, you will never deal with drift. Side note the optical sensor I believe also eliminated a lot of inner deadzone issues caused by modern day controllers. The biggest issue was that the stick itself and the bowl were made of plastics that wore down from grinding into each other over time. Had the sticks and bowls come pre-lubed there would have been far less issues of dangling joysticks. That's right, all that dust is actually particles of your joystick being worn off from use. Best option is to buy a (og) n64 controller, take apart the entire joystick assembly and if things look super worn down, or if it is a loose and dangly sick, replace the bowl and stick (you can actually get metal sticks if you look around!); if it's in good shape you can get some high quality lube and just lube up the bowl and the parts inside the bowl. Any remake or third party controller is simply not going to give you the same control and experience in n64 games (even in emulators, unless you tweak a lot of the analog settings), so if you intend to play n64 games with it, then honestly get an old one and refurb the joystick if you need to!

[@batmandx]

I’ve never used the middle handle and still love the n64 controller. Growing up with giant third party genesis controllers trained me well

[@BLOODY__FATALITY]

My n64 stick is still fine after all these years and I've played it a lot.

[@CommodoreFan64]

Awesome video, and I have an extra green N64 controller I found not too long ago at a goodwill for $.50 that has a broken Analog stick, so yeah I'll for sure look into the GameCube Analog stick.

[@TylerSteven9]

My biggest gripe with the analog replacements is that they're fairly expensive... I mean, I could basically buy a brand new 3rd party controller for the price of an analog replacement which may or may not be as good as the original anyways. That being said, I do appreciate official controllers and they're much better than 3rd party.

[@Bojangles4th]

This is a really late response but I can assure you that the cheaper end 3rd party controllers are absolute garbage. I don't like these replacement sticks either because of the accuracy issues. imo the best bet is to buy used official controllers, just be sure the seller has the stick listed as *tight* and has no other flaws to report.

[@Strekks]

I assume the thin stick allows for a lot of nuanced control, and that they'd built it as such from the beginning. I've never enjoyed using the N64, but I couldn't say it's unresponsive, moreso fickle DUE to how light the stick feels, and the unwieldy nature of the layout. It was quite interesting having to go to the N64 for the first time and asking "How do I hold it?" Great video as always!!

[@TheDeathOfLucifer]

You may have played N64 more than me, but not more Smash bros. I slammed it from left to right as hard as possible to get those perfect bat swings with NES. It was merciless.

[@zachthepickleking4793]

Great video as always. Was gonna do this mode until I saw this and now I think I'm gonna hold off. Really appreciate it.

[@TheLazyEyebrow]

i got mine from a seller called "Video Game Museum" on ebay. it doesn't have a rubber cap, but I found I didn't have any of the issues you spoke of. deadzone, less precision in the angles and so forth. idk, might be worth looking into for yourself, I love the upgrade. in fact using an N64 controller, VGM's GC stick upgrade, and Raphnet's 64>GC adapter, I've been happily playing Smash 4 competitively for a few months now without any issue

[@TechWizard28]

Responding to the intro, I went from SNES to Playstation and when I got Spyro, my eyes opened. I heard about super mario and other games but never got to see them or play them until after I played Spyro.

[@Kinaibhlan]

I love the N64 controller more than any other. I never understood why people hated the analogue stick, it's great for what it does and I've tried those Gamecube replacements but they're not the same. It wouldn't be good on a modern controller but for the 64 it's perfect.

[@kikujirob1ll]

I don't understand how these videos have so few views. So great.

[@CaseTheCorvetteMan]

The N64 controller was brilliant, it worked exceptionally well for it's day. Lubricate the joystick with rubber safe or plastic safe grease and it'll last forever.

[@Woodsmasher]

I have both analog sticks on my controllers and in the way I use it, it's not a big problem I think. I use indeed my left hand, but I use my index and thumb fingers to move the stick. If I remember correctly, the point where it starts moving a character like Mario sneaking is like half way between the center and either side, so using two fingers gives me a little more control than just with my thumb alone. For the Z button I use the middle finger. As for the controllers go, I did the change for those who the analog stick was already loose (I got them in that condition). I still preserve the originals for another chance of repair them someday.... Those replacement sticks are still available at Amazon and Ebay as for November 26th of 2022 but there are just a few...

[@Zeldafan_01992]

So, for those of you who like the original sticks of the N64, do some looking around, people make replacement parts that work exactly as an original OEM stick

[@Gecko1993HogheadIncOfficial]

Wow! That comment I made from that PCE Works stream a few weeks ago about the N64 Joystick replacement… Got it's own episode? Who knew. Regardless, as always-excellent video, guys. Keep up the GREAT work!

[@typicaledc]

I love the N64 controller but I have moved to the Hori Mini Pad you've mentioned for all my N64 gaming sessions now. They are expensive but I think well worth the money. I also agree that I never understand how so many people had trouble with their N64 controller joysticks. I never once had a single issue with mine and I played the N64 more than any other console.

[@Stingray55]

Do they have the terrible "deadzone" problem?

[@TheGlasgowGamer]

Stingray55 No, they don’t. It has the same controller inputs found in an N64 Controller with a stick that works much better than the original with the lack of rubber and ballpoint.

[@shmehfleh3115]

FWIW, fixing a flaky analog stick on an N64 controller is a piece of cake. They're optomechanical, meaning they consist of a light source, a photocell, and a sprocketed wheel that alternately blocks the light and allows it to pass. There are very few moving parts to worry about. Unless the analog stick is physically broken, all you have to do to fix an N64's analog stick is clean out any gunk that may have made its way down to the ball joint or to the sprocket wheels.

[@TheKyshu]

+Shmeh Fleh The bigger issue is the place at the bottom of the joystick, where it touches the bowl it's inserted in. In heavily used controllers, both the tip and parts of the bowl are slightly hollowed out. As a result, the stick sits lower, is not pressed into the bottom as firmly, and becomes loose. There are some mods to fix this issue though. With 3D printers, it would be great to see if you could make the whole thing out of 3D printed stuff in a tougher material. I can't remember the thing exactly, its been a while since I opened it, but maybe it's even possible to engineer your own design, without the cost limitations of Nintendos device! Perhaps some modding or a microcontroller as well.

[@Billchatz]

I've heard rumours about a stick that doesn't have the deficiencies that the gamecube style stick has. But I've given up since I've managed (for the most part) to repair the slightly loose analogue sticks (not the extremely loose ones). I used nail polish epoxy from my wife's stash to "build up" the worn down layers of the plastic bowl. However, there is nothing you can do to repair the worn down plastic of the fulcrum/gear mechanism (pretty sure they sell replacements of those though).

[@Shmeve0]

You saved me almost buying 4 of these

[@seamistseamist]

It would be nice if modern controllers actually let you replace the analog stick without soldering

[@sirtasker1666]

This is my favourite console and controller ever

[@darrengregory3020]

I love the series you guys are doing a real how to for retro gaming.

[@modmuseum]

Great video. I'm currently in the market for a new N64 controller and I really appreciated the detailed information here.

[@YoItsEmo]

Mario Kart 64 will always be my favorite racing game, and drifting with the 64 analog stick is one of the biggest reasons I think I love it so much. Also, probably where these sticks take most of their beatings from.

[@BubblegumCrash332]

I love this channel but not to be Rude but his voice cracks me up. The way he just hooooolds onto words just cracks me up. Anyways keep up the great work , real quality stuff .

[@mylifeingaming]

[Try4ce] Haha I don't mind having a weird voice, I try to embrace it and do the best I can.

[@BubblegumCrash332]

Lol its kinda like your trademark. Thanx agian for another great video🎮

[@BubblegumCrash332]

BTW the video quality on your channel is real top notch. What kind of camera are you using?

[@mylifeingaming]

+M Pesce [Try4ce] Coury uses a Canon, I use a Nikon D7000... I really want a new one though, largely because my framerate and resolution options are very limited. It's not exactly the newest anymore, and I didn't expect to use it for video purposes when I bought it. Still, it's worked well enough so far.

[@josephkelly3152]

Not all N64 analog sticks were made equal. I'm convinced that some models, in some regions, shipped with very poor quality analog sticks. I wasn't careful with my first launch model pack in one, but I was more careful with subsequent controllers, and 2 of them lost all springiness, wouldn't center, were full of white dust and had a horrible scraping feeling within a year of use. It's the only console that I've had major analog stick problems with.

[@Suicideram69]

The Nintendo 64 controller is one of my favorites of all time

[@captainnintendo]

I'm so glad to hear that I'm not the only one feeling a sense of uncannyness with the replacement stick. I've been using it for a couple of years now and I've always felt that the response was lacking a lot in comparrison to the original stick. It's really hard do aim carefully or be careful in general. Once you push it, it's usually everything or nothing. I would have loved if we could just get a replacement stick that resembled the original a lot better. Maybe just with some improvement to the quality and lifespan of the stick.

[@ash10ashofficial63]

a 90's kid's DREAM

[@c0ltmanthegamer95]

Its good to still see alternatives and fixes for the old N64. I still play mine to this day and I found a aftermarket controller made by Yobo which I will say is the best N64 controller I ever used, not only is it bigger so your hands don't feel cramped but the analog stick on it uses a ball and is very similar to PS1 thumbsticks. It's responsive, precise and even the D-Pad on it is great.

[@jesseboyd7]

I took a gambled risk to order a few from seller Gaming Museum from Amazon. This particular stick had a hole in the center and the back side had a sticker of 2015. Some other maker must of updated their own latest version sticks. So after I had assembled my own stick together and tested out on a few games my personal results follows: Super Mario 64: slight movements and all other movements pass with slight adjustments to your thumb. Goldeneye 007: doesn't shine brightly for precise aiming but still lets you do so with your thumb to adjust to certain areas. Mario Kart 64: works decent F-Zero X: works ok Mario Party: works great for most mini games Overall this version modded gamecube style stick works good, but not great. Feels comfortable to your thumb, you just need to take time to get used to these movements. Doesn't play the best for first person shooter games.

[@braddeicide]

I love the N64 controller! I also love the Atari 7800 controller so I know i like different things.

[@franzpattison]

I like the mix of viewpoints presented

[@jdude0822]

Gamecube style control sticks works for some games really well but not for others. The gamecube style sticks btw do NOT have rubber tips like said in the video (at least mine does not). I speedrun Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of TIme, and use the gamecube style stick for sm64 and the n64 style stick for OoT. I would recommend either saving your old analog stick or having at least 2 controllers so you can decide which stick you want to use.

[@jstorm001]

Just did this to to one of my Japanese controllers because I bought it with a bad stick the GameCube style stick I got from eBay look exactly like the box came in from the video but I have the zero issues like mentioned in the video. Seeing this video eight years old Maybe they improved it over the years and the brand it says it was Hyperkin .

[@SNESKegaGamer]

I need to switch my sticks back. I did this a few years ago and I do like it but once I got a NTSC-J N64 on eBay the controller it came with was mint. Oh my god does it feel better then the replacement sticks

[@drmechapyro9654]

I thought about getting a replacement, but after seeing this, I'm beginning to having second thoughts now.

[@mylifeingaming]

[Coury] Check out our recent episode on controller adapters. We cover a GameCube to N64 controller adapter that would be a better alternative than installing this stick.

[@PSXMicha]

It's possible to get a new pcb for the new stick, with that new pcb the stick is just perfect

[@DomeCandyGames]

Great video. As others have pointed out, it's true that the 64 controller was poorly engineered in terms of the longevity of the analog stick. Since I tend to be very gentle with my hardware, I didn't even realize that grinding was happening until I found a couple of controllers in a Goodwill that were in VERY good condition. I found there was a bit of travel in the joysticks of my two original controllers, but cleaning them out and adding some plastic-friendly lubricant (like silicone-based stuff) is supposed to extend their lifespan. There are also other tips out there to rebuild the ground out plastic, but nothing that I've seen that's quite as robust as the manufacturer's build.

[@mylifeingaming]

+Dome-Candy Games [Try4ce] Yeah some people have linked me to a preventative maintenance video, and I might try it out on one of mine to see how it works out. Though, much as I love the N64, it's hardly an everyday system for me, so it might take a while to really see the results.

[@ChrisMX9]

I bought a joystick like this in 2012 I think and it was perfect even thought there was no rubber part on the top ... There is no dead zones and everything works very nicely even today 5 years later :)

[@mattgamer0846]

I think it all depends on where are you buying the analog from

[@GamerJM0]

My friend who's a Super Mario 64 speedrunner bought this mod a while back. He uses the regular N64 controller for his entire run, but always switches to this controller right at the part during the Bowser fights where you have to spin Bowser around in a circle to reach the optimal speed, and then switches back to his regular N64 controller admittedly.

[@QuintMarvel]

I have to agree that it lack precision. I was playing through Majora's Mask one day, and it was satisfactory for the most part. But then I was trying to get the heart piece for the shooting gallery and found I would always swing to hard to the left or right when I needed to only move just a little bit quickly. Again, for most things, it was fine, but precise controls didn't work. Also, you'll know your N64 analogue stick is bad if you shake the controller and the joystick wiggles a lot. So, when you're buying a "new" one in the flea market, shake it and that's how you know if the analogue is good or not.

[@Renan22HB]

Such an awesome video!! It´s so nice to see how much they love their consoles. So did I, unfortunatly I dont have my consoles anymore...

[@SianaGearz]

I browsed a catalogue right now and i found something interesting - some aftermarket sticks are different from sticks that ship even in modern consoles. They contain a silvered no-resistance area around the center of both potentiometers, essentially making for an additional complex deadzone. Probably good for something, but not how original sticks work, they simply correct the deadzone in software. Something to be aware of when replacing sticks.

[@Carboxylated]

I hated these new upgrades I did to all 4 of mine but only for a few weeks. After mastering my skills with the new ball type upgrade on Mario64, Perfect Dark and Goldeneye as well as 4 players on all and Mario Party we have gotten used to the different degrees of pivot and control. They are actually quite nice and must I recommend playing PD or GE with the 2 controller layout thus making you able to control the character with 2 joysticks versus joystick and c stick is quite a treat with the new ball pivot GC upgrade sticks. THEY DO TAKE some getting used to but once you are used to them you never want to go back. The fine levels of control can be done it just takes very very fine levels of pivoting your thumb.

[@ttvCarn]

I replaced my N64 controllers with the MakoPad (SuperPad is the same) and the stick feels great, it's part metal so it doesn't wear down and get loose like the original controller. It also has the added benefit of being more like a normal controller where you can access all the buttons at once, I'd say it's worth checking it out.

[@mylifeingaming]

+ttvCarn [Try4ce] I actually have one of those, way back from Christmas 1996 when I got my N64. I've never liked it because of how the grips are at odd angles and the left grip is way fatter than the right grip. The stick feels good, but I never got used to how it was at a different angle. That said, as a kid, I never could finish Yae's mermaid minigame in Mystical Ninja without the turbo function... so I was definitely glad to have it.

[@ttvCarn]

+My Life in Gaming You do have to hold it in a bit of a weird way so iIt takes some getting used to for sure, for me it was worth doing just for the reliable stick but I agree with what you're saying.

[@BoshMind]

does anyone wonder what a lodgenet analog stick in a normal controller would be like? Now I'm tempted to buy one just so I can switch them...

[@mylifeingaming]

+Mr. Bones SuperMore101 [Try4ce] It's not a simple mod. Sadly it would require extensively reworking the plastic of the controller. It doesn't fit.

[@BoshMind]

aww thats too bad. Well Im still curious enough to mod an n64 controller just to know. Wish me luck.

[@nolanmielkeofficial]

@@BoshMind Wasn't expecting to see you here, I'm a big fan of your work. Did you ever get the mod to work? I know it's half a decade late, but I'm curious.

[@watcherdev]

I honestly didn’t have analog problems with my original controllers either. The controller I later bought online was almost unusable until I replaced it.

[@samuraispiritsx]

I wish you guys would update this video with sticks that ARE GOOD, its a jungle out there of sticks and replacement parts. I don't even know where to start and I have a nice controller that needs repair. And back in the day Nintendo would allow me and my friends to have the stick serviced almost monthly. It was crazy but they had really great customer service.