Any solution for N64 Analog sticks?

[Mickkn]

Just bought a ED64 and am awaiting it to arrive.

But I wonder if anyone have come up with a solution for worn out analog sticks.

I've got a couple of replacement sticks. But they wouldn't last forever.

Anyone who have made some metal sticks, that is not soft plastic?

Regards

[gray.fullbusterzzz]

Those replacement sticks you get from Amazon, Lukie Games, eBay ect. will last forever. They suck though because they are more sensitive than the originals and can't play Goldeneye or any other game that require precise movement for shit.

I have been looking at the resistors inside the thing and maybe one day I'll make a post on how to desensitise them.

I bought a couple of superpad controllers off eBay which worked for a while, but then some strange bug happened and they move without me touching the stick.

This guide didn't work for me, but it may for you. http://mmmonkey.co.uk/console/nintendo/n64cont.htm

I havn't gotten around to trying this yet, but it looks promising. Only works for third party controllers. http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic....a6606a5d5ddfaa

Hope this helps.

[n64user]

I wouldn't worrie too much, I find my sticks last about a year each.. that may not be long but they are only about £5.. I normaly buy in bulk (as its cheaper) and have about 10 at the mo.. that's around 10 years of gaming haha.. if you try and use some other material I fear you would loose the feel of playing the games accurately; and that's what the N64 stick was all about; these new sticks they make; I'd rather have ones that wear out if it correlates to having more steps for greater sensitivity for games.
I tell you something I tried the other day for a laugh; I plugged in my N64 pad to my PS3 via an adaptoid to see if it worked; I managed to get a game of afterburner climax running.. a fair few buttons worked. But to move the plane on the screen was amazing to do with the feel of the N64 stick I felt more accuracy than ever.. it was almost the feel of playing starfox 64.. shame these sticks are not the norm :(.. or at least if they used new sticks give the same amount of movement with them.

[sanni]

How to fix your broken thumbstick:

1) Either buy a new Gamecube controller and salvage it's thumbstick or buy a new GC Style N64 Replacement thumbstick from ebay

2) Then follow this tutorial(you don't have to do the cutting and glueing part if you buy the GC Style N64 Replacement Stick as it already fits perfectly):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga8rLSz64XQ
http://www.mediafire.com/?q4232gx1w2q2w0s

With the default IC the GC Style N64 Replacement Stick processes the input to slow and reacts to sensitive as it does skip steps. This is why you need to install the attiny24.

chinacrap electronics in the gc style replacement thumbstick. :
http://img6.imagebanana.com/img/3rbju967/IMG_2031.jpg

fixed with an attiny24 and the code from the youtube tut:
http://img7.imagebanana.com/img/cjbv0cpa/Unbenannt.png

3) Profit
http://img6.imagebanana.com/img/wctxidmn/DSC02112.JPG

[Mickkn]

Thanks Sanni

Those really look promising :)

[gray.fullbusterzzz]

That really does look good. I'll try it myself later. Is there any way to loosen the pots on the replacement analogue? The thing feels a bit stiff when I play with it.

[mark378]

n64user, where do you buy your official analogue sticks from, if you don't mind me asking? It's fairly slim pickings on ebay most of the time, from what I find.

[sanni]

The pots will loosen them self after time as they are the same technology as in Xbox controllers, but they will still keep their precision unlike the original N64 sticks.

The best analog stick in my opinion is still a band new original N64 stick but I would put this modified open source replacement stick before an used original N64 stick. I guess using a real Gamecube stick and modifing it so it fits into the N64 controller is even better.

What I like the most is that it is open source and written in bascom, a very easy programming language. So if you don't like the feel of it you can tweak it to your liking. E.g. you can add or remove sensitivity by changing the variable R in the code.

[mabec]

/me tries to recommend the Hori Mini Pad once more.

[sanni]

The thing with the hori mini pad is thats it's even more rare and pricy than a complete new original N64 pad :(

[StoneAgeGamer]

/me tries to recommend the Hori Mini Pad once more.

The Hori controllers are great, but you are talking $60+ for a used one.

[gray.fullbusterzzz]

The Hori controllers are great, but you are talking $60+ for a used one.

I was going to say that myself. Maybe I'll buy one for myself someday when I get some money.

By the way Stone Age Gamer do you think it might be an idea to sell controllers with the analogues that sanni recommends? It would mean people who don't DIY could get a controller that lasts.

[ToñoGK]

Here is the solution bros
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=Ev5eCxnvIQU

[sanni]

These are exactly the gc style replacement thumbsticks I posted above. But you still have to fix them with an Attiny for best results, because the crappy china electronics inside don't do their job. As an example you can't use the smash attack in Super Smash Bros, the chip skips steps and the overall analog range is to big. Luckily all this can be fixed with the Attiny.

You can use this programmer to flash the attiny: http://chiip.descrambler.de/index.php/Programmer

I used the ATTINY 24V-10SSU but the Atmega8L8 works too.

[n64user]

n64user, where do you buy your official analogue sticks from, if you don't mind me asking? It's fairly slim pickings on ebay most of the time, from what I find.

Hi actually eBay is exactly where I get them; not done so in a couple of years so maybe prices have changed from what I stated. However on looking just now.. and also searches of what I use are "n64 replacement stick" or "n64 thumbstick" (thats gets more results) I have found afew listings.. it appears the price did go up a tad. the one I am looking at is £6.28 with £2.21 postage
here is another
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-...ht_1690wt_1148
and that price is £5.49.. so at least it is the closest to £5 but you still need to pay postage.

But like I said before, look for lots.. there is a "LOT" and it has 43 sticks for £189.63.. I guess that is ever so slightly steep but if you work it out its about £4.40 a stick. but that will last you 43 years if you play N64 as often as me
(and that's nearly every few days for an hour or two)

[Jeppex83]

Hello! I really recommend Hori minipads! I have 2 of them... They are expensive, but they are very well made. There is only one disadvantage on Hori minipad, The Z-Button is not very good on First person games..
I have 3rd party analogue stick that fits well to original controller. It is good for most games, but it is too sensitive to First person games.
But beware if you buy replacement analogue sticks on ebay or everywhere: Mostly all are USED one. And if they say it works well, it might still be like a shit.
I bought one replacement stick on ebay... seller said it work well, but it was crappy shit.

[Jeppex83]

60$ is not bad price of Hori Minipad... If you really love N64, it is only a price of 1 new game....

[mark378]

Hi actually eBay is exactly where I get them; not done so in a couple of years so maybe prices have changed from what I stated. However on looking just now.. and also searches of what I use are "n64 replacement stick" or "n64 thumbstick" (thats gets more results) I have found afew listings.. it appears the price did go up a tad. the one I am looking at is £6.28 with £2.21 postage
here is another
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-...ht_1690wt_1148
and that price is £5.49.. so at least it is the closest to £5 but you still need to pay postage.

But like I said before, look for lots.. there is a "LOT" and it has 43 sticks for £189.63.. I guess that is ever so slightly steep but if you work it out its about £4.40 a stick. but that will last you 43 years if you play N64 as often as me
(and that's nearly every few days for an hour or two)

Thanks for getting back to me.

I've never liked the term thumbsticks, but it does seem to yield the most results. It seems to be getting harder to distinguish authentic Nintendo sticks from, what are essentially, fakes. It doesn't help that most sellers use only stock images. It's especially bad when it's the same stock image repeated several times over when more than one is for sale. You really have no idea what you will receive.

That said, I will try to look out for "lots". Thanks again.

[Jeppex83]

You don't find brand NEW ORIGINAL thumbsticks/joysticks anymore. I have asked almost every contries official Nintendo repairment stores and they dont have them anymore. Luckily I got 2 Brand new pieces at price of 15 EUR. And they was last ones.

Everything that they sell on internet are 3rd party thumbsticks, for examples:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-...ht_1690wt_1148

http://www.ebay.com/itm/25-NEW-Thumb...item5ae086b964

They say: "This is the rounded GameCube style joystick" or "These are a very high quality 3rd party NEW thumbstick"

Photo are taken upwards and they look like original thumbstick, but they are just same like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-REPLAC...item43ad07a78e

It would be just stupid to buy a big bulk of 3rd party thumbsticks..

You don't find NEW ones anymore, only 3rd party or used ones...
Or if you find new controller/thumbstick, the price would be more than 50USD

Sorry mate

[Jeppex83]

And that "LOT" what have 43 thumbsticks.... for £189.63....

As you can see they are same 3rd party sticks what I mentioned earlier....
Just buy one, it will last forever.... But it not feel the same like original, Maybe too sensitive.. But it is very good for mostly games, like super mario 64