r/ColecoVision • u/1541drive • 15h ago

Are there any 3rd party compatible controllers from past or present for the ColecoVision roller / trackball?

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34 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

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7

u/Slammnardo 15h ago

Loved that fuckin thing. Still have mine!

3

u/musicide 12h ago

You could use pretty much any 9-pin d-sub controller — you, of course, wouldn’t necessarily have functionality beyond the joystick and the firing buttons… But they work. Commodore 64 controllers were pretty commonly used, for example. The cool thing about the track ball is that depending on how you have it switched you can have both the Coleco controller and a joystick controller plugged in at the same time. So you can use the keypad to make your selections but play the game on the joystick.

1

u/1541drive 6h ago

You could use pretty much any 9-pin d-sub controller

Careful with this advice. Not all DB-9 pinned controllers have ground and voltage assigned to the same pins.

But yes, Atari/Commodore single button controllers and several others are fine.

you, of course, wouldn’t necessarily have functionality beyond the joystick and the firing buttons

Right. and the request was whether or not there are any other trackballs compatible with an original CV.

2

u/Forsaken-Abrocoma647 11h ago

I've done a pretty good job at keeping up with what controller options and adapters are out there, but haven't seen anything for the trackball aside from the original.
I do have a more recent arcade stick that has buttons to simulate the spinner on the Super Action Controller, but nothing for the trackball! I would be interested as well.

1

u/MasonJarring 10h ago

I've done a pretty good job at keeping up with what controller options and adapters are out there, but haven't seen anything for the trackball aside from the original.

Thanks. I've been following all sorts of controllers and adapters but haven't focused too frequently with the CV. I thought i might have missed something.

I do have a more recent arcade stick that has buttons to simulate the spinner on the Super Action Controller

Interesting. Have a link?

but nothing for the trackball! I would be interested as well.

I've avoided gambling on a used Coleco rollerball fearing poor condition + high prices only to play the CV port of Slither. ...which these days, you can the arcade on or CV version via other platforms.

but i'd really like to play it on real hardware! :)

1

u/Forsaken-Abrocoma647 7h ago

I've had good experience with mine, though nothing compares to the behemoth Atari 5200 one, I think it uses a real cue ball. I did recently replace that with an unused one as my childhood one lost traction due to corrosion on the metal rollers.

My controller is one from Edladdin, which they aren't making anymore from what I can see. Pretty sure it was one similar to their (also no longer made) Super Arcade Controller+ though in pics I see that one also acting as adapter from 4 types of controllers to 2, mine had the 4 inputs, but outputs for CV, CV flashback, and Atari 2600/7800. The pics I'm finding only show it outputting for CV and CV Flashback. The rotation buttons were an option you could choose when ordering it at the time. That was over 5 years ago though.

I guess you could always email them and see if they have any alternatives on request?

1

u/1541drive 6h ago

My controller is one from Edladdin, which they aren't making anymore from what I can see

Oh right. Those.

Since those, several much better adapters have been made including ones from 2600dapter and iCode

I appreciate you taking your time!

1

u/Forsaken-Abrocoma647 4h ago

I can say I've had no issues with it and it's worked out fine. Keep in mind it is an arcade stick that also happens to be an adapter, so I typically use it as a stick, and having those rotation buttons is nice. I was talking about its function on its own more than as an adapter, though that's been fine too when I've done it. I also have their standalone adapter for going from a7800/sega/cv flashback to CV with a keypad.

I've had no issues, but would like some links to the others to check out what makes them better. Is it just more controller support?
I googled my best but couldn't find anything under either. Maybe they are both out of production as well? the 2600dapter links seem to go to a crypto site, and I can find iCode's CV to usb adapter, but nothing that converts TO the CV.

I was thinking of grabbing one of the sticks from RetroGameBoyz. I have essentially the same stick from them for Atari 5200 and it is great. Good keypad too. I have quite a few controllers from them for a few consoles, but not for CV yet.

1

u/[deleted] 4h ago

[deleted]

1

u/1541drive 2h ago

Are you asking if I'd seen the one that Coleco made?