Commodore 64 joystick adapters

Commodore 64 joystick adapters are hardware peripherals that extend the number of joystick ports on the Commodore 64 computer. The additional joysticks can be used on games with dedicated support for the specific adapter.

A number of different joystick adapters have been constructed for use with the C64. The Classical Games / Protovision adapter is by far supported by the largest number of games. While building instructions are available for most of the adapters, a few adapters are also available commercially. The adapters are also emulated in some of the C64 emulators.

Original{{Clarify|date=October 2024}} adapters

= Starbyte adapter (1990) {{anchor|Starbyte}} =

Supports 2 additional joysticks at the user port. Released by Starbyte Software in 1990 for use with their game Adidas Championship Tie Break. At the time sold separately under the name Tie Break Adaptor."Zzap!Test! Tie Break", Zzap!64, 1990 Nov (67), p 12. [http://www.zzap64.co.uk/cgi-bin/displaypage.pl?issue=67&page=12 zzap.co.uk]. Retrieved 6 March 2011."Adidas Championship Tie Break", Ocean Software & Starbyte Software, 1990. [http://stadium64.com/manuals/adidaschampionshiptiebreak.htm Stadium 64 Manuals Archive]. Retrieved 6 March 2011.

Building instructions (plugs and wires only) have been reverse engineered and made available by Groepaz/Hitmen.

= Kingsoft adapter (1992) =

Supports 2 additional joysticks at the user port. Introduced with the game Bug Bomber by Kingsoft in 1992. The game came with instructions to build your own 4-player adapter.Synnes, Stig: [http://www.synnes.org/c64/c64_joy_adapter_schematics.html Joystick adapter schematics]

Building instructions (plugs and wires only) have been reverse engineered and made available by Groepaz/Hitmen.

= Protovision 4 player interface / Classical Games adapter (1997) =

Supports 2 additional joysticks at the user port. Designed by Chester Kollschen (CKX) of Classical Games and released in 1997 with the game Bomb Mania. Kollschen later joined Protovision and the adapter is now available as the Protovision 4 player interface."Commodore Free interview with the Protovision team", Commodore Free, 2011, issue 51, p 37. [http://www.commodorefree.com/issues.html Commodore Free]. Retrieved 8 August 2011.{{cite web|title=Classical Games 4 Player Interface|url=http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=3683|publisher=CSDB|accessdate=9 March 2011}}{{cite web|title=4 Player Interface|url=http://www.protovision-online.com/hardw/4_player.php|publisher=Protovision|accessdate=6 March 2011}}

Building instructions (plugs, wires and an IC), sample code, shop and list of supported games are available at the Protovision website.

= Space Balls adapter (1998) =

Supports 8 joysticks, all connected to the user port and one joyport. Designed by Luigi Pantarotto and released with the game Space Balls (1998) for 2-8 players.

Building instructions (plugs and wires only) is provided with the game Space Balls (called Star Balls in its schematics page).

= Ninjas SNES pad adapter (1998) =

Supports 8 SNES pads at the joyports. Designed by Ninja of The Dreams.{{cite web|last=Ninja|title=How to connect 8 snes-pads to your c64 v1.1|url=http://hitmen.c02.at/files/hardware/4player/ninja_snes_adapter.txt|publisher=Hitmen|accessdate=3 March 2011}}

Building instructions (plugs and wires only) are available at the Hitmen 4 player adapter website. Code interface is demonstrated in the SNES-Pad-Tooldisk #1.{{cite web|title=SNES-Pad-Tooldisk #1|url=http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=6098|publisher=CSDB|accessdate=19 October 2011}}

= Digital Excess & Hitmen 4 player joystick adapter (1999) =

Supports 2 additional joysticks at the user port. Designed by Groepaz of Hitmen and Thomas Koncina and Bjoern Odendahl of Digital Excess in 1999 as an easier to build alternative to the Classical Games adapter.{{cite web|last=Groepaz|title=The Digital Excess & Hitmen 4-Player Joystick adapter|url=http://hitmen.c02.at/files/hardware/4player/4player.txt|publisher=Hitmen|accessdate=3 March 2011}}

Building instructions (plugs and wires only) and sample code is available at the Hitmen 4 player adapter website.

= Inception – 8 joysticks adapter (2013) =

File:Inception64.jpg

Supports 8 joysticks at one joystick port. Designed by Ray and PCH (Petr Chlud).{{cite web|title=Eight joysticks on the C64|url=https://translate.google.com/translate?client=tmpg&hl=en&langpair=de%7Cen&u=http%3A//blog.c128.net/archives/1516|publisher=c128.net (from German via Google translate)|accessdate=6 August 2014}}

Available commercially at the c64.cz website.{{cite web|title=C64.cz|url=http://www.c64.cz/index.php?static=inception|accessdate=26 August 2014}}

Compatible adapters

= Singular Crew 4Player Adapter (2008) =

Supports 2 additional joysticks at the user port. Compatible with the Protovision 4 player interface / the Classical Games Adapter, Digital Excess & Hitmen 4 player joystick adapter and the Kingsoft Adapter.

Designed by Singular Crew.{{cite web|title=Singular Crew 4Player Adapter for Commodore 64|url=http://www.commodoreworld.hu/hardver/control_port/sgr4player.php?lang=eng|accessdate=27 August 2014}}

Available commercially at www.zsibvasar.hu website.{{cite web|title=zsibvasar.hu|url=http://szamitastechnika.zsibvasar.hu/retro-szamitastechnika/commodore/hardver/4player-adapter-c64-c128-4807762.html|accessdate=27 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903142456/http://szamitastechnika.zsibvasar.hu/retro-szamitastechnika/commodore/hardver/4player-adapter-c64-c128-4807762.html|archive-date=3 September 2014|url-status=dead}}

Related adapters

Adapters for a few related computers can also be used with the C64. Those adapters include PET (normally only used on the PET/CBM2), Hummer (normally only used on the C64DTV) and OEM (normally only used on the VIC-20).{{cite web|title=What is NEW with the 2.3 release?|url=http://vice-emu.sourceforge.net/plain/NEWS|publisher=VICE team|accessdate=4 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101107113835/http://vice-emu.sourceforge.net/plain/NEWS|archive-date=7 November 2010|url-status=dead}} There are probably no game supporting those adapters on the C64.

In addition, adapters have been made that give Commodore 64 games the ability to provide rumble feedback to modern controllers.{{Cite web |last=By |date=2022-10-08 |title=Bluetooth Interface Adds Rumble Feedback To Commodore 64 Games |url=https://hackaday.com/2022/10/08/bluetooth-interface-adds-rumble-feedback-to-commodore-64-games/ |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=Hackaday |language=en-US}}

Emulation

The C64 emulator VICE supports the Classical Games / Protovision and the Digital Excess & Hitmen adapters from version 2.3., and the Kingsoft and Starbyte adapters from version 2.4.{{cite web|title=VICE Feature Request tracker: Joystick emulation of Starbyte/Kingsoft adapters|url=https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&atid=1057620&aid=3276315&group_id=223021|publisher=SourceForge|accessdate=15 March 2012}}

Supported games

A (near) complete list of games with original or added support for the various adapters.

{{cite web|title=4 Player Adapter|url=http://hitmen.c02.at/html/hardware.html|publisher=Hitmen|accessdate=6 March 2011}}

{{cite web|title=Nostalgia releases|url=http://cosine.org.uk/n0s/games.php?srt=0&dir=0|accessdate=6 March 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814003602/http://cosine.org.uk/n0s/games.php?srt=0&dir=0|archivedate=14 August 2011}}

{{cite web|last=Gutjahr|first=Christoph|title=C64-games supporting four joysticks|url=http://deliriumbbs.freehostia.com/C64_games_supporting_four_joysticks.bbs|publisher=Delirium BBS|accessdate=3 March 2011}}

{{cite web|last=Synnes|first=Stig|title=4-joystick adapter|url=http://www.synnes.org/c64/c64_4player.html|accessdate=6 March 2011}}

[https://www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/Multiplayer_Interface#Multiplayer_Interface_Games C64-Wiki], retrieved on 4 August 2022

Title	Year	Description	# Joysticks	Adapter	Interfaced by
class="wikitable sortable"
Tie Break	1990	original	1–4	S	Starbyte
Bug Bomber	1992	Bomberman clone	1–4	K	Kingsoft
Bomb Mania	1997	Bomberman clone	2–4	C	Protovision
Bomb Mania patch	1998	Bomb Mania (1997) patch	2–4	C, N	Da!NyL[http://dawork.synchronus.de/ Da!NyL's workspace]. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
Space Balls	1998	original	2–8	B	Pantarotto[http://www.gb64.com/game.php?id=7051&d=18&h=0]. GameBase 64 Collection. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
Quadris	1998	Tetris clone	1–4	C	Protovision[http://www.gb64.com/search.php?a=5&f=1&id=2747&d=18&h=0]. The GameBase 64 Collection. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
Bomb Mania patch	1999	Bomb Mania (1997) patch	2–4	C, D	DXS & HIT[http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=2863 DXS & HIT 4-Player Joystick Adapter]. CSDB. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
Pac It (preview)	2000	Pac-Man clone	1–4	C	Protovision
Quadtron	2000	Snakes clone	2–4	C	Protovision
International Karate + Gold	2001	International Karate + (1987) hack	1–3	C, D, N	The Dreams[http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=3757 International Karate+ GOLD]. CSDB. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
Thrust Gold	2001	Thrust (1986) patch	1	N	Ninja/The Dreams[http://csdb.dk/release/?id=6703 Ninja]. CSDB. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
Snacks 4 Snakes	2002	Snakes clone	2–4	C	Protovision
Rampage Gold	2003	Rampage (1987) hack	1–3	C, D, N	The Dreams[http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=9862 Rampage Gold]. CSDB. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
Grubz (preview)	2004	Worms clone	2–4	C	Singular Crew[http://singularcrew.hu/grubz/ Grubz]. Singular Crew. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
Hockey Mania	2004	original	2–4	C	Protovision
Marble Madness+	2004	Marble Madness (1986) hack	1–4	C	Nostalgia
Phong	2004	Pong clone	1–4	C, N	Instinct/Triad[http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=16368&show=notes Phong]. CSDB. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
Amazing Maze	2005	Amazing Maze (1983) hack	1–3	C	Triad
Team Patrol	2005	original	2–4	C	Protovision
Tour de France	2005	original	2–4	C	Hack n' Trade[http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=19458 Tour de France]. CSDB. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
Tanks 3000	2006	original	2–4	C	Protovision
Garrison	2007	Gauntlet (1986) hack	1–4	C, D	Nostalgia[http://cosine.org.uk/n0s/games.php?srt=0&dir=0 Nostalgia releases] {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814003602/http://cosine.org.uk/n0s/games.php?srt=0&dir=0 \|date=14 August 2011 }}. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
Super Off Road+	2007	Super Off Road (1990) hack	1–3	C, D	Nostalgia
Alone in the Green	2009	original	1–4	C	Edikles[http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=76396 Alone in the green]. CSDB. Retrieved 20 October 20111.
M.U.L.E.	2011	M.U.L.E. (1983) hack	1–4	C	Peiselulli[http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=101455 MULE]. CSDB. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
Space Lords	2011	Pong clone	1–4	C	P1X3L.net[http://P1X3L.net Space Lords]. P1X3L.net. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
Square Attack	2011	original	4	C	Prof. Pi^2[http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=98604 Square Attack]. CSDB. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
Icon Run	2012	original	?-4	C	Evil Joe[http://csdb.dk/release/?id=105923 Icon Run]. CSDB. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
Bomberland	2013	Bomberman clone	1–4	C	Samar Productions (SMR)[http://www.rgcd.co.uk/2013/10/bomberland-cartridge-available-c64.html Bomberland]. RGCD. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
Octron	2013	Tron clone	2–8	C+C	enthusi of Onslaught[http://csdb.dk/release/?id=114459&show=notes Octron]. CSDB. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
Schlimeisch Mania	2013	Snakes clone	1–8	I	Unreal[http://csdb.dk/release/?id=120014 Schlimeisch Mania]. CSDB. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
Race	2014	Car race original	1–8	C, I	Sokrates[http://csdb.dk/release/?id=135126 Race]. CSDB. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
Tiger Claw	2014	Bruce Lee hack	1–4	C	Lazycow[http://www.lazycow.de/tigerclaw/ Tiger Claw]. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
Kim Pong	2015	Pong clone	1–4	C	Technische Maschinenfabrik[http://csdb.dk/release/?id=137655 Kim Pong]. CSDB. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
Jam It	2015	Basketball original	1–4	C	Throwback Games[https://throwbackgames.itch.io/jam-it Jam It]. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
Shotgun	2016	original	2–4	C	Dr. Wuro Industries[http://shotgun.drwuro.com Shotgun]. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
Snafu	2016	original	2–4	C	Megastyle and Protovision[https://csdb.dk/release/?id=150866 Snafu]. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
Frogs	2017	original	2–4	C	Dr. Wuro Industries[http://frogs.drwuro.com Frogs]. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
Zatacka	2017	hack?	2–4	C	Rabenauge[https://csdb.dk/release/?id=157488 Zatacka]. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
Schlimeisch Mania II	2018	Snakes clone	1-8	I	Unreal
The Walking Death	2018	original	2-8	I	Unreal
Mashed Turtles	2018	original	2-8	C, M, I	Angelsoft
Space Moguls	2018	original	2-4	C, I, P	Protovision
Dice8	2018	original	2-8	I, M	Unreal
Bruce Lee - Return of Fury	2019	Bruce Lee clone	1-4	C	Protovision
Straight Up	2021	original	1-4	C, P	Dr. Wuro Industries

Adapter:

S = Starbyte, C = Protovision / Classical Games, D = Digital Excess & Hitmen, N = Ninjas SNES pad, K = Kingsoft, B = Space Balls, I = Inception

Description:

original/clone = new implementation, patch = patch for existing game, hack = unauthorized release based on existing game.

Interface origin:

Publisher or official source of joystick adapter support. In order to use hacked versions legally, you should own the original game.

References

External links

[http://www.protovision-online.com/hardw/4_player.php?language=en Protovision] 4 player interface page, shop and list of compatible games
[http://hitmen.c02.at/html/hardware.html Hitmen] building instruction on 4 player adapters and list of 4 player games
[http://www.c64.cz/index.php?static=inception C64.cz] Inception 8 joysticks adapter interface, shop and list of compatible games

Category:Commodore 64

Category:Home computer peripherals