There’s no substitute for modular synthesis, patch cords and all. And there’s nothing quite like a classic Nintendo Entertainment System. So? Combine them.
I can say Nintendo, but Danesi Designs / Hakai Labs I expect wants to avoid getting attacked by Ganon and a pack of lawyers. But yes, the “classic gamepad” in question is the incomparable NES/Famicom. Meet the Hakai Labs NT Controller Classic Gamepad Eurorack Interface, which lets you merge two wonderful hardware obsessions.
10 HP, and you can connect theoretically any controller with the 7-pin NES connector – including both new and vintage. They’ve tested the NES and NES Max controllers from Nintendo, NES Advantage joystick, reproduction controllers, and others. Sadly you can’t use the Zapper or (probably) Power Glove, though – well, if you have a Power Glove, you could definitely hack your own solution.
Once you’ve got the module, you have a bunch of features:
- 20 mHz onboard CPU for “no human-detectable lag” with button presses (mash away!)
- LED indicators on each output
- Individually protected outputs to shield you from ground shorts
- Turbo signals work, too
- Independent gate out and invert (each) for individual directional pad, start, select, A, and B
That makes this thing a bit of a gate monster. It ain’t cheap, but it looks like a top-quality package. (“Premium” is the moniker they use.)
My biased interest in this is desperately hoping some CDM reader goes absolutely nuts with this thing and sends us a video.
Hakai Labs NT Controller Classic Gamepad Eurorack Interface
This same supplier has a ton of arcade parts so – be warned, rabbit hole ahead. (Consider this a trigger warning for people who might get sucked into also deciding to restore some arcade cabinets….)
Related…
LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER built an NES – Eurorack interface on his own!
And Sega fans, there’s also an adapter add-on for the awesome Nerdseq from XOR Electronics – for just 15EUR! (though you’ll need the Nerdseq, too, of course):
The Sega Gamepad expander is an alternative expander to allow the use of a Sega Genesis Gamepad. It can be used either together with the Multi-IO Expander which doesn’t have the Sega Gamepad Port or without any Midi Expander on the NerdSEQ port. It is not possible to use it together with the regular Midi-IO or the TRS-A 2HP Midi expander!
The expander is available with a black PCB frontpanel. A 12 pin ribbon cable for the connection is included.
Nerdseq – Sega Gamepad Expander
Yes to all of this. Brilliant.