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 few different joystick adapters have been constructed for use with the C64. The Classical Games / Protovision adapter is supported by the largest number of games. It is also the only adapter presently available commercially, but building instructions are available for most of the adapters. Some of the adapters are also emulated in C64 emulators.
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Supports 2 additional joysticks. 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.[1][2]
Supports 2 additional joysticks at the userport. Introduced with the game Bug Bomber by Kingsoft in 1992, but might be compatible with (or identical to) the Starbyte adapter.[3] The game came with instructions to build your own 4-player adapter.
Building instructions (plugs, wires and diodes) are also available on the web.[4]
Supports 2 additional joysticks at the userport. Developed 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.[5][6][7]
Building instructions (plugs, wires and an IC), sample code, shop and list of supported games are available at the Protovision website.[7]
Supports 8 joysticks (at the expansion port). Developed by Oliver Stiller. Building instructions and documentation probably appeared in a 64'er mag.[8]
Supports 8 joysticks, all connected to the user port and one joyport. Appears with the game Space Balls (1998) for 2-8 players by Luigi Pantarotto. (No claim of originality, so this could also be a reuse of another adapter.)
Building instructions (plugs and wires only) is provided with the game Space Balls.[4]
Supports 8 SNES pads at the joyports. Developed by Ninja of The Dreams. Only a few games are available for this adapter.[9]
Building instructions (plugs and wires only) are available at the Hitmen 4 player adapter website.[10] Code interface is demonstrated in the SNES-Pad-Tooldisk #1.[11]
Supports 2 additional joysticks at the userport. Developed 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.[12] A few 4-player games are available for this adapter.
Building instructions (plugs and wires only) and sample code is available at the Hitmen 4 player adapter website.[10]
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 VIC20).[13] There are probably no game supporting those adapters on the C64.
The C64 emulator VICE supports the Classical Games / Protovision and the Digital Excess & Hitmen adapters from version 2.3.[13]
List of games with original or added support for the various adapters. [7] [10] [14] [15] [16]
Title | Year | Description | # Joystics | Adapter | Interfaced by |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alone in the Green | 2009 | original | 1-4 | C | Edikles[17] |
Amazing Maze | 2005 | Amazing Maze (1983) hack | 1-3 | C | Triad |
Bomb Mania | 1997 | Bomberman clone | 2-4 | C | Protovision[7] |
Bomb Mania patch | 1998 | Bomb Mania (1997) patch | 2-4 | C, N | Da!NyL[18] |
Bomb Mania patch | 1999 | Bomb Mania (1997) patch | 2-4 | C, D | DXS & HIT[19] |
Bug Bomber | 1992 | Bomberman clone | 1-4 | K | Kingsoft |
Garrison | 2007 | Gauntlet (1986) hack | 1-4 | C, D | Nostalgia[20] |
Grubz (preview) | 2004 | Worms clone | 2-4 | C | Singular Crew[21] |
Hockey Mania | 2004 | original | 2-4 | C | Protovision[7] |
International Karate + Gold | 2001 | International Karate + (1987) hack | 1-3 | C, D, N | The Dreams[22] |
Marble Madness+ | 2004 | Marble Madness (1986) hack | 1-4 | C | Nostalgia[20] |
M.U.L.E. | 2011 | M.U.L.E. (1983) hack | 1-4 | C | Peiselulli[23] |
Pac It (preview) | 2000 | Pacman clone | 1-4 | C | Protovision[7] |
Phong | 2004 | Pong clone | 1-4 | C, N | Instinct/Triad[24] |
Quadris | 1998 | Tetris clone | 1-4 | C | Protovision |
Quadtron | 2000 | Snakes clone | 2-4 | C | Protovision |
Rampage Gold | 2003 | Rampage (1987) hack | 1-3 | C, D, N | The Dreams[25] |
Snakes 4 Snakes | 2002 | Snakes clone | 2-4 | C | Protovision[7] |
Space Balls | 1998 | original | 2-8 | P | Pantarotto |
Space Lords | 2011 | Pong clone | 1-4 | C | P1X3L.net |
Square Attack | 2011 | original | 4 | C | Prof. Pi^2[26] |
Super Off Road+ | 2007 | Super Off Road (1990) hack | 1-3 | C, D | Nostalgia[20] |
Tanks 3000 | 2006 | original | 2-4 | C | Protovision[7] |
Team Patrol | 2005 | original | 2-4 | C | Protovision[7] |
Tie Break | 1990 | original | 1-4 | S | Starbyte |
Tour de France | 2005 | original | 2-4 | C | Hack n' Trade[27] |
Adapter: S = Starbyte, C = Classical Games / Protovision, D = Digital Excess & Hitmen, N = Ninjas SNES pad, K = Kingsoft, P = Pantarotto, O = O. Stiller.
Description: original/clone = new implementation, patch = patch for existing game, hack = unautorized 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.