This tutorial combines an original NES controller, USB keyboard, wire and tact switches into a USB NES controller suitable for use with NES and arcade emulators. The basic idea is that the keyboards controller unit is installed in the NES controller housing. The original buttons activate tact switches that are wired to the keyboard controller. When the NES controllers buttons are activated, they're registered by your computer as a key press. If you're comfortable with a soldering iron and don't mind working in small spaces, you should be able to make a USB NES controller with cheap and readily available parts. I would recommend reading the whole tutorial before starting as understanding the whole process will be of great benefit for completing each step.
I found a janky old NES controller that had seen better days in my cupboard. Considering its poor condition, I wanted to sacrifice it for a retro gaming project. I ended up combining it with an old PS2 keyboard as a frankenstein style prototype for this instructable. I was then confident enough to pick up a cheap usb keyboard and sacrifice a controller in decent condition. The benefit of using a keyboard as the brains of the controller is that it wont require drivers and will be compatible with most operating systems. Plus, it's a cheap way to convert an old piece of gaming kit into something you'll get some use out of.
I found a janky old NES controller that had seen better days in my cupboard. Considering its poor condition, I wanted to sacrifice it for a retro gaming project. I ended up combining it with an old PS2 keyboard as a frankenstein style prototype for this instructable. I was then confident enough to pick up a cheap usb keyboard and sacrifice a controller in decent condition. The benefit of using a keyboard as the brains of the controller is that it wont require drivers and will be compatible with most operating systems. Plus, it's a cheap way to convert an old piece of gaming kit into something you'll get some use out of.
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Signing UpStep 1: Things You Need
Parts list:
- 1x Nintendo NES controller
- 1x USB Keyboard*
- 8x Tact switches
- Hookup wire. preferably coloured to make life easier when soldering.
* Keyboard controller contained within needs to be small in size. Older keyboards tend to use controllers too large for this project. If unsure what this means, see next step.
Tools:
- Soldering equipment
- Dremel (rotary tool) with cutting bit
- Drill
- Small files
- Hot glue gun
- 1x Nintendo NES controller
- 1x USB Keyboard*
- 8x Tact switches
- Hookup wire. preferably coloured to make life easier when soldering.
* Keyboard controller contained within needs to be small in size. Older keyboards tend to use controllers too large for this project. If unsure what this means, see next step.
Tools:
- Soldering equipment
- Dremel (rotary tool) with cutting bit
- Drill
- Small files
- Hot glue gun
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My only critique, is the glue on the switches looks bad. I know it's not visible with the case closed but... Hot glue is the tool of the devil and his head minion Martha Stewart
I'm probably going to use epoxy for a lower profile but I need to understand why you needed to replace the original switches. If it's simply a matter of closing the circuit why not solder the kb controller leads to the remaining nintendo board. What am I not seeing?
thanks in advance!
If you look at the image where the coloured wires are soldered to the pins of the keyboard controller, you'll notice I was able to use 8 pins of the first group of pins but only 6 pins from the second group because these were the only pins that provided a useful key stroke (The area within the comment box is the second group).
To prevent any potential issues with ghosting, when I had to use a pin for two inputs, I used inputs that would never be pressed simultaneously such as up/down and left/right. Hope this helps! Thanks for reading.
I've been looking for some ideas to include a USB hub inside, and if I understand you right, this should let me free up way more space for extra hardware. Definitely a tweak to consider.
Great guide!
but thanks a lot for the instruction i read some other tutorials for the keyboard controller configuration but yours is the easiest to do yet =3
This solution doesn't make use of any of the NES controllers circuitry but installs a keyboard controller and wires the buttons up to it. I found this to be the easiest and cheapest method of getting the job done.