SNES controller on NES

Started by Shadow_Zero, November 22, 2020, 02:03:13 AM

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Shadow_Zero

My searching skills fail me, but if my memory serves me well there were a few manufacturers of these adapters to hookup a SNES controller on a NES. Anyone know where I can find them nowadays?

Searching now gives me a lot of 'pollution' of NES/SNES Classic/Mini adapters...

kendrick

So these things are all over the crappy auction sites and a few poorly-reviewed ones are on Amazon. The one I would have bought would be from RaphNet, but that doesn't help you because they've been out of stock for like a century:

https://www.raphnet-tech.com/products/snes_to_nes_cable/index.php

However! Note that these things are just wires to the different port. I'm sure you're already aware that the NES and the SNES are protocol-compatible controllers and just have different connector ports and the different number of buttons. So it's perfectly feasible for you to roll your own here because you don't need an encoder chip or any extra hardware beyond the connector.

Shadow_Zero

Yeah, I actually bought NES and SNES extension cables a long time ago to do it myself, but I just can't find the time, so was opting for the lazy route  ;P

With that said, I got in touch with Raphnet and they told me a new batch was coming Q1 2021. Then I got a message 1 or 2 weeks ago they were in stock already, so ordered them now! I reckon if I'd do it myself, they wouldn't look so fancy, with the 'block' in the middle  :)


Shadow_Zero

Argh, got 4 adapters, and none of them are working  >_<
Tried various controllers, but no response. Hooking up a NES controller works just fine.

Disappointed  :(
Wonder what the issue is...

kendrick

What region are your SNES controllers from? I vaguely remember that SNES pads are technically region-locked. If you have other consoles from other regions it might be worth mixing and matching to verify if any other combinations work.


Segasonicfan

I could design one down the road, if there's enough interest. IIRC they actually use the same data protocol.

I've never heard of super Nintendo controllers being region locked though? That would be good to know more about.

GameSX here always has the best primers on videogame controllers
MY WEBSITE: https://segasonicfan.wixsite.com/retro
I design PCBs for retro game systems :)

NFG

Yup, the PAL controller region lock has been sort of a well known secret since, well, since it mattered.

https://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=controls:snes_con_region_fix


Shadow_Zero

Some time later I found the solution: press the plug REALLY hard in the controller port, really different from original NES controllers. I kinda wonder if it doesn't wear the controller port too much like that, but maybe over time they'll snug in more souplesse.

I don't think the NES has any controller region lockout? In this case it's all PAL region.