a better neo joystick
Alright, very well then, pics have been emailed to Amano. He has generously offerred to post them up and he can let us know when they are ready. Muchas gracias por ayudar a nosotros con esto. Tambien, perdoname que las photos son muy grande, pero queria ensenar los detales el mejor posible.
Some background:
The original neo geo joystick was indeed a very well made and comfortable joystick. However only the joystick uses real "clicking" switches. The buttons do not use clicking switches. For me personally, they were the only thing I disliked about the joystick. Once a button breaks, its broken! Granted, this rarely happens, but when it does, your screwed. I made a few repairs here and there which had mixed results, but it never worked perfectly again.
So I actually found this particular solution several years later after I had tossed this joystick on a shelf to collect dust. I used to loan out the joystick to friends here and there hence why it is a "loaner controller" as marked in the pics.
The buttons I used are smaller then "standard" arcade industry control panel action buttons. They were manufactured and used in games by SEGA. They are the "start" buttons for Hang On, Out Run, Space Harrier, Thunder Blade, After Burner, etc. They fit in the holes on the joystick surface so perfectly, that they literally "click" as they snap into position and they do not fall out either.
They are also CLICK buttons, like the cherry switches used in arcade game buttons so they work perfectly and flawlessly every time during high intensity button mashing sessions. Lets put it this way, I kick so much ass in 3 Count Bout with this joystick, that I almost beat the game without a continue! And you KNOW how much you have to press the A button in 3 Count Bout!
They are actually illuminated buttons as well, but let me tell you right now, yellow was the most commonly used color and so it is very easy to find. Green is a close second. But the red is nearly impossible to track down and blue is out of the question. I can get you part numbers for them, but I don't think Sega stocks them anymore and even if they do, the color selection might be slim.
Regards,
Billy Pitt
Additionally, the buttons themselves come in two different style settings. Most are white but some are black. Obviously the black ones are more desirable for a black based joystick but of course they are harder to find. When the pics get posted, look at them closely to observe these and other details.
