Rebuilding old Nintendo joysticks and buttons - Where to buy?

vicemikey

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Rebuilding old Nintendo joysticks and buttons - Where to buy?

Hey guys, I picked up a single-monitor vs. kit playchoice last weekend and was wondering where the best place to get the OEM style buttons switches and parts to rebuild the joysticks..I think they definitely need new springs, they are flapjacks. It has the vs. control panel with the tall buttons leafy style you guys know what i'm saying.

Thanks in advance! :)
 
Yes Mikes has all the joystick parts and the buttons,while not the correct color are not bad.
I would take apart the joystick and clean it thoroughly,especially the ball pivot area,then put it back together lube it and see how it feels.
 
Excellent, thanks guys. I will take them apart and clean them. It could just be me but I don't remember these little guys being that loose from my last machine I had.
The buttons are alright a few need straight replaced - I may need to get switches as well I'm having a hard time getting repetitive button presses to register in Tyson's punch out and Contra. This could cost a few bucks. Would it be blasphemy to replace the A and B buttons with microswitch Happs or something? If this were a donkey kong or something I would get sick but I mean, it's playchoice games you know.
 
Excellent, thanks guys. I will take them apart and clean them. It could just be me but I don't remember these little guys being that loose from my last machine I had.
The buttons are alright a few need straight replaced - I may need to get switches as well I'm having a hard time getting repetitive button presses to register in Tyson's punch out and Contra. This could cost a few bucks. Would it be blasphemy to replace the A and B buttons with microswitch Happs or something? If this were a donkey kong or something I would get sick but I mean, it's playchoice games you know.

you COULD run Happ buttons on it, to me that would feel like cheating though. :D

the buttons are adjustable, the little plate that the microswitch mounts to has a swivel feature! you could alternatively bend the button holder too, though that's probably not the right way.

adjust the swivel on your switches first. if the actuators are bent the wrong way on the switches I think you could replace them with the Happ kind with the arms... I don't believe there's anything exorbitantly fancy about the Nintendo kind.

need a tutorial for how to adjust these, I just did what I always do (the trial and error approach) until it felt right, cause the first time I did it I started getting creamed in Kung Fu cause they were swiveled too tight. lol
 
Excellent, thanks guys. I will take them apart and clean them. It could just be me but I don't remember these little guys being that loose from my last machine I had.
The buttons are alright a few need straight replaced - I may need to get switches as well I'm having a hard time getting repetitive button presses to register in Tyson's punch out and Contra. This could cost a few bucks. Would it be blasphemy to replace the A and B buttons with microswitch Happs or something? If this were a donkey kong or something I would get sick but I mean, it's playchoice games you know.

Make sure you thoroughly clean the main bearing pivot area (spray degreaser in there, and then go at it with whatever you can get down in there like a toothbrush or pipe cleaner), and lubricate with something light like oil or silicone spray, rather than grease.

Nintendo joystick springs were very light to begin with. Even when brand new they won't whip back to center and bounce around like say a Happ Competition. They feel sloppy (lots of free play in the center) and light compared to something like a Happ Competition if that is what you're used to.
 
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