Hey there guys, i am looking to buy a lot of retro controllers. The main reason is because i want to use the original controller to play the original games. Here is what im looking for soon:

2 of each of:

Sega Master System
Sega Genesis (3-button ones)
Sega Saturn (will use this for 6-button genesis games as well)
NES
SNES
N64
PS2 (will use for PS1 and PS2)

Now, PS2 controllers are easy to find and cheap. But the rest, im not sure how to check if they are good, what models of which are the ones to own, how to make sure the controls feel good (will likely be buying from CL or similar), etc. I also have no idea what realistic/fair prices are for the majority of these. And i want OEM for all of them, dont want any of the fake ones.

Can anyone help me with some detailed info, thanks.

Ebay would be a good source.

Check yard sales and flea markets. Ebay works too, but I prefer examining what I buy first.

For the master system - My favorite controllers have a place to screw in a thumb stick in the dpad. I think that those are the older version of the master system controller. I definitely prefer those over the ones without that option.

In general when looking at controllers - Make sure that they are not overly loose feeling and that the buttons are not "sticky". Also be sure to check the cord near the plug and where it connects to the controller. Do not buy them if the strain relief is excessively damaged or missing (on controllers that have them) because that can indicate a either a bad cord or, if it is missing, it may indicate that the controller has been repaired at some point.

Awesome, good advice. Now on the N64 controllers, i was told that you need to feel the analog stick to make sure its in working order, is it supposed to be very tight or loose?

Originally Posted by blitz6speed Awesome, good advice. Now on the N64 controllers, i was told that you need to feel the analog stick to make sure its in working order, is it supposed to be very tight or loose?

The Analog stick on the N64 controller tends to get extremely loose and eventually will not spring back to center. I don't think that is an issue that can be avoided. Fortunately there are still replacement parts readily available and several guides online showing how to fix it. If you can't find new OEM joysticks for the N64 - buying one and replacing the analog stick might be your best option.

Goodwill and such places are actually a great source of controllers- they tend to get tossed into the 'big piles of random cables and PC controllers' in the electronic section.

Make sure you give it a good look over to confirm it's in good shape- I nearly bought an SNES controller in a bag but realized it was actually missing half the cord- and knowwhat your port end should look like. Many old PC controllers were made to look like console ones, so you'll want to be sure yo're getting the right thing.

If the price is right, aim for 3-4 for each system instead of just 2. Even if you aren't doing multiplayer, having backups is a good idea since you won't know how much life your controllers have left when you get them.

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try amazon too.

Awesome advice, i will start checking out goodwills soon, i need to find out where they are in my area. I kinda want to stay away from buying online unless the person is a CAG, because i dont want to end up with a controller that has sticky buttons or a d-pad thats messed up.

If you have any Vintage Stock stores near you, look there. I just recently picked up an OEM Dreamcast controller in primo condition for $7.99 -- If you don't have any near you, let me know and I can get some pricing quotes and if those work for you, I can pick some up for you and ship'em your way.

Originally Posted by HydroX If you have any Vintage Stock stores near you, look there. I just recently picked up an OEM Dreamcast controller in primo condition for $7.99 -- If you don't have any near you, let me know and I can get some pricing quotes and if those work for you, I can pick some up for you and ship'em your way.

Thanks, ive just been busy but there are ~10 goodwills near me, which i hope will be somewhat fruitful when i start hunting. Ive just been so busy.

Originally Posted by blitz6speed Thanks, ive just been busy but there are ~10 goodwills near me, which i hope will be somewhat fruitful when i start hunting. Ive just been so busy.

No problem. Just let me know if you need anything.

I don't know if you have a Play-N-Trade near you, but that store is known for carrying brand-new controllers modeled after retro classics. I picked up four GameCube controllers there for my brother the other day. They weren't Nintendo-official controllers, but they were almost identical to the originals. I know they carry similar controllers for NES, SNES, and Genesis.

Yes, there are a few near me, but i want OEM originals personally.

So today while i was at work, i saw a guy with a N64, 10 games and 4 controllers for 40 bucks on craigslist. I was so busy at work, i couldnt go get it, but i called him and he said he would hold it for me for 4 hours till i got off of work. Of course, after 2 hours he texted me and said his neighbor came over and bought them. Total BS. I will hopefully be hitting up the goodwills tomorrow, cant wait to see if i can score anything!

I honestly don't want to buy big bundles and resell all the left overs, just want the controllers themselves.