The Nintendo 64 controller is without a doubt the first real case of "why did they do that" that most gamers ever encountered, and to this day is probably also the first love-hate relationship any gamer had with their console. The Nintendo 64 revolutionized video games and essentially created the demand we have today for graphics in our video games, and while it offered outstanding gameplay in over 200 different games, the controller offered pain and agony the likes of which no one should ever have to endure just to play Mario.
No, not because the controller implored its wielder to have three hands. Not because the configuration of buttons was a little questionable. The true devil in the Nintendo 64 controller was the hard plastic knub that the designers expected gamers to deal with when playing anything, from intense first person shooters like Goldeneye, to relaxed simulation games like Harvest Moon. But wait, there's more! Not only was it made from a solid, jutting piece of callus inducing plastic, it was also 100% mechanical! In an astounding act of irony, the first commercially viable home analogue stick was indeed still completely physical.
If you're the adventurous type like me, you might open up your controllers and see how they work. With modern analogue sticks, you have a small box connected to two accelerometers hardwired to the PCB. These are very durable, and almost indestructible, all things considered. The Nintendo 64, however, has a large box housing the joystick, a tension spring, two mechanisms that the joystick moves, and a sort of gearbox that moves two wheels inside two separate light detector housings. The problem with this configuration is one that we all face in our lifetime, especially engineers: there is no lubrication. What gamers were expected to deal with was a machine designed to fail - constant scraping and rubbing from hardcore gameplay eventually wears down every part of this assembly: the joystick itself, the black plastic mechanisms, sometimes even the gears that turn the light sensor wheels.
If you open a well used N64 controller joystick assembly, especially one with a "floppy" joystick, you'll feel like you've stepped onto the set of "Will it Blend?", except replace the Blendtech blender with your childhood hands, and replace that guy with the goofy smile with your look of absolute disgust and disappointment. Same rules apply: Don't breathe that. Across the internet there are thousands of workarounds and loose suggestions, but they are all simply the nursing homes and hospice houses of your controller. You just wanted to see Bomberman 64 that one last time...
[REVIEW ACTUALLY STARTS HERE, EXCUSE MY SATIRE]
Let's face it. You don't want to put down 15 to 20 dollars for a new, offbrand controller. If you're an adult now who grew up playing the N64, you probably can't even trust that offbrand garbage, the days of your mom bringing home Pelican and Mad Catz controllers have scarred you for all eternity. And really, the only thing stopping you from actually finishing half your library of N64 games is that blasted joystick. Why should you have to scrap an otherwise completely functional controller? Enter the replacement joysticks from Hyperkin Inc's Repair Box brand.
Due to a shipping error and customer service superstars, I'm actually able to review both this product, and its more original brother. First, let's discuss what's on this page: If you order this, what you should be getting is a GameCube Style N64 joystick. You know how the GameCube controller feels, don't lie to me. This feels the same way. The joystick part itself is still plastic with no rubber to guard your precious thumb, but fortunately since the sensitivity is high and the resistance is low, you won't actually need it. It feels incredibly good and controls all of my games like a champ. There are complaints that it's too sensitive for first person games that people have gotten too used to playing with beat up, crusty old joysticks, but to that I respond get used to it. Once you re-acclimate yourself to the way the game was meant to be played, you'll be getting silent headshot kills in Goldeneye and shooting those Skulltulas off of walls every time.
Read my review for the more authentic replacement here:
N64 Replacement Joystick - Nintendo 64
Overall: If you don't mind making your controller obviously modified, go with this product. It's cheaper than buying a brand new controller, and makes you feel like a champ for repairing the same controller that brought you through hundreds of levels.
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Reviews with images
which is actually not bad at all really
I had my reservations about ordering this part. I had read and watched a lot of reviews on these "Gamecube Style" joystick replacements for N64 controllers. THIS joystick in particular is a quality part. I'm not a competitive Smash player, but I did test the thing in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Mario Kart 64 and I didn't have any trouble playing.I'd seen other people complain about sensitivity. I hooked this thing up to my computer with an adapter and checked the readouts myself. It does have a deadzone that seems to be around 10%, which is actually not bad at all really. Before I saw the raw numbers, I tried to detect the deadzone in game and it wasn't noticeable until I went looking for it, although it might have jumped out at me if I had to play a game like SM64 where you have to walk very slowly in some parts. It's not a deal breaker, you'll just have to get used to where the deadzone starts.While testing, I also tried to detect if there was any weirdness in the axis. At first, I actually did think I noticed a problem where when moving diagonally up left or right, I'd notice my character "jump" a few degrees in their turn/rotation, as if there were some degrees missing or something. I was able to "reproduce" this for myself a few times, but after looking at the raw numbers on the computer, I went back and noticed that the real cause of this behavior was my inputs; I was applying a certain amount of pressure causing the stick to slip down one of the notches more than I intuitively expected, I guess because I don't play with notched gate controllers very often or I'm not used to this specific gate yet. Being more careful, I was able to get my characters to turn smoothly the way they should with no "jumps". I was looking for this because another reviewer mentioned it.BUT, DEAR READER, THERE IS ONE IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IF YOU DECIDE TO BUY THIS PART ON AMAZON:It's POSSIBLE that if you order this part from this page, you won't get the part pictured. Notice that the part has a small "hole" in the middle. The joystick I am reviewing, and which I have pictured, and which is pictured on this page, has that hole and is made out of hard plastic just like the original N64 joystick was. But there is another "gamecube style" joystick replacement out there, and I don't think people have really understood this. There's another part, probably by a different company, with a soft-touch tip similar to the Gamecube's. This part does not have the "hole" in the middle, but it also seems to be the one people have reviewed the most and may very well exhibit the issues people have reported with these "gamecube style" sticks.Therefor, I recommend doing everything you can to make sure you get the stick pictured, made out of a hard plastic and with the "hole" in the middle, and NOT the other one. Ask the seller you plan on buying from or something. By all accounts, the other one sucks and will be a huge waste of time for you.This one rules. I wish I knew what the "smash bros" perspective on these things is because I know a lot of people looking at this stick will be most interested in Smash performance, but if all you wanna do is play Zelda or Mario Kart or whatever, I can tell you for sure this thing is good. In many ways, it is better than the original stick, and worth your money.Hope that helped.
Top reviews from other countries
Have the right tools to prevent stripping the screws.
Reviewed in Canada on August 30, 2019Myles
Better than having a brand new stock controller
Reviewed in Canada on May 14, 2017
