2 years ago

In this episode, we take a look at and test out an upgraded controller for the Nintendo Famicom straight from the 1980's in the Hudson Joycard MkII controller from Hudson.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
2:28 - Details
5:08 - Kid Dracula
8:01 - Kirby's Adventure
9:44 - Gyruss
12:09 - Doki Doki Panic
14:30 - Metroid
17:29 - Initial Thoughts
18:31 - Final Thoughts

Recently, Adrian, the owner of Live Action Games (our local retro gaming store here) sent me a photo of a Famicom, Famicom Disk System, games, and one accessory that I instantly knew I wanted. I grabbed a couple of the games, which I covered in our recent YouTube Shorts Video (check it here - https://youtu.be/VSJRO8_7KEg) but I also grabbed a controller I never knew existed. It seems that, in the 1980's, Hudson made a plug-and-play controller for the Famicom called the Joycard MkII, and being a fan of the system I knew I had to have it.

When he first sent me the photo I actually thought it was a hardwired Famicom controller with the Square buttons. Upon closer inspection it was just the lighting in the photo, and it wasn't even a Nintendo product at all! Hudson modeled the Joycard to look like the original controller, even down to the color scheme and button layout, however it does have a number of tweaks and improvements over the original. One of the biggest changes is the controller cord itself, as instead of being hardwired into the system it actually plugs right into the 15-pin expansion port on the front of the Famicom (or side of the Sharp Famicom Twin systems). The controller cable is ever so slightly longer than the stock controller cable, but only by about a foot or so.

Another difference between the stock and Hudson controller is the fact that the Joycard is actually slightly wider than the OEM units. This is interesting as, typically, the controllers for the Japanese market have largely been smaller than what we see in the USA. The Hori Pad for the N64 is a perfect example. While loved for it's size and layout in Japan, many in the west tend to find it to be a bit small and cramped.

Finally, the Joycard borrows a feature from the Sharp Famicom Twin Turbo with a pair of 3-position turbo buttons over the A and B buttons. One position yields a 5-shot-per-second rapid fire, while the other position is a 16-shots-per-second rapid fire. For shooters on the system this is a HUGE improvement over having to just hit the buttons as fast as possible.

For my testing, I actually opted to use my Sharp Famicom Turbo Twin since it has composite video output standard. Yes, my Famicom is AV modded, however I feel I get better video quality out of the Sharp. And yes, it's going through my RetroTink 5x.

First up was Kid Dracula, one of the best games we never got for the NES. From the word go, the Joycard felt completely comfortable and locked in. The button presses registered perfectly, the D-pad felt great, so far, so good!

Kirby's Adventure was up next, and this had a slightly different demand on the controls. the D-pad is used more for things like floating and flying, but it still performed flawlessly.

I continued to play through Doki Doki Panic, Gyruss, Zelda, Castlevania, Metroid, and many others, and the performance was nothing short of spectacular. For shooters the turbo was flawless, and for platformers the Joycard was responsive as they come.

Why it RoX:
- Integrated turbo functionality
- Larger than OEM, feels better in the hand
- Slightly longer cord
- Still responds precisely
- Great design aesthetic

What could be improved:
- Still only about a 4-foot long cord
- 35+ year old stock
- No benefit for Twin Turbo Owners

Should You Buy One?
If you have a Famicom, just for the cool factor, the Hudson Joycard MKII is worth picking up. It looks great, plays fantastically, and if anything, will reduce wear and tear on the stock controllers. I really do wish the cord was longer, and I'll be looking for an extension for it, but for how I play, I do think my homemade adapter is still the better route to go. But for now, this is a great piece I am thrilled to add to my collection.

#Nintendo #Famicom #JoycardMkII

The footage used in this review are used under the Fair Use laws, referenced below:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/107

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.
(Pub. L. 94–553, title I, § 101, Oct. 19, 1976, 90 Stat. 2546; Pub. L. 101–650, title VI, § 607, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5132; Pub. L. 102–492, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3145.)

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