My N64 Controller blues

Joined Jan 2005
18K Posts | 0+
Waco, TX
Why is it, that every time I find an N64 controller in the wild...it looks like someone dropped it from a 20 story building...a dog buried it..and scratched up by a weed whacker...then the joystick refuses to stay in place...then when I try to open it, over 20 pieces of plastic fall out of it...which leaves over 4-6 pieces of screw bolts...because the pieces that once held them together are broken...

Darn you Nintendo for making such a cheaply made controller that has more plastic then a barbie doll..

Now if I'm going to purchase a pair of controllers that are solidly built...what brand should I purchase? I know Nintendo is the best and I know there are hundreds of people who take care of their controllers out there...but if I had an off-brand...what would you recommend?
 
Couldn't tell you. But I have five N64 controllers, and they are all flawless. One is even still wrapped up.
 
I've played on my N64 for countless hours over the years and my controllers are still in near-perfect shape-well not really,but they are in great shape,so I don't know why you have this luck.I guess all the best ones were given out with the system,so I think you're out of luck(As if you didn't know)
 
All the 64 controllers I've had never wore out on me. Of course I never really played my 64 either :lol
 
Don't bother with third party. They all suck man. Stick with Nintendo for this one.
 
exactly.. I haven't seen a good 3rd party controller.... EXCEPT a pair of wireless controllers... I forget what they were. The wireless feature was ok, but the controllers played decently.

You know... I have had my fair share of beat up N64 controllers... but I haven't figured it out... HOW do they get so beat up? Mine have been played with thousands of times... and by kids as young as 5. ON TOP OF THAT, one had Root beer spilled in/on it. It still works...

The cosmetic shape of the controllers are VERY NICE too.. after what... 10 years? They lasted better than my Snes controllers... condition wise.

On an odd note... I received 3-4 N64 controllers as a trade in once. ALL 4 had a substance coming out of the analog stick that was like pencil lead but more shiney. The substance left black marks on your hand like pencil lead would. HAS ANYONE ELSE had a problem like that? I threw all 3-4 controllers out. I didn't know what the heck the substance was. It looked like Pencil lead... but IMO it wasn't... it seemed too shiney.

Anyway... crazy stuff.

Bv :hat
 
I've seen sticky residue, dead bugs (Dont know how they got inside, but kudos!) bizzare stains, cuts, scrapes, cracks, dents, grease/sweat build up (which ends up from sweaty palms of your own hands and not washing your hands each time you play your games and you dont even notice it until a black substance builds up along the edges of the controller...)
 
Bluevoodu said:
On an odd note... I received 3-4 N64 controllers as a trade in once.  ALL 4 had a substance coming out of the analog stick that was like pencil lead but more shiney.  The substance left black marks on your hand like pencil lead would.  HAS ANYONE ELSE had a problem like that?  I threw all 3-4 controllers out.  I didn't know what the heck the substance was.  It looked like Pencil lead... but IMO it wasn't... it seemed too shiney. 

Anyway... crazy stuff.

Bv :hat

Just sounds like graphite lubricant.
 
Rocky said:
Just sounds like graphite lubricant.

It does sound like graphite. But why would Nintendo use graphite lubricant to lube up an electrical component?? Odd.
 
Well, I believe there is a little something inside there to act as a lubricant for the rubbing plastic parts, however the owner of the controllers could have simply put their own lube in there.
 
I don't like the way that the joy sticks get sloppy, either. I do have an off brand controller, too......but I think the Nintendo ones are best...despite any problems they get over time.
 
It's really hard to find good used N64 controllers made by Nintendo now. It makes me glad that I bought extra controllers when they still made them new.
 
Mai Valentine said:
It's really hard to find good used N64 controllers made by Nintendo now. It makes me glad that I bought extra controllers when they still made them new.
That's the thing.They don't make any of them anymore
 
I know that Nintendo's web site still offers power cords for the N64 (Okay, last time I looked). Maybe they still offer NOS controllers??
 
http://amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/105-4856557-2690865?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=n64+controller&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go
 
ThisNameIsCreative said:
That's the thing.They don't make any of them anymore

I said it's hard to find good USED controllers for the N64 made by Nintendo.

Some stores still carry used N64 stuff, but if you can find controllers, they are usually the crappy third party ones. So I said it's hard to find good USED N64 controllers (the ones made by Nintendo).
 
I inspected all of my controllers the other day after building a cabinet to house all of my gaming junk, and found one of my green controllers seems to be going downhill. The oozing stuff near the analog stick, as well as the sloppyness when the stick is pushed towards the left. I may have to pull it apart and see what I can do...
 
if u need reviews of controllers that werent made by nintendo, check out

http://z9.invisionfree.com/Nintendo_64_Forever/index.php?showtopic=330

and

http://z9.invisionfree.com/Nintendo_64_Forever/index.php?showtopic=108