Does anyone know where to purchase "authentic"NES / SNES / GENESIS controllers ? Other than eBay ?

[JPB]

I was going to go the eBay route...but you just never know what they will send you on there. Price isnt a concern....But I do want them to be official and excellent condition. These are the ones I want....

I don't mind used, as long as they are in excellent condition. Ive been collecting a lot of things lately pertaining to consoles. Just picked up a like new SNES yesterday.....for $40.....all parts are like new and original..but came with no controllers.
Also picked up a like new Genesis 1st model. That has the "High Definition Graphics" on it. I really don't want to have to resort to eBay. So is there any place you know of ...... that is guaranteed to send the correct item listed....if its listed as original ? If I receive one more thing in the mail, that isnt authentic....ill probably just go into overload.

I need 2 each of them....I do not want off brand...after market....or even the 6 button Genesis controllers. I want them all original like they were way back then. I am also looking for a NES Advantage...and a NES Max.

I have tried my local Gamestops, other game stores...Facebook Marketplace...Monster Games in Virginia...Cartridges Galore in Maryland....and they are all either not official...worn out buttons....frayed wired...weak D-pads...etc etc etc....

I also, do not like...nor prefer anything modded...controllers or systems. Example, if I am going to play Super Mario World...It has to be on an official SNES...with the official controller. And the same goes for Sega...Sony or Microsoft.

I did however, well my wife found it. She stopped by a thrift shop the other day, and they had a NES Classic for $10. When she saw it she called me at home, I asked her to ask the clerk if it was official. The clerk said it was a clone. So...the clerk accepted $5 for it. Well when my wife got home, IT WAS OFFICIAL. Couldnt believe it. Just gotta get another controller for it, and the 2 wire extensions.







So, anyone know any online stores etc...that sells the exact item that is described ? I also don't use Paypal, which I know can be an issue. All I use is my bank.

 

[purbeast0]

I mean there aren't going to be any new ones out there anymore. You are going to have to find used ones. I would think if you are handy and you find some grimey ones you could restore them pretty easily. Just take them apart and clean them.

Other than ebay or gaming forums, maybe like flea markets and stuff would be my next guess.

 

[snoopy7548]

Craigslist would be your best bet for authentic and cheap. As purbeast said, you won't find any new ones... but a grimy one can be cleaned up with some Q-Tips and rubbing alcohol to look like new.

 

[purbeast0]

Oh also check out Facebook Marketplace. There may even be Facebook groups for gaming classifieds. I have been getting back into arcade cabinet hobby and the FB marketplace and groups has been a huge resource of finding stuff.

 

[Ichinisan]

I have several sets of brand new SNES controller parts. The PCBs were scavenged by an arcade operator back in the day (probably to be used with CPS2 boards). So I can turn some ratty SNES controllers into brand-new ones. A set consists of the shells, buttons, and rubber pads.

 

[EXCellR8]

I've some vintage controllers sitting right downstairs collecting dust...

 

[CZroe]

As someone who upgrades old consoles with stuff like Hi-Def NES, UltraHDMI, DCHDMI, GCDual, WiiDual, etc, finding good condition original controllers worthy of including with a premium console is the name of my existence. It's an endless battle with many degrees of compromise that you may or may not be willing to tolerate.

For example, you could buy new NES Classic Edition controllers for $9.99 and do a board-swap with original NES controllers to have essentially a new controller with an old cord.

Unfortunately, Nintendo got the D-pad pivot wrong in this iteration causing errant diagonals, so you need to switch the original D-pad parts back inside... and those often look scratched and grimy.

I plan to do experiments vapor-smoothening ABS plastic with Acetone but that's probably only useful for controllers with smooth finishes. Maybe some silicon moulding can restore smoothened texture to poor-condition controllers.

I really like using 8BitDo's 8BitDIY boards to salvage old controllers with cable/pprt damage. It's a series of replacement PCBs for retro controllers which turn them into Bluetooth gamepads. They also sell "RetroReceiver" modules that add Bluetooth to your NES, SNES, Genesis, etc.

On that note, the Genesis Mini has two original-style controllers that have USB plugs. I will check to see if they can be board-swapped to refresh an original controller with new rubber button membranes, plastic buttons, and plastic housings. Many people are pairing those consoles with the Genesis-branded 6-button Arcade Pad replicas from RetroBit, so there will probably be a surplus of the 3-button style for salvaging. The Japanese version included a Japanese-style 6 button controller but Sega sold the moulds for the International 6 button Arcade Pad a long time ago, which is why you see so many replicas using it (Hyperkin, RetroBit, Old Skool, etc). Even though 8BitDo says you can't use their PCB in the North American/International Arcade Pad, it fits perfectly. The only issue with the Hyperkin GN6, RetroBit, etc controllers based on that mould is that the USB port is a tight fit.

N64 is the one that gives me the worst problems. I know exactly where I was in 1996 when I realized that the longevity of those controllers was going to be an issue, so I bought as many as I could new at the end of the console's retail life and used them sparingly over the years that followed. Eventually they got too valuable to use so I sold them in 2015 and 2017... ALL for triple digits and one for $590 (sealed Fire Orange). Only new/unused N64 pads I have left are my original pack-in Gold (sold the blister packed Gold) and a LodgeNet 64 controller.

The LodgeNet controller was used in hotels. Reliability was such an issue that they made a revised controller with the same stick you get from a Hori Mini controller. Of course, it's completely incompatible with a standard controller, but people want these controllers so bad that they specifically look for the LodgeNet controllers with the Hori stick. Me, on the other hand, I bought the $30 ones with the standard stick since an original stick is worth at least $30 on its own. 😉 You won't get very far with this kind of stuff without PayPal though.

Selling my sealed controllers was the right call since I could buy dozens of good-condition controllers for the prices that those fetched. Still, I keep finding myself without an appropriate original controller to pair with my UltraHDMI sales. On the last one, I decided to try something new...

As you can see, not having an original controller did not seem to depress the value of the Fire Orange listing! That Fire Orange Brawler 64 controller is not my thing but it seems there are a lot of people into it and even more want to try that controller out. Totally justified the $40 my brother spent on it.