Retro Scan of the Week: Epyx 500XJ Joystick
May 15th, 2006 by Benj Edwards
This is from a late-80s Epyx catalog. The Epyx 500XJ joystick is actually my favorite Atari 2600-compatible joystick. It uses microswitches exclusively (instead of conductive rubber pads or metal “domes”), making it responsive with a great tactile feel, and yet rugged to stand up to lots of playing. The design of the stick’s base is very ergonomic, fitting perfectly in your left hand. The only awkward thing about it is the button placement: repeatedly hitting the button by “curling” your index finger upward can get painful fast. Still, if you build up your finger muscles, it’s a gem of a joystick. I’d love to get a NES version of this stick just for novelty’s sake.
I’m sure many of you are also familiar with the Epyx Fast Load Cartridge, which is also on this catalog page. Feel free to share and discuss your memories of your C64 past…while I unpack more computers.
May 15th, 2006 at 12:43 pm
Looks cool, though I haven’t ever heard of one before. (The Commodore 64 is a tad bit old for me, though I do have one in the basement that I use to play when I was young… Ahh, Jack Attack…)
http://cgi.ebay.com/NICE-500XJ-EPYX-CONTROLLER-FOR-NINTENDO-NES_W0QQitemZ8276655778QQcategoryZ41047QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
There is a NES one for ya.
Have fun unpacking everything.
May 15th, 2006 at 3:32 pm
“he only awkward thing about it is the button placement: repeatedly hitting the button by “curling†your index finger upward can get painful fast. Still, if you build up your finger muscles, it’s a gem of a joystick.”
I dunno, I have one of these and continually find it painful and awkward to use the buttons.
May 15th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
They’re great joysticks. If you want with with (yellow/black) or without (red/black) autofire, you can get them new in the box from here:
http://www.jppbm.com/
May 15th, 2006 at 4:24 pm
Hah.. I actually remember that one.. Great!
May 16th, 2006 at 11:50 am
I never knew about the Fast Load Catridge. That would’ve been a gem when booting up long loading games like Realm of Impossibility.
May 17th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
sounds wierd! i bet it feels akwerd for the first touch.
May 22nd, 2006 at 8:07 am
@Bjorn Nitmo
I see you are mentionning JPPBM. Are there still in business? I have tried contacting them on several occasions, but they never answered…
June 3rd, 2006 at 11:38 pm
[…] I knew there was something about Nintendo’s new “nun-chuck” controller style that I just couldn’t quite put my finger on. Then it hit me. The part with the stick looks just like the Epyx 500XJ Joystick that I had for my old Commodore 64. I loved that controller. Even after the top half of the stick broke off, it was better than any other device at the time. Everything had a very satisfying click to it. […]
November 24th, 2006 at 5:13 pm
I can’t tell you how many joysticks I went through until I found this gem. The Epyx 500XJ was THE premier joystick for the C64. It was a precision instrument. Really, there was no alternative. The click was indeed very satisfying. The last joystick I ever needed to buy.
February 15th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
yeah those were the best. i kicked winter games in the ass with one of those during the c64 dynasty.
February 22nd, 2007 at 3:13 pm
I was just thinking about this today. Yes, the nunchuck is SOO like this. I had a box full of these for my Amiga. I even had one for the PC, although it was used much less. The buttons were a pain in button mashing games like Street Fighter clones. The stick owned in Madden, though.
May 9th, 2009 at 2:08 am
I loved this Joystick when I was a kid. Best ever. It fit perfect in your hand and was really solid. It also clicked in every direction making it really easy to maneuver. I wonder if I could use this on my computer now.. with ROM emulators..
May 9th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Jared, if you buy a Stelladapter, you can use any Atari VCS-compatible joystick on a PC through a USB interface:
http://www.atariage.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=267
If it weren’t $40, I’d buy one myself. 🙂
April 10th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
I just bought an unopened 500XJ off eBay. I’ve really missed it the past 23 years. Works great with the stelladaptor and Commodore emulators, Atari emulators, Amiga emulators, MAME, and many other emulators.
Just for fun, I filled out and mailed the warranty card. Would love to see the look on the face of the person who gets it. Great looking through the included catalog at all the old software that I havent used/seen for decades. Great little stick, and worth the trip down memmory lane. It was also only $3.68 and that included shipping. Yes, only $3.68. Not bad for an unopened classic like the 500XJ!
December 12th, 2011 at 11:52 pm
I have one that’s Atari compatible. I actually have it from my Ti-99 system I had as a kid. I hooked it up the other day and I was hooked again! Got on ebay and won an NES version for 6.99 Free ship. Sweet.
November 9th, 2017 at 8:14 pm
These are personally my favorite joystick, they are nice and responsive, and I love how it fits in your hand. its a great stick! I bought a pair of these at a thrift store for $1.00 back in 2004, as a kid, and I still have them.