The Amiga Joystick Guide
A game is only as good as the stick. For the Amiga there are legendary classics — Competition Pro, Zipstik, Speedking — and today plenty of adapters so your PlayStation controller or USB stick works with the 9-pin port.
The Classics (1987-1993)
Competition Pro 5000
The undisputed king. Microswitches instead of rubber membrane, extremely precise, click sound when pressed. Two fire buttons (one turbo). Still available new today in the Retro Edition from Spei-dog (orange-black packaging).
Zipstik
The compact all-rounder. Lighter and smaller than the Competition Pro, microswitch feedback. Popular with Amiga users on the move. Original by Spectravideo, available as a replica today.
Speedking
Konix Speedking, also called Navigator. Ergonomic hand-pleaser, fits like a pistol in the hand. Not for everyone, but those who love it swear by it.
Quickshot II / Turbo
The budget stick. Rubber contacts, often with suction cup for sticking to the table. Doesn’t last forever, but in every household back then. Still often found at flea markets today.
The Boss (Beeshu / Cheetah)
Ergonomic like a VCR controller, two fire buttons on top, auto-fire. Good mid-range — not quite the precision of the Competition Pro, but affordable.
Arcade Sticks & Multi-Button Controllers
The Arcade Joystick (Suzo)
Large base, real arcade ball-top stick, microswitches. For Street Fighter and ilk. Available today as iCode, Competition Pro Super 16 or as a DIY build via Sanwa/Seimitsu components.
CD32 Gamepad / Mega Drive Pad
CD32 pads have seven buttons (6 + Play/Pause) and work on the normal 9-pin port. Many late Amiga games (Super Skidmarks, Ultimate Body Blows) support the extra buttons. SEGA Mega Drive 3-button pads work too — the Amiga sees them only as 1-button sticks.
Modern Adapters: Amiga Meets USB
Tom's Retro Joystick 2 USB
USB interface for 9-pin joysticks. Plug your Competition Pro into the PC and play WinUAE without input lag. ~25 €.
USB-to-9-Pin Adapter (TOM's / RetroGamerStuff)
Other direction: USB gamepad (Xbox, PS4/PS5, 8BitDo) to 9-pin Amiga port. Firmware maps the controller buttons to Up/Down/Left/Right + Fire. Auto-fire configurable. ~30-45 €.
8BitDo M30 + 2.4GHz Receiver
Mega Drive 6-button style, wireless transmission. Plug-and-play on the Amiga with the corresponding 9-pin receiver. Pure nostalgia without cable clutter. ~50 €.
BlueRetro / OpenBluetooth
Open-source Bluetooth receiver, presents itself to the Amiga as a 9-pin joystick, receives wireless controllers (PS4, Switch Pro, Xbox). DIY via ESP32 or ready-made on Ko-Fi/Tindie. ~30 € DIY.
The 9-Pin Port Pinout
For reference for DIY builders (view of the connector):
Pin 1 = Up Pin 6 = Fire 1 Pin 2 = Down Pin 7 = +5 V (for autofire/mouse) Pin 3 = Left Pin 8 = GND Pin 4 = Right Pin 9 = Fire 2 (some sticks) Pin 5 = Pot X / Fire 3
Compatible with Commodore 64, Atari 2600/ST, MSX, Sega Master System (partially).
Buying Advice
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| "One thing. The best." | Competition Pro Retro (new, approx. 30 €) |
| Modern controller, wired | USB-to-9-Pin Adapter + XInput pad |
| Wireless enthusiast | 8BitDo M30 2.4G or BlueRetro DIY |
| AGA games with 6 buttons | CD32 Gamepad or modern pad with 6-button mapping |
| Shmups with autofire | Competition Pro 5000 (built-in autofire) |