Atari CX40 joystick

The Atari CX40 joystick with one button and an 8-directional stick

The Atari CX40 is a single-button joystick. It was the first widely used cross-platform game controller. The original CX10 was released with the Atari Video Computer System (later renamed the Atari 2600) in 1977 and became the primary input device for most games on the platform. The CX10 was replaced after a year by a simpler and less expensive CX40. The addition of the Atari joystick port to other platforms helped it retain its popularity. It was the standard for the Atari 8-bit family of home computers and was compatible with the VIC-20, Commodore 64 and 128, MSX, and later the Atari ST and Amiga. Third-party adapters allowed it to be used on other systems, such as the Apple II and the ZX Spectrum.

Atari CX40 Joystick Media

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  AtariCXJoystick

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  The CX40 for the Atari XE series computer used a matching grey colour instead of the standard black.

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  The Commodore VC1311 was introduced after their clone of the CX40 was ordered off the market.

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  Commodore's CX40 clone (right) next to a CX40 (middle)

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  Happ's Competition Pro used micro and leaf switches in place of Atari's membrane switches. The red stick presses on the white and blue switch actuators. The fire buttons are activated by long leaf contacts.

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  The Epyx 500XJ was a radical restyling of the basic CX40 concept. This version, for the NES, has additional buttons.

Bibliography

• & John K. Hayashi, "Joystick controller mechanism operating one or plural switches sequentially or simultaneously", US expired 4124787, published 1978-11-07, issued 1978-11-07
• , "Joystick control", US expired 4349708, published 1982-09-14, issued 1982-09-14
• Goldberg, Marty. Atari Inc: Business is Fun (2012)Syzygy Press. ISBN 9780985597405.
• Grand, Joe. Game Console Hacking (2004)Syngress.
• Hybner, Tomas. Tovl joystickar testade!. Datormagazin (October 1986). p. 18.
• Montfort, Nick. Stella and Combat: A BIT of Racing the Beam (2014)MIT Press. p. 22. ISBN 9780262316446.
• Plotkin, Dave. Joystick Survey: Alternatives to the Atari controller. ANTIC (December 1982).
• Plotkin, Dave. The Joy of Joysticks. ANTIC (December 1988).