Virtual Boy controller
The Virtual Boy controller has an NES-compatible protocol, and has been used in homebrew games.
- Spook-O’-Tron
- Candelabra - Estoscerro
After strobing the controller, the following 16 bits can be read from the data line:
0 - Right D-pad Down
1 - Right D-pad Left
2 - Select
3 - Start
4 - Left D-pad Up
5 - Left D-pad Down
6 - Left D-pad Left
7 - Left D-pad Right
8 - Right D-pad Right
9 - Right D-pad Up
10 - L (rear left trigger)
11 - R (rear right trigger)
12 - B
13 - A
14 - Always 1
15 - Battery voltage; 1 = low voltage
This is very analogous to the SNES controller, which reports its 4 face buttons where the VB reports its right d-pad. However, the last 4 bits (B, A, 1, battery) have no correspondence in the SNES controller report. Use this 1 to distinguish the Virtual Boy controller from that controller or a mouse.
- VB Sacred Tech Scroll: Virtual Boy Specifications
- PlanetVB: Documents
- Sly Dog Studios: Candelabra - Estoscerro demo available
- Forum post: Spook-o’-tron - Virtual Boy Controller Fun