Hyperkin "Ranger" Premium Wired Gamepad for Atari 2600 / RetroN 77

For retro gamers, the biggest problem many will have is their paddle controllers for the Atari VCS/2600 era. Over time, they don't track as well as they should, and as one could imagine, replacement units simply don't exist. However, Hyperkin has come to the rescue with this innovative controller. It has the same general form factor of an 8-bit/16-bit era controller with a small thumbstick and single action button, but it adds an analog dial to the side. So this one controller can remain plugged in and will work with any cartridge that requires paddle controls.To make sure the right signals are being sent, a toggle switch on the controller will tell it to emulate either a joystick or a paddle controller, so be sure the controller is set properly before powering up the console. As an added bonus, another switch will allow players to flip the controller so the fire button is on the right (akin to an NES controller) or the left.I tested this on a RetroN 77 with various joystick titles and paddle games, notably Activision's "Kaboom!". The game pad works remarkably well with good response, but the dial will take some getting used to. It probably would be better if it was raised above the surfaces of the pad to allow for full 360-degree access, but the controller's flexibility should help players find a setup that works for them.

I don’t really enjoy using the Atari joystick. This is a great alternative controller for my new Atari 2600+ and has been a literal game changer for my Galaga sessions. It’s nice that the paddle is also an option, but I currently don’t own any paddle games to test that feature. You can also flip the controller to use the joystick on the left side for a more modern experience. The cord is designed to be moved and clipped down when you flip the controller, keeping it out of the way. My one complaint is that the first time I adjusted the cord it was hard to move to the correct position. The attempt seemed to break off a small piece of plastic inside the controller, which proceeded to rattle while in use. I opened it up and removed it. The controller still works fine, but this may be a flaw in the cord design and makes it lose a star. I do appreciate the generous cord length. I also love that they sent me the wood grain style gamepad. It pairs great with the 2600+Hyperkin should consider making a 7800 style 2 button controller at a similar price. I’d likely purchase that too.

I bought this to pair with a Retron 77, so I can't speak to how it works with an original 2600. It feels very solid compared to most aftermarket controllers, and I was able to beat my all-time best score on River Raid the first time I used it, so it's very responsive and VERY comfortable compared to the mushy old Atari sticks. I've tested the paddle side with Breakout, Super Breakout, and Demons to Diamonds and they all worked perfectly. BUT... I had to change the firmware on my Retron from Stella 6 back to the Retron 77 community build in order to get it to work properly. The Stella developers are aware of this issue but have no intention of addressing it. So, if you are planning on using the Ranger with a USB dongle and an emulator, the paddle probably won't work. Some people using emulators have said they haven't had issues, but many have, so just be aware that it's a gamble if you want to use this controller with current builds of Stella.As a side note, original paddle controllers came in pairs attached to a single connector, so if you want to play multiplayer paddle games you'll need a 2 into 1 adapter and an additional Ranger.

On paper, the Hyperkin Ranger is an ingenious design: it combines an Atari 2600 paddle and joystick into a single unit. In practice, however, design and manufacturing issues result in it being substandard for either purpose.When used as a joystick, the Hyperkin Ranger is ambidextrous and has a switch for using the stick in either left or right handed mode. The cord comes out of the bottom and has tracks for either side, allowing it to be routed to the top of either orientation. This is all great, but the actual joystick is questionable. It feels like a modern analogue stick and only seems to activate after traveling half of the way across the hemisphere. For 2600 games that often require split-second responses, this should have been much tighter to allow for rapid directional changes. On top of that, the nub on the joystick is a fairly small and sharp hexagon that is uncomfortable to press your thumb on for any length of time. I'm really not sure why Hyperkin didn't opt for a standard directional pad. The stick already doesn't act like any vintage Atari 2600 controller, so there's no argument for a vintage feel to be made.The fire button does feel great, though. It requires pressure but not too much, and has a bit of travel but not too much. It is very satisfying to press.When used as a paddle, the intention is clearly to hold it vertically with the paddle on the bottom. The switches that adjust handedness for the joystick also adjust sensitivity in paddle mode. There's a lot of resistance in the paddle movement, and both of my Hyperkin Ranger paddles feel much rougher when turning them counter-clockwise than turning them clockwise. I also find that the paddle sensitivity doesn't have a happy medium. It just lets one choose between too sensitive and too imprecise. Kaboom, the gold standard of single-player Atari 2600 paddle games, is absolutely miserable in either setting. On the less sensitive setting, you do not have enough accuracy to catch everything. On the more sensitive setting, you do not have enough time to turn the stiff paddle enough to catch everything. There is no happy medium, and the scraping feeling on counter-clockwise movement makes me question how long these paddles will last before I get a mechanical failure.Finally, vintage Atari 2600 paddle controllers are two separate paddles that plug into a single controller port. The Hyperkin Ranger is a single combination paddle and joystick controller that plugs into a single joystick port. If you want to play Warlords with 4 players using this controller, you will need four of these as well as two of Hyperkin's Ranger Adapters - at $19 for a controller and $13 for an adapter, that's a total of $64 to put together a full set. You can easily get two vintage Atari 2600 paddle controllers for much less, and likely have enough left over for two joysticks. If the Hyperkin Ranger felt good, this premium might have been worthwhile, but ultimately it comes up short as both a joystick and a paddle and therefore I do not recommend it for either purpose.