SNES Controller PCB
About This Project
The original SNES controllers are pretty bullet-proof: Their plastic and rubber parts tend to last through the decades, but when they do fail it's usually due to a failed component on the circuit board inside the controller.
This project is my answer to that.
If your trusty SNES controller is dead due to a failed PCB component, and you're pretty handy with a soldering iron, don't throw it out! This project can provide you with a solid, reasonably ESD-protected, replacement controller circuit board that uses common, affordable, readily available off-the-shelf components.
Features
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Drop-in replacement. Fits all original Nintendo SNES controllers, and probably many modern clones.
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Has a footprint for the original wire connector harvested from a broken Nintendo SNES controller PCB, which makes this truly a drop-in replacement that doesn't require you to modify the original controller cable!
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Compatible with European SNES consoles!
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Double-sided PCB with large ground fills to help protect ESD sensitive components from the inevitable static shocks.
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Future-proof: Uses commonly available components that should not be obsolete for a very long time.
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Hand-soldering friendly footprints for most SMD/SMT components.*
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LIGHTED FACE BUTTONS! A SNES controller with lighted buttons has been my dream ever since Nintendo released N64 controllers with transparent shells in the mid-90's. I'm so excited to finally make this dream come true! This kind of bling is completely optional, of course, and you might want some transparent buttons, translucent membranes, and maybe even a transparent shell to go with that. Please note: While I made every effort to use SMD component sizes that are fairly easy to solder by hand, these LEDs needed to be small enough to fit under the button membranes without deforming them and interfering with the button operation. It is possible to solder these 0603 package LEDs by hand, but doing so definitely requires more soldering experience than the rest of the components do.
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Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions (SOCD) filter circuit. This is an optional feature that cancels out simultaneous LEFT/RIGHT or UP/DOWN D-pad inputs, for all you crazy speedrunners out there who want to build completely custom controllers.
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Shoulder button module included. Sometimes it's not possible to re-use the shoulder button boards from a donor controller, or maybe you're scratch-building a new controller. In either case, this project includes a shoulder button module PCB design.