UNITHOR

A NEW JOYSTICK FOR RETRO COMPUTERS AND CONSOLES!

UNITHOR is a modern, retro-styled joystick designed for gamers who:

  • need a USB controller to play their favourite classics on a PC-based software emulator or contemporary re-editions of the machines from the 1980s,
  • are fond owners of actual Amiga, Commodore or Atari computers, wishing to give their noble machines a new joystick with standard 9-pin DB9 (DE9) connector.

BASIC VERSION:

  • DB9 / DE9 plug for 8-bit/16-bit computers
  • two uniformly working fire buttons (2 x Fire1)
  • attractive and ergonomic desing
  • basic colour scheme (Black Devil – black joystick with red fire buttons)
  • matte finish
  • a long, elastic cable
  • rubber pads underneath

ASSEMBLER VERSION OPTIONS:

  • USB plug
  • electronics (autofire/rapid fire, support for additional fire buttons and their mapping)
  • screw-in suction cups
  • RGB LED backlight (FlashBack)
  • vibration mechanism in the handle (KickBack)
  • four full-sized additional buttons in the base (Extra Firepower)
  • glossy finish for the joystick’s base (Extra Polish)

You might ask, “so, where can I buy the thing?” For now we’ve successfully funded the project on Kickstarter and its backers will be the first to get their UNITHORs, but regular retail sale is also planned – follow us on Facebook to stay up to date as we’ll provide the necessary details when time is right. 🙂

Back to the Basics

Every UNITHOR will share common characteristics:

  • Top quality components. We’ve used a forged head and carefully selected industry-grade microswitches capable of withstanding at least one million clicks. Countless tear and wear tests resulted in hundreds of design iterations covering both construction and materials used before the product matured enough to be ready for your grip.
  • Equilibrium of mass and compact size. The materials and components that comprise our Hammer of Sprites tally up at the notable 500 grams (1.1 lbs), thus ensuring solidity, stability and durability – the exact characteristics of a retro gaming joystick we’ve been after. Saving space on the desk received a lot of attention as well – the resulting compact design even makes it possible to rest the joystick on your belly – yes, we’ve tried that too 🙂
  • The balance of looks and ergonomics. Hundreds of prototyping iterations and organic modelling have produced a device that – despite its classic look – feels truly handy. The joystick is symmetrical by design, which should be good news for all the left-hander gamers out there. The device’s base has been shaped so that it’s possible to either hold the joystick resting on the desk or grab the thing and enjoy retrogaming while UNITHOR remains in your firm grip. The latter option makes the joystick a great solution for consoles.
  • Two fire buttons comfortably positioned on the stick – just where they should be, i.e. under your thumb and index finger.
  • The stick has been conceived with different gaming styles and palm sizes in mind. Your hands may be small or (extra) large, you may prefer to make a full grab or use just your fingers for more precise joystick control in platform games or flight simulators.
  • An elastic, 180 cm (71”) cable for both DB9/DE9 and USB versions of the joystick to minimize the risk of Gordian knots and sight issues that could spoil your retrogaming experience.

Upgrade your vintage

The Basic version of UNITHOR is not the whole story – there are other, more advanced variants with additional features as listed below:

ELECTRONICS

This one comes in two versions – DE9/DB9 and USB. This choice determines the type of connector your UNITHOR will have. It’s also the most important addition: firstly, it offers a few features out of the box, and secondly – it enables further additions that require electronics to operate.

Out of the box features

  • autofire / rapid fire
  • two independent fire buttons in the handle (Fire1 + Fire2)
  • fire button custom mapping (the only fixed function is that for Fire 1 under your index finger)
  • fire button mapping presets

Possible further additions

  • four full-sized additional buttons in the base (Extra Firepower)
  • RGB LED backlight (FlashBack)
  • vibration mechanism in the handle (KickBack)

SUCTION CUPS

The basic version of UNITHOR will be equipped with rubber pads – owing to its mass, UNITHOR doesn’t slide uncontrollably during use while allowing instant repositioning on the table. But if you prefer suction cups nonetheless, no problem – you can have them instead of the pads. They are screw-in – you can easily remove/replace them later without disassembling the joystick.

EXTRA FIREPOWER

Some gamers prefer the hand resting on the base to do the firing. You can have four full-sized additional buttons in the base, thus turning UNITHOR into a formidable six-button beast.

FLASHBACK

For those willing to venture even farther into the future past there’s RGB LED backlight, giving UNITHOR a modern-looking design on par with contemporary peripherals. Adjustable colour and brightness, switching on/off. Just imagine a LED-lit joystick working with your faithful Amiga, Commodore or Atari:

KICKBACK

The good thing about games is they ain’t actually real. Still, a pinch of feedback in your palm is like salt in your food – it adds to the taste. KickBack is a vibration mechanism in UNITHOR’s handle that could be triggered as evil sprites on the screen fight back or your pixel car veers off the track.

Please note: This feature is proven to work only with the Amiga (support for other platforms in development).

A short break from reading – have a look at what UNITHOR equipped with FlashBack and KickBack can do when a game knows how to use them. 🙂

EXTRA POLISH

Makes UNITHOR more glamorous by giving its matte base smooth and glossy surface. Please note that the handle will have matte finish with or without this option – it applies to the base only.

Future plans

A possible option is HyperCharge – a different colour scheme with red joystick base and black handle.