CirKA A77 Retro Style Joystick Controller Review
Is it worth it to go out and buy this premium retro joystick controller or should you seek out new old stock CX40? Continue watching to find out.
The Cirka A77 Premium joystick is essentially a modern Atari CX40 replacement which the website claims works on all Atari 2600s and Atari 7800 consoles. There is a disclaimer that it’s “Not compatible with all Atari 7800 games”. This is due to the fact that this is a single button joystick. I can also confirm it works with the Commodore 64.
The unit has roughly the same dimensions as the Atari CX40 joystick although it is slightly shorter, from top to bottom.
The box says it comes with a six-foot cable, has a premium build, includes a 4 directional stick, and a single action button.
The “4 directional stick” statement can be a little misleading as it does actually work in all 8 directions from what I can tell during my testing. I playtested using the Cirka A77 playing Missile Command and was able to obtain a new high score.
Comparing the Cirka A77 joystick a little closer to the Atari CX40 joystick, you will notice obvious differences in a few areas. The orange-colored accents circling the stick are not there, and of course, the Atari logo is absent on the top and bottom sides of the joystick. The cable exits the Cirka A77 from the bottom right side of the joystick rather than shooting out of the top right side. The DB9 connector that plugs into the console is slightly smaller than the CX40 connector and also has no Atari logo. You’ll notice the button is a bright red color as opposed to the familiar orange color of the CX40 button. Pressing the button generates a slight audible clicking sound that you do not experience with the CX40. I may just need to break in the joystick and it might diminish with ample use, time will tell.
Overall the Cirka 77 Premium joystick feels good to hold and has just the right resistance in mobility. Pressing the fire button generates a satisfying click sound. This joystick is slightly shorter than the CX40 but for me, this is barely noticeable.
When you are playing using the joystick you feel and hear every time it clicks right or down or switches back from right to down and back and forth. This may not bother some people but for me, this takes the Circa77 out of the “premium” category as it is a distraction. A premium joystick should not distract and in my option should be quieter, as the original CX40. On the other hand, the button clicking does not bother me at all, actually, I kind of prefer it.
So is it worth your hard-earned dollars?
I read some users over on Amazon.com who have had issues with the joystick breaking or not working after a short period of time. So far this joystick has functioned properly for me although I have only had it for a couple of days. Nearly 50% of the reviews are positive, five stars.
It is available over on Amazon.com for about $15.00, which is really not a bad price. The decision comes down to how badly do you need a CX40 replacement joystick? Is the comfort, sound, and feel of the original CX40 important to you? If you don’t think you will mind feeling every click up down left or right as well as audibly hearing it, then this is not a bad choice of a joystick for the money. Although I prefer the original CX40 to this premium reboot, I’d still have to give it a marginal thumbs up. It does what it’s supposed to do, it works great on the consoles it’s intended for and in emulation, using software such as Stella for Atari or Vice for the Commodore 64.
Will it stand the test of time? I’ll be putting it through more rigorous testing soon and will report back if it indeed breaks or if I have any other hiccups as some Amazon reviewers reportedly have.
From <https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M188I0X/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1>
Youtube Description:
This is my review of the CirKA A77 retro-style controller. How does it compare with the Atari CX40 joystick?
*** My UPDATE to this review is now posted: ***
https://youtu.be/fta2wcJsmyQ
Purchasing website:
https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Joystick-Controller-not-machine-specific/dp/B01M188I0X
Youtube Original Post Date: 04/28/2018
