Want Wireless Saturn and Dreamcast Controllers?

I love my Sega Saturn and Dreamcast. That fact is easy to pick if you visit my site often. However, I don’t play the systems as much as I should. What keeps me away from these great systems? I am addicted to wireless controllers.

I have a Nintendo Gamecube and have fallen in love with Nintendo’s wonderful Wavebird controllers. Not having to worry about tangled wires, my wife actually doesn’t mind a bunch of controllers, and I can place the controllers wherever I want — whenever I want.

So going back to my older systems and their wired controllers seems like a chore. Messiah Entertainment has produced their acclaimed wireless NES and SNES controllers. They also apparently expressed interest in producing wireless Saturn and Dreamcast controllers. However we haven’t heard anything on these controllers in quite a while.

That’s where we need to step in. I encourage all of you that are interested in having these wireless controllers to visit Messiah’s ‘Contact Us’ page and mention that you would like to see a wireless Saturn and/or Dreamcast controller. I’m sure if they get enough responses, they will work harder to keep us happy.

Update: Vote now for wireless controllers at Lik-Sang!


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20 Comments

Sega produced a Japan-only wireless Saturn controller, and I’m lucky enough to own one having bought it from Rob Webb, who sells all manner of eclectic rubbish like that.

Anonymous says:

i have this wireless controller for the Dreamcast that’s shaped like a Saturn pad. the brand is “Treamcast” and i don’t know what the model number is. it uses infrared btw, and is easily interfered.

Anonymous says:

dreamcast did have wireless controllers. Release by a low budget third party name docs. If you look on ebay evrey now and you can find it

Anonymous says:

Treamcast is an illegally produced version of the Dreamcast made in Hong Kong. The Treamcast is unbranded as a console but comes with the little controller that you described. The Treamcast is considered portable due to it’s ps1 like attached screen and car charger.

delta88 says:

I don’t think that we need to have the controllers remade.More like an adapter to plug them into. This seems a little more realistic. Possibly blue tooth or just plain RF. A box that could take saturn, Dc. Maybe even a few different box’s if one single bundle could not be had.

Anonymous says:

I was looking on ebay a few minutes ago for a wireless Dreamcast solution and what I found was the total control adapter which allows PSX controllers to be used on the DC and then there is a wireless Logitec PSX controller so I’m assuming you can connect it to the total control and get things working. Any oppinions if this will work?

Anonymous says:

I’ve tried using the EMS Total Control 2 PSX-DC adapter with the Logitech Action Cordless PS2 controller, and it doesn’t work. It doesn’t work even when a 9V adapter is used with the Total Control. 🙁

Anonymous says:

Hey same guy here as the previous post. Good news: although the Logitech controller didn’t work, my Mad Catz Microcon Wireless 330 controller does work with the Total Control adapter. So there is a wireless Dreamcast solution!

racketboy says:

Excellent — I just shared you comments here:
http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=15696

I may do a little post here on the blog to make it more well-known.

It’s a shame on the the MadCatz works — I’m not much of a fan of their stuff.

Anonymous says:

I don’t know why I started on the “anonymous” kick, but I’m the same guy with the Total Control.

The Mad Catz controller was too small for my hands, so I returned it. I tried also a Pelican Predator wireless ps2 controller, and the Pelican also works with the Total Control. However, I notice that some button combos just don’t register (I can’t do the speed boost trick in Crazy Taxi with the Pelican). It seems to me that both the Pelican and Mad Catz work better with Analog turned on, although the Pelican turns it off at unwelcome moments.

There are other options that might be worth experimenting with: Dreamgear and Joytech make wireless ps2 controllers. I think one important different might be that the receivers for the wireless ps2 controllers that have worked (Mad Catz, Pelican) have a top metal contact whereas the Logitech doesn’t. When the Logitech is plugged into the Total Control, the controller never associates with the receiver; the receiver just blinks receptively.

However, the technology is imperfect: there are lags (it seems to my imperfect eyes) or the signal or buttons don’t register. I’m sorry I didn’t compare well enough if the Mad Catz or Pelican was better overall; I’m actually not enough of a gamer to give a good perspective. Maybe this is an investigation for a more intrepid Dreamcast fan. Gamestop won’t allow returns on opened new accessories, but Target (and I think other big-box stores) will.

I’ve been much happier at any rate just using the regular Dreamcast controller with an extension cord. That way, at least I can know that I wasn’t cheated when my timing’s off.

I wonder how the Dreamcast would have fared differently if Sega bundled it with wireless controllers from the beginning.

Cor says:

“I wonder how the Dreamcast would have fared differently if Sega bundled it with wireless controllers from the beginning”

It would’ve probably done even worse since the system cost and production costs would’ve been upped. Especially since wireless technology would’ve been expensive at the time.

andy says:

i contacted play-messiah about the dreamcast/saturn wireless controllers (mind you this is 2 years after the article was posted)

I got a “we are working on it” and “will let you know when available”

i think it’s vapor-ware . although I’m iffy on if they would actually put out a good product, their Generation NEX is a piece of crap and the wireless controllers for it are just as bad

racketboy says:

So you just got this response recently?

andy says:

yea, sorry for long delay in response

i continue to get a similar message every time i inquire about it .

Ricky says:

Hi,

Any update on what wireless controllers work with the Total Control 2?

Thanks

Officer Plonk says:

Post a comment here (http://www.playmessiah.com/support/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=805) and let Messiah know there’s community support for a wireless DC controller! If they get enough comments, they may just make them. It’s worth a shot.

True Crime! says:

hi,

i have i idea:

get a total control plus:

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-h5-49-en-70-en.html

and a wireless ps2 controller:

http://games.shop.ebay.de/items/Zubehor__wireless?Plattform=Sony%2520PS2%2520%2528Playstation%25202%2529&_dmpt=PC_Viedeospielzubeh%C3%B6r&_fln=1&_sacat=54968&_ssov=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282

(german site)

http://video-games.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=wireless&_sacat=139969&_trksid=p3286.m270.l1313&Platform=Sony%2520PlayStation%25202&_dmpt=Video_Games_Accessories&_dmd=1&_odkw=&_osacat=139969

(american site)

and a dreamcast controller

now the tutorial:

it’s really simple. just plug the “total control plus” in your dreamcast and connect the “total control plus” with the receiver of the “wireless ps2 controller”. Now open the “ps2 wireless controller” and a “dreamcast controller”. take out the hardware of the “wireless controller” and put it into the “dreamcast controller”.

note:

if you don’t need the vibration function, just remove the electric motor.

if you want to keep them, try to put them in the 2nd port of the “dreamcast controller”

i know this is not the best mod, because off removed trigger of the L/R-Buttem, but i hope i could help some people who don’t want to wait, to play wireless.

Your True Crime!

Christoph says:

Looks like Play Messiah went out of business..

Ross says:

I have an official japanese wireless controller. I didnt realise it existed myself until i saw it in a shop here in japan. If you are interested in buying it please email me rossoreilly05@aol.com

Causticius says:

Great news from the future! Retro-Bit are selling Genesis & Saturn Bluetooth wireless controllers. Their website is a bit wonky right now, but Limited Run Games ( https://www.limitedrungames.com ) has orders up for 20$ each, in two colors per console (black/slate grey for Saturn, black/translucent blue for Genesis), plus a wireless receiver for the Saturn which also works with other BT-enabled controllers. There are also wired versions floating around, and they’re of pretty good quality as well.

Rumor says they were also working on black/white reproductions of the elusive 3D controller, but I haven’t seen anything concrete on that other than a GameSpot link for their showcase at CES 2019. Fingers crossed they make a wireless version, or even an add-on for existing controllers!

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