Utah-based arcade manufacturer Alan-1 is returning to its reproduction-parts roots while preparing to showcase two new Atari projects at the Midwest Gaming Classic. The company has recently focused on original arcade releases including Soda Slam! and Missile Command Recharged, but its latest announcement is centred on arcade controls.
Alan-1’s New Hall Effect Arcade Joystick
Alan-1 began by making reproduction hardware, particularly for classic Atari machines. Its earlier work includes the Alan-1 flight yoke, designed as a drop-in replacement for the controller used by Atari’s 1983 Star Wars and as an upgraded alternative for Arcade1Up’s Star Wars cabinets.
The company’s new analogue joystick will replace the controls previously used in Avian Knights. It is also intended to support future arcade games that require an analogue stick, giving Alan-1 a flexible control platform for new projects.
The stick uses Hall Effect technology. Rather than relying on physical switch contacts, Hall Effect controls detect movement magnetically, which avoids the switch wear associated with conventional designs. This approach is also found in premium game controllers, the Sega Dreamcast controller and Atari’s 1983 arcade game I, Robot.
Several operating modes are supported: 4-way, 8-way, 49-way and 360-degree operation. That range should make the hardware suitable for different types of arcade gameplay, from directional movement to fully analogue control.
The joystick is compatible with MAME, so it can also be installed in an existing MAME cabinet. Alan-1 has not announced pricing yet.
For readers comparing control hardware for a home project, RETROCADE’s arcade parts range and DIY arcade kits provide useful starting points.
Alan-1 and Atari at Midwest Gaming Classic
Alan-1 will also bring two Atari games to the Midwest Gaming Classic: Asteroids Recharged and Missile Command Recharged. The event previously hosted the first appearance of Atari’s Food Fight Frenzy, and this year’s Alan-1 presentation will add two more games to the show floor.
The Missile Command Recharged build shown at the event is expected to be more polished and complete than the version displayed at Amusement Expo. It is not described as final software, but it should provide a closer indication of the finished game.
Expected changes include the “DEFEND CITIES” text, the removal of the grid and the addition of waves, along with several other updates. The Big Red Button feature may not yet be included. That detail remained uncertain because the latest build had not been played when the information was shared.
Both games will be worth watching for arcade fans tracking Atari’s modern releases and Alan-1’s continuing hardware work. Readers planning a dedicated setup can also explore RETROCADE’s upright arcade cabinets or browse the wider arcade news and gaming coverage.
Editorial note: the writer has undertaken compensated work for Alan-1, but this story was not part of that arrangement. Some information was shared through involvement with work on Missile Command Recharged.
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