CharacteriStick

From Sega Retro

CharacterStick2.jpg
CharacteriStick
Made for: Sega Master System, Sega Mega Drive
Manufacturer: Cheetah
Type: Joystick
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Master System
EU
Sega Mega Drive
EU

The Cheetah CharacteriStick range is a set of novelty controllers built for the Sega Master System and Sega Mega Drive. They were produced in 1992, and take the form of various TV and film characters which were popular at the time of release.

Each CharacteriStick is essentially a joystick with three buttons, two on the base of the unit, and one positoned somewhere on the stick itself. The stick (which replaces the d-pad) is modeled after a character. Due to the sometimes awkward shape of these characters, it's not a very comfortable way of playing a video game, and so most users opted for the standard gamepad or official arcade sticks.

There are at least four different CharacteriSticks in the range; Bart Simpson (from The Simpsons), a Terminator skull (from The Terminator 2: Judgement Day), Batman (from Batman: The Animated Series) and an Alien (from the Alien movies).

Other versions exist for the Nintendo Entertainment System and home computers.

Gallery

Physical scans

Master System version

Master System, (Alien 3)

Master System, (Batman)

BatmanJoystick SMS Box Spine.jpg

Master System, (Terminator 2)

Mega Drive version

Mega Drive, (Batman Returns)

BatmanReturnsJoystick MD Box Spine.jpg

Mega Drive, (Bart Simpson)

References


Third-party controllers for the Sega Mega Drive
  • Control pads
  • Arcade sticks
  • Computer joysticks
  • Wireless control pads
  • Others

Others | Clones