SNES to Neo Geo

This is an Arduino project which allows you to interface a SNES or Super Famicom controller (or a clone) to a Neo Geo style DB15 connector.

I created this for my CMVS project (consolizing a MVS Neo Geo arcade motherboard), and I had some nice, working SNES controllers that I wanted to use. SNES controllers are quite a good fit for the Neo Geo because the button colours match (well, except on the purple USA ones!).

It looked easy enough to rewire the controllers and attach a new socket, but I wanted something that left them in their original state so I could still use them on my SNES.

This shows a completed project on a cheap Arduino Pro Mini (5v) clone wired up to a SNES female socket and female DB15 for easy connections.

SNES female controller sockets are available on eBay for a couple of pounds, and a Pro Mini clone costs about the same, so the total cost of the project is only about five pounds.

SNES Controller -> Arduino

  -----------------\
  | 1 2 3 4 | 5 6 7 |
  -----------------/
  
  Pin 1: +5V
  Pin 2: Clock -> Arduino A0
  Pin 3: Latch -> Arduino A1
  Pin 4: Serial -> Arduino A2
  Pin 7: GND

Arduino -> DB15

    1(=GND)        8(=5V)
  \-------------------/
   \ o o o o o o o o / [Viewed from front]
    \ o o o o o o o /
     --------------- 
      9          15

 DB15 Pin  ->  Arduino
 --------      -------
 1 (GND)       GND
 8 (+5V)       +5V
 3 (Sel)       D2
 11 (Start)    D3
 15 (Up)       D4
 7 (Down)      D5
 14 (Left)     D6
 6 (Right)     D7
 13 (A)        D8
 5 (B)         D9
 12 (C)        D10
 4 (D)         D11

3d printed case

I've designed a simple box for the device that can be 3d printed. It fits the Pro Mini inside along with the SNES socket and a cable grip for a DB15 cable.

The case is designed to fit a cable grip extracted from a UK mains plug (with 16mm spacing between the grip screws).

The STL files are included here along with the source SCAD files if you need to make any tweaks to the design.