The
Hotrod is a
PC joystick that plugs into a
PS/2 port between your
keyboard and
computer. The
device is physically impressive, at approximately 60
cm x 30
cm x 15
cm and weighing in at around 15
lbs.
Usually used by gaming enthusiasts to recreate that in home arcade feel, the Hotrod is a bit pricey for most -- the unit sells for $US 200 from the manufacturer.
Initially, the Hotrod came in two flavours -- the Hotrod Classic and the Hotrod SE. The Hotrod Classic model had two Happtm 8-way joysticks and 12 Happtm microswitch buttons (four buttons for player 1, four for player 2, two insert coin buttons and start buttons for each player). The Classic model was soon discontinued due to lack of interest.
The SE model, however, is thriving. Configured more along the lines of the traditional Street Fighter 2-like cabinet, the SE model sports a yumlicious 16 independent microswitch buttons:
S1 S2
1 2 3 1 2 3
joystick1 4 5 6 joystick2 4 5 6
7 7
The
Hotrod joystick emulates a
keyboard, sending the following
keypresses:
Player 1
- Start:
- 1
- Insert Coin:
- 3*
- Up:
- Numpad 8
- Down:
- Numpad 2
- Left:
- Numpad 4
- Right:
- Numpad 6
- Button 1:
- Left Ctrl
- Button 2:
- Left Alt
- Button 3:
- Space Bar
- Button 4:
- Left Shift
- Button 5:
- Z
- Button 6:
- X
- Button 7:
- C
Player 2
- Start:
- 2
- Insert Coin:
- 4*
- Up:
- R
- Down:
- F
- Left:
- D
- Right:
- G
- Button 1:
- A
- Button 2:
- S
- Button 3:
- Q
- Button 4:
- W
- Button 5:
- E
- Button 6:
- [
- Button 7:
- ]
The
Hotrod SE comes with a
CD entitled, '
CAPCOM Coin-Op Classics Series 1', containing
MAME (the Multiple
Arcade Machine Emulator) and
ROMs 14 of
CAPCOM's 1980's and 1990's hits:
*The insert coin buttons are located on the left and right sides of the cabinet in the traditional pinball-flipper button locations.