USBRetro

USBRetro is an open source controller adapter firmware for converting USB controllers, keyboards, and mice to various retro consoles' native controller protocols.

Update Instructions

USB-2-PCE controlleradapter.com/products/usb-2-pce
NUON USB controlleradapter.com/products/nuon-usb

1. Download the latest release usbretro_[console].uf2 file.
2. Disconnected adapter from the console and all connected USB devices.
3. While holding the boot(+) button, connect the USB-C port to a computer.
4. A virual drive called RPI-RP2 will appear, drag-n-drop the UF2 update file onto the drive.
5. The virtual drive will automatically unmount when the update is completed. 🚀

GC USB controlleradapter.com/products/gc-usb

1. Download the latest release usbretro_ngc.uf2 file.
2. Disconnected adapter from the console and all connected USB devices.
3. Connect the USB-C port to a computer.
4. A virual drive called RPI-RP2 will appear, drag-n-drop the UF2 update file onto the drive.
5. The virtual drive will automatically unmount and remount when the update is completed. 🚀

Compatibility

USB Host Input

• USB Hubs (up to 5 devices)
• USB HID Keyboards/Mice (maps to controller)
• X-input Controllers (Xbox OG/360/One/SeriesX|S)
• D-input Controllers (generic HID gamepad|joystick)
• PlayStation (PSClassic/DS3/DS4/DualSense)
• Switch (SwitchPro/JoyConGrip)
• 8BitDo Controllers/Adapters
  • PCEngine 2.4g
  • M30 2.4g/BT
  • NeoGeo 2.4g
  • Wireless Adapter 1 (Grey/Red)
  • Wireless Adapter 2 (Black/Red)
• Logitech Wingman Action Pad
• Sega Astrocity controller/joystick
• Hori Pokken and Horipad controllers
• DragonRise Generic USB controllers

Retro Console Output

• PCEngine/TurboGrafx-16
  • Multitap (1-5 players)
  • PCEngine Mouse
  • 2-button Controller
  • 3-button Controller
  • 6-button Controller
• Nuon DVD Players
  • Standard controller output
  • Spinner controller output for Tempest 3000
• GameCube/Wii
  • Standard Controller (with rumble)
  • GameCube Keyboard (scroll lock to enable)
  • Copilot (combine up to 4 controllers into one)
• Xbox One S (USB host controller mod)
  • Full button and analog value passthrough
  • Rumble passthrough
• CD-i
  • 2-player Splitter
  • Standard Controller
  • CD-i Mouse Output
• 3DO
  • Daisy-chaining (1-8 controllers)
  • 3DO Mouse Output
  • 3DO Arcade Start/Coin (Orbatak/Shootout at Old Tucson)
• Sega Dreamcast
  • Standard Controller
  • Dreamcast Keyboard
  • Virtual VMU/Rumble Pack
• Any retro console or computer..

Bugs and Feature Requests

If you run into any issues, then please submit a bug report on the issues tab of this repo. If you would like to see support for specific USB controllers or think of something I missed, then you are welcome to open a feature request under the issues tab. Don't be shy. 👂

Button Mapping

Input Map

USBRetro	X-input	Switch	PlayStation	DirectInput
B1	A	B	Cross	2
B2	B	A	Circle	3
B3	X	Y	Square	1
B4	Y	X	Triangle	4
L1	LB	L	L1	5
R1	RB	R	R1	6
L2	LT	ZL	L2	7
R2	RT	ZR	R2	8
S1	Back	Minus	Select/Share	9
S2	Start	Options	Start/Option	10
L3	LS	LS	L3	11
R3	RS	RS	R3	12
A1	Guide	Home	PS	13
A2		Capture	Touchpad	14

Output Map

USBRetro	PCEngine	Nuon	GameCube	Xbox One
B1	II	A	B	A
B2	I	C-Down	A	B
B3	IV (turbo II)	B	Y	X
B4	III (turbo I)	C-Left	X	Y
L1	VI	L	L	LB
R1	V	R	R	RB
L2		C-Up	L (switch Z)	LT
R2		C-Right	R (switch Z)	RT
S1	Select	Nuon	Z	Back
S2	Run	Start	Start	Start
L3				LS
R3				RS
A1				Guide
A2		Nuon	Z

Compiling

Setup

1.) Raspberry Pi Pico SDK

First, clone the pico-sdk repo to your local dev environment. Then point the PICO_SDK_PATH environment variable to it.

cd ~/git
git clone https://github.com/raspberrypi/pico-sdk.git

cd ~/git/pico-sdk
git submodule init
git submodule update

export PICO_SDK_PATH=~/git/pico-sdk

2.) TinyUSB

Then the TinyUSB library within pico-sdk should be on the latest master branch. Change to that directory and checkout master if not already on it.

cd ~/git/pico-sdk/lib/tinyusb
git checkout master

3.) Clone USBRetro and Submodules

Once you have cloned this repo to your local environment. The external submodule dependencies must be initialized and updated.

cd ~/git
git clone https://github.com/RobertDaleSmith/usbretro.git

cd ~/git/usbretro
git submodule init
git submodule update

4.) RP2040 Board Setup

Finally, run the specific microcontroller build script to create a src/build directory.

cd ~/git/usbretro/src
sh build_ada_kb2040.sh

Build Firmwares

Build All

To build all the various console specific firmwares:

cd ~/git/usbretro/src/build
cmake ..
make

Build Individual

If you ever want to build firmware for only a single output console, then you can use make usbretro_[console].

make usbretro_pce
make usbretro_ngc
make usbretro_nuon
make usbretro_xb1

Discord Server

Join 👉 discord.usbretro.com

Acknowledgements

• Ha Thach's excellent TinyUSB library and controller example
• David Shadoff for building PCEMouse which laid the foundation
• Ryzee119 for the wonderful tusb_xinput library for X-input support
• SelvinPL for the robust lufa-hid-parser example for generic HID gamepad support
• JonnyHaystack for the awesome joybus-pio for GameCube controller output