Modder, brother-of-the-year candidate crafts one-handed GameCube controller (video)
By Darren Murph 
posted August 12th 2010 12:11PM
posted August 12th 2010 12:11PM
It's not that we haven't seen a one-handed controller before -- we most certainly have -- but the only significant one on record was done by one Benjamin Heckendorn, the greatest modder of the modern era. In other words, whipping something like this up takes more than a strong will and a boatload of vacation days, making Hasse's hack all the more impressive. As the story goes, his brother is incapable of playing video games due to needing two hands to work the controls; rather than chalking it up to tough luck, this guy completely re-engineered a GameCube controller for single-handed operation. After cracking it open and relocating a few bits and pieces, he then shoved an ATtiny44A, an accelerometer and a digital-to-analog converter within. Crazier still, he even included a toggle switch to select the analog stick or D-pad, depending on preference. Head on past the break to see this thing in action, and tap that source link to leave a handful of kudos. 
I'm suddenly pissed I don't have an uber-gadget geek brother to help me play mario kart better with my meathooks. DRAT!
@nickyP Wow. You just earned a ticket to oblivion.
@nickyP I wonder if he could redesign the PS3 controller for me to not hit the PS3 button while trying to escape a submission attempt in UFC Undisputed.
KAPGUN
It's like a Wii controller. That button underneath is truly something special.
That's quite awesome but dare I suggest...
1) Buy a Warmouse
2) Play PC games
Omg this sucks... Lol why would anyone still play old ass games like this classic?? More like obsolete
@Beto4209
Someone had a little extra haterade with breakfast.
@Beto4209 good question but not all people are into new games. My brother has a handicap and he just likes those games from the gamecube. He has many of them. Also not everybody can just buy the latest stuf. When you think about it, it seems that many people just want to have the newest, just to have the newest. But what game did you have the most fun with?
@tu madre
He had some Haterade to go with his Doucheloops and cock-tarts
@Beto4209
Because, like you said it's a classic,
lol i still have my super nintendo in my room with all my old games :D
:p
@Beto4209 ....and with the newer games sometimes you have to use both joysticks so it really wouldnt work out in a fast way.
And his brother could be younger and enjoy those games since they are fun for younger people
Awesome story. Kudos for helping us gimps out there. Now if someone could mod Kinect so my wheelchair ass could use it, ill tattoo your name on my body even!
@Gooch818
I think when kinect gets a higher resolution camera and has better recognition itll work fine sitting down.
Seriously guys, is no one noticing how heartwarming this is ?
@phufuung I did, but people apparently took my comment the wrong way. I need to ask this guy how fucking magnets work.
@phufuung
I am!
This made my day.
@phufuung
+1
@phufuung I think that half the people here don't even have a heart. It doesn't matter what system he made the mod for. What matters is that he loves his brother enough to do it in the first place.
@phufuung
This its undoubtedly profound. I love this guy and I don't even know him.
@phufuung What? He just did this so he had someone to play with at home! Joking aside, that's one kickass brother and game console makers should really do the same. I know colour blind people can have trouble gaming (eg. Bad Company 2 had an update to help them) but I never thought about people who can only use one hand.
By the way, looking at some comments here it seems that some don't understand that the guy wasn't trying to follow the track in the end. He just turned to show how well it works.
@SNESimon
I am relatively sure that if you can only use one hand and have never been able to play video games actually being able to play on an older console is a hellofa lot better then just staring at the Xbox 360 controller which you can't use.
@phufuung It's very touching. It's a highlight of my day.
Wow...tough group today...
Kudos to this guy for doing this!
Nice and kind. But didnt he put the Joystick, just for Mario Kart, on the right side?
@Frasier
From what I can tell, the joystick and D-Pad are both motion controlled now. He made a switch to be able to toggle between either one. Pretty slick and from the looks of it, really well calibrated and accurate as well.
Waste of time, he needs a girl friend and why does he not buy a Wii or go all out and be a great brother and buy a x360...!!??
@Beto4209 Yes... because both of those systems are entirely accessible with one hand.
The GameCube and XBox 360 controllers are essentially the same. Neither is one-handed.
The Wii is one-handed, assuming you only want to play the simplest games.
@Beto4209
Why don't u fuck off.
@Beto4209 You need to not assume that you know everything... geez...
@Beto4209
...right, the "great" brother is the one who throws a couple hundred bucks at him to go "all out" for an xbox360, which you believe already has a one handed controller.
The guy in the article is twice the person you are.
well, pretty awesome and you really have to love someone to do this.
a friend of a friend of mine can also only use his right hand, so they got him a mouse with a lot of buttons to play at least strategy games and diablo.
everytime i read something like this, i'm thankfull that i'm healthy and not handicaped.
Good job, I'd like to see a one handed N64 controller. Hell, I'd like to see a 2 handed N64 controller, that thing took three to operate properly.
Awesome!
Thanks for the great comments!
"brother of the year candidate".... well... it's my brother! Everybody would do that! Seriously! It seems that many people have similar problems with gaming. Hopefully more products will be developed for people with a disability. My personal vision is that products for people with a disability should be made in such a way that people without a disability also want to have it! In my daytime job I work on those things.
It seems that drinking beers while playing games is handy for everybody!
In case anybody would like to give me an iphone4.... let me know ;-)
@Hasse Slick work, man. very slick. And good looking out for your brother. Now, patent that thing and make some ca$h!
@Hasse The hack is very well done, and the fact that you made it for your brother just makes it great.
@Hasse
People like you make the world a better place. Well done.
What an incredibly nice thing to do.
Every now and then someone crawls out of the woodwork and proves that not all people suck. Good for him.
That is awesome and you know his little brother is going to play the heck out of that game and become such an expert. It's crazy to think but he basically hacked it into Mario Kart Wii.
Also- 8th place on the video?! Nice guys finish last!
That's outstanding. Now that's a loving brother, taking his time and money to create a controller that can be played with one hand. Benny should give himself a pat on the back.
Kudos to you for being so thoughtful and a great Bro. Karma will catch up with all the idiots posting lame and hateful comments and they will find themselves in a situation in the future where they wished they had a Bro like you... Hope your brother is enjoying it
That's ingenious. He's looking out for his brother.