Adafruit
Adafruit PC Joystick to seesaw I2C Adapter - STEMMA QT / Qwiic
Bring your classic PC joystick back to life. This adapter board takes any legacy DE-15 game port joystick and converts its analogue X/Y axes and two buttons ...
Bring your classic PC joystick back to life. This adapter board takes any legacy DE-15 game port joystick and converts its analogue X/Y axes and two buttons to I2C via an onboard ATtiny816 running the Adafruit seesaw firmware. No analogue inputs needed on your microcontroller — just plug in a STEMMA QT cable and start reading.
With two STEMMA QT / Qwiic ports for daisy-chaining and an onboard 5 V power generator (since classic joysticks expect that voltage), this adapter makes retro controller integration completely non-destructive — no cable cutting required.
Key Features
- DE-15 Game Port Socket – Plug in any classic PC joystick directly
- Seesaw I2C Interface – ATtiny816 converts analogue joystick axes and buttons to I2C data
- STEMMA QT / Qwiic Connectors – Two ports for solderless I2C connection and daisy-chaining
- Onboard 5 V Generator – Powers the joystick at its expected voltage from a 3.3 V I2C bus
- No Analogue Pins Required – Read joystick X, Y, and two buttons entirely over I2C
- Breadboard Compatible – Header strip included for optional breadboard use
Reads
- Joystick X axis (analogue)
- Joystick Y axis (analogue)
- Button 1 (digital)
- Button 2 (digital)
Ideal For
- Retro gaming projects with classic PC joysticks
- Adding analogue joystick input to I2C-only boards
- Interactive exhibits using vintage controllers
- CircuitPython and Arduino game projects
Package Contents
- 1× Adafruit PC Joystick to Seesaw I2C Adapter, fully assembled and tested
- 1× Header strip for optional breadboard mounting
Resources
- ATtiny817 Seesaw Guide – Seesaw library and I2C interface documentation
- What is STEMMA QT? – Introduction to the STEMMA QT connector system
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- CircuitPython
- A beginner-friendly version of Python designed to run directly on microcontroller boards. If a product supports CircuitPython, you can often program it by copying code files onto the board rather than setting up a more complex toolchain.
- I2C
- I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.
- microcontroller
- A microcontroller is a small computer on a chip that runs your program and controls connected inputs and outputs. For this product, it is the part that reads buttons and sensors, drives the display and speaker, and communicates over Bluetooth.
- Qwiic
- Qwiic is a plug-in connector system for I2C devices that uses small 4-pin cables, so you can connect compatible sensors without soldering. It matters because your controller or adapter also needs Qwiic, or you will need a cable or breakout to wire it up.
- STEMMA
- A plug-and-cable connection system used on some maker electronics boards to make wiring simpler. If a product uses STEMMA, you need the matching cable or connector type to plug it in without soldering.
- STEMMA QT
- A small plug-in connector system for I2C boards that lets you connect compatible sensors and controllers without soldering. It matters because it can make wiring faster and less error-prone, especially when adding several small modules to a project.
Find this product in
Brands
Related Tutorials
Free guides on learn.littlebird.com.au
