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Speed-Link and Individual Computers revive a true classic! |
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Written by Demon Cleaner
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Thursday, 28 September 2006 |
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Weertzen, September 2006 - Video game pioneers know it - the COMPETITION PRO
for Commodore 64 (C64) and Amiga systems won the hearts of the gaming
community in the eighties and soon became the most successful joystick
of all times. It's extreme durability and the characteristic clicking
of the microswitches ensured its brand recognition.
It's back now! In cooperation with Individual Computers, SPEED-LINK now
re-creates the joystick in its classic form: The Competition Pro with a
plug for Commodore, Amiga, Atari, Amstrad/Schneider CPC and MSX Systems.
When the Competition Pro was re-released for normal PCs in 2004, the
main target was to be true to the original. The design was 100% adopted
and characteristics like microswitches, metal stick and the choice of
colours are identical. All these details paid off: The SPEED-LINK
Competition Pro USB was a huge success.
"As a result of the attention that the re-release of the
SPEED-LINK Competition Pro USB has attracted, we received many requests
for the original version with a plug for the systems of the eighties.
We learned that there are many people who still own the old systems
like the Commodore 64." says Michael Eisenblätter, CEO of Jöllenbeck
GmbH. "This led to the idea of reviving the old Competition Pro. The
final impulse for putting the project into practice was given by the
cooperation with Individual Computers. They have a lot of experience in
the field of retro-computing and were of great help in realizing this
project."
Jens Schönfeld of Individual Computers comments: "My personal
reason for pushing this project forward is that there's hardly any
supply of used Competition Pro joysticks for the C64. Even the best
joysticks have to be replaced after 20 years of hard use. Owners of a
working Competition Pro would not part with it. More and more people
are digging out their C64s and start the old games that - despite
block-graphics - have at least the same fun-factor as today's
photo-realistic PC games. As a direct result, prices on eBay reach
outrageous numbers. This is a very good base for a successful re-launch
of a high-quality product."
More details:
- A real classic, an icon of Retro-Gaming
- for connection to retro-systems like Amiga, C64, Amstrad/Schneider CPC, Atari, MSX
- six microswitches, two axles, four firebuttons
- upper firebuttons can be switched off
- cable length of two metres (6 ft.)
- Powered by Individual Computers, the experts for retro-hardware
The SPEED-LINK Competition Pro
powered by Individual Computers will be available starting mid-october.
The recommended retail price is 12,99 EUR (prices may differ locally
due to VAT differencies).
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 28 September 2006 )
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