The newly resurrected Commodore has already proven itself with the C64 Ultimate, but it's about to put one of my favorite '80s joysticks back into production. While I admittedly use a Sega Master System controller with most of my microcomputers, the Suncom TAC-2 is the one stick I would reach for thanks to its slick, premium design, and it's getting a comeback in various new flavors.
In a press release, Commodore announces that the Suncom TAC-2 is making a grand return in five new colorways. Short for "Totally Accurate Controller", the joystick will come in five colorways, with the BASIC Beige, C= White, Knight Black, and Starlight Edition versions serving as matches for their respective Commodore 64 Ultimate and C64C models for $49.99.
Joysticks might feel like a relic of the past, but you can actually buy brand-new versions of iconic controllers like the Atari 2600 stick in a bunch of new colors starting at $50. If you've got fonder memories of the Quickshot II, that's back too, as you can bag a new version for $33.99 that mimics the original.
If you've got a gold Founders Edition C64 Ultimate, you're also in luck, as there will be a limited edition TAC-2 for $64, featuring a "gold PVD coated ball and matching premium PVD buttons." If you're not fussed about fancy peripheral pairing, though, all five will boast an authentic yet enhanced design that eliminates historic flaws.
“While the Commodore 64 Ultimate was designed to support all classic C64 peripherals, getting your hands on vintage hardware like the TAC-2 is sometimes easier said than done,” explains Commodore's CEO AND "Chief Joystick Waggler" Peri Fractic.
“The TAC-2 was always a personal favorite of mine, from its sleek silvery design to its almost indestructible nature, and we’ve taken every effort to ensure the Commodore TAC-2 is a faithful re-release of the original’s tactile history that looks, feels, and plays just like you remember.”
While I do tend to reach for the best retro controllers with d-pads and, well, a shape actually designed for your hands, there are a few go-to joysticks in my collection. One of them is indeed a TAC-2, and while mine is currently in storage, the new version will completely eliminate a flaw that could affect my original if it's one of the rare unlucky sticks.
"Unlike the original, Commodore has replaced the shaft – previously made from a TR418 tire valve and an attached brass ball," confirms Commodore in response to anyone whose original joystick is now faulty. The microcomputer maker does describe the flaw as rare, citing that the OG was "tested to 3 million moves without failure,” and having felt how robust the old stick is for myself, those stats are believable.
Still, Commodore aims to make a perceivably indestructible joystick even stronger by adding a new steel shaft, all while retaining the precision and quiet functionality (particularly compared to sticks with leaf contacts or old microswitches) of the TAC-2.
All the actual functionality that matters for playing old C64 games aside, the new TAC-2 will also just make for a nice display statement piece. It's got that whole retro futurism vibe that makes sense when you compare it to both the Atari 2600 joystick and even chonkier favorites like the Quickshot II. The new colorways build upon that with colorways that tie in with both the new FPGA systems and your old breadbins, albeit with a sprinkling of LED shenanigans.
Commodore is doing a pretty good job keeping the new hardware announcements flowing, and I'm itching to see if it can prove its mettle in the retro console peripherals pit. If everything works out, it will place the micromputer maker in an ideal position for when it's finally ready to remake other systems like the Amiga, and even if the recently announced licensing deal doesn't pave the way for that anytime soon, I'll happily take a bunch of resurrected controllers and sticks for the C64 and any other compatible machines.
At the very least, remaking the TAC-2 should help get some players who are really not into Commodore's Callback flip phone back on side, and it's a signal that it's still a gaming hardware company at its core.
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