Choose your goal!
Now that you have a good idea of the kinds of things that are possible, you have a few decisions to make . . . Do you want to:
Build a desktop arcade joystick control center?
Ultimately, it is of course a personal choice. Click the above links for my thoughts on the pros and cons of each!
When you're done, hit button
over there on the left to read about control options :)
Decisions ? ? Decisions ? Decisions ? Build a desktop arcade joystick control center
Building a desktop control center is a good compromise between a full arcade cabinet and a chintzy joystick. You can get the full size of an arcade layout without actually dedicating the floor space. You'll probably spend between $80 and $200 depending on the level of sophistication you want, which is fairly reasonable.You lose your desktop :) Even the smaller desktop models take up a couple of feet or so. You also don't get 100% of the arcade feeling like you might hope to with an arcade cabinet. After all's said and done, you're still obviously sitting in front of a computer. You also aren't quite as flexible with what you can do - for instance, it's a lot harder to have a detachable steering wheel, due simply to the lack of real-estate to mount it to.
Build an arcade cabinet with real arcade controls
Building an arcade cabinet is, to me, the only way to fly :) It's as close to the real thing as you can get. You get full sized arcade controls, a monitor wrapped in darkness that nullifies distractions and lets you really get into your game. There's plenty of real estate to do fancy things like removable steering wheels, sophisticated speaker systems, etc. Put it in a game room and you have a party favorite that's much easier to share than a desktop joystick.It's expensive. You'll probably spend at least $600 and more likely $1000+. Not only do you pay for the cabinet, but also the monitor, and the computer that is essentially dedicated to game play and cannot easily be used elsewhere. There's also the floor space consideration - they're big :)
Build an interface to a game console controller
This can be a very good way to go. Relatively low cost in electronics will run you in the $20 range, possibly less, and of course the cost of the controller. Depending on how you do it, you don't have to sacrifice the ability to use the controller in the game console it is designed for. Some interfaces will allow you to hook up multiple controllers which is obviously great for playing with other people. The alternatives section of the main FAQ is where you want to be for this route.It's not an arcade controller :) If console emulators and PC games are your thing, it's great -- but arcade PacMan won't quite feel right! There really aren't any cons to this approach, but you do need to be aware of what you get. Some interfaces offer limited functionality, while others take full advantage of the controller (force feedback, for instance).
Buy one of the above
If you've got the money, but not the time or ability, buying a pre-made product is a great solution. You can buy desktop controllers from at least 2 and soon 3 sources so far, and full sized arcade cabinets from 2 sources. Buying pre-made console adapters is a bit harder with limited sources -- one source with an adapter that supports full functionality of the N64 adapter, and a couple of sources for adapters with limited button support and no force-feedback for N64/PSX.Also, someone who is selling quantities of whatever you're interested in presumably has more experience than you might, and should stand behind their product with a warranty and support. If something you built doesn't work, we'll try to help you, but you get no guarantees :)
Buying something instead of building it yourself is normally more expensive, but that may not be true depending on your access to tools, raw materials, and ability :) Also, you might not get the flexibility of customizing your system to suit your tastes, although several vendors offer customization at a premium. Finally, buyer beware! Just because someone is listed here doesn't mean I know that they're a reputable vendor. There have been vendors who have closed up shop or had horribly slow response times on getting you your paid for product. At least one vendor appears to have taken people's money and run. HOWEVER - they really are the exceptions and not the rule. Several have been honest vendors who couldn't keep up with demand, and so closed up shop after satisfying all their present sales requirements.Generally though, the vendors currently mentioned in this FAQ are great people to work with. Many of them regularly offer their expertise for free on the message board, giving away advice and techniques that could conceivably be costing them in lost sales opportunities. Whenever possible, I post feedback both good and bad in the reviews section of the main FAQ.
The best place to get opinions on a vendor you're thinking of doing business with is on the message board. Also, I'd strongly urge you to do two things: 1. Pay by credit card - this gives you various protections. 2. Insist that the vendor not charge your card until the product actually ships.