Competition Pro joystick


Owned by: Retromash     Photography by: Retromash

7 Comments

  • Kevin

    Dec 21, 2016 - Reply

    Ahh, this brings back memories. Back in my Spectrum days I always favoured the Quickshot 2, but this outlasted it significantly. In fact it lasted well into my Atari ST days and beyond. The same stick was still going when my friends and I launched our Amiga Fanzine and BBS so made it into a comparison of Joysticks we ran then (and still pulled in third place).

    • Retromash

      Dec 21, 2016 - Reply

      Ah, I had a Spectrum and then an Atari ST too. Nice. Yes the Competition Pros were virtually indestructible. Did you have an Amiga too though, if you wrote an Amiga fanzine? Have you got the fanzine online anywhere?

  • Bobbus74

    Dec 21, 2016 - Reply

    My Competition Pro (transparent edition) was the most robust and responsive joystick ever. Got one for my Spectrum, then moved it on to my C64 which it outlived, and it then went on to serve me well on my Atari ST. I can still hear the click of those micro-switches now. They don’t make ’em like that anymore!

    • Retromash

      Dec 21, 2016 - Reply

      Another Spectrum and ST owner. Excellent. Yes I had the transparent Competition Pro too. Loved it. Thought it looked so cool. Always wanted the camouflage one too and the shiny blue one to complete the collection. They must be made from the same thing that aeroplane black boxes are made from. Indestructible.

  • Bobbus74

    Dec 21, 2016 - Reply

    The blue one was quality! My mate had one and it was a thing of beauty!
    I do remember the buttons on mine getting a bit squeaky from time to time. I used to just open it up and squirt a bit of bike oil in there to fix it.

  • Stefano Pavone

    Dec 26, 2016 - Reply

    I was under the impression this joystick was initially made in the Netherlands by Suzo International (founded in 1955), who also gave us “The Arcade”. Kempston rebranded the joystick under their own name for sale in the UK.

  • Grimly Feendish

    Sep 4, 2021 - Reply

    Superb sticks, well built and lasted forever. I had three of the things. First was microswitched stick with leaf switched buttons in the classic black and red, second and third had microswitched everything, one in the classic colours the other transparent and red, with an autofire button.

    Sadly no longer mine due to several house moves. I gave all my kit to a friend about 10 years ago.

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