Modder Dr. Thomas Tilley took a used toy from a thrift store and transformed it into a fully functional arcade controller.
At first glance, the controller still looks like any other children’s toy you might find at your local store.
However, beneath the Paw Patrol branded stickers on the plastic steering wheel lies a fully functional controller, capable of playing the arcade classic Super Hang-On.
This impressive feat of engineering was developed by Dr Thomas Tilley, who transformed the plastic toy by integrating it with a Raspberry Pi mini-computer.
The “Super Paw Patrol Hang-On” controller even features working brake, throttle and start buttons, including fully functional steering, just like the real Super Hang-On arcade cabinet.
Thomas Tilley
Speaking to Jugo Mobile, Dr Tilley explained that he initially spotted the toy in a thrift store for $5 and was inspired to modify it to play the iconic racing game.
However, once he arrived home, Dr. Tilley realized that the toy still worked.
“The buttons I needed for acceleration and braking were connected by a ribbon cable, so I added a plug and connector so I could easily unplug them to play the game and plug them back in to reconnect them to the original functionality of the toy,” he said.
Although Dr. Tilley found a way to retain the toy functions of the steering wheels, adjusting the steering was a more difficult task.
He found a space under the steering wheel to add a small 3D-printed part. This part then allowed you to move an analog joystick, like the one on an old-fashioned game controller, as you turned the toy’s motorcycle-style handlebars left and right.
To complete the custom controller project, Dr. Tilley wired the buttons and joystick to plug into a single-board computer.
This was programmed by the modder to make it “appear as a simple joystick” when you plug it in via USB.
In a final spark of genius, the controller can be transformed from an arcade stick back to its toy origins by reconnecting the buttons and removing the Raspberry Pi Pico.
Dr. Tilley is not new to creating weird and wonderful controllers.
The impressive modder has created a custom Super Monkey Ball controller, featuring a fully articulated AiAi from the iconic game series.
The modder and computer scientist even made a name for himself by appearing in the Guinness Book of Records, after creating the largest playable Game & Watch portable console in October 2017.
Thomas Tilley
If you want the “Super Paw Patrol Hang-On” controller for yourself, Dr. Tilley unfortunately doesn’t have it for sale.
However, he informed us that the controller has since “returned to another thrift store,” so one lucky Paw Patrol fan will likely be in for a big arcade controller-sized surprise.