Digital Joystick Interfaces
Most joystick interfaces which connect to the Spectrum
do so via the expansion port, are digital, and generally
conform to the Atari D-type sockets and wiring standard.
Exceptions to these are the joystick ports on the +2 and
+3 Spectrums, which have D-type sockets but are wired
differently and will only accept Amstrad SJS1 joysticks.
Several standards for interpreting joystick movements exist, namely Kempston (IN 31); Cursor (keys 5,6,7,8); Sinclair (keys 1,2,3,4,5 and 6,7,8,9,0). "Programmable" joystick interfaces can be made to simulate any or almost any keypress which can be made.
Several standards for interpreting joystick movements exist, namely Kempston (IN 31); Cursor (keys 5,6,7,8); Sinclair (keys 1,2,3,4,5 and 6,7,8,9,0). "Programmable" joystick interfaces can be made to simulate any or almost any keypress which can be made.
Features
Original Price
AGF II
2 joystick ports with a ZX81 through port. Came with 'Video Graffiti' demo program.
£9.95
£19.95*
£19.95*
AGF Programmable
Joystick ports and rapid fire with ZX81 through port. Atari joystick compatible. Clip on connections simulate any of the 40 Spectrum keys. Eight way movement. No software required. Came with 'Video Graffiti' demo program.
£33.95*
£26.95
£24.95*
£26.95
£24.95*
AGF Protocol 1
Fixed interface for Protek/Cursor control.
£10.95*
AGF Protocol 2
Fixed interface for Kempston compatiblity.
£10.95*
AGF Protocol 3
Programmable interface for any joystick which simulates keypresses. Custom cards store joystick-keypress information. Supplied with a custom cards and 10 quick reference cards.
£19.95*
AGF Protocol 4
Programmable and fixed for AGF, Kempston and ZX Interface 2. Supplied with 5 custom cards and 10 quick reference cards. Early models were recalled due to an unreliable Kempston mode.
£10.95*
Bud Interstate 31
Kempston compatible. Auto fire switch. Reset button included.
£11.95
Cambridge Intelligent Joystick Interface
Programmable with rapid fire and full width through port. 1K on-board memory.
£34.90
Cheetah 48K/128K
Single port interface. For 48K and 128K models.
£9.75
Cheetah Spectrum Joystick Interface
Accepts Atari style joystick including Quickshot and Kempston. This interface appears to have a similar style case as the Cheetah 32K RAMpack and the Cheetah SpecDrum.
£11.50*
£12.75*
£12.75*
COMCON
Programmable joystick interface by means of six jumper leads. Interface works in parallel to keyboard. Compatible with any add-ons.
£19.95*
Custom Cables International Programmable Joystick Interface
Programmable joystick interface. Interface in programmed using a BASIC program loaded from cassette. Accepts Atari-style joystick.
£15.00*
dk'tronics Dual
Port 1 is Sinclair compatible. Port 2 is Kempston compatible. No through port. Atari joystick compatible
£13.00*
dk'tronics Programmable
Programmable with full width through port. Programming cassette supplied. 17 directional movement. Microdrive compatible
£22.95*
Dove Microtronix
Kempston compatible. Fits dk'tronics keyboard. For use with Quickshot or Atari joysticks.
£9.95*
Downsway
Programmable, no through port. Atari compatible.
£25.95
£22.95
£22.95
East London Robotics
Bare board. Uses metal clips to make connections to small pins. No through port (except for Trickstick).
£19.75
Electrotech Programmable
Bare board. Contains 2K RAM for storage of joystick movement to keypress information. Appears to work only with supplied joystick (pictured).
£43.70
Fox
Programmable with full width through port. Microdrive compatible. Built-in memory stores up to 16 different key tops. Atari joystick compatible.
£34.95
£28.50*
£28.50*
Fuller
Full width through port
£19.95
Games Ace
Kempston compatible. Accepts 9 pin joysticks including rapid fire. Includes controllable sound through TV.
£10.99*
£17.99*
£17.99*
Interceptor Micros
Bare board. Two Atari-style joystick ports.
£15.95
Jiles Dual
Kempston compatible. Psion/Melbourne House compatible. Also cursor key (5,6,7,8,0) and Sinclair (6,7,8,9,0) compatible. Atari/Le Stick compatible. Eight directions can be programmed from BASIC. Free drawing program.
£13.95*
Jiles II
Programmable, no through port. From the image this appears to be a bare-board (no case) model.
£24.95
Jiles III
No through port. Like the Jiles II model, this appears to be a bare-board model.
£19.95
Jiles Standard
Kempston compatible. Atari/Le Stick compatible. Eight directions can be programmed from BASIC. Free drawing program.
£10.95*
Kempston
No through port. Joystick directions decoded through I/O port 31 considered industry standard. Image shows interface with Competition Pro Joystick connected.
£14.95
£11.50*
£11.50*
Konix Preditor
Two joystick ports. Complies with Kempston, Protek, and Sinclair left & right protocols. Also comes with filtered sound through television, and composite colour video monitor port. Fits ZX Spectrum and ZX Spectrum+.
£18.99*
Micro-Pad
Programmable, no through port
£23.00
Mikro-Plus
Joystick interface bundled with the 'Shadow of the Unicorn' game. Contains a ROM with 16K of the game burnt in. Overlays the current ZX Spectrum ROM area which allows games programmers to use the ZX Spectrum's full 64K memory allowed by the Z80A processor.
£14.95
Page Computing
Programmable with rapid fire switch.
£26.00
Pickard
The Pickard Joystick Interface is a rectangular black plastic box with 40 jack plug sockets arranged in a four by ten fashion. Five jack plugs connect to one of these sockets to allow a joystick to simulate any keypress. A circuit board from the unit connects to the keyboard matrix sockets inside the Spectrum. Requires power from the ZX Spectrum power supply unit. Accepts Atari and Atari style joysticks. Measures: 4.5 inches x 3 inches x 1 inch.
£18.95*
£27.50
£27.50
Protek Switchable
No programming required. No additional software. No through port. Compatible with Protek (cursor keys), Kempston and Sinclair by changing switch position. Compatible with Atari / Quickshot joysticks.
£14.95
£19.95
£19.95
Rainbow Electronics Programmable
Programmable. Diagonal positions can be programmed to any keys. Also has an internal amplifier which connects to Spectrum's EAR or MIC socket. Through port optional for extra £2
£24.00*
RAM Spectrum Interface
Kempston compatible. Fits ZX Spectrum and ZX Spectrum+ Microdrive compatible.
£9.95*
Sinclair ZX Spectrum +2/+3 ports
2 joystick ports fitted as standard to ZX Spectrum +2/+3 (Amstrad models). Keypress simulation is the same as the ZX Interface 2 but only SJS1 joysticks are compatible with +2/+3 ports. For a pinout diagram of this interface click here.
n/a - Fitted as standard to +2/+3 models.
SMT Joystick Interface
Programable 9-pin joystick interface.
£24.45*
Solidisk Joystick Interface
Kempston Compatible.
£8.50
Spectrum KC Interface
Kempston compatible.
£8.95*
£16.90*
£9.95*
£17.90*
£16.90*
£9.95*
£17.90*
Stonechip
Programmable, no through port
£24.95
Thurnall
2 joystick ports. Programmable, no through port
£24.95
Turbo Ace
Switchable between cursor, Kempston and Interface 2. Accepts 9 pin joysticks including rapid fire. Includes controllable sound through TV.
£22.99*
Page Revised: 09/09/2026