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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesA DIY USB spinner can make Arkanoid, Tempest, and other dial-controlled arcade games feel more natural than keyboard keys or a conventional gamepad. The builds covered here use rotary encoders: they report relative rotation, typically to an emulator as mouse movement. That is different from a true analog paddle, which uses a potentiometer to report its position.
If you want to build one, choose a documented encoder-and-firmware design, then match its output mode to your emulator and game. The controller is only one part of compatibility; input mapping and sensitivity matter too.
What a DIY spinner does—and how it differs from a paddle
A rotary encoder detects rotation and produces pulses as its shaft turns. Firmware reads the encoder’s A/B signals, determines direction and movement, and sends that movement to the computer or console. Depending on its firmware, the device can appear as a USB mouse, a joystick or gamepad, or a platform-specific spinner control.
The projects below are often described as spinner, dial, rotary controller, or even paddle builds. Those names can overlap in casual use, but the underlying signals are not necessarily the same. The MiSTer spinner and paddle adapter documentation distinguishes a spinner’s two-phase rotary encoder from a paddle input based on a linear potentiometer. A spinner measures relative turning; a potentiometer-based paddle reports an absolute position. A firmware menu may call a mapping “paddle emulation,” but that label does not change the hardware signal.
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#1 Best Overall
- Manufacturer Warranty
Choose a build based on its documented parts and output
Each project is a specific combination of board, encoder, wiring, firmware, and host configuration. Do not assume that parts or pin assignments from one design will work unchanged in another.
| Project | Documented controller and parts | Output and setup notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arduino_ArcadeSpinner | Arduino Pro Micro; rotary encoder model C38S6G5-600B-G24N; 40 mm knob with 6 mm internal diameter; two 24 mm and two 30 mm buttons; enclosure or box. Publication date is not established. | Documents mouse emulation for MAME and spinner or paddle modes for MiSTer, with game-specific settings and workarounds. Follow its own voltage, jumper, and pin instructions. |
| Arcade-Spinner | 5 V two-phase encoder and a Pro Micro-class ATmega32U4 board, plus momentary switches. The project describes an optical encoder option rated at 600 pulses per revolution, or 2,400 quadrature transitions; these are project component figures, not measured game performance. | Supports mouse and joystick/gamepad reporting. Its documentation notes board voltage and clock, USB cable type, and emulator mapping. |
| Spinner Mouse Game Controller | ATmega32U4 USB board, smooth incremental encoder, knob, buttons, electronics, and case. The author reports 24 pulses per turn and 96 quadrature steps per turn for the encoder used in that build. | Appears as a USB mouse; the guide describes speed configuration and emulator sensitivity adjustment, including RetroPie scripts for changing behavior by emulator. |
Plan the hardware before wiring
The parts list is not interchangeable by default. A board must support the firmware’s USB reporting method, and the encoder’s voltage, signal type, resolution, mounting, and pin connections must match the selected project.
Rank #2
- Premium USB game controller, ideal for emulation on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Raspberry Pi.
- Ergonomic design. Chamfered corners grips provide increased comfort to hold in your hands for long gaming sessions.
- Durable construction and high quality Materials. Solid base, plastic joystick, soft rubber grommet and quality cord ensure long life.
- Quiet movement joystick and responsive Buttons providing smooth and precise inputs when play video games, computer games, old school arcade games and so on.
- Classic Atari feel gamepad is complemented by modern upgrades, including 10 foot USB cable, 4 way joystick, and 6 mappable Buttons to play various consoles and also Escape to menus.
- Board: The cited builds use an Arduino Pro Micro or another ATmega32U4-class USB board. Check the project’s board, voltage, clock, pinout, and bootloader requirements rather than buying by the ATmega32U4 label alone.
- Encoder: Identify whether the project specifies a magnetic or optical encoder, its supply voltage, and its pulse or transition count. For example, the 600-pulse and 2,400-transition values belong to the Arcade-Spinner project’s stated encoder option; they are not a universal spinner requirement.
- Knob and mounting: Confirm the shaft diameter and knob’s internal diameter fit. Arduino_ArcadeSpinner specifies a 6 mm internal diameter for its 40 mm knob.
- Buttons and enclosure: Use the dimensions and wiring layout in the chosen project. Arduino_ArcadeSpinner lists two 24 mm and two 30 mm buttons; enclosure choice can be a printed case or another suitable box.
- Wiring and power: Follow that build’s instructions for ground, supply, encoder A/B outputs, and any board jumper. Do not infer that an encoder is safe to connect to a given board because another project uses a similar-looking part.
A higher pulse count is not, by itself, proof of better control. The projects do not provide a controlled comparison of smoothness, latency, or game performance, and their counts describe particular hardware configurations.
Configure the emulator and game input
Compatibility depends on the controller’s USB mode, emulator or core, game mapping, and sensitivity. Start with the setup documented for the project you selected, then adjust the game-specific settings.
Rank #3
- Manufacturer Warranty
- Jamma and Mame
MAME
For Arduino_ArcadeSpinner, select Mouse Emulation mode and assign the game’s dial device to the mouse. The Arcade-Spinner guide likewise describes enabling mouse support and mapping mouse X-axis movement to the dial or spinner control. Exact menu names can vary by MAME version and frontend, so use the device assignment for the game rather than assuming every title maps the same way.
MiSTer
Arduino_ArcadeSpinner lists games including Arkanoid, Breakout, Pong, and Tempest, but its notes call for per-game choices: some titles require spinner or paddle mode, a game setting, or a workaround. Treat the project’s game list as a set of documented cases, not a guarantee that every core or configuration behaves identically.
Rank #4
- Spinner and Trackball in one: Eliminates the need for separate configuration
- Spinner and Trackball in one: Eliminates the need for separate configuration
- Advanced optical technology: Provides superior trackball performance
- Customizable LED effects: Allows for personalized visual appeal
- Universal mounting: Designed for 28mm hole setups, ideal for DIY and arcade projects
Other emulators and RetroPie
The Arcade-Spinner and Spinner Mouse projects describe use with emulators that accept mouse X-axis movement for spinner or paddle-style control. Spinner Mouse also documents emulator-specific speed behavior in RetroPie. If the game responds too slowly or too quickly, check both the controller’s speed setting and the emulator’s sensitivity setting; a setting that works in one title may not suit another.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Build and troubleshooting checklist
- Select one project and follow it as a unit. Use its listed board, encoder type, voltage, pin assignment, firmware, and USB mode rather than combining instructions from unrelated builds.
- Verify the encoder wiring. Connect ground, supply, and A/B outputs exactly as the chosen project specifies. Confirm any voltage jumper or board setting before powering the circuit.
- Use a suitable USB cable and board configuration. The Arcade-Spinner documentation calls out USB cable type and board voltage/clock; check those details if the device is not detected or does not report the expected input.
- Confirm the host sees the intended device mode. A mouse-mode spinner needs the emulator to accept mouse movement; a gamepad or joystick mode needs the relevant axis or control assigned instead.
- Map the game’s dial or spinner control. In MAME, enable mouse input and assign the dial device as the project directs. On MiSTer, check the individual title’s mode and settings.
- Tune sensitivity in small increments. Adjust the controller’s speed control, where available, or the emulator/game sensitivity. Recheck each game rather than carrying over an assumed universal setting.
If the encoder turns but the game does not respond, the most useful first check is the chain from signal to game: board and firmware, USB report mode, emulator input enabled, and correct game control assignment. If movement is erratic or absent at the device level, recheck the project’s voltage, A/B wiring, pin mapping, and board clock before changing game sensitivity.
Best Value
- Manufacturer Warranty
- Jamma and Mame
When to choose a spinner, an analog paddle, or a ready-made control
A DIY spinner is a good fit when you want a physical rotary control for games that accept dial or mouse-like horizontal movement, and you are comfortable wiring and configuring it. A potentiometer-based analog paddle is the closer match when a game or adapter expects an absolute position signal. A ready-made arcade spinner may reduce fabrication and wiring work, while a DIY build gives you more control over the enclosure, knob, buttons, and firmware—at the cost of assembly and compatibility checks.
Compare the actual input signal and host configuration before choosing: relative encoder movement versus absolute potentiometer position, mouse versus gamepad reporting, encoder electrical and mechanical specifications, emulator mapping, and the amount of firmware and enclosure work. The project documentation establishes useful example builds, but does not establish universal compatibility or comparative performance.
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