This is an extension unit that turns the Sega Saturn 3D Control Pad (aka the Sega “Multi Controller” or “Marucon” (マルコン) in Japan) into a USB device.
In one step, your Saturn 3D Control Pad becomes usable as a USB gamepad.
The XV comes with a right stick.
The right stick is digital 4-way plus center push.
The USB connector is Type-C.
Where to Buy
Kaden no Ken-chanGEEKY Fab. BOOTH Shop
If you’re outside Japan, you can still order from BOOTH through its overseas forwarding services (Buyee / tenso.com).
Demo (Standard Version)
Features
Turn Your Saturn 3D Control Pad into USB in One Step
By swapping the standard unit for this product, your Saturn 3D Control Pad becomes usable as a USB gamepad.
Please connect the USB cable while this product is attached to the Saturn 3D Control Pad.
If you connect this product to a PC or similar with a USB cable while it is not attached to the Saturn 3D Control Pad, it will start up in firmware flashing mode.
Right Stick on the Back of the Unit
We added a right stick to the Marucon USB Extension Unit.
Now you can comfortably play games that need a right stick—such as ones with camera control—on the Saturn 3D Control Pad.
Because this microswitch is a 5-way (4-way plus center push) digital input, you can’t do slow camera movements the way an analog stick can, but it also has the upside that stick drift never happens.
Supports the Mode Switch
It supports the mode switch on the Saturn 3D Control Pad itself.
The button assignments in + mode / 〇 mode are as follows (with the standard firmware).
| 3D Control Pad Button | + Mode | 〇 Mode |
|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | 1 |
| B | 2 | 2 |
| C | 3 | 3 |
| X | 4 | 4 |
| Y | 5 | 5 |
| Z | 6 | 6 |
| L | 7 | L Trigger (Z axis) |
| R | 8 | R Trigger (Z rotation axis) |
| start | 9 | 9 |
| Analog stick | Not active | Left stick (X axis / Y axis) |
| D-pad | Hat switch | Hat switch |
| Back-of-unit stick | Right stick (X/Y rotation axis) | Right stick (X/Y rotation axis) |
| Back-of-unit stick press | 12 | 12 |
Freely Rewritable Firmware
The firmware source code is published as open source.
https://github.com/takusan213/usb-ss3d-gamepad
Firmware can be flashed over USB.
By connecting this product to a PC while it is not plugged into the Saturn 3D Control Pad, it starts up in firmware flashing mode.
Product Photos
Verified OS / Consoles
- Retro Freak
- Windows10
- Windows11
- Raspberry PI 3
- Raspberry Pi OS
- Recalbox for RASPBERRY PI 3
- RetroPi 4.7.1 for RASPBERRY PI 2/3
- Raspberry PI 4
- Raspberry Pi OS
- Recalbox for RASPBERRY PI 4/400
- RetroPi 4.7.1 for RASPBERRY PI 4/400
- switch (requires flashing the firmware listed at the end of this article)
Consoles Reported Working by Users
The following consoles have been reported as working by our users.
- POLYMEGA
- Requires flashing the Xinput firmware (the firmware is listed at the end of this article)
- Turning on the analog setting in the in-game controller settings makes the analog stick work
Thanks to research by ruka ( @ruka_riker ), we learned the following about POLYMEGA support for the Marucon USB Extension Unit.
– It’s recognized when you use the xinput firmware
– Turning on the analog setting in the in-game controller settings makes the analog stick work https://t.co/AZ4Q1jd7gS— Takusan 🐦 GEEKY Fab. (@takusanToIssho) September 1, 2023
About Controller Settings on Steam
If you use it on Steam with the standard firmware, please configure it from Big Picture mode.
If the controller isn’t recognized in Big Picture mode, open Steam’s Settings → Controller → General Controller Settings, select “SS3D Gamepad,” and assign the buttons.
If you use the xinput firmware, the above setup isn’t needed.
About Flashing Firmware
Web Tool for Flashing Firmware
We provide a firmware flashing tool.
You can use it with no installation required.
See this page for how to use it.
List of Released Firmware
You can find the latest firmware on the page below.
Latest Firmware ListBelow are descriptions of each firmware.
Original Firmware
This is the firmware flashed at the time of purchase.
It works as a DirectInput gamepad.
It supports the button mapping tool.
ABXY Swap Function
By holding the start button and D-pad up for one second or more, you can swap the button assignments of A and B, and X and Y.
Xinput Version
This is a version that supports Xinput.
Button Assignments
| 3D Control Pad Button | + Mode | 〇 Mode |
|---|---|---|
| A | A | A |
| B | B | B |
| C | R1 | R1 |
| X | X | X |
| Y | Y | Y |
| Z | L1 | L1 |
| L | Left stick press | L Trigger |
| R | Right stick press | R Trigger |
| start | start | start |
| Analog stick | Not active | Left stick |
| D-pad | D-pad | D-pad |
| Back-of-unit stick | Right stick | Right stick |
| Back-of-unit stick press | back | back |
ABXY Swap Function
By holding the start button and D-pad up for one second or more, you can swap the button assignments of A and B, and X and Y.
LR / CZ Swap Function
By holding the start button and D-pad down for one second or more, you can swap the button assignments of L and Z, and R and C.
D-pad Switch Function
By holding the start button and D-pad left for one second or more, you can switch the D-pad’s function from “D-pad” to “right stick.”
To summarize the functions:
| Button Combo (Hold) | Function |
|---|---|
| start + ↑ | AB / XY swap |
| start + ↓ | LR / CZ swap |
| start + ← | D-pad mode change |
Switch Version
This is a version that supports the Switch.
It supports the button mapping tool.
Button Assignments
| 3D Control Pad Button | + Mode | 〇 Mode |
|---|---|---|
| A | A | A |
| B | B | B |
| C | R | R |
| X | X | X |
| Y | Y | Y |
| Z | Z | Z |
| L | ZL | ZL |
| R | ZR | ZR |
| start | plus | plus |
| Analog stick | Not active | Left stick |
| D-pad | D-pad | D-pad |
| Back-of-unit stick | Right stick | Right stick |
| Back-of-unit stick press | minus | minus |
ABXY Swap Function
By holding the start button and D-pad up for one second or more, you can swap the button assignments of A and B, and X and Y.
LR / CZ Swap Function
By holding the start button and D-pad down for one second or more, you can swap the button assignments of L and Z, and R and C.
D-pad Switch Function
By holding the start button and D-pad left for one second or more, you can switch the D-pad’s function from “D-pad” to “right stick.”
To summarize the functions:
| Button Combo (Hold) | Function |
|---|---|
| start + ↑ | AB / XY swap |
| start + ↓ | LR / CZ swap |
| start + ← | D-pad mode change |
Firmware Release History
| Release Version | Summary |
|---|---|
| v.1.0.0 | Initial release |
| v.1.1.0 | Added ABXY swap function |
| v.2.0.0 | Added support for the Plus version (the version with buttons added on the back of the unit) |
| v.3.0.0 | Added XV support |
| v.4.0.0 | Added mapping tool support |
Xinput Firmware Release History
| Release Version | Summary |
|---|---|
| v.xin.1.0.0 | Initial release |
| v.xin.1.1.0 | – Added ABXY swap function – Added analog stick mode switch function |
| v.xin.1.2.0 | Changed the analog stick switch function to a D-pad switch function |
| v.xin.1.3.0 | – Swapped the assignments of C/Z and the L/R buttons in + mode – Added LR / CZ swap function |
| v.xin.2.0.0 | Added support for the Plus version (the version with buttons added on the back of the unit) |
| v.xin.2.0.1 | Fixed a bug where the ABXY swap function was on by default |
| v.xin.3.0.0 | Added XV support |
Switch Firmware Release History
| Release Version | Summary |
|---|---|
| v.switch.1.0.0 | Initial release |
| v.switch.1.1.0 | Added LR / CZ swap function |
| v.switch.1.2.0 | – Changed so that in + mode, C, Y, Z are assigned to select, capture, home – Changed the analog stick mode switch function to a D-pad mode switch function |
| v.switch.2.0.0 | Added support for the Plus version (the version with buttons added on the back of the unit) |
| v.switch.3.0.0 | Added XV support |
| v.switch.4.0.0 | Added mapping tool support |
Build Log
