XE-1AP

Release date:	1989
Series:	XE-1
Model No.:	XE-1AP
Company:	Micomsoft
Designer:

Main colours:	Black Yellow

System:	Mega Drive FM-Towns PC-Engine MSX X68000 PC-88 PC-98
Connection:	DE9
Purpose:
Mechanisms:	Analogue Analogue stick Analogue slider Digital button Rapid fire

Micomsoft's XE-1AP is early analogue controller for the Mega Drive and Japanese PCs of the era. It's similar to the XE-1AJ, but in the form of a controller rather than an all-in-one HOTAS.

Notable features are the analogue stick that doesn't centre itself, and the single-axis analogue slider that does centre itself, and can be rotated to suit the game or comfort. Complete versions come with two different tops for the stick.

To work with the PC-Engine it requires an adaptor. Micomsoft's one is called the XHE-3 for PC Engine.

Settings

There are some different options that can be set with the buttons near the bottom, but they should be self-explanatory.

You can hold certain buttons when the controller first receives power (IE when starting the console, but might when connecting the controller). Vertical axis inversion and one of the sensitivity options can be activated simultaneously.

• C - Invert vertical axis of stick.
• SELECT + A’ - Doubles sensitivity of stick.
• SELECT + B’ - Doubles sensitivity of slider.
• SELECT + A’ + B’ - Doubles sensitivity of stick and slider.

On the back there are some recessed setting controls. The 'CH' potentiometers can be adjusted with a small Phillips-head screwdriver.

• SHIFT SW swaps the functions of the analogue axes. Seems designed for racing games. If 'ON':
  • Slider will be joystick horizontal input.
  • Joystick vertical will be slider input.
  • Joystick horizontal will be joystick vertical input.
• CH0 sets the centre position of the stick's horizontal axis.
• CH1 sets the centre position of the slider.
• CH2 sets the centre position of the stick's vertical axis.

See Also

• File:xe-1ap-manual.pdf - Manual, in Japanese.

Compatibility

Mega Drive

NB: XE-1AP has to be connected to the first controller port.

• After Burner II
• Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II
• Fastest 1
• Galaxy Force II
• Musha Aleste - Odd control, like the position of the stick is mapped to the screen position of your character.

Mega CD

• After Burner III
• Night Striker - XE-1AP has to be connected to the second controller port.
• Starblade

32X

• After Burner Complete
• Space Harrier

Source: https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP

PC Engine

• After Burner
• After Burner II
• Forgotten Worlds
• Operation Wolf
• OutRun
• Thunder Blade

Source: https://www.raphnet.net/electronique/xhe3_adapter/index_en.php

FM-Towns

NB: XE-1AP has to be connected to the second controller port.

• After Burner III
• Chase HQ
• Galaxy Force II
• Turbo Outrun
• Wing Commander
• Wing Commander 2
• Wing Commander Armada
• Wing Commander Secret Missions

Source: https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?t=5335

X68000

NB: XE-1AP has to be connected to the first joystick port.

• After Burner
• Dash Yarou
• Knight Arms
• Metal Sight
• Neural Gear
• Overtake
• Racing Champ
• Space Harrier
• Star Cruiser
• Star Luster
• Super Hang-On
• Syvalion
• Thunder Blade

Source: https://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=x68000:cyber_stick, https://misterfpga.org/viewtopic.php?t=5335

Press

• XE-1AP Analog/Digital Intelligent Controller System (Mega Drive/Genesis/ & more) Review - Sharkie's Gaming Controllers, 2018.

Links

• XE-1 AP Analog Controller thread on the MiSTer FPGA Forum.
• Micomsoft XE-1AP on the MSX Resource Center.
• EX-1 AP on Sega Retro.
• Kabutogani! (or the XE‑1AP Analog Joypad) - Blog post by person who added Wikipedia:MAME support.