An adapter that allows Sega Genesis controllers to be used on the Philips CD-i, released in 1991, was developed to address the console’s weak controller options. The console is rarely mentioned today. According to MattKC, finding used examples of the console’s controllers was also difficult, and this adapter was developed to solve that problem.
The Genesis controller uses readily available DB-9 connectors and has a simple pin layout compatible with the Atari joystick port. An Arduino Pro Micro was used for the conversion. The microcontroller reads the Genesis pad and converts it into the serial data stream the CD-i expects, but the process becomes somewhat complicated because the CD-i was designed for mouse-like inputs.
Since the console has few good games, this project will not reach a wide audience, but it could still be useful for CD-i owners. Alternatively, the BlueRetro project could be tried.
Why it matters
Projects like this show that even commercially unsuccessful platforms can be kept alive in the hands of enthusiast communities. The fact that the CD-i’s original controllers have become impossible to find today is a reminder that the most fragile point of old hardware is often not the console itself but its accessories. The project’s reliance on the readily available DB-9-equipped Genesis controller and the Arduino Pro Micro demonstrates that similar adaptations are possible with standard components rather than custom-made parts. The main challenge the developer faced was that the CD-i was designed for mouse-like inputs rather than gamepads; this shows that in retro hardware projects, the software side can require more effort than the hardware. It is clear that the audience will remain limited, because the console’s weak game library narrows interest; on the other hand, alternatives like BlueRetro reveal that enthusiasts have an ever-expanding toolbox at their disposal.
Background
Philips is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: over the past 90 days we have published 3 news stories featuring this name; the most recent one is dated September 27, 2026.