Suncom Technologies TAC-2

The US company Suncom Technologies was one of the first manufacturers that tried to go beyond copying Atari’s game controllers. The best-known product from their fairly extensive range was probably the TAC-2; “TAC” is short for “Totally Accurate Controller”.

Introduced around 1984, the TAC-2 uses a distinctive switch design that can also be found in a few other Suncom models. The ground wire is connected to a metal rod inside the control stick that has a metal ball at the end. Each direction corresponds to a metal plate at the edges of the stick’s travel. When the ball head hits the plates, it connects the pins to engage a direction. This creates a fairly short travel that is especially suited for fast-paced games. Another interesting feature is that centring is achieved by means of a rubber shaft that is, in fact, the valve stem from a vehicle tyre – its part number remains visible below the metal plate at the bottom.

The TAC-2 was repeatedly ranked at the top in Mikrobitti magazine’s controller tests, which surely helped its sales and propelled it towards near-legendary status. The simple construction is very durable indeed, but the feel of the fire buttons, in particular, is not to everyone’s taste. There were at least three versions of this controller: Made in USA, Made in Hong Kong and Made in China. The final “cost reduction” versions had a substantially weaker construction than the original models.