The CX40 is the Atari joystick most people picture. James C. Asher designed it to replace the CX10, which shipped with the VCS in 1977 and lasted about a year, and it worked by pressing four plastic fingers onto membrane switches on a circuit board. By 1983 one in five American homes had one, and its 9-pin port became a standard that Commodore, MSX and Atari's own computers used. The weak spots are inside. A plastic ring at the bottom of the stick, or the four tabs holding it, can break under too much force, and the membrane switches crack or come unstuck. Best Electronics says original 1981 boards failed around 150,000 cycles in its testing, and it still sells new boards and boots, so a tired one can be rebuilt.
Before you plug it in
Should come with it
Check the listing photos against this list, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing piece should come off the price.
The control ring at the bottom of the stick, or its four small tabs, can snap if the stick is forced. The membrane switches wear too, with the top membrane cracking or the tape holding it in place letting go, which shows up as directions that don't register.
New to retro hardware? How to check a used retro console covers testing, yellowed plastic and opened shells, and regions and video out explains what will run on what, and on which TV.
Buying guide
We'd buy the original joystick titled cleaned, tested and working at $19.95 with free shipping, inside the $15 to $25 band most CX40s ask. There are at least 32 for sale and plenty are titled tested, so there's no reason to take an untested one, and boxed CX40s ask $23 to $39 delivered. Look for the red fire button and the rubber boot in the photos, and check the title for the CX40+, the replica Atari sold with the 2600+ in 2023. A worn membrane shows up as a direction that doesn't register, so ask whether all four directions and the button were tested. Skip the one titled CX-40 whose photo shows a red stick with a button selector, which isn't a CX40.
$15.02est. delivered
The lowest ask on a joystick titled tested, $15 delivered, and the photo shows a CX40 with the red button. The title doesn't say what was tested, so ask about all four directions.
Atari 2600 Joystick Controller Tested
$19.95delivered
Titled cleaned, tested and working, from a 99.7% seller, at $19.95 with free shipping. The photo shows a batch of sticks, so you're buying one of them.
Vintage Original Atari 2600 Joystick Controller Cleaned Tested Working
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 15, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 15, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$15.02est. delivered
$8.99 + $6.03 shipping
Buy It Now$8.99
Good buy
Titled tested. Photo shows a CX40 with its red button.
Seller: wargoswares
99.9% positive
Used$19.95delivered
$19.95 · free shipping
Buy It Now$19.95
Good buy
Titled cleaned, tested and working. Photo shows a batch; you get one.
Seller: jpsnoopy
99.7% positive
For parts$14.49est. delivered
$8.50 + $5.99 shipping
Buy It Now$8.50
Our take
Orange-trim CX-40, titled untested.
Seller: melissalynsells
99.9% positive
Used$18.76est. delivered
$9.79 + $8.97 shipping
Buy It Now$9.79
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Titled tested and working, OEM CX40.
Seller: save-point_games
98.2% positive
Used$21.09est. delivered
$14.00 + $7.09 shipping
Buy It Now$14.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Titled tested and working, orange trim.
Seller: sentro_61
100% positive
Used$22.86est. delivered
$14.99 + $7.87 shipping
Buy It Now$14.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Titled tested, with the Atari Standard Joystick box.
Seller: orangeshortboys
98.6% positive
Used$39.48est. delivered
$32.99 + $6.49 shipping
Buy It Now$32.99
Our take
Titled boxed, cleaned and tested. The main photo shows only the box; ask for the stick.
Seller: vintagegameradvantage
99.7% positive
Used$22.08est. delivered
$14.99 + $7.09 shipping
Buy It Now$14.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Titled CX-40, but the photo shows a red stick with a button selector. Ask what you're getting.
Seller: sentro_61
100% positive
Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 15, 2026.
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