[userbinator]

Since the GameCube controller connectors on the original Wii wouldn't fit cleanly on a build of this size, I use TRRS headphone connectors instead.

Word of caution: many electronics are not designed for the shorts between connections which occur if you hot-plug one of those.

[loopj]

A design change which didn't quite make it into the final release only enables the 5V and 3V3 lines on the GameCube controller when the tip-switch on the TRRS jack is activated.

The short-proof approach/strategy would be to use small magnetic pogo connectors, but I really wanted to maintain compatibility with the GC Nano!

[rawbot]

Good to know this was already considered!

[oritron]

That's a very good point to keep in mind. I've seen that go wrong!

There are lots of connectors out there where the pins never short. The tricky thing is finding ones that can be plugged and unplugged often, while still being small. I've misused USB B connectors for this purpose; it's not common enough for someone to have the wrong cable to plug in, yet very easy to solder and to get the parts. There are also some circular connectors (M5, M6) where the connector on the device is decently small and the bulk tends to be on the cable side.

With a small crimper there are even more compact options which still handle many mating cycles, like Samtec's various Tiger Eye product lines.

[mrguyorama]

Because the TRRS plug is part of a custom dongle, you can plug the dongle into the jack first, and then plug the controller into the dongle after, and eliminate that short risk

[PrivateButts]

Haven't touched a GameCube or a Wii in a long time, but didn't those things not support hot plugging GC controllers in general?

[rawbot]

You can hotplug them, but when plugging them, there's no short risk, as all pins have their individual connectors. A barrel TRRS headphone connector can short, because the first "pin", the tip, goes through every single connector. Imagine this was power, and one of the connectors it went through was ground.

[nyanpasu64]

The stock GC controller ports place the contacts next to each other, rather than at different depths, so they won't connect controller pins to the wrong port pins or short pins together when partially plugged. (I do suspect the ground and/or power pins may be longer than data lines, to connect first.)