Pong cannot be played correctly with a joystick. The Video Olympics ROM supports the Atari 2600’s paddle controllers (the twisting dials). Unlike emulated mouse controls or keyboard taps, a real emulator setup (like Stella) paired with a USB paddle simulates the analog drift of the original arcade game. The ROM’s programming handles the "jitter" of old analog potentiometers perfectly.
When gamers today search for the "Pong ROM Atari 2600," they are usually looking for one specific cartridge: . pong rom atari 2600
The ROM is widely available as "Video Olympics (1977) (Atari).bin." Legally, you should own a physical copy of the cartridge, but given its ubiquity and age, it remains one of the most preserved pieces of software in gaming history. Pong cannot be played correctly with a joystick