A hacker by the name of Sk3tch recently found a way to pair up a Nintendo controller to an Evo 4G phone to play with the app nesoid lite. I have to be honest, playing Super Mario Bros. with the virtual keypad on your Android phone is a joy kill. So, I was excited to see this project.
The process he used to get this to work is quite ingenious. While at DEFCON, (a "hackers" convention in Las Vegas) he purchased the necessary parts to build this device. First an Arduino, the low cost open-source prototype platform. arduino pic here: Next he used a BlueSMIRF blue tooth module paired with the Amarino-Tooklit that translates the action key on your host terminal, in this case the controller, to the receiver or target platform. In the end, if you press the "A" button on your controller you get the "jump" action in Mario.
A impressive and solid effort with limited time. However, it seems that original NES controllers do not work with his system. But, he's on the task. You can download his source code and plans from his development blog here.
One downside, the fact that you can use a Nintendo WII controller instead with much more ease than you could with this controller. There is something to be said for nostalgia though.
Eavesdropper