This seems kinda banal, but with an SNES and a VBA emulator available for DSL,
I think it's important that the users know how to enable a joypad.
---Code Sample---
sudo insmod joydev
---End Code Sample---
That's all that must be done.
Of course, I hear you ask: "But I gotta do it every
ime I boot. How can I make it an automatic thing?"
Shove it in an init script. I keep mine in /sbin/hotplug-knoppix
(since it's a hotpluggable device, and all). just add:
---Code Sample---
insmod joydev
---End Code Sample---
to the end of /sbin/hotplug-knoppix and you'll have your joypads - USB or old-skool gamepad type - available even if you don't elect to enter X.
Oh, and to test if it's really working, try typing
---Code Sample---
cat /dev/input/js0
---End Code Sample---
If you see weird stuff scrolling on your screen whenever you move your pad,
you're ready to game.
(Thanks to Fordi)