I Think This One Can Skip Youtube

[Trip]

I hated the Genesis (Megadrive) pad. Very bad.
The best D-Pad to ever have existed is, of course, the SNES controller one.
It rocks, they practically came up with the design anyway (first used on Game & Watch?)

So, yeah, It is important for the Pandy DPad to be 'perfect'.

Ditto, love the Snes pad. Still use mine with a USB adaptor every chance I get.

The controls are one of the Pandora's unique features, of course they have to be perfect

 

[Pleng]

It's understandable that not everyone cares I guess. The pad was probably good enough for 90% of people two months ago. But I'm glad they have a perfectionist like Dave on it; it removes any possibility that it's going to be shit. I must admit I'm a bit of a d-pad snob too.

But the posts below yours, and posts I've seen in every joypad debate go to prove that opinions differ on what makes a perfect dpad.

For every person you please by lowering or heightening the d-pad by a millimeter, you could just as well find somebody else who's going to complain that the dpad is too high/low by a mm!

 

[MDave]

Nintendo D-Pads are great, for playing anything but fighting games unless you like the edges of the D-Pad to rub against your thumb possibly causing blisters after long periods of time, doing specials in Street Fighter 2 The second generation Genesis/Megadrive D-Pads and japanese/second generation Saturn D-Pads didn't have that problem with it's disk like design . They were perfect for everything. I'l glad Dave is taking the D-Pad design into great care, and knows about the advantages using disk design for the Pandora's D-Pad

 

[RagolSlayer]

The second generation Genesis/Megadrive D-Pads and japanese/second generation Saturn D-Pads didn't have that problem with it's disk like design . They were perfect for everything.

QFT. As much as I love Nintendo's D-Pads, the second gen Saturn D-Pad is by far my favorite (great for 2D games and amazing for fighters).

*hugs Saturn USB controller for all the wonderful times with GGPO*

 

[Phawx]

My Vote for best d-pad goes to (don't know which gen) Saturn controller as well. Xmen vs Street Fighter played perfectly on that controller.

The controller I am talking about is pictured here:

http://gamesareevil.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/saturn.jpg

 

[dgame]

I've got two of these: Best console game pad ever, now in USB!

And one of these: SmartShare USB

. . . waiting for the Pandora.

 

[Prometheus]

Like others, my all-time favourite controller is that of the SNES. This is closely followed by the standard-sized Saturn controllers (read: the "small" ones that were available in Japan from the beginning, not the gigantic atrocities that were initially foisted on the rest of the world by the other arms of the company ). I would be very happy indeed if the Pandora's controls match (or at least come close to) either of these.

 

[fusion_power]

I've got two of these: Best console game pad ever, now in USB!

Is the Quality equal to an original SEGA Pad or is this already an Original? I still searching for an (new) PC Gamepad but they all have very poor D-Pads, such an Saturn-USB Thing would be an option for me, I had some good times in the Past with a Sega Saturn (and 7 other People playing Saturn Bomberman ) I hope I can get such a USB pad here in Germany easily.
Actualy, I need a Pad that will work onto the Pandora AND onto the PC (STREET FIGHTER 4 capable!!!!!!) (Even the allmighty XBOX 360 Gamepad fails for SF4 I've heard - and AFAIK it will not work onto the Pandora at all... ) Sadly, the most available Contolers are not good enough for SF4 OR you have to pay a forune for the already sold-out Madcats SF4 Special Editions, hmmpf... Maybe some day I simply buy an X-Arcade Stick...

However, we need Detailed Pandora D-Pad Videos: Heavy Fighting Action, all super-Duper Combos in detailed Split-Screen: one Side the Game Action, the other Side dhe equal D-Pad movement. Maybe you need 2 Cams for this and professional Equip but that can be a Job for our Evil Dragon!

 

[fretfrenzy182]

Aside from the inevitable decline of the analog stick (Bowser Tug of War anyone?) I like the N64 controller. The D-Pad is good, and I love the C button layout.

 

[Alpha2]

I dont think anyone can really claim too many of the standard Dpads have ever truly sucked. It's when people started monkeying around with the design that things got bad. You can have a bunch of 4 direction pads and have a variety of different outcomes but they all tend to work, when you add the diagnals things get hinky with all sorts of missreads or lack of response. Some good some horrible. Fireballs on the standard Nintendo pads might have been a pain after awhile but that's how you knew it was time to stop playing back in the day.

No matter what people are going to have their favorites. I'm nutral about Nintendo and Sony Dpads, they've always worked for me, Sega's improved from sucktacular to sweet but other things balanced the sweetness with sour.

 

[God Ginrai]

An excellent dpad would be +100 for the Pandora. A terrible dpad would be -1000. Most people probably want the nubs to be good but can take or leave them.

I've never go this whole debate about the D-Pad, or the need to tweak it by a mm. I've been using some cheapo (70bt, just over £1) controllers for all my emulated gaming (or had been, until I got a Wii and installed the homebrew channel). I've used loads of different types pads of various qualities and none of them seem to affect the way I play. I never even had a problem with the GP2X's stick. I guess I'm just not a 'serious' gamer!

The GP2X stick doesn't bother me that much, but if I want a really good gaming experience, I plug in my USB Sega Saturn contollers. However, I just about cry whenever I play a fighting game with a Playstation controller, because I have to use an analog stick, because the dpad is way too shitty to be used for a Fighting game, or any game for that matter.

-God Ginrai

 

[White Demon]

My Vote for best d-pad goes to (don't know which gen) Saturn controller as well. Xmen vs Street Fighter played perfectly on that controller.

The controller I am talking about is pictured here:

http://gamesareevil.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/saturn.jpg

Oh my god are you serious? That is the first gen US/EU controller and is known to be one of the worst controllers ever. I have one of those with my Saturn and it's horrible, it actually hurts my hand to use it. And the shoulder buttons give no tactile response as to whether you've actually clicked it or not.

I've heard the JAP controller is far better, but I don't have one of those. What I do have is a Megadrive 6 button controller. That is the best controller I have ever used and now that I've found a USB adaptor, I use it all the time when playing mame, it's perfect for fighting games (and any game that doesn't require analog control really). Megadrive 6 button = best controller ever.

 

[God Ginrai]

My Vote for best d-pad goes to (don't know which gen) Saturn controller as well. Xmen vs Street Fighter played perfectly on that controller.

The controller I am talking about is pictured here:

http://gamesareevil.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/saturn.jpg

Oh my god are you serious? That is the first gen US/EU controller and is known to be one of the worst controllers ever. I have one of those with my Saturn and it's horrible, it actually hurts my hand to use it. And the shoulder buttons give no tactile response as to whether you've actually clicked it or not.

I've heard the JAP controller is far better, but I don't have one of those. What I do have is a Megadrive 6 button controller. That is the best controller I have ever used and now that I've found a USB adaptor, I use it all the time when playing mame, it's perfect for fighting games (and any game that doesn't require analog control really). Megadrive 6 button = best controller ever.

Actually, the Saturn 6-button (not the chunky one that that guy mentioned) is the best overall controller. It's very similar to the Genesis 6-button, but the dpad is a little nicer, plus it has Shoulder buttons.

-God Ginrai

 

[Archaemic]

Sure, the shape of the controller was pretty clumsy, but I really liked the D-pad, and that's what we were talking about.

Also, I'm usually able to tell when I've pressed the shoulder buttons...but it's not really that obvious. Newer controllers are much better about that.

 

[x68000]

I agree that the Japanese Saturn controller was the best of all time - even the Saturn NiGHTS Controller was inspired as it was the first ever pad to have analogue shoulder buttons - Was Brilliant when used with Sega Rally Plus.

 

[dgame]

I've got two of these: Best console game pad ever, now in USB!

Is the Quality equal to an original SEGA Pad or is this already an Original? I still searching for an (new) PC Gamepad but they all have very poor D-Pads, such an Saturn-USB Thing would be an option for me, I had some good times in the Past with a Sega Saturn (and 7 other People playing Saturn Bomberman ) I hope I can get such a USB pad here in Germany easily.
Actualy, I need a Pad that will work onto the Pandora AND onto the PC (STREET FIGHTER 4 capable!!!!!!) (Even the allmighty XBOX 360 Gamepad fails for SF4 I've heard - and AFAIK it will not work onto the Pandora at all... ) Sadly, the most available Contolers are not good enough for SF4 OR you have to pay a forune for the already sold-out Madcats SF4 Special Editions, hmmpf... Maybe some day I simply buy an X-Arcade Stick...
...

It looks and feels like an authentic Sega controller.

Many people over at shoryuken.com also like it.

”… they are either original or incredibly high quality bootlegs.”

 

[DasFool]

The Saturn USB controllers seem very close to the originals. The left and right triggers seem to be one of the only differences. I like them a little less on the usb one, but it's a fairly small gripe.

 

[craigix]

I don't think it's possible to make a dpad everyone will love, but the design follows the rules for the best results.

The layout is actually very SNES joypad if you look, with the analogues in the middle.

And there is nothing stopping you modding the dpad to your tastes. I'm looking forward to seeing some hardware mods.

 

[Enverex]

I don't think it's possible to make a dpad everyone will love, but the design follows the rules for the best results.

The layout is actually very SNES joypad if you look, with the analogues in the middle.

And there is nothing stopping you modding the dpad to your tastes. I'm looking forward to seeing some hardware mods.

Got to have the hardware before it can be modded eh? *nudge nudge wink wink*

 

[whiskthecat]

All Hail the NeoGeo Pocket stick thingy, the best control on a handheld ever.