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Post by anayo on May 27, 2018 8:31:34 GMT -5
I have a few arcade pads I like to use sometimes. My favorite is the Pelican Accessories Playstation Joystick. I have two of them.
My other one is a Namco arcade pad, also for the original Playstation. I don't like this one as much. I'm at a loss to explain why. Something about the stick feels vaguely sloppy and imprecise. Whatever the problem is, I don't experience it on the Pelican one, so I stick with those.
My favorite game to play with an arcade pad is Metal Slug Anthology for the Playstation 2. It makes the controls feel much tighter and results in an overall more pleasant tactile experience.
Weirdly enough, I don't fare as well with an arcade pad in fighting games like Street Fighter Alpha 3. I'd always get frustrated and switch back to the D-pad and face buttons on a dual shock controller. I also had rough luck trying to play Burgertime. I made more mistakes and died more frequently, so I put the arcade pad away and went back to a normal controller.
Which games do you prefer to play with an arcade pad? How about with a traditional controller instead?
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Post by dunpeal2064 on May 27, 2018 11:01:37 GMT -5
I didn't really grow up in arcades, other than the rare visit, so I'm not accustomed to arcade sticks at all. If I'm playing a game that requires precision, like a shmup or 1v1 fighter, I end up going for a pad. However, I do find arcade sticks really fun to play around with, so I'm always happy playing a beat 'em up or puzzle game on em.
One example I can think of, for a game that just feels better on a stick, is Zero Gunner 2. Something about the rotating mechanic just feels more at home on a stick for me.
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Post by toei on May 27, 2018 15:23:06 GMT -5
I have a Sega Saturn arcade pad. ![](https://segaretro.org/Virtua_Stick) ![](//storage.proboards.com/6876513/thumbnailer/bbbXXZ0aJeEwjFxjeXKJ.png) I bought it cause I'm a fan of Sega's 3D fighters, but in the end I'm so used to playing with a controller that it didn't help at all, and besides, I'd rather play the Model 2 versions than the ports nowadays.
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Post by Ex on May 27, 2018 21:00:41 GMT -5
I've never been a fan of arcade pads personally. I don't like using my fingers to move the stick / hit buttons. I'm much more comfortable using my thumbs. I suppose arcade pads offer an advantage for fighting games that require sweeps and arcs though.
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Post by Sarge on May 27, 2018 21:19:36 GMT -5
So for a while, I played using a WWE Brawl Stick or whatever they call it, obtained from someone on Racketboy. I mainly got it because I'd strained my thumb a bit, so I needed to give it a rest. I eventually came to the conclusion that I absolutely suck at using a stick. I figured I'd become even better at fighting games, but it turns out that I've been playing with a pad for so long that I'm just way better using that. Give me a good d-pad and I'll take on most folks that use a stick. Just don't ask me to use Zangief and pull his 360 move. (Well, more like 270, but whatever. Ken don't need no stinkin' Spinning Piledriver.)
I think if I had some heavier buttons (travel is very short on this one, I think a Sanwa knockoff), though, I'd like the experience with MAME quite a bit; I do miss some of the feel of the old arcade games. Actually... maybe I should bust that back out for beat-'em-up month!
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Post by chibby on May 31, 2018 20:50:53 GMT -5
![](https://webshop.cashconverters.com.au/thumbnail/425x260/1651742-nintendo-64-compatible-mad-catz-steering-wheel-0.jpg) I own one of these. It did not improve my Mario Kart playing at all...
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Post by anayo on Jun 2, 2018 18:47:45 GMT -5
Wow, I'm surprised at the unanimous preference of ordinary controllers over arcade pads. I'm that way myself 95% of the time, but I wonder what lead me to expect otherwise? Must be some vestige of 90's "arcade = awesome" marketing.
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Post by Sarge on Jun 3, 2018 15:09:54 GMT -5
Well, it should also be noted that most arcade pads for home weren't constructed using the highest quality materials. I don't think I had anything that I was terribly impressed by. I think if I swapped out to some Happ parts, I'd be singing a different tune, at least in terms of playing arcade-style games.
It's also challenging to find controllers with good d-pads, too. I've always managed to find at least one per generation, though. For PSX, for example, I had a Performance digital pad that was basically on an elevated rocker, and it felt really good for Street Fighter Alpha 3. Right now on PC, I use a Afterglow 360 pad, of all things. The d-pad on there is shockingly good; responsive, but not twitchy, easy to hit diagonals but not be slipping all over the place, either.
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Post by Ex on Jun 3, 2018 16:34:13 GMT -5
Legit Buffalo USB SNES pads have excellent d-pads. I use those controllers for all my 4th gen and back retro gaming PC emulation.
But yeah Anayo, I've never been a fan of arcade pad controls... not even in real arcades. My fingers are for typing, my thumbs are for gaming.
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Post by Xeogred on Jun 3, 2018 16:40:07 GMT -5
On that note, it pains me GREATLY to consider this but I think I might just start using my Buffalo SNES pad for Sega emulation too. I asked all over RB for awhile and nobody ever really seems to have an idea on good Genesis styled alternatives, unless some USB adapters exist and I can somehow still find some old controllers in good condition... I have a Hyperkin 6-button pad but the quality just isn't that great at all. Realistically the SNES controller can cover even a 6-pad just fine, but yeah it might feel a bit weird if I do this haha.
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