Unique Controls in Games

[CRTGAMER]

Unique Controls in Games
There are Trakballs, Twinsticks and Spinners.

I thought an interesting thread to share stories of unusual controllers for Arcade Games and Consoles. Something you came across that is not the normal stick or pad.

Here is an oldie
I don't know how this slipped by me all these years. I recently got a Spinner up and running. Playing around the Mame TAB Menu and fine tuned the analog sensitivity. I started thinking about other type of Unique Controls games. All the older games didn't use Game Pads or Joysticks but just buttons. Fire buttons for movement.

I have played Asteroids all this time with either the keyboard or one of my modded controllers using the sticks. The Arcade Stick has all the buttons, so why not play just like the original Arcade with just the buttons? I touched on this a while back at the Defender Cocktail Post concerning the Reverse Button. Anyways go to that in game TAB Menu and disable the default direction keys. Set the directions to you favorite Arcade Buttons instead.



Now to reminisce all those old Cinematronics Space shooters!
A shame no Spinner option for a different type of game play.

My dream is to obtain a Space Wars cab and a huge room to put it in.
Maybe get those Atari Arcade light up Player Start buttons at least.

Can you think of any unique type of controls used in Arcade or Console games?
Maybe include a way you can recreate or modify that Arcade experience.

[CRTGAMER]

Thought I would follow up with an exclusive control feature for a console. In the Arcade game GORF the bottom space ship shooter can be moved across the screen like GALAXIAN. Also moves up like CENTIPEDE but doesn't zip across like the Trakball controlled game.

The Atari 5200 has non-centering potentiometer joysticks which are hated by most gamers. GALAXIAN and SPACE INVADERS move faster if the stick is pushed further. But in GORF a real surprise! Move the stick and the space shooter follows instantly. All the way to the right and the ship is at the corner right away! Position of the potentiometer stick determines where the spaceship is on the screen. A real pain and almost impossible to control, frustrating many. But with practice and maybe a good Wico pot stick, actually in itself a unique exclusive gameplay. Great to shoot the laser ships and jump out of the way instantly!

I hope the upcoming 5200 TEMPEST has this instant movement feature.

GORF has the capability of continual short volleys to act as a shield or that long shot to hit the enemy at the top of the screen. Use this feature with the stick to exact on the screen placement.

Midway Galaxian Speedup hack has nothing on this one.

Every console has its unique qualities, this is one for the 5200.
Anyone else think of any Unique Controls in games?