Why do some PS2 games require the Dual-Shock 2?

[Opa Opa]

Why do some PS2 games require the Dual-Shock 2 controller? I was playing some Katamari with a PS1 analog controller and I decided to switch up and play Star Wars: Battlefront. I booted up the game and it wouldn't allow me to play until I connected a Dual-Shock 2...

My question: WHY??? What does it matter what controller I want to use?

Silent Hill 2 requires a DS2 as well; which really sucks because I like to play my survival horror titles with my PS1 analog-less controller.

Anyone here know why a DS2 is required? And heck, does anyone know any workarounds so I can use other controllers?

[AppleQueso]

The Dualshock 2 has pressure-sensitive buttons. Any game that needs those won't work with a regular Dualshock.

Any game that requires analog sticks obviously isn't going to let you play them with a controller that doesn't have analog sticks.

[Opa Opa]

The Dualshock 2 has pressure-sensitive buttons. Any game that needs those won't work with a regular Dualshock.

Are you speaking of the face buttons? (triangle, square, X, O?)

[AppleQueso]

The Dualshock 2 has pressure-sensitive buttons. Any game that needs those won't work with a regular Dualshock.

Are you speaking of the face buttons? (triangle, square, X, O?)

Yup.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

The Dualshock 2 has pressure-sensitive buttons. Any game that needs those won't work with a regular Dualshock.

Are you speaking of the face buttons? (triangle, square, X, O?)

Yup. The DualShock 2 introduced pressure sensitive buttons all around. The d-pad, face buttons, and trigger buttons are all pressure sensitive.

[Godot102]

The weird thing about it is that some ps2 games require it even though the game doesn't really need the pressure sensitive buttons. MM anniversary collection requires it even though some of the games in it were based off the ps1 versions. The MMX collection however works fine with a ps1 controller.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

Know what's funny, the Ace Combat games actually use the pressure sensitivity for yaw, acceleration, and afterburners, but they work fine with PS1 controllers. You'll get more out of the games with a Dualshock 2 but the older ones will work.

Star Ocean 3, a game that doesn't use pressure sensitivity, requires PS2 controllers.

[AppleQueso]

Star Ocean 3, a game that doesn't use pressure sensitivity, requires PS2 controllers.

Yes it does. Remember that dungeon with the stupid flute thing that you had to press a button softly for one song and harder for another?

It's probably one of the worst uses of the pressure sensitive buttons that I can think of. I'm probably biased though because I friggin' hate that game.

[theclaw]

Sometimes for pressure sensitive buttons. In other cases an intentional lock-out.

Discouraging third party controllers is one rumor that came up when I asked about this.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

That sure didn't work.