Affordable joystick or gamepad for PC: suggestions?

[dunpeal2064]

The Logitech Precision uses a full circle d-pad, similar to the Saturn model 2 or stock 360 controller, right?

I find "cross" pads more accurate

[Nyukki]

USB converter plus your favourite console controller is good, but expect a tiny bit of lag. You could USB mod them yourself or there are third party USB versions of all kinds of retro console controllers.

I use a wired 360 pad (second hand about $15) and a cheapish USB arcade stick ($30). Also have one of those Retrolink USB N64 controllers ($10ish), since a 360 pad won't do for those games. Other than the buttons feeling a bit cheap compared to an official works very well.

I find "cross" pads more accurate

My best run in Ikaruga was using an NES controller and NullDC.

360 SF4 pad

Snazzy.

[marurun]

I find "cross" pads more accurate

I think they are more accurate for the 4 cardinal directions, but I hate them for diagonals and circular motions. So a cross pad might improve me getting that one move right, but it would screw me over for most of the others. Too bad I'm not a Mortal Kombat fan, because the cross pads are great for those games.

[Cronozilla]

If you already have access to a DualShock 3 you can get something setup very quickly. If you also have a BlueTooth dongle you can make it wireless.

A combination of MotionJoy and BetterDS3 will be everything you need for that setup to work. It also allows you to define any button layout or input emulation you'd like.

[Ivo]

The Logitech Precision uses a full circle d-pad, similar to the Saturn model 2 or stock 360 controller, right?

I find "cross" pads more accurate

Me too, but they also are less comfortable I find.

So whenever I am not playing a precision game I prefer something rounded, and I haven't found any d-pad more comfortable than the old Sidewinder pads from Microsoft. On the other hand, that d-pad is quite bad for precision.

The Saturn d-pad is really good (and IMO one of the overall best ones, if not the best).

Then there are the Nintendo crosses (which I think are actually still copyrighted so no-one can make them quite like that). Those are still the most precise for me - even if they give me callosities.

I don't like arcade sticks, possibly because I never played much in the arcade and the joysticks I'm used to are the home computer type from the Amiga times - where I think everyone used their dominant hand on the stick (in my case, the right hand). I think I never got entirely used to using my left hand for directions (although in gamepads it feels rather natural).

[dunpeal2064]

Agreed, they are definitely less comfortable. The Saturn m2 pad is a perfect pad when I'm not looking for precision, but with my obsession with bullet hell shooters, I usually pick precision over comfort.

That GS-brand 360 controller uses a cross pretty similar to the Nintendo Cross, so I like it a lot. I actually get less pain out of it than, say, an SNES controller, but with the same amount of accuracy.

I personally think Cross pads do diagonals just fine. I can do whatever acrobatics are necessary to full-chain stages in Dodonpachi on the cross pad, and I haven't had much trouble using it for fighters either (I don't play many, mostly just GG2AC, but I think some of the moves in this game are at least at the level of challenge of other fighters. Dizzy has some pretty difficult moves to pull off, but the Cross pad has sufficed)

Of course, there is no perfect controller, at least not that I have found, and everyone plays differently. From my experience, though, that 360 controller gets glossed over for more expensive options that I find to be less accurate, so I like to rep it when I can. A lot of my shmup clears and high scores have been set with this pad, and even after 2 years and a few tosses at the wall, it is holding up strong.

[fastbilly1]

My main three PC controllers are:
1. Hori Wii Arcade stick with Mayflash 2 Wii CC to USB adapter
2. Saturn Model 2 Pad with Mayflash 3 in 1 PC Joybox USB adapter
3. NES Model 1 Controller with RetroUSB's adapter

1. The Wii stick is not as precise as I would like for games like Spelunky, but works well for most games with no issue (I have still reached Olmec with it in Spelunky though). Total cost for me was $50, but I would HIGHLY recommend buying the Tekken Wiiu stick ($80 on Madcatz site) or Tatsunoko Vs Capcom stick ($50 on Amazon) over the Hori Wii stick. The Tekken one uses all Sanwa parts and is currently half off, the TVC one uses bootleg Sanwa parts but they are the same size so you can easily swap them over. The adapter runs about $15 from Amazon.

2. The Mayflash 3 in 1 is getting harder and harder to find, but this is my favorite way to play most games. You get a bevy of buttons and a good dpad. Once I got a 3 in 1 I stopped using my Super Smart Joy (Snes to USB) and really only use this. Sure playing SNES games with a Saturn controller is heresy, but when you can map save state and speed up to Z and C, well it makes RPGs so much more bearable.

3. What can I say, this is simplistic perfection for one or two button games.

I have a dozen other adapters for different controllers, but 99% of games I need a controller for is played with the options above.

[GSZX1337]

For most 2D games, shmups especially, I use the PDP Versus Fighting Pad that noise talked about. I was able to clear Super Meat Boy with that pad.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

Hori Fighting Stick V3 - very large, sufficiently heavy, really well made. PS3 and 360 versions available, both work on PC.

Stick and buttons are pretty good, easily modified with top-quality Sanwa and Seimitsu parts if you're so inclined. The default stick is a long-throw stick designed for fighting games but installing a short-throw stick for shmups should be trivial.



This is a really great stick to start out with because of its compatibility, features, low price, and decent parts. The size and weight make it far superior to other, smaller starter sticks.