Joysticks/Joypads - what are you using

[lambrettadave]

As it says I am using an Arcade power stick of an Megadrive/Genesis which I am finding very good on the arcade type games its a good alround stick and its solid as well.

so what do you use?

is the T shaped stick for the Master system anygood.

Worst stick I ever used was a Maverick it destoyed in one day.

[playgeneration]

I also use the Mega Drive Arcade Power Stick when I'm not using a normal Master System pad, its so much better for games where you need accurate directional control.

The official Sega Master System Control Stick isn't great, its not sturdy like the MD stick as its quite small and made just from light plastic. Also the top of the stick comes loose and turns around when playing, at least in the ones I've used. Also there's the fact the buttons are the wrong way around from the usual lay out, which isn't ideal.

[lambrettadave]

I think if the Buttons are the wrong way around it would be very frustrating pressing the wrong button.

Think i will stick with me good old Arcade Power stick

[Deleted]

I prefer to use the original controllers. For SNES, PS2, Mega Drive and Master System. I like it if non-originals have the same shape. Like the Ascii Pad for SNES or the Competition Pro Pad for the SMS, which I recommend for playing. Especially my Ascii Pad (I use it for MANY years now) works since day one.

For Mega Drive, I use the originals. But I think they are a little unhandly and big (only my opinion) so I watch out for good six button controllers.

[lambrettadave]

never had a Snes so no coment,

Best 6 button pad for megadribe I bought was SG Commander that was way better than the compition pro II

I may invest in a 6 button tabletop stick and see what they are like

anyone used a Yoke?

[brian]

For all my SMS, Genny & Atari play I use a Sega 6 Button pad, not just any six button pad, Sega's own model. That's the best controller I've ever used.
However some Genny games make use of the Start button as an action button, so then I use a 3 button pad so that the Start button is more in line with the others.
And for the few SMS games that don't work with Genny controllers I use the Control Stick.
Luckily mine must be well looked after because I've had it since 1990, and my uncle had it before that and the controller knob doesn't spin around without some force on it, unlike many I've seen that spin like a roulette wheel.
When I first got my SMS from my uncle he had a Control Stick with it which was a VERY good thing. Previously I had been playing Atari & C64 so I was very used to joysticks and the button layout, because old Atari and Quickshot joysticks had the button(s) to the left of the stick as well. Of course at first I tried the SMS pad but I couldn't use it all, I pressed up my guy when left or right, I press right he starts to go down, etc, etc. To this DAY I can't use a stock SMS pad well or at ALL really, and if my only way to play had been with the stock SMS pad I probably would have gotten bored with the SMS very quickly.
In recent years I've tried to get good with the SMS pad, my buddies had no problem with it growing up, they thought I was weird for using the Control Stick. In fact even when I first got my Genesis I used to use it for Sonic cause I STILL didn't like the idea of a D-Pad and luckily Sonic only needed one button, but then I got my next game DecapAttack and I HAD to learn to use the D-pad, but I still didn't like it as much as a Joytick. Roll ahead 1 year and I get MK and SFII. Pulling off special moves, fatalities with a stock 3 button pad was awful, plus I wanted six button for SFII, so I get a Sega 6 Button Pad... and as I stated in the first sentence, BEST CONTROLLER EVER.

EDIT: I've always wanted a Genesis Arcade Stick, but nevcer seen them in stores and nowadays the shipping on something so huge and heavy makes it hard for me to buckle down and spend more on shipping than on the product, but someday...

[lambrettadave]

surface shipping shouldnt be too much i wouldnt have thought.

I have thought of using different joysticks for some games like a quickshot 2 as i have one for the spectrum, i would love to try a proper genesis/megadrive version but ebay usally wants too much money for them

[Centrale]

Recently I've been alternating between the original control pad (side exit cable) and the Beeshu Ultimate Superstick. Sadly, the control pad is a bit imprecise at times. But I'm mostly used to its quirks. The Superstick is generally quite good, although its microswitches are constantly clicking, so that may be offputting to some people. But it's nice having dial-able rapid fire knobs.

[frankfjs]

I really want to grab one of the Ascii joysticks from Japan, but just can't justify spending that much on a controller.

So I use one of the competition pro control pads (was a generous gift for completing Digger Chan) and other than that, the official 6-button Mega Drive controller serves me well.

[Transatlantic Foe]

I've never had good experiences with third party gear, so it's official pads all the way for me. The SMS pad is too uncomfortable for adult hands to play for any length of time, so I just stick a standard MD one in there.

Though I intend to get cracking with arcade sticks for the Saturn and Dreamcast later on this year.

[ian]

When playing on the SMS I use the official controller. It's not the most comfortable in the world but for some reason I just feel I have to. I wouldn't mind trying out one of those Honeybee Rapid Fire controllers though, if anybody's got any spare give me a shout.

When I play the SMS via emulation I use my trusty Microsoft Sidewinder Gamepad (Plug & Play). Once I got used to the slightly angled D-Pad, it turned out to be one of the most comfortable controllers I've ever used.

I remember when I was younger and my original controllers broke, I ended up getting a Quickshot joystick. I have no idea how I use to play on that thing! I can't stand playing on joysticks. Love arcade sticks though!

[lambrettadave]

I bought 3 different quick shot pads one 3 button another 6 button and a one for the Amiga CD32 and there all the same to me, the 3 button one feels very stiff and the slow-mo switch on the back digs into the side of me finger.

Emulation wise nothing on the PC just its keyboard But sometimes use an SMS pad on me Amiga.

[Aypok]

I use a custom-made (by myself) controller which uses the circuitry from a Mega Drive Arcade Power Stick, a Sanwa JLF joystick (with a LB-49 ball) and some Seimitsu PS-14-K-N buttons (since they're transparent, I put the LEDs inside them - they glow when auto-fire is enabled). It's all mounted in a smallish MDF box; the button layout is roughly copied from the Taito Egret II/3 cabs. And, since it uses the Mega Drive controller's PCB, I use it for most systems with a DE-9 connector: Master System, Mega Drive, Amiga, etc.

Before that, I used a stock Mega Drive Arcade Power Stick, which is a really nice controller - I just prefer the proper arcade controls.

[lambrettadave]

that homemade joystick sounds like you made a really cool and with a real Arcade feel to it,

well done

[maraakate]

Jun 21, 2012 11:51:54 GMT brian said:

For all my SMS, Genny & Atari play I use a Sega 6 Button pad, not just any six button pad, Sega's own model. That's the best controller I've ever used.

Amen, next to the competition pro. Man, I love 6-button so much that I've converted them for use on my Vectrex.