What was the best control pad?

[Spector]

I've played with the original white controller and also the turbo duo, and for me the turbo duo one is definitely better; it seems more substantial. It also allows you to use the added credits option on R-Type 

But in your opinion, PCE lovers, what control pad for the console, be it US or Japan, was the best? Which one do you use?

[CrackTiger]

I've played with the original white controller and also the turbo duo, and for me the turbo duo one is definitely better; it seems more substantial. It also allows you to use the added credits option on R-Type 

But in your opinion, PCE lovers, what control pad for the console, be it US or Japan, was the best? Which one do you use?

The PC Engine Turbo pads, which are the same as the North American pads.

[Seldane]

There's a difference?

[nat]

White pads - original, no Turbo (!!!) switches, buttons I and II only
Grey pads - color matched to SuperGrafx and CoreGrafx systems, had blue writing/markings, Turbo, I and II
Black pad (TG) - the same as the Grey pads with black plastic and writing coloration that matched the TurboGrafx-16, large DIN plug
Black pad (Duo) - same as above with white "TurboDuo" logo and mini DIN plug
Avenue Pad 3 - buttons I-III
Avenue Pad 6 - buttons I-VI

I think that's about it for the NEC-released pads, not counting the joysticks.

Personally, I like the Avenue Pad 6 for most all of my gaming needs. The pad is larger and has a better design, IMHO, than the smaller pads. Larger (to a point) always gets points in my book. I like how the Turbo switches are on the opposite side so I can use my left thumb to toggle them without having to take my right off the button. If I can't use my Avenue 6, then it really doesn't matter which one I use, since they all have the same physical dimensions. Although if I'm playing a shooter it better not be a white pad.

[termis]

I also like the standard 2 button Duo pad. 

The Avenue 6 isn't so high on my list.  Most of the games use two buttons, and buttons I and II are way down in the corner which seem to be in a bit less "natural" position than the regular game pad.

I've heard good things about the Hori pad, and the RX pad as well, but haven't tried either one of them.  To me, the RX pad looks to be gold seal of PCE gaming pads.

There are all kinds of interesting ones up for bids here.

[grahf]

I really like the avenue 3 pad for some reason.

[VestCunt]

Yeah, I stopped using my Avenue 6 pads when I got my Hori pads.  They feel better and it's easier to pull off special moves on SF2 with turbo switches for all of the buttons.
I've never used one, but last time this topic came up the consensus was that the RX pads are a step up in sheer awesomeness from even the Hori pads.  Of course, that's probably just because the handful of nerds who actually own RX pads are trying to impress us and justify their fifty dollar per pad expenditure.   

I recently saw a controller for the TurboGrafx LaserActive selling for $100.  Damn those things look cool.  Are they any different from regular turbo pads?

Finally, does anyone out there actually have the Acemore Freedom 16 joystick with the limited-edition Bonk head that was advertised in the back of Bantam's TG16 game encyclopedia?

[grahf]

I have both the Hori Fighting Commander 6button pad, and the RX pad (which i just bought from merriman_bk). 
The RX pad is extremly comfortable to hold. I was really impressed by it, probably one of the most comfortable pads ever. That said, I think the Hori pad has a slightly better dpad.

[SignOfZeta]

White pads - original, no Turbo (!!!) switches, buttons I and II only
Grey pads - color matched to SuperGrafx and CoreGrafx systems, had blue writing/markings, Turbo, I and II
Black pad (TG) - the same as the Grey pads with black plastic and writing coloration that matched the TurboGrafx-16, large DIN plug
Black pad (Duo) - same as above with white "TurboDuo" logo and mini DIN plug
Avenue Pad 3 - buttons I-III
Avenue Pad 6 - buttons I-VI

The US pads are actually slightly larger than the JP ones. I can't remember if its just the TurboPad, or if the DuoPad is like that too. Its a very slight difference, but its there.

As for favorite pad, I really don't know. I have some Core II pads, a DuoPad, a TurboPad...but they are all pretty much the same. I have an Avenue 6, but I don't like it much.

[nat]

The US pads are actually slightly larger than the JP ones. I can't remember if its just the TurboPad, or if the DuoPad is like that too. Its a very slight difference, but its there.

As for favorite pad, I really don't know. I have some Core II pads, a DuoPad, a TurboPad...but they are all pretty much the same. I have an Avenue 6, but I don't like it much.

Hey, you're right. Never noticed that before.

Both US (regular and Duo) pads are larger than the Japanese counterparts. I think the US TG16 and Duo pads are actually the exact same pad (casing and hardware) with a different overlay and cable.

[WoodyXP]

I like the RX followed by the Hori. The RX is comfortable to hold and the Hori has the 'slow mo' button that bails me
out of jams when I'm about the die...hahahah..

[NecroPhile]

White pads - original, no Turbo (!!!) switches, buttons I and II only
Grey pads - color matched to SuperGrafx and CoreGrafx systems, had blue writing/markings, Turbo, I and II
Black pad (TG) - the same as the Grey pads with black plastic and writing coloration that matched the TurboGrafx-16, large DIN plug
Black pad (Duo) - same as above with white "TurboDuo" logo and mini DIN plug
Avenue Pad 3 - buttons I-III
Avenue Pad 6 - buttons I-VI

I think that's about it for the NEC-released pads, not counting the joysticks.

Don't forget the goofy shuttle controller.  Has anybody used this thing and found it to be any more (or less) comfortable?

I recently saw a controller for the TurboGrafx LaserActive selling for $100.  Damn those things look cool.  Are they any different from regular turbo pads?

I don't believe that they are any different, other than the labeling.  NEC released there own version of the CLD-A100 called the PDE-LD1, which was the same except for labeling and NEC branded controller.

Personally, I use IR controllers or DuoPads.

[merriman_bk]

For 6 button: duo-rx pad, for 2 button I actually like the battle pad most of the controllers I've tried.  It's ugly as hell but it's a bit wider and allows a more comfortable grip.

[Seldane]

What did the Duo-R originally come with? I have a grey/greenish Coregrafx-styled pad which I assume isn't the "original" one.

[JoshTurboTrollX]

Avenue Pad 6 is my fav!

[Spector]

Does anybody find the original white controller's joypad has a "lighter" feel to it than the Turbo Duo one, for example? Maybe it's just the pads I've got, I don't know, but it seems a little different to me.

[Keranu]

Though there are still plenty of controllers in the Turbo/PCE universe that I have yet to use, I prefer the good old Turbo Duo pad, which pretty much means any standard PCE pad since they are all so similar. I'd love to try the PCE Shuttle and Avenue 3 pad someday, or better yet, THE PACHINKO PAD! I've came so close to purchasing that silly Pachinko controller so many times since they aren't very expensive and look so funny.

[Digi.k]

I love my original controllers.  I remember taking apart the sega master system rubber bits inside and putting them into the pc engine's years ago!

They get pretty stained when friends get their hands on them though..

i14.photobucket.com/albums/a348/kwoksta/IMG_0549.jpg

[theoakwoody]

I remember taking apart the sega master system rubber bits inside and putting them into the pc engine's years ago!

Does this really improve the overall responsiveness of the controller or do you just enjoy maiming sega peripherals.

[Digi.k]

Does this really improve the overall responsiveness of the controller or do you just enjoy maiming sega peripherals.

It only improves responsiveness when the original rubber parts inside the pc engine's joypad have been worn out due to excessive button mashing caused by "others"!!

Back then getting hold of master system joypads was cheap and easy instead of having to shell out about £20 ($40 usd) for a new pce joypad.

[esteban]

I did not see this topic until today. I wonder how many other threads I've been missing?

Anyway, I honestly don't find any differences amongst the standard PCE pads. I've never used the 6-button controllers, nor have I had the RX pad, though.

Anyway, I had been having fun with a generic 3-button PCE pad and the official AVE 3 pad about a year ago, before I moved. It was simply for their novelty, though (I was playing games that used the SELECT button... but I used the THRID BUTTON wooohooo!). Hey, I'm easily amused.

Otherwise, I guess I spend the most time using CoreGrafx PCE pads. I suppose they're my favorites, by default.

EDIT: Ok, folks, tell me about the pad in this picture:

Source page

I've only ever seen this pad here, where it is referred to as a "Battle Pad".

It doesn't look particularly comfortable, but I'm curious about it. My thrid-party 3-button pad is pictured on the page, look for "PC BLASTER".

[Digi.k]

EDIT: Ok, folks, tell me about the pad in this picture:

Source page

I've only ever seen this pad here, where it is referred to as a "Battle Pad".

It doesn't look particularly comfortable, but I'm curious about it. My thrid-party 3-button pad is pictured on the page, look for "PC BLASTER".

That pad is nasty imo as I've owned it in the past!  I find the directional way to stiff and unresponsive for my liking.. and also the directional control I felt was too far apart from the buttons making it feel a bit awkward to hold.. maybe someone with bigger hands might appreciate it but not me!

[Keranu]

I think I've seen that pad before, but that's really interesting. Another weird PCE pad I've always admired is this one (thanks for relinking that page, Steve:



After looking at that page Steve linked, I saw a PCE pad that I have NEVER seen before and my god is it weird:

[nat]

That one is not half as weird as the one right below it. I'm too lazy to link to it.

[Keranu]

That one is not half as weird as the one right below it. I'm too lazy to link to it.

The Pachinko controller? 

[Seldane]

What did the Duo-R originally come with? I have a grey/greenish Coregrafx-styled pad which I assume isn't the "original" one.

[termis]

What did the Duo-R originally come with ? I have a grey/greenish Coregrafx-styled pad which I assume isn't the "original" one.

According to that Steve's link above, pad model# PCE-TP2


_{https://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o90/thumpin_termis/pad_r.jpg}

[Joe Redifer]

They also have this available for the Mega Drive to be used with everybody's favorite game on the system, After Burner II.  Never used it, and I think I would be afraid to.

[Keranu]

Well I'll be damned!

[nat]

I just bought a battle pad today.

I haven't had a chance to try it out, though.

[Seldane]

Doesn't the MD pad look different? Either way, that's the world's first controller with an analog stick. Nintendo was definitely not first with that one - Sega was.

[CrackTiger]

Doesn't the MD pad look different? Either way, that's the world's first controller with an analog stick. Nintendo was definitely not first with that one - Sega was.

Yeah, but did the stick actually have 'analog' control or is it just like using modern analog sticks with plain 2D games. And if it really was, did Afterburner II actually support the anolog feature?

[Joe Redifer]

After Burner 2 on the MD advertised that thing in the back of its manual.

[Seldane]

It was an analog control, and not a digital one like all the joysticks at that time.

[JoshTurboTrollX]

for those interested:
The Game Controller Family Tree!


One of my favorite gamepads...seriously!

[Keranu]

That's a really cool page, turbo_sage.

[grahf]

Guess you were wrong seldane, sega didnt come up with the idea either. We can all thank our lucky stars for the 5200 controller

[Seldane]

That's news to me. Interesting. Maybe even that one wasn't the first... Either way, at least Sega's pad took use of it somewhat (in like, one game).

Edit: Wrong again!

The joystick, on the other hand is different. The Vectrex was the first home console to feature analog joysticks. Most arcade games and consoles had 8-directional (or fewer) controls. The design decision to go with analog was most likely because of the nature of the console. With vector graphics, 3D games are more common and lines/objects aren't as locked into the cardinal "8 directions" like traditional raster hardware. It wasn't until about a dozen years later that 3D games and analog control really took off in home consoles.

[Keranu]

Once again, I bow to the Vectrex for being the king.

[grahf]

I swear im gonna buy a vectrex one of these days.

[SignOfZeta]

I had an analog stick for my Apple II. Analog sticks are about as old as digital ones.

The Vectrix is the living end though. Seriously. Its is just fantastic, IMO, and this is coming from someone who has pretty much zero nostagia for pre-NES consoles. I grew up on Odyssey IIs, and 2600s, and such and I never ever want to go back to that junk. The Vectrex though...just so unique...

[esteban]

for those interested:
The Game Controller Family Tree!


One of my favorite gamepads...seriously!

Like Keranu said, this is an awesome page! Thanks for sharing.

[Keranu]

Glad to see others expressing their Vectrex love.

[Joe Redifer]

Look what happened to my NEC Avenue 6 pad and my extension cable:

[CrackTiger]

Look what happened to my NEC Avenue 6 pad and my extension cable:

That happened to one of my Turbo Pads back in the day. Someone tripped over it and yanked the cable out of my Turbo CD combo. Those spikey metal bits were left sticking out of the system. 

[SignOfZeta]

OK, something I found regarding analog sticks; evidently they were used first, before digital sticks were. I guess this shouldn't really be surprising since early games were all discrete logic and had no real memory, or CPUs, or digital encoding or anything, so making use of a digital stick would be harder than making use of an analog one.

http://gamasutra.com/features/20070323/edwards_01.shtml

Gamasutra: What was the very first video game you created? Was it the "pumping" game?

Ralph Baer: No, the very first thing was first to put one spot up. Once we had one spot up and we knew how to move that around, we said, "Oh, let's put two up and chase each other, and wipe one out when you catch up with him." The "chase game" was the first.

The unit is down in the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria. It's already been played by probably ten thousand school kids in the last year. And it's just a lot of fun. And it's played with joysticks. We had joysticks wired up to stuff. I made very, very inexpensive analog joysticks. You chase around, and if you're clever enough, [you] keep dodging the guy who's chasing you, and it's exciting! It's two frigging spots on screen and it makes one exciting game.

[nat]

I used my Battle Pad for the first time the other day.

IMHO, this is by far the worst controller ever made for the PCE/Turbo platform. At least, the worst one I have ever used.

The only thing going for it is it's shape, which actually makes it pretty comfortable to hold. So what's wrong with it, then? For starters, the turbo switches are mounted along the top edge of the controller. They are in the center, out of reach of BOTH hands without completely letting go of one side. This makes toggling them in mid-action impossible. But the real killer here is the D-pad. The D-pad is a crosshair shape, unlike the circular design 90% of all other Turbo controllers use. And it's STIFF. These two factors make diagonal moves in shooters impossible.

So what good is it? About the only time this controller would ever be of use is in a slow platformer where diagonal movement doesn't exist and toggling turbo speeds isn't vital. It's too bad, too, since the ergonomic design is kind of cool and very comfortable to hold.

[esteban]

Look what happened to my NEC Avenue 6 pad and my extension cable:

Holy crap, I hope that never happens to me. I'd remember if it already had, wouldn't I? Seriously...

[esteban]

BATTLE PAD: Verdict

That pad is nasty imo as I've owned it in the past!  I find the directional way to stiff and unresponsive for my liking.. and also the directional control I felt was too far apart from the buttons making it feel a bit awkward to hold.. maybe someone with bigger hands might appreciate it but not me!

I used my Battle Pad for the first time the other day.

IMHO, this is by far the worst controller ever made for the PCE/Turbo platform. At least, the worst one I have ever used.

The only thing going for it is it's shape, which actually makes it pretty comfortable to hold. So what's wrong with it, then? For starters, the turbo switches are mounted along the top edge of the controller. They are in the center, out of reach of BOTH hands without completely letting go of one side. This makes toggling them in mid-action impossible. But the real killer here is the D-pad. The D-pad is a crosshair shape, unlike the circular design 90% of all other Turbo controllers use. And it's STIFF. These two factors make diagonal moves in shooters impossible.

So what good is it? About the only time this controller would ever be of use is in a slow platformer where diagonal movement doesn't exist and toggling turbo speeds isn't vital. It's too bad, too, since the ergonomic design is kind of cool and very comfortable to hold.

Well, I must say, you both seem to corroborate each other. The fact that this pad is so different from the usual PCE pad makes it kinda interesting. I wouldn't mind trying it out for the novelty of it.

[nat]

Yeah, it's really not that bad in a game like, say, Keith Courage where diagonal movement and turbo-switching isn't integral to gameplay.

I really do like the shape and feel of the pad. It's too bad the actual control sucks for most games.