Do you use a left or right oriented controller?

[Yukio]

It is weird. Some classic consoles use a left oriented controller, other could use a right oriented controller ... And there is the possibility to find one that is oriented to use with any of the two hands!

For example the Atari 2600 VCS seems to use the only button on the left hand and the joystick in the right hand.

Another example is in the game Toy Story for the SEGA Mega Drive, if you take a look at the arcade machines on the demonstration of the game the joystick is oriented to be used with the right hand.

For those that like joysticks, there is the ergonomic Joystick made for use on the Mitsubishi MSX home computers. There is a clone made by Gradiente that use the same design. Since there were a lot of manufactures developing stuff for the MSX home microcomputers there was a shameless production of software titles and hardware for compatible machines. By the way the joystick works into Atari compatible machines ... The otherwise is not recommended without a proper adapter since there is the risk that some controllers (like the SEGA Mega Drive) use extra electric connection on some buttons. Sure there was the infamous "malware" that could burn a MSX chip inverting the input/output of the Joystick ports even when using a official brand of controllers! Ok, this could be just a 'urban legend' told to the user community and everything could be fine again ...

There was some great arcade controllers for MSX and Atari compatible machines!!!

[SpaceHarrier]

I played my Lynx in left-handed mode once LOL I didn't do so well.

[rbudrick]

I never understood controller handedness. What I mean is....well, let's use scissors as an example. They have handedness for a reason, for functionality. Controllers don't, as far as I know. I have never once heard a left-handed person complain that the controller for any system felt backwards and awkward.

Back in the day, Nintendo put the pad on the left and the action buttons on the right, and I bet Miyamoto didn't have a single problem with it. They set the standard for pads, I'd say, but if they did it the other way, would we all be used to that and think nothing of it?

On the other hand, maybe Miyamoto DID have his say and that's why the directional buttons are on the left, which take more dexterity to use than the action buttons (at least back then with two buttons).

Hmmm, conspiracy theory.

But seriously, does handedness really matter to left-handed gamers? Or have we brainwashed them into getting used to the way controllers are until it was an issue no longer?

-Rob

[Pantechnicon]

But seriously, does handedness really matter to left-handed gamers? Or have we brainwashed them into getting used to the way controllers are until it was an issue no longer?

Speaking as a left-hander who's been playing since the 2600 days, I can't say I've ever had a problem using whatever controller was put into my hands. I don't know if I'd chalk it up to brainwashing so much as adaptation.

The only time I've ever had an issue with is when I've had to switch orientations on games with which I'm familiar. For example, I bought a pair of 2600/7800 European game pads because I thought they'd be more compact if I ever took a 2600 on a trip with me (yes, I do this sometimes). Turns out they're pretty much unusable to me because the control/button positions are switched from what they were on the 2600 joystick, and I wind up in a conflict between where my hands are on the pads versus several years of conditioned reflexes functioning the other way. On the other hand, if I pick up a controller pad with the directional on the left and the buttons on the right (NES/SNES/Gen, etc) to play a game I've never played before, I can learn to play it without any issues.

One of my down-the-road hardware projects is to rewire an NES controller upside down and using the 2600 pinouts so I can in fact utilize a left-handed gamepad. One of these days...

I might be an exception and not the rule on all this, though, as I've got some unusual ambidextrous behaviors and there some things (batting, golfing and using firearms) which I can really only do well with my right side.

[scooterb23]

Right handed player here:

I definitely prefer to play games with the "control" part in my right hand, and the buttons in my left. Blame the 2600 days I guess.

I have adapted to the left hand control method, although I find a lot of times I play games on emulation because I can use my keyboard with my "preferred" control scheme, but I have no issuses switching between the keyboard and a control pad even on the same game back to back.

[Leo_A]

I never understood controller handedness. What I mean is....well, let's use scissors as an example. They have handedness for a reason, for functionality. Controllers don't, as far as I know. I have never once heard a left-handed person complain that the controller for any system felt backwards and awkward.

Go visit AtariAge, I've seen several right handers complain about the positioning of d-pads because thirty years ago they used their right hand to control movement with joysticks, and now they have to use the fingers on their left hand on a completely different type of controller to use the d-pad. I don't see how how you used a 2600 controller relates to a gamepad since they're styled so differently, but it definitely affects some.

I don't understand since it never affected me. But it apparantly bothers a few.

[Sanriostar]

One of my high-holy grails is an arcade-quality joystick for MAME that's right-handed. Newer games I've adapted to using the left hand, but older arcade games *NEED* a right stick. Nintendo arcades are an obvious exception.

[MrSparkle]

One of my down-the-road hardware projects is to rewire an NES controller upside down and using the 2600 pinouts so I can in fact utilize a left-handed gamepad. One of these days...


wow man you read my mind i just got the idea when i saw this thread myself. should be pretty damned easy to pull off just flip the internals around fill one hole and open another. I'm personally right handed but i have so many nes controllers id might as well make at least one lefty friendly controller.

[traser]

I`m a righty

I must say I have never actualy given this subjuct a singel thot in my 25 years of gaming.
I just adapt to how the controler work on what ever system or game, most of the times I dont have eny problem. but there are games that I have a harder time geting used to then others, but I dont think that has enything whit the orientashen of the conroler to do.
I simply think that I just suck a som games, and are god on the rest of em.

[R.Sakai]

Another example is in the game Toy Story for the SEGA Mega Drive, if you take a look at the arcade machines on the demonstration of the game the joystick is oriented to be used with the right hand.

I'd picked up a pair of left handed joystick things for the Master System a couple years ago actually. As far as I remember, they were official sega controllers. The sticks on em look like shifters for a racing game. The one time I plugged em in to use em, it really didn't seem to affect me much.
Of course, the two whole games I own for the sms are Ys and Phantasy Star, so not really the games to use to see if there's a big difference hehe :)

[Haoie]

In all my experience, I've only ever used controllers where the directions are on the left, and the other buttons on the right.

This seems to be the norm.

[scooterb23]

I'd picked up a pair of left handed joystick things for the Master System a couple years ago actually. As far as I remember, they were official sega controllers. The sticks on em look like shifters for a racing game. The one time I plugged em in to use em, it really didn't seem to affect me much.
Of course, the two whole games I own for the sms are Ys and Phantasy Star, so not really the games to use to see if there's a big difference hehe :)


I have a friend who used my SMS Joystick (just as you described), and couldn't pass the first leg of Outrun. I gave him a gamepad, with the controls on the same side mind you, and he proceeded to conquer Outrun without a crash.

[kedawa]

I use my right hand to control the direction for handheld joysticks, and my left to hold the base. I'm an arcade gamer at heart and I'm used to using my left-hand on the joystick, but it just doesn't seem to matter.

I honestly don't get 'handedness' for this kind of stuff either. I also don't get why the numeric pad on pc keyboards is always on the right, even though the mouse is also generally placed on the right-hand side. You'd think it would be desirable to have the main keypad centered, instead of pushed way off to the left-hand side, but that's a topic for another day.

[Yukio]

The numeric pad and directional arrows were places in the same side that old microcomputer joysticks. It was intended to be used on the right hand ... Except for those optional add-ons that could be placed into any part of the table, much like modern terminals.

[R.Sakai]

I have a friend who used my SMS Joystick (just as you described), and couldn't pass the first leg of Outrun. I gave him a gamepad, with the controls on the same side mind you, and he proceeded to conquer Outrun without a crash.

Wow, I thought I was alone in the world with these weirdo sticks :)

Now I remember what they were good for: Playing that built-in snail game and making vroom-vroom noises, lol.

[norkusa]

I'm a lefty but play all my games right handed (except for guitar hero). I'm not ambidextrous or anything, I just can't play left handed for some reason.

[exit]

When I was a kid I was never able to use the NES controller normally for some reason, don't exactly remember what the problem was, but I could only play the NES holding the controller upside down. So I was basically playing everything inverted, with the buttons on the left and the D pad on the right, I honestly don't know how I did it.

Funny thing is when the SNES came out I was able to use the controller normally and then I no longer had to play the NES like a weirdo, it kind of changed out of no where.

By the way I'm a righty.