Any good third-party controllers for Master System?

[BetaWolf47]

Looking to get a Master System soon. Everyone keeps saying that the dpad on the system isn't so great. What are some good two-button alternatives? (Yes, I know Genesis controllers are backwards compatible :P )

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I've never seen a single one in the wild here in the US.

They may have been more common in regions where the SMS was more popular.

I've never had any issues with stock SMS pads, but if you don't like the feel I would recommend just using a Genesis 3-button controller for any game that will allow it.

[JakeM]

They probably dont like how its a square, and not a cross.

[treismac]

They probably dont like how its a square, and not a cross.

Yup. My Master System control pad that I just bought works fine, but I'm so accustomed to the standard cross d-pad that it feels like I have to be extra precise to move how I want to with it.

[XYXZYZ]

My SMS pad can't decide what direction I'm pressing, when I press up it registers left unless I'm precisely in the center of up. I just use a Genesis joystick.

[Parodius Duh!]

This is the best controller for the system, and very hard to come by:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190850822480

[Steve W]

Didn't EPYX put out a version of the XJ500 joystick (also known in England as the Konix Speedking in the joystick's native country) that was SMS compatible? It's one of the all-time best joysticks for Atari-compatible consoles and the NES.

[Ed Oscuro]

I suspect the Micomsoft XE-1 ST2 beats the pants off that ugly autofire pad. You have to like joysticks, though.

There should be a wide range of controllers available for the SMS due to the mostly common pinout with other systems.

Didn't EPYX put out a version of the XJ500 joystick [...] It's one of the all-time best joysticks for Atari-compatible consoles and the NES.
Looking at the design I cannot believe this could be remotely true.

[Kitsune Sniper]

http://i49.tinypic.com/2w73ite.jpg

The fuck is this shit

Who thought this design was a good idea?

[DK1105]

I have one of those epxy sticks but have never used it. Came with my 7800 that needs a new AC.

My Master System controllers work fine and I like them but I really can see why people don't like them. I kinda like the really springy 1 and 2 buttons. I think that if you don't want to use the stock controller your going to be using a Genesis controller. There might be some cheap replacement controllers floating around brazil though.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Ah. Once again here I am to help yet another retro gamer out with precisely a problem I've found solutions for.

As Jim Sterling would say, thank god for me.



With the Sega Master System there are two choices I highly recommend.

First, the Competiton Pro Professional Control Pad for master system.

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/HONEY-BEE-COMPETITION-PRO-PAD-SEGA-MASTER-SYSTEM-JOYPAD-CONTROLLER-NEW-NUEVO-/00/s/NDgwWDY0MA==/$%28KGrHqNHJDkFBjY4PYeJBQczgQW3gw~~60_35.JPG

NES style dpad, great build quality, and has individual turbo fire switches for the 1 and 2 buttons.

Watch my video review of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbZLH7vuQYU

Alternative suggestion:

http://www.wwgaming.com/games-images/nes-dogbone-controller.jpg
NES dogbone (or any other NES controller) modded to work with the Master System or Genesis.

I took the ic out of a genesis controller and wired it to work with an NES dogbone controller I had lying around to create something unique that works perfectly on the Master System or Genesis. I can sell these if you want to buy one.

Here's a video of it in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFxgqwrFGXI


This of course will also work for a boatload of other consoles like the Atari 2600 or Commodore 64.

[Parodius Duh!]

Ah. Once again here I am to help yet another retro gamer out with precisely a problem I've found solutions for.

As Jim Sterling would say, thank god for me.



With the Sega Master System there are two choices I highly recommend.

First, the Competiton Pro Professional Control Pad for master system.

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/HONEY-BEE-COMPETITION-PRO-PAD-SEGA-MASTER-SYSTEM-JOYPAD-CONTROLLER-NEW-NUEVO-/00/s/NDgwWDY0MA==/$%28KGrHqNHJDkFBjY4PYeJBQczgQW3gw~~60_35.JPG

NES style dpad, great build quality, and has individual turbo fire switches for the 1 and 2 buttons.

Watch my video review of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbZLH7vuQYU


Exactly what I suggested. This is the best controller worth having but the price tag is a deterrent. If you can find one for $20 or under definitely snag it.

Id recommend not modding and using a NES dogbone, but thats more of a personal preference. Time consuming, I hate the feel and shape of those controllers. Also, Nintendo and Sega should not be mixed. It feels like if Id cheated on my wife.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Id recommend not modding and using a NES dogbone, but thats more of a personal preference. Time consuming, I hate the feel and shape of those controllers. Also, Nintendo and Sega should not be mixed. It feels like if Id cheated on my wife.

Ah opinions. I completely disagree you on all points. The process was time consuming to figure out, bu that's because nobody's ever done it before. Where you hate the feel/shape of the NES dogbone, I absolutely love it. In fact, NES dogbone controller is hands down my favorite controller period, closely followed by the NeoGeo CDZ controller.

"Nintendo and Sega should not be mixed" to me sounds like a racist southern ideal about blacks and whites dating, or romeo and juliet. the taboo you speak of is one of the very reasons I did this project to begin with. I like the Competition Pro pad, but it doesn't hold a candle to the NES dogbone. Since I had one lying around that was actually fried, I wanted to put it to use and I accomplished that.

I suppose there's still a bit of fanboyism involved in those who love Sega and hate the idea of a Nintendo controller hacked to work with it, but I love retro gaming in general, and wanted to use my favorite controller with some of my favorite systems. It's a match made in heaven.

[JakeM]

And another thing, I know SEGA was the opposition to Nintendo, but switching A and B is just bs. Total bs, but at least with Emulation you can configure it to it being like NES controls.

[davidbrit2]

You're really best off using Genesis controllers (official or third party). There are a handful of games that don't work properly with them, but it's extremely easy to mod the controller ports to fix this. You just have to bridge two of the pins together internally with a soldering iron.

[bigbacon]

get Genesis controller...

cheap and way better.

[fahlim003]

Agree with all comments on Genesis pads. The official Sega 6-button Genesis pad works like a charm and has without a doubt one the best directional buttons ever made. They are reasonably priced and easily found.

[Greg2600]

There's the SG Commander by Hori, but good luck finding one of those.

http://segaretro.org/images/e/eb/Sgcommander.jpg

[BlastProcessing402]

6746

Okay, it's not third party, but if you don't like the stock controller's D-Pad and don't want Genesis controllers, it's another way to go.

Of course, if your game only needs one button (rare, but there are some SMS games you can play with one button easily enough), you can find thousands of controllers for Atari 2600/C64/etc that will work as well.

[Parodius Duh!]

For the record, those saying "Use a Genesis pad" NOT every game is compatible and will function with a Genesis controller!

[BetaWolf47]

I know that Genesis controllers are good. If I were to use a Genesis controller on the system, I'd use a 3-button pad with the 6-button/Saturn style dpad. I'm looking for the authentic experience though. If I used a Genesis controller, it'd feel like playing Super Mario 64 with a GameCube controller or something.

That Hori pad looks awesome. I'll have to track one down once I get an SMS. The Competition Pro controller looks great too.

Matrix, I watched your video and you mentioned four different controller revisions of the official controller. The first one was the side-wired one with the screw-on thumbstick. The fourth one was the top-wired one without the screw hole. What were the second and third like?

[bigbacon]

6746

Okay, it's not third party, but if you don't like the stock controller's D-Pad and don't want Genesis controllers, it's another way to go.

Of course, if your game only needs one button (rare, but there are some SMS games you can play with one button easily enough), you can find thousands of controllers for Atari 2600/C64/etc that will work as well.

the joystick is awkward to use I think. The reverse of the buttons and controls is weird to overcome. The square top is also just odd.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

also keep in mind that controller is inverted - it puts the action buttons on the left and the stick on the right. I seriously wonder what sega was thinking when they did that.