SNES controller replacement--any suggestions?

[Ness7281992]

Didn't really know where to post this.

So I was originally gonna ask for a friend, but yesterday my poopy third party clone controller for my SNES decided to give the B button a mind of its own (not electrically, it just likes to stick now... which is never good when playing Yoshi's Island), and my other controller us extremely uncomfortable AND crummy. I got the controllers with the system from a local retro game store in Boise, ID, and for $40 bucks with SMW1, why not?
Anyway, I need suggestions for replacement controllers for the thing, but i need to make something clear first: I hate the snes D-pad. Like really, really hate the D-pad. There's schoolyard bullies, then there's anchovies, then there's Hitler, and then there's the original SNES D-pad. Now, my buddy, he'd probably be okay with it, but the Genesis was my first console, and the day i got a SNES (both were hand-me-downs in '99, btw, i was not some spoiled little punk) was a day of disappointment. Basically, my search now is what i wanted back then: a SNES controller with the crisp buttons and beautifully mastered D-pad of the best 3-button Genesis controllers (I've gotten some crummy ones of those, too, even brand-named) in the form of a SNES controller. Turbo features would be nice, I can't win that soda contest in Chrono Trigger anymore, but are not a requirement.

TLDR: I like the Genesis controllers. Can you suggest anything for good quality SNES controllers with the same style D-pad?

[Tanooki]

I'm shocked someone would find the SNES d-pad bad, let alone like Hitler evil. You're a weird one as it's known by most as the most comfortable, stable and easy to use d-pad and least likely to tear up a thumb too.

That said, most the stuff on SNES copied that style. I remember there was the Turbo Touch controller for NES, SNES and Genesis, which kind of worked sort of like the NES max controller did without the disc in the middle and I think the form factor all around was kind of like a Genesis controller frame.

Do a quick search on google for: third party snes controller, then tab over to images.

Look closely and check out: High Frequency, SG Pro Pad 6, Tecnoplus, Honeybee, and Competition Pro. About half of these look like the Genesis controller and a similar-ish d-pad on them. The last 2 are copycats differing branding. The SG Pro looks like a 6 button Genesis controller. Probably your best choices there as I've never looked to see if some screwball made a Genesis<->SNES controller adapter like some modern systems/usb jacks get.

Another expensive option, get a Retron5, then use a Genesis 6 button controller as your default and play SNES games on that.

[Gentlegamer]

Sorry, can't help someone who thinks the SNES dpad is bad.

[RP2A03]

I suppose you could just wire an SNES encoder chip (or two NES encoder chips) to whatever controller it is that you like.

Pinouts if you need them:
http://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=controls:nes_snes_controller

[Ness7281992]

Sorry, can't help someone who thinks the SNES dpad is bad.

Gentlegamer, dropping it not-so-gently. I suppose you think the n64 stick is the holy grail of controller innovation, too.
I like to control a dpad with a pivot of the thumb, not a full-blown reposition of it. Besides, it's a little more ergonomic that way. I remember having at one point a turbo controller with the image of some kind of a bird on it, with the l and r buttons on the shoulder as well as placed next to the face buttons, mimicking the genny 6-button stick, as well as having a pivot pad. The weird thing is, i had one that had a weird stylized image of a "90's cool dude" with shades and short spiky hair with a gentle lift outwards towards the direction of his face, and it was the exact same controller to a tee. For some reason, my mind thinks it has something to do with "Mad Catz", but I'm not sure why, and when i search for a mad catz snes turbo pad, all i ever find is a controller that looks like mine did, but with more pronounced edges on the dpad that actually kinda intimidate me. It also just says "Mad Catz" on it, no logo or whatever.

I am familiar with the turbo touch 360 pads. I wish i wasn't.

[Gentlegamer]

I like to control a dpad with a pivot of the thumb, not a full-blown reposition of it.

You mean rock your thumb across it? That's how you use the SNES dpad.

[Ness7281992]

You mean rock your thumb across it? That's how you use the SNES dpad.

Yeah, see, that works on the SNES pad, too, until you do diagonal on it, then you're screwed, which is a problem for only about 98% of its library. Besides, the damned things all swampy and weird, nothing smooth and natural like the Genny pads that replaced the fragile plastic center of the early controllers with a bit of metal, or the Saturn Model 2 controllers. Oh, and every brand name SNES controller I ever had growing up (6, 2 of which were still brand new when I got them in '04) one of the buttons would always fry internally or the shoulder buttons would snap. Why everyone seems to worship the SNES controller for its "solid build" is beyond me. Yeah, the shoulder buttons were pioneering but the only controller I've used with shoulder buttons i could rely on to fail quicker and more reliably was the original GBA (remember back in 2010 when ebay had those things for $7 a pop? I sure do).

[Gentlegamer]

Yeah, see, that works on the SNES pad, too, until you do diagonal on it, then you're screwed, which is a problem for only about 98% of its library.

That's not true at all. SNES has the most accurate dpad I've ever used. Just roll your thumb to the diagonal. You'll never accidentally press a cardinal direction when you want to do a diagonal like with the Genesis style dpad.



Besides, the damned things all swampy and weird, nothing smooth and natural like the Genny pads that replaced the fragile plastic center of the early controllers with a bit of metal, or the Saturn Model 2 controllers. Oh, and every brand name SNES controller I ever had growing up (6, 2 of which were still brand new when I got them in '04) one of the buttons would always fry internally or the shoulder buttons would snap. Why everyone seems to worship the SNES controller for its "solid build" is beyond me. Yeah, the shoulder buttons were pioneering but the only controller I've used with shoulder buttons i could rely on to fail quicker and more reliably was the original GBA (remember back in 2010 when ebay had those things for $7 a pop? I sure do).

I still use the original controllers that came with my launch SNES. Meanwhile, every Genesis three button controller I've used in modern times has mushy buttons or dead contacts.

[Ness7281992]

That's not true at all. SNES has the most accurate dpad I've ever used. Just roll your thumb to the diagonal. You'll never accidentally press a cardinal direction when you want to do a diagonal like with the Genesis style dpad.



I still use the original controllers that came with my launch SNES. Meanwhile, every Genesis three button controller I've used in modern times has mushy buttons or dead contacts.

I've never had a launch SNES controller. I know they're better than later models, but they're hard to come by, especially since many of them in recent times are breaking, usually a shoulder button.

But that's just it, there is no diagonal, and when my thumb wanders a bit, finding no anchoring texture or implied movement of the dpad, I'll often accidentally hit downright instead of right. The dpad doesn't pivot like a good genny pad. And yes, there are genny pads with the problem you mention, usually the early models, where the dpad is super poopy or the buttons are difficult to judge threshold on. I have one such controller that came with a Model 1 i bought a couple of years ago for my 7yo cousin (she's obsessed with Sonic, apparently), and i'll never use the thing. It is kinda interesting though, with its shorter cord and a different texture on the connector casing.

[Ness7281992]

I suppose you could just wire an SNES encoder chip (or two NES encoder chips) to whatever controller it is that you like.

Pinouts if you need them:
http://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=controls:nes_snes_controller

That would actually be pretty cool, doing that with a Saturn controller... @_@