Games that benefit from a 4-way joystick

[Kraq]

I recently got myself a Razer Atrox and switched the plate to 4-way to play some TGM. It's a PITA to do often and I feel like the gate could break anytime.

So here's my question: what are some of your favorite games that are actually supposed to be played with a 4-way? I found some compilations, mostly 80s golden age titles, but no stuff like TGM, Puyo Puyo or anything modern. Besides, what I'm looking for are recommendations

Non-arcade titles are welcome, too.

[BIL]

Daimakaimura instantly comes to mind. AC game is AFAIK meant for four-way stick... either way, hitting an upper diagonal will stop Arthur dead in his tracks. Can feel a bit awkward on an eight-way stick, needs adjusting to. Sega's brilliant MD port even allows you to preserve the AC controls, or choose an eight-way setup that'll allow you to ready an upward shot while moving. I want to say Makaimura (AC) is the same, but it's been a little too long since I've played it.

I almost wonder if they went with four-way controls to cut down on possible confusion with Dai's steep inclines. Hard to confuse the player when there's only two movement inputs.

[Ex_Mosquito]

I recently got myself a Razer Atrox and switched the plate to 4-way to play some TGM. It's a PITA to do often and I feel like the gate could break anytime.

So here's my question: what are some of your favorite games that are actually supposed to be played with a 4-way? I found some compilations, mostly 80s golden age titles, but no stuff like TGM, Puyo Puyo or anything modern. Besides, what I'm looking for are recommendations

Non-arcade titles are welcome, too.

I play a lot of 8-way games and TGM so I know you mean, it gets a pretty annoying swapping over the restrictor for some 4-way TGM action. I recommend getting a spare restrictor that is dedicated just for 4-way, eventually the small clips on the Sanwa JLF restrictor that push out the centre square/diamond will snap off, I've had it happen to me :/

[emphatic]

In CAPCOM's Three Wonders/Wonder 3, the shooting and action games are clearly 8-way, but at least in my mind, the puzzle game would be best played with a 4-way. I've played the puzzle game only once though.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

The classic Atari Games produced Klax jamma conversion kit (and the full-sized upright & mini cabaret cabs) is played with a pair of dedicated 4-way joysticks (one per player). It's a bit of a toss up if played with an 8-way joystick setup if you move it diagonally {upper left or right diagonals} (causing the tile catcher to flip a tile back on to the conveyor belt while moving either to the left or the right) & if moved lower left or right diagonals (causing the remaining tiles on the conveyor belt to move forward faster while your tile catcher moves to left or the right -- thus making the basic Klax gameplay/fundamentals harder than it really needs to be from the get-go/start).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Obiwanshinobi]

I'd expect BurgerTime to work with only 4 directions (but nothing's wrong with the Game Boy controls of Deluxe).

[Kraq]

Thanks for all the info!

I actually had no idea Daimakaimura has no diagonal support. All the more reason to give it a try.

And the action puzzles games look cool, too. As I dig I keep finding interesting and slightly weird stuff (case in point: Money Idol Exchanger). I think the genre has a lot of potential.

[dingsbums]

I play a lot of 8-way games and TGM so I know you mean, it gets a pretty annoying swapping over the restrictor for some 4-way TGM action. I recommend getting a spare restrictor that is dedicated just for 4-way, eventually the small clips on the Sanwa JLF restrictor that push out the centre square/diamond will snap off, I've had it happen to me :/

Or you buy an E-Limitator:
https://www.arcadeshop.de/Encoder-E-Lim ... crv9qft8u2

When wired in on an 8way Joystick you can switch between 8way, 4way, 2way (horizontal), 2way (vertical) by pushing a button => no more restrictor plate changing .

I have considered it many times to buy one just for Donkey Kong (4way) & Daimakaimura (4way) but wiring something like this up is just so tedious that I always push it on the backburner .

PS: The E-Limitator does not come assembled, you have to assemble it yourself (DIY Kit).

[Sumez]

Daimakaimura instantly comes to mind. AC game is AFAIK meant for four-way stick... either way, hitting an upper diagonal will stop Arthur dead in his tracks. Can feel a bit awkward on an eight-way stick, needs adjusting to. Sega's brilliant MD port even allows you to preserve the AC controls, or choose an eight-way setup that'll allow you to ready an upward shot while moving. I want to say Makaimura (AC) is the same, but it's been a little too long since I've played it.

Was my first thought as well. MegaDrive version of Daimakaimura has an 8 way or a 4 way setting which ignores diagonals. Unfortunately the 4 way setting is not default, which makes the game a lot tougher to play on default settings. Remember to change that while you're setting your game to "PROFESSIONAL!" anyway.

Makaimura is definitely a 4-way game as well. There's no firing downwards while jumping, which is your main issue in the sequel, but 8-way joysticks will get you stuck on ladders, and that's something you absolutely don't want.

I would have also recommended TGM, but that was your starting setup. Good on you! It's the best arcade game in existance.

[Shoryukev]

The original arcade Donkey Kong has me taking apart the gate on the Sanwa JLF in my mame cabinet and spinning it for 4 way operation. Once you get good at the game, playing on an 8-way stick just really gets in your way. Jump Man really hangs up when trying to get on and off ladders when you're using an 8-way stick....and it is incredibly mentally taxing as the game gets harder.

Luckily it's not too hard to just rotate the gate from square to diamond, the control panel on my mame cabinet is hinged so it takes 10-15 seconds. There are lots of other games that require a 4-way gate, but Donkey Kong is the main one for me where the game just doesn't feel right unless I have it setup right.

[BIL]

Was my first thought as well. MegaDrive version of Daimakaimura has an 8 way or a 4 way setting which ignores diagonals. Unfortunately the 4 way setting is not default, which makes the game a lot tougher to play on default settings. Remember to change that while you're setting your game to "PROFESSIONAL!" anyway.

Japanese cart's default difficulty is Pro, no worries there. Actually it'll whack a great big "PRACTICE" onscreen during gameplay if you change it.

Default pad is 4-way/arcade, I always go with the 8-way/MD myself.

[Sumez]

Could be I remember it the other way around. That setting it to 4-way makes it work really bad with a MegaDrive pad. Either way, you need to change the default setting!

[Shoryukev]

Or you buy an E-Limitator:
https://www.arcadeshop.de/Encoder-E-Lim ... crv9qft8u2

When wired in on an 8way Joystick you can switch between 8way, 4way, 2way (horizontal), 2way (vertical) by pushing a button => no more restrictor plate changing .

I have considered it many times to buy one just for Donkey Kong (4way) & Daimakaimura (4way) but wiring something like this up is just so tedious that I always push it on the backburner .

PS: The E-Limitator does not come assembled, you have to assemble it yourself (DIY Kit).

So this thing basically looks at the signal of incoming inputs, and limits them to 2/4-way or can be set to leave it 8-way? In theory that sounds decent enough, but it just feels wrong playing Pacman or Donkey Kong with the square or octagon gates in my JLF (especially the square gate setup for 8-way). Being able to ride the gate and instantly be confident in your directional inputs is a big part of twitch gameplay. I'd install another joystick on my control panel specifically for 4-way before I did anything like that.

[BrianC]

Pac-Man was the first thing that came to mind. The NGPC version even came with a special joystick cover to lock it in 4 directions. The AC version hates 8-way sticks and some conversions of Pac-Man games don't compensate for an 8 way controller (the plug and play version of Ms. Pac-Man is a good example).

[Jeneki]

I suppose Q-Bert is too obvious.

How about Magician Lord? There's no diagonal aiming, and the way it handles diagonal ducking absolutely infuriates me. Walk forward -> roll joystick to diagonal -> character keeps walking forward. Duck -> roll joystick to diagonal -> character keeps ducking. I hate that.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

I personally use an octagonal 8 way gate for everything now. Feels natural and amazing compared to a square gate, even for games that don't actually use/benefit from diagonals. I don't know how people put up with square gates, being able to 'feel' all 8 directions accurately is amazing.

[Sumez]

If you play any of the games mentioned here you'd quickly see why "feeling" 8 directions is not always a good thing

[Triple Lei]

Plus, 8-way VS 4-way is a different thing altogether than square gate VS octagonal gate.

Anyone have a preferred 4-way lever? I know the Seimitsu LS-32 and LS-40 let you switch pretty easy from 8-way to 4-way and 2-way, but to me they don't feel nearly as smooth as a Sanwa JLF in 4-way.

[Sumez]

Seimitsu's "clover" restrictor is notoriously bad for 4-way games, at least in games where you'll be switching directions a lot, such as TGM.

It does the job, but you'll easily end up in diagonals by mistake, and over (surprisingly short) time, the restrictor will wear down. I'd definitely go Sanwa for 4-way games. Though changing the restrictor back and forth a lot is also known to eventually break it, but at least just using the stick shouldn't do that.

[nem]

It does the job, but you'll easily end up in diagonals by mistake, and over (surprisingly short) time, the restrictor will wear down.

I've never had an accidental diagonal with a LS-32. However, I do agree that the gate is quite flimsy and I could see it wearing down over time.