Joypads vs Joysticks

[FatalError]

I have always had difficulty using a joystick. I always do better at games with a joypad. I could never pull off special moves in fighting games with a joystick, but I can pull off everything with a joypad.

With shooters, it's the same thing. I personally have more control with a joypad than a joystick.

A question to all those out there, do you have a preference toward a joystick or a joypad, or is it dependant on the type of game you play?

[it290]

I'm a joystick guy myself, although I often find myself playing with a pad for convenience. It's funny though, I can hardly pull off any moves in fighting games with a pad anymore (even a good one like the SS pad), whereas I used to be quite good at it. With shooters, I probably perform similarly either way, but I just like the feel of a good stick more... it just makes me feel more in control of the action. Also, I find the diagonals on most pads suck, which is obviously important for shooters. I usually limit myself to mostly h/v movements anyway (more accurate), but when I need a diagonal, I need it to be there right away.

[PaCrappa]

Anything that plays in two dimensions pretty much requires a joystick. A saturn style disc d-pad will work okay if there's no stick to be had.

I like analog for anything that plays in 3D.

Pa

[thegreathopper]

Joysticks every time, how you can pull off sdm's in king of fighters quickly with a pad I would say is almost impossible...

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

Most anyone who has used pads all their life can tell you that pads>>>>>sticks. hohohohohohoho. I'm one. Though, I still like my Hori RAP quite a bit 'cause of the unique experience--it's darn fun to wiggle that thing. Also, contrary to what's been said so far, I find it way harder to pull diagonals with a stick. I can't completely discern the positions of a diagonal and up, right, down, left, etc.

In my case, joysticks for 2D arcadey games that use four buttons or less. For everything else, a pad does the work better.

[Ord]

For me it would HAVE to be a joystick for when i'm playing shooters and fighters. For other genres (platformer, 3D action adventure etc) it's the joypad.

[SheSaidDutch]

I'm gonna have to say Joystick, with a pad I used to get terrible cramp and callouses from playing fighting games with a pad.

Although I wouldn't mind picking up a Saturn style pad for backup perposes

[Shatterhand]

I used to like real joysticks, not ARCADE sticks which are different.

I used to like stuff like the Atari 2600 joystick, or the Pro Competition Stick.

Those joysticks are made to be handled with the RIGHT hand.

But I haven't played with one of those for many years, I dunno if I could still play with one properly.

But I'd prefer an Arcade stick over a pad anytime.

[Ghegs]

Like I've said time and time again, it's all a matter of preference and what you're accustomed to. I <3 my saturn-style PS2 pads and play with them pretty much exclusively, even though I have a Namco Arcade Stick at ready. But I do imagine if I were to start playing fighters I might change to the stick.

[BulletMagnet]

I've had a lot more experience with pads than I have with joysticks, so I use those pretty much all the time...with some practice I could probably do better with a joystick, but I spend enough cash on gaming paraphernalia as it is, heh heh.

[raiden]

Recently, I´m using joysticks for almost everything except racing games. Yesterday, I played Populous with a joystick...

[SheSaidDutch]

Yesterday, I played Populous with a joystick...

OMG

Heh how did you manage playing Populous with a joystick?

[Damocles]

Depends on what you're used to. I always hated joysticks in the arcades because I was so used to pads. In fact, up until a few years ago when I picked up an X-Arcade and a Happ's comp, I absolutely sucked at fighters with sticks. Now I don't. It's still much easier for me to just pick up and play with a pad, however. Case in point: Axle's dpx2 motion in GGX2#R. I can do it perfectly with a pad, but can only do it marginally well with a stick...unless i'm on the right side. Something about the way the human hand is jointed allows a more fluid motion from that side. Same with double fireball motions in the SFA series.....on the right side, no problem, on the left side, it's hit or miss.

[mannerbot]

Damocles, I used to have the same problem when I first got a stick. Just takes some getting used to.

I'm still not adjusted to a stick for shooters, but that's mostly because I just don't play them with a stick. For fighters, I don't know if I can play on a pad anymore. Strangely enough, playing on a stick helped me get better at doing certain motions on a pad as well, but it still feels unnatural playing fighters on a pad.

[azmun]

A question to all those out there, do you have a preference toward a joystick or a joypad, or is it dependant on the type of game you play?

I prefer good quality joysticks slightly more for figthing games, although I enjoy and can do almost just as well with some pads. The biggest advantage you have with joysticks is the ability to press different combinations of the buttons more quickly and easily. With shooters I'm a bit indifferent between the two. For racing games, I can't imagine using anything other than pads or steering wheels (supporting analog functions). RPG's are better played (more efficient) using pads in my opinion. And for sports games, it depends on which particular games.

[iatneH]

I grew up on joypads, and at some point I decided to give sticks a try. I totally sucked it at first, but I kept at it (and played a lot in arcades too) and now I am MUCH better with a stick. I haven't gotten any better or worse with a pad, but I guess that means using a stick just unlocked some hidden potential I had that was being held back by just using a pad.

I actually just came indoors from a first coat spray-painting of my homemade arcade stick too, until now I've been using these tiny mini-sticks that suck. Hopefully I can go buy some more spray paint tomorrow and have everything finished before Tuesday.

[sethsez]

Anything that plays in two dimensions pretty much requires a joystick.

I can't think of too many platformers that play better with a stick than a dpad. I certainly wouldn't want to play Mega Man or Sonic with a stick. I also can't imagine strategy games or RPGs being too enjoyable with a stick, either.

[iatneH]

I can't think of too many platformers that play better with a stick than a dpad. I certainly wouldn't want to play Mega Man or Sonic with a stick. I also can't imagine strategy games or RPGs being too enjoyable with a stick, either.

It works for Metal Slug & Contra...
But I never really thought about Megaman, you have gotten my curiosity running! I think I'll try it out sometime.

[sethsez]

Well yeah, Metal Slug and Contra are more run and guns rather than straight ahead platformers. The emphasis is definitely on the shooting.

However, I would never want to Heatman's stage in MMII with a joystick.

[dai jou bu]

I'm comfortable with gamepads for the most part, although there are times where using an arcade stick is actually better than a gamepad (as in, trying to pull off some of those super-moves in Capcom vs. SNK 2). Whenever I get a new arcade stick however, I go through a small learning curve before I'm used to the stick's overall design.

[Dewclaw]

Yeah, it really depends on what you're accustomed to using...I used to suck in the arcade because that was the only time I got practice with joysticks(fighters seemed impossible with them). Once I got a cab and had to use a joystick to play, I got used to it. Same with using a mouse lefthanded, it just takes practice. Now I can do shooters and fighters with a stick and a d-pad, but not an analog thumbstick.

[PaCrappa]

Anything that plays in two dimensions pretty much requires a joystick.

I can't think of too many platformers that play better with a stick than a dpad. I certainly wouldn't want to play Mega Man or Sonic with a stick. I also can't imagine strategy games or RPGs being too enjoyable with a stick, either.

Mega Man? Sonic? I'd play those with neither pad nor joystick my friend. But when I play me the good platformers I'm okay with a stick or a pad. I play GCN, GBA and PS1/2 platformers with sticks because I have them. I play PCE, SS, SNES, NES and Genesis platformers with pads because I don't have sticks for those systems. I need to really get sweet sticks for my Saturn and PCE. I should make one for my SNES and Genesis as well.

Pa

[iatneH]

Yeh, I'm building my sticks following the NeoGeo pinout, so I'll be making adaptors for pretty much every console for which I own at least one shooter.

[FatCobra]

My first experience with videogame control devices was a NES Pad......so PADS FOR LIFE!!!! It's got to have a precise D-pad however, like the Saturn's or even the SNES's.

[Ghegs]

Recently, I´m using joysticks for almost everything except racing games.

I actually played Gran Turismo 3 with a stick once, against a friend playing with wheel + pedals. He won, but not by much.

[Capt. Takehiko]

With shmups and fighters being my two favourite genres I would have to say I really do love using a good stick. But its really important that the stick is actually good, I guess the same applies to d-pads.

When I feel like playing PCE games with a stick I emulate them and use my Xarcade. I have some Saturn games on CD-ROM which I also use the Xarcade with.

[it290]

Also, contrary to what's been said so far, I find it way harder to pull diagonals with a stick. I can't completely discern the positions of a diagonal and up, right, down, left, etc.

Depends on the gate style, I think. Diagonals are a lot more floaty on an octagonal gate, which is good for fighters since your stick won't get stuck in the corners.

[Super Laydock]

Suzo Turbo Arcade joystick! Microswitched, very acurate and my favourite controller ever!

After that: the DC joypad!

Coming soon: a DC arcade stick so can't rank that one yet...

[Sundance]

It would seem like you would get a faster response on a D-pad as far as consoles go...but i still enjoy playing my Arcade shooters on the Standup as they were intended to be.

[Vexorg]

Between the two, I much prefer sticks over pads, but I find that for some odd reason, I'm better with keyboard in a lot of games. One of these days I'll have to get one of the real arcade sticks (probably a HotRod.)