Recommend me a new pad for PC

[Emuser]

Well all, I come desperately seeking ideas for a new controller to get ever since my beat-gigafacer-but-still-game-overed run on Dimahoo. The D-Pad on my controller snapped off and I can't play with it anymore. Really sad as that controller's d-pad may be great but definitely wasn't built to survive(Saitek P2600). The fact it lived for about 4 years without the d-pad snapping off is phenomenal.

I hate feeling attached so much to a controller, but that thing went to hell and back and did unimaginable things for me. It took a while to really get the groove with it but once I got used to the pad it was unbelievable. The point is that I'm realizing these controllers have been discontinued since I bought my last saitek and I can't find any to buy at all(at least locally). I've been looking around to see whats out there but nothing has caught my eye over the special indented groove the saitek offered me to lay my thumb within and simply tilt the d-pad instead of slide my thumb around each direction via ps2 controller.

[burgerkingdiamond]

Well all, I come desperately seeking ideas for a new controller to get ever since my beat-gigafacer-but-still-game-overed run on Dimahoo. The D-Pad on my controller snapped off and I can't play with it anymore. Really sad as that controller's d-pad may be great but definitely wasn't built to survive(Saitek P2600). The fact it lived for about 4 years without the d-pad snapping off is phenomenal.

I hate feeling attached so much to a controller, but that thing went to hell and back and did unimaginable things for me. It took a while to really get the groove with it but once I got used to the pad it was unbelievable. The point is that I'm realizing these controllers have been discontinued since I bought my last saitek and I can't find any to buy at all(at least locally). I've been looking around to see whats out there but nothing has caught my eye over the special indented groove the saitek offered me to lay my thumb within and simply tilt the d-pad instead of slide my thumb around each direction via ps2 controller.

go on ebay and search for saturn usb controller. I got one for like $12 shipped (company was Retrolink) and the quality is really good. It's basically about a 90% perfect clone of a Jap Saturn controller down to every detail. The one caveat is that the shoulder buttons have the stiffest microswitches I've ever felt installed. They're inexplicably bad. So if that sort of thing is a deal breaker than look for a different brand.

[Moniker]

I haven't ever used a saturn pad, but I highly recommend this bad boy:


http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Versus-C ... B0051MQJWU

The stick and buttons all have microswitches which feel very good to me. The stick takes a little getting used to w/ fighting games but other than that, it's gravy. For MAME make sure you configure it for DPAD, not analogue.

[null1024]

If it wasn't for the fact that you don't like PlayStation style controllers, using this converter from DealExtreme would be my recommended solution [a PS1 Dual Shock is my PC controller of choice].

Also, is this the controller you have? New ones are expensive [probably because they are discontinued, like you said], but there are a few used ones on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Saitek-P2600-Rumb ... B000AL7034

[Emuser]

Yep thats the one, I unfortunately can't trust the used ones online since the d-pad's condition could be an issue depending on how much it had been used. I just can't get into using a ps2/ps3 controller for shmups specifically, dono why.

Its still driving me nuts, I think this is the most unreasonably insane attachment to almost anything I've ever had. I'm going to go all around the city tomorrow and try to find something for the sake of trying to break away from the saitek if I don't find another one.

[Op Intensify]

A lot of Amazon reviews for that PDP Saturn-esque pad point out how prone it is to breaking. I wouldn't risk it.

[Nico87]

Get the official Saturn USB pad.

[Specineff]

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=38395

Hope this helps.

[Ed Oscuro]

That's a neat guide, but isn't the official Saturn USB controller still available for $30? That $12 just for some internals of a pad you'll throw away seems steep.

[Stormwatch]

How about a wired Xbox 360 controller? They're easy to find, and not too expensive.

[null1024]

How about a wired Xbox 360 controller? They're easy to find, and not too expensive.

Yeah, but the D-Pad on those is shit.

[Ed Oscuro]

I just realized - I think I bought a Saitek P2600 myself but never used it...I'd be willing to part with it cheaply if somebody can use it.

[Specineff]

That's a neat guide, but isn't the official Saturn USB controller still available for $30? That $12 just for some internals of a pad you'll throw away seems steep.

By swapping the guts, you can still use the cheapo pad casing on a Saturn. No waste.

[Emuser]

I just realized - I think I bought a Saitek P2600 myself but never used it...I'd be willing to part with it cheaply if somebody can use it.

If this is true I might need it.

[Leandro]

I use my good and old 6-button Sega Mega Drive pad via lpt1 port adapter... Works great... I have this pad since mid nineties lol, I'll probably die before it stops working