Do PS2 controllers work on PS1?

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:22 pm

Very simple question. I've never actually owned a PS1! But I'm thinking about getting one. Will PS2 dpads like the PS2 Saturn Pad work on it? Thanks much!

snap monkey · Post by **snap monkey** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 12:04 am

Yep, they sure do. Shouldn't matter what kind it is.

dementia · Post by **dementia** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 12:22 am

Indeed they do. It's how I play Ape Escape, because I don't have Analog PS1 controllers.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 12:32 am

Great to hear! This was a huge help, guys.

benstylus · Post by **benstylus** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:54 am

Interestingly enough, the reverse isn't always true.

There are several PS2 games that are incompatible with the PS1 controller.

The one that springs immediately to mind is Virtua Racing (Sega Ages 2500 or the Sega Classics Collection).

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 10:01 am

Some games that require analogue support won't work.

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 10:31 am

Metal Gear Solid3 and Onimusha 3 won't work if they don't detect a Dual Shock 2 in the port.

Valgar · Post by **Valgar** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 2:53 pm

The games that won't work with PS1 controllers on a PS2 are the ones that use the Pressure Sensitive buttons.

benstylus · Post by **benstylus** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 3:10 pm

Valgar wrote:The games that won't work with PS1 controllers on a PS2 are the ones that use the Pressure Sensitive buttons.

Interestingly enough, some games that do make use of the pressure sensitive "feature" do work.

Games like Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero and 3 both make use of the pressure sensitive buttons for acceleration and braking. Plug in a PS1 controller and you'll always be full accell whenever you press the button down.

This is what you'd want most of the time in that game anyway, though...

zaphod · Post by **zaphod** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:08 pm

#rd part controllers that dont' hav ersoftware controlled analog switching are what break many ps2 games.

Many old ocntrollers have o umove a switch to go in and out of analog mode. THe game tries to software switch the mode and gets really confused. GOlden Axe on th esega classics collection is one such example.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:37 am

I have a Dualshock 2, but I dont have a PS2, so I never used the pressure buttons.

But I dont know.. WHAT ARE the pressure buttons? I first thought it was Ls and Rs (Like it is in Dreamcast), but I soon noticed them are digital buttons.

I feel that the face buttons aren just digital, like it was in the dualshock 1, but it seems so hard to control pressure on them! How does this work in PS2 games?

Oh, btw, I am not sure Dualshock 2 are 100% compatible with PS1 games. Other day I was playing MicroMachines V3 with the multi-tap with friends, and the Dual Shock 2 didn't work.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 3:57 am

Every button except Start and Select are pressure sensitive/analog on the Dual Shock 2. You control pressure by pushing the buttons down lightly or hard (you could theoretically push a button down halfway in but I doubt anybody can do it consistently).

It's easy to notice in a game like The Bouncer where tapping a button will produce a weak attack while pushing a button in firmly will yield a hard attack.

As for racing games, to be honest, they're not that much use although lots of racers support the feature. All competitive racing players had already adapted to the "hold accelerator on straightaways, feather accelerator on light turns, and let loose on sharp turns." Pushing the button down softly really didn't make things any easier or more intuitive.