Sega Saturn Controllers?

tassian · Post by **tassian** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 5:43 pm

As far as I can tell, the big and ugly controller was only released in Europe and maybe in the US, I'm not aware that there's a Japanese version of it. According to this site the ID of the ugly controller is MK-80100 while the excellent smaller controller has the ID MK-80116 which suggests that the ugly one came first. I have to warn you: the MK-80100 is even worse than it looks. Its handling is absolutely appalling.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:08 pm

Well, this is a slightly tricky question. The small controller was the first and only controller released in Japan. SOA created the bulky controller for the US (and got it spread into Europe as well). Of course, the bulky controller felt awkward and the d-pad was quite lackluster compared to the great small controller.

After awhile of customer complaints, media disparagement, and self-realization, SOA realized the error of their ways and stopped production of the bulky controller, replacing it instead with the original small controller that everybody wanted (and which Japan had the whole time), and other regions followed suit.

Krooze L-Roy · Post by **Krooze L-Roy** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 1:48 am

I have one of each and never really prefered one over the other (that I can remember; it's been quite a while since I used either). Both were rendered obsolete when I got a NiGHTS pad. Even for games that didn't utilise the analog feature (which is to say, just about all of em), I still think it had a better feel overall. So the 3d pad gets my vote, for what it's worth.

ahnslaught · Post by **ahnslaught** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 7:02 am

I remember reading somewhere that both Sega and MS used the excuse of success during focus group testing to defend their decisions to bring out the original xbox and US Saturn controller.

Yet they still rely on them so much...when will they learn?

Franz the Stampede · Post by **Franz the Stampede** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 12:47 pm

The ugly big pad was a Sega of America idea but I believe it made it to Europe for the UK only. I think the controller for "mainland Europe" has always been the small one. Similarly, I think the UK had an initial stock of consoles that looked exactly like the American ones: oval buttons for power and reset, plus an additional red led named "access".

Anyhow, the small controller is simply the best D-pad ever, plus genius buttons layout for Capcom games...

tassian · Post by **tassian** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 1:33 pm

I don't think it was UK only. I have a model 1 Saturn from continental Europe which came with the ug-pad.

sideshow · Post by **sideshow** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:38 am

I bought the model 2 saturn on ebay a few months ago and it came with the MK-80116 standard controller. This controller feels very comfortable. Also the model 2 saturn is the way to go if your going to mod it. The Saturn modchip only requires 1 power wire to solder to the Saturn if you just make a bridge connection on the modchip itself. Racketboy is a great dealer, I get all my Saturn essentials through him.

D · Post by D » Tue Mar 20, 2007 12:46 am

I actually started with the ug-pad. It rests much nicer in your hand and I prefer the d-pad for shmups, but I like the beautiful one for fighting games, you can do those spastic twitch dp movements better. So i'm not saying the ug-pad is better at all. But it is not that bad at any rate. If the beautiful one is the best pad on any system, the ug-pad is the second best. All in all, not that bad, perhaps just a little less than the beautiful one.
*yes I know about the usb-ps2 variants, they don't count in this equation*
But the 3D pad i don't like that much, although the analog pad is briliant and better than the Dreamcast pad.

Nate · Post by **Nate** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 5:14 am

Krooze L-Roy

I have one of each and never really prefered one over the other (that I can remember; it's been quite a while since I used either). Both were rendered obsolete when I got a NiGHTS pad. Even for games that didn't utilise the analog feature (which is to say, just about all of em), I still think it had a better feel overall. So the 3d pad gets my vote, for what it's worth.

Another vote for the 3D pad. I don't know how I ended up with one, but I can't play Saturn games without it. Looks butt-ugly, feels like a dream. The analog stick is bleh. The dpad on that thing is just velvety.

Ayanami · Post by **Ayanami** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 5:37 am

First controller all the way. Probably the best pad ever made. Definitely the best for shooters.

Seb@s · Post by **Seb@s** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 7:56 pm

Ayanami wrote:First controller all the way. Probably the best pad ever made. Definitely the best for shooters.

+1

very sensitive pad