Looking for a controller with a good D-pad for PC

[ShamefurDispray]

Title says it all. I prefer D-pads. I've been using an xbox 360 controller for awhile and everyone says it's bad. What's a good gamepad for the PC?

[SNK-NEO-GEO]

For PC... a PS2 fighting controller with a PS3 USB adapter works great.. trust me, I have tried everything on the planet...I am a dpad kind of person as well.. Works very well with MAME:)

http://www.amazon.com/PS2-Playstation-C ... controller

http://www.amazon.com/Official-Street-F ... 98PXD2S10E

this one is the second best and good for the PS4
http://www.amazon.com/HORI-Fighting-Com ... +4+gamepad

Title says it all. I prefer D-pads. I've been using an xbox 360 controller for awhile and everyone says it's bad. What's a good gamepad for the PC?

[bobrocks95]

The Wii U Pro Controller has a great DPad and good software to make it be recognized as a 360 pad.

[broken harbour]

I usually use SNES or Saturn pads with their USB adapters, had very few issues.

A PS3 controller is pretty decent provided you don't need to do any fighting game quarter circle motions or anything.

Also a Hori FC4 is supposed to work on PC, tho I've never gotten it to work (I use Linux)

[Hoagtech]

I still use my joybox ps1/ps2 usb adapter. It does the job but for modern analog gaming I use my wired Xbox 360 controller for STEAM. the new Joyboxes also support xbox and gamecube, Which is nice is you have multiple Fightsticks or Controllers.

ebay link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-in-1-Magic-Jo ... XQfvlShprr

I like the OG PlayStation one controller "bone" for my classic pc gaming




While I prefer my Tekken PSX Fightstick for fighting games, arcade games, and non active turn based RPG's. It has HORI controller components.

[FinalBaton]

lol loved seeing the Shmups forum with your actual message being typed in the last pic

[Hoagtech]

lol loved seeing the Shmups forum with your actual message being typed in the last pic

Haha thanks. Just so happened the controller was right next to me so why not?

[Thomago]

You should try the Xbox One Controller. It's basically the 360 pad but with a much better build quality and an excellent D-pad.

I mean... you should *really* try it. After all every electronics store that sells Xbox Ones should have at least one of these lying around.

[opt2not]

This + and you're all set!

[lev11]

The Wii U Pro Controller has a great DPad and good software to make it be recognized as a 360 pad.

Do you use the Mayflash adapter with it? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wireless-Wii-Pr ... B00E6553PW
The battery life on the Pro controller is awesome. I just wish Microsoft would of properly copied off Nintendo and have X-Y and A-B same way around.

[lettuce]

Any of the MadCatz SF4 pads

[Hoagtech]

the d-pads on both the Saturn and the fight pad register diagonal with game pad in your control panel.

What this means is that in your emulators you will be running to right with Samus and either point up or down depending on which way you lean on your d-pad. Nes controllers work great but anything with a 360 d pad suffers on most classic game emulators or joystick registers.

Playstation separates each direction to its own button. That's my finick at least.

[bobrocks95]

Do you use the Mayflash adapter with it? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wireless-Wii-Pr ... B00E6553PW
The battery life on the Pro controller is awesome. I just wish Microsoft would of properly copied off Nintendo and have X-Y and A-B same way around.

I use a bluetooth dongle, the Toshiba bluetooth stack installed on my computer, and the software WiinUSoft to spoof the controller into an Xbox pad. The mayflash route might be easier but I didn't want to have to buy anything else.

I haven't had a problem with the flipped buttons since the joystick is placed differently- the A and X buttons are still the closest buttons to your thumb from the right stick. The flip does take some getting used to though, and it's really annoying in games that have a prompt that show the buttons directionally instead of just flashing the letter on-screen.

[Kyle]

The Wii U Pro Controller has a great DPad and good software to make it be recognized as a 360 pad.

Do you use the Mayflash adapter with it? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wireless-Wii-Pr ... B00E6553PW
The battery life on the Pro controller is awesome. I just wish Microsoft would of properly copied off Nintendo and have X-Y and A-B same way around.

I do and prefer it to a 360 controller. It's about as close to a wireless SNES controller as you're going to get. The dpad is slightly smaller. If you can comfortably use a handheld Nintendo system it's similar. The Mayflash adapter makes it plug and play. I am a Saturn pad guy but wireless is just convenient.

[lev11]

and it's really annoying in games that have a prompt that show the buttons directionally instead of just flashing the letter on-screen.

Yep, I play lego co-op games with my kids, one wireless pro and one wired 360 controller, which keeps swapping between 3 users. Remap the buttons so same place or leave as labelled and have different place, drives us mad....

[NightSprinter]

Lettuce: if I remember right, all of MadCatz' fightpads and fightsticks for the 360 lag severely in returning to neutral or quickly changing directions on the Left Stick position of the switch in XP and 7. Not sure how 8 or 8.1 treats fighting game controllers, but I know 10 sees the sticks as just the d-pad (POV Hat) and ten digital buttons.

[Einzelherz]

One more here for Wii U Pro +Mayflash adapter. I finished Ducktales remake with it, which to me, proves that the D-pad is amazing.

[BazookaBen]

My preferred d-pad for PC right now is on my Hori Pad Pro 3 (also a PS3 controller). Only downside to it is the analog triggers register as digital on PC, so that means no racing games with this controller.

[lettuce]

Lettuce: if I remember right, all of MadCatz' fightpads and fightsticks for the 360 lag severely in returning to neutral or quickly changing directions on the Left Stick position of the switch in XP and 7. Not sure how 8 or 8.1 treats fighting game controllers, but I know 10 sees the sticks as just the d-pad (POV Hat) and ten digital buttons.

Really?, i didnt know that!.

I know theres issues with the majority of xbox based pads for windows 10 atm, Major Nelson did link to some drivers that fixed problems but he took them down as he said that the new update for windows 10 included the fixes, but alas it did not and the pads are once borked again and now i cant find the link for these fixed drivers

I think it even got my Saturn USB pad to work, which stopped working on windows 10

What are peoples views on the RetroLink Saturn USB pads....



I paid £8 for one that on its way to me

[Tranquilite]

For many years I used a PSOne Dualshock controller along with a generic USB adapter, And I found it worked for anything I needed. I eventually eventually moved on to using an Xbox 360 pad that I modded to have a PS1 dpad (one step short of perfection, the dpad was slightly misaligned, and tended towards up-right), and had been using that for the past year or so, but recently I've found a new favorite.

I'm currently using a Dual Shock 4 along with DS4Windows. You can actually sync DS4 pads to PCs without any extra software (hold PS+share button) and have a fully funtioning direct input controller, but DS4Windows handles the good stuff, like emulating 360 pad, and also allows you to customize all the bells and whistles (control scheme, lightbar colors, mouse/touchpad emulation, latency display, etc).

I'm especially fond of it, because the software is relatively non-invasive (DS4Windows needs a driver and configuration program, but does not monopolize bluetooth dongle), and does not require its own dongle (unlike Microsoft's wireless gaming receivers).

That being said, my brother has the Mayflash WiiU Pro adapter, and I find that it works very well.

While this is highly subjective, I think that the DS4 is the best controller this gaming generation, and possibly the best game controller I have ever owned.

[broken harbour]

Also a Hori FC4 is supposed to work on PC, tho I've never gotten it to work (I use Linux)

So I installed Windows 8.1 last weekend and the FC4 works brilliantly, autodected by everything I've tried so far, although certain Doujin shmups recognized it kind of weird, took a few tries to configure button mapping, but nothing crazy. Highly recommended if you play mostly 2D stuff that doesn't need an analogue stick.

[FinalBaton]

This + and you're all set!

love that controller so much
it's the best one I have ever had in my hands, bar none