the best all around controller for most emulators

[mytymaus007]

Ive been thinking of rounding up one of each console controller from each system to use for my arcade. I have most console emulators that are out there plus arcade MAME. i was thinking of getting a sega saturn contoller for fighters but kind of useless for anything newer then the saturn. Out of all the controllers the Nintendo 64 has a 6 button layout for fighters. But only 1 analog stick. So if i got a playstation controller that should take care of any analog situations i may need. JUst to cleaar things up I have a mini caberet with only room for one player this is the reason for getting additional controllers so i can play 2 players. Whats everyone else using in theses situations.

[rCadeGaming]

I'm not sure why you want to use a handheld controller for fighting games.  They are intensely inferior to a quality joystick and buttons on a panel for the genre.  You will be hard pressed to find a serious fighting game fan who prefers a controller.  There is a tiny minority of pro fighting players who do, but they readily admit that the stick is superior, and that they use controllers for strange/niche reasons.

That being said, for games that make more sense on a controller, I think a Playstation controller is by far the best.  Like you said they are great when you need analog, and they work very well for just about any console.  They are a little weird for Sega Genesis, N64, and Gamecube, because these controllers had strange layouts, but you can find compromises.

I think the original Playstation Dualshock (analog) controllers are best.  The PS2 ones are almost identical but have the unnecessary and practically useless addition of analog buttons, which I don't think the controller converters recognize anyway.  PS3 controllers are pretty poor.  They come brand new with a much weaker resistance on the sticks, and are much quicker to get sloppy and develop a terribly big deadzone.  I use a PS1 controller through a USB converter on my PS3 right now, and I'll offer the same option on my cabinet.

N64 controllers are the worst.  The odd button layout doesn't work well for much beyond the first-party Nintendo titles developed specifically for it.  It also had one of the worst joysticks ever, as the terribly designed pivot caused them to wear out extremely quickly.  Remember that grey dust they used to make because of the grinding plastic?  Mario Party didn't help either.

[Mysterioii]

I personally always hated playstation controllers for fighting games.  I want my 6 buttons right there in a row, don't want to use four thumb buttons and two shoulder buttons....  I actually always preferred the Genesis 6-button over the Saturn controller... yeah it's essentially the same but the feel was a little different, the Genesis was a little smaller IIRC.  Apparently Sega released an official USB version of the Saturn controller but I missed out on it, can't seem to find it now.  Knockoffs are all over ebay though, I actually picked one up recently.  The quality on the knockoffs isn't the best though, a few buttons were kind of hit-or-miss at first but it seems to have improved after breaking it in a little.

[lanman31337]

I second the PS2 type controller.  Analog and digital, and enough buttons to cover just about every console.

[Mysterioii]

Honestly I think they both have their virtues for different games.  A USB saturn style controller runs about $12 on ebay and you can get USB adapters that would let you use your real dualshock/PS2 controller if you want.

[ark_ader]

X Arcade?

[Donkbaca]

X-box 360, I like the controllers better than the PS ones, and they are USB.  Sucks not having the 6 in a row, but that's not a big deal unless you are playing fighting games, and for fighting games, just use your joysticks. 

If you want a wireless joystick, get a Hori joystick for xbox, you can get one for around 40 bucks.

I think the only thing that the xbox controllers don't work great for are the N64 games, nothing really works well for those except the original controllers due to the weird layout.

[Vigo]

JUst to cleaar things up I have a mini caberet with only room for one player this is the reason for getting additional controllers so i can play 2 players. Whats everyone else using in theses situations.

If the controller is needed so a player 2 can join in, why would 2 analog sticks be important? It is not like you can play two analogs on arcade controls. Are these controllers for single player as well?

[rCadeGaming]

I have a mini caberet with only room for one player this is the reason for getting additional controllers so i can play 2 players

D'oh.  Overlooked this because it was late and I'm thick.

You need to build one of these:



Sitting in the right kind of chair player 2 can play very comfortably with one of those on his/her lap, or put it on a TV tray or some other type of stand.

Personally, I would find it kind of frustrating and pointless trying to use a handheld controller to play a fighting game against someone who has the advantages of arcade controls.  It wouldn't be fair at all, and kind of negates the point of the competition.

If you can't build one, a MadCatz TE is a very high quality option if you want Japanese parts, and there are plenty of custom stick makers who will sell you one with your preference of either Japanese or American parts.

DO NOT GET AN X-ARCADE!  They use really crap Chinese knockoffs of Happ/iL parts.  I started with one and found out the hard way.

-

Anyhow, I stand all that stuff I said about controllers earlier, and can still be good to offer the option for both players to use them in genres that they're more suited for.  All it takes is putting a USB port or two in the front of the cabinet.

Genesis/Saturn controllers are not so great.  The only advantage is that the six face buttons work better than other controllers for six button fighting games, but it's still a poor substitute for arcade controls.

XBox 360 controllers are a good option.  I prefer the shape of the PS1 controller, but you might have different hands and they seem to share all of the other advantages.  Someone more familiar with them will have to judge the quality of the d-pad and analog sticks.

[Donkbaca]

don't build one, buy a wireless one, its cheaper:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tekken-6-Hori-Wireless-Fight-Stick-Xbox-360-Limited-Edition-/280856197333?pt=Video_Games_Accessories&hash=item41645578d5#ht_482wt_166

I have one, works great, and pretty decent quality

[rCadeGaming]

You have to watch out with Hori's.  Some of them have authentic Sanwa parts, while others have cheap knock-offs (same problem with MadCatz SE), check details of specific model before buying.  If you find the former, it's arguably better than a MadCatz.  Hori's use the Astro-City cabinet button layout, which I like better the MadCatz' Vewlix layout.

[Donkbaca]

I have the one with the cheap knockoffs.  It was 4 bucks.  Picked up the wireless one for 50.  They're fine

[ChrisK]

For console games I use two Wii gamepads with a USB adapter.  I used to use a 360 controller but the d-pad is awful.  The Wii controllers have the classic cross-dpad and the perfect layout for SNES games (and NES if the angling doesn't bother you).  The feel of the Wii gamepad isn't QUITE as good as the original SNES, but it's very close, and best of all they're very easy to source in mint condition with no worries of knock-offs.

It's not ideal for six-button Sega games due to the four-button cluster on the right side, but I don't play much Sega stuff so that doesn't bother me.