OK, this is the weirdest thing, I was on ebay, searching for a new controller, when I came across this
http://cgi.ebay.com/Alpha-Grey-Ninte...item25652ba86d
Anyone have any clue, as to why an N64 controller would need 2 joysticks?
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OK, this is the weirdest thing, I was on ebay, searching for a new controller, when I came across this
http://cgi.ebay.com/Alpha-Grey-Ninte...item25652ba86d
Anyone have any clue, as to why an N64 controller would need 2 joysticks?
It doesn't use both at the same time. It has a switch to choose which joystick is "on". It also has two Z buttons (one on each side). I guess the point is in case you want to use the d-pad and analog stick at the same time, similar to holding a standard N64 controller by the left and middle prongs.
That's still pretty rad. I wonder if it uses analogs on balls, rather than on sticks...
Looks neat to me! But the parts seem cheap/terrible Nintendo design.
I have always preferred the 6-button design over the 4-button, though.
Nothing is weirder than the original.
Ah damn, it went cheap too, I've been wanting one of those . . . not sure of the quality, but it seems to be decent from what I've read, and the layout is far better than the crappy Hori pads (WTF would you want that shit over the original?) or the so-so Super Pad 64 Plus.
The original was pretty fucking weird to begin with.
BITD my friends and I called the N64 controller "The Trident".
I'm pretty sure that wasn't uncommon to do. (I've heard it tossed around a lot, though not back in the day)Quote:
Originally Posted by Cornholio857
You're out of your mind. The Super Pad 64 Plus is an incredible controller. Far and away the best controller (ergonomically and build quality) of any N64 controller.Quote:
Originally Posted by kool kitty89
And "crappy" is hardly a fair judgement for the Hori pads.
The Hori Mini isn't great for games that exclusively use the analog stick. Though the placement is odd, its analog stick is of a much better quality than the standard Nintendo product.
The Hori Commander also has the better analog stick and its slightly altered button layout is beneficial to some players.
Can you comment on the Alpha 64? (it looks pretty comfortable . . . but if it's poorly made or generally poorly functional, that would make it moot)Quote:
Originally Posted by Zz Badnusty
I thought the plus was OK, but it's not really that comfortable (much better than the normal super pad for sure, and very useful for the handful of games that stupidly require heavy use of the d-pad and analog stick -which the controller was NOT designed for . . . especially odd that some games don't allow different control configurations for the c-buttons to substitute for the d-pad -leaving the d-pad for auxiliary stuff and stick+c buttons for quad axis control)
I really need to try that one again though, it's been a while, and I never did get to try it in really extended gameplay. (I've been on the look-out for a good deal, but they don't come up that often)
It seems a little awkward last time I tried it, and not long enough in the grips (though also a problem on the stock controller), but it's in intensive gamelay that it really shows. (short grips might still be OK if they're shaped right -shaped wrong and I get cramps in my ring and pinky finger from having nothing to grip and squeezing against my palm)
This is also quite interesting:
http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic....=36609&start=0
The hori pad is WAY, WAY too small and does nothing to improve over the original other than (arguably) the analog stick.Quote:
And "crappy" is hardly a fair judgement for the Hori pads.
The Hori Mini isn't great for games that exclusively use the analog stick. Though the placement is odd, its analog stick is of a much better quality than the standard Nintendo product.
The Hori Commander also has the better analog stick and its slightly altered button layout is beneficial to some players.
The N64's layout is WAY better for D-pad dominant games, a shame the d-pad wasn't used more like that. (the d-pad placement on the GC pad was one of its weaknesses . . . OK for games where the d-pad plays a minor role concurrent with the analog stick, but terrible for d-pad dominant games -while the N64's configuration 1-upped the SNES pad in pretty much every respect with the arguable exception of the face buttons)
My main problem with the N64 controller these days is that the grips are slightly too short and it feels a little to small in general when using the analog stick in the center column (when I was 10 it was fine though ;) . . . probably would still be fine if I had hands on the smaller side rather than larger), though it's still much better than the Sony pads at the very least -the original (long grip) dual analog pad was a step in the right direction though. (GC pads are among the very few to cater to both small and large hands comfortably; there are some larger controllers that fit my hands better, those all tend to be hated by those with smaller hands -like the xbox duke)
If the super pad 64 had used longer grips in addition to the greater bulk, and had a more comfortable analog stick, and Nintendo-like face buttons, it could have been nearly ideal for me, but the stick is too coarsely ridged, the buttons are heavily convex and stiff, and the grips are actually shorter than a normal N64 pad and thicker on top of that (so even worse for my cramping issue -though I actually liked it a lot more when I had small hands for that reason, in spite of the bulk).
This is one I can completely comment on as I've used it on and off since around 1999, it's not useless and the analog stick is firmer/springier (and far less prone to wear) than the Nintendo ones, but it's generally less usable in the end . . . and the plastic thumbstick cap tends to come off (I glued mine back on).
An update. I'm the one who bought it, by the way. So here are my impressions.
Much like the Boomerang 64 controller, this thing looks great but suffers from one major flaw: the analog sticks slip. If you don't know what I mean by "slip", imagine grasping the top of the analog stick between two fingers and twisting clockwise or counterclockwise. Yes, you can do that, freely. As a result you will be accidentally doing that often, and you'll lose control in the process. Not cool. It seems like this problem could possibly be rectified with a little super glue somehow, but I'm not certain.
If the sticks pull off relatively easily, you could glue them. I did that to my super pads after they wore out (didn't originally slip, but did later on). It works best after a bit of sanding to rough up the metal, but straight gluing works too.
Yeah, they don't pull off. But there are clearly two parts to the sticks -- and an obvious seam where the top piece apparently snapped on. I might disassemble the controller and just put a little plastic epoxy in that seam.
I'd like to see pics or a vid of what you do with it, any upgrade is good for bragging rights at least.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Arcade-Shark-Nin...item25652b6945
there is a neat looking arcade style controller for the N64. I'd want two of the little stick attachments, though.
I've seen those before, but never used them. The buttons are kind of funky, and I can't imagine what games it'd be good for anyway, since the N64 has fuck-all for fighting games or anything 2d.
The stock N64 controller would be fine (if not best) for that already . . . the 3 prong set-up caters better to 2D games than 3D (arguably -given it's actually more comfortable to use the d-pad than analog stick) and certainly better than the PSX pads for that.Quote:
Originally Posted by j_factor
The Alpha 64 would be useful for the games which abused the N64 controller's layout with hard to use things like simultaneous d-pad+analog stick use (like certain FPSs) . . . actually using the right analog stick plus d-pad could work really well for goldeneye and the like. ;)
That's something that the super pad plus isn't good for either as (like the GC, PSX, DC, and Saturn 3D) the d-pad and analog stick are only good for concurrent use by 1 thumb (not simultaneous by both). Though the super pad plus is still good for that concurrent stuff and games using both L and Z.
So such controllers are really good for games that used the controllers in ways nintendo didn't intend them to be used. (ie not using only pad+L OR stick+Z)
How on earth would you use an Alpha 64 for simultaneous d-pad and analog stick use? It only has one little removable stick that you can put on the digital control or the analog control. I suppose there's nothing stopping you from using one of them in its flat disc form, but I still fail to see how the layout is conducive to that at all.
I'd say this one was much weirder
http://cgi.ebay.com/NINTENDO-64-SUPE...item4841395a4c
It wasn't really that odd to hold or use but it looks like someone didn't know what they were doing when it was designed and probably just turned people off.
Though I seem to recall Hori making their own N64 controller which looked a bit like a Gamecube controller, but they're "super rare" or something.
I have one of those. So far it's my favorite.