Have you considered doing a similar style video comparing the controls on various portable gaming systems? From Game Boy to Vita, 3DS to Game Gear, each system took a different approach to control comfortability
@@mylifeingaming I'm looking forward to seeing the PSP Go getting the justice it deserves! It's the most comfortable handheld I've ever used, and it slides perfectly into an inside jacket pocket.
Even though my favourite consoles from this era are the first 2 PlayStations, my favourite controller is the GameCube one, especially when it came to the exclusives like Luigi's Mansion and Metroid Prime.
The reason they swapped Circle = Confirm and X = Cancel was because to American Sony executives, universally understood concepts like this were completely foreign to them. So they demanded that "X Marks The Spot." which makes no sense in yes and no terms at all.
Ah, so that explains why some games used Triangle as the cancel button in menus, but some used Circle or Square on the rare occasion; there was a definitive "Yes" symbol, but not a "No" symbol. (Except in Japan, of course.) Maybe they should have colored O green and X red to drive the point home?
I assumed that it was because Circle represents emptiness/negative space, hence cancel with X being like filling in a checkbox or the like, hence confirm.
I love all the video's you guys make, but I only have one complain....in the future videos, could you guys include the game name and system info below gameplay when showcasing it? Other then that, your video format is one of the best I've seen. Thank you for all your work.
@@oobgarm1 Actually, they always write the music titles down at the end of every video 52:39 But yeah, it would be nice not to wait till the end and search for all Track names.
@@julio_official I was aware of that, but usually I hope that I know at least one song in there somewhere so I can try to figure out where the song I'm looking for is in relation to it
It may be a bit distracting to have that show up in the middle of the video, but it would be cool to maybe have that as a subtitle option that you could turn on. I remember Every Frame a Painting used to do that with the film clips they showed.
I've been playing MGS2 and 3 for years and I had zero Idea I could put down my gun by slowly taking my finger off the button of the Dualshock 2. That's sick.
I love it too, also on Panzer Dragoon Zwei if you disable the X button in the options the triggers only turn the camera and don't activate berserk mode, something not mentioned in the video. Got to love how its analogue stick still works flawlessly today unlike some other systems
Around 47:00 - the click in Rogue Leader is for maximum velocity. Open foils means better mobility, closed foils are for speed at the expense of control.
The 6-button Sega controllers were always my favorite. Similarly, the N64 also had 6 buttons in a 2x3 configuration. The original Xbox controller was similar with the white/black. I really hate how every controller moved to 2x2. 2x3 with start, mode/select, shoulders, triggers, dpad, and dual analog would be my ideal controller. You would be able to emulate nearly every console ever.
My Saturn USB pad is probably my most priced possession, lol, not even kidding. That plus RetroArch is all I need... EDIT: Holy shit, you can actually buy new ones for like 16-17€ now? Time to stock up then. I remember these got super rare a while back.
The 3d controller of the Saturn is my favorite controller all around. Even my unknowing friends thought it felt and played great. It was also the first controller with analogue triggers. Not until 2002 would another company create a controller with analogue triggers with Microsoft and the Xbox Also the 3d controller is a must for pretty much any Saturn 3d game past late 96. Panzer dragoon saga and manx TT are a must
RetroBit also posted a blueprint image of their own Dreamcast controller redesign to Twitter that's apparently hitting sometime near the end of the year. They're adding C and Z buttons that mirror the triggers for 6-button fighters, and there's also gonna be a Saturn D-pad among other touches.
Thanks for bringing back that "Reach out to the truth" earworm, Try. Even though P4 is still my favorite in the series, nothing beats "Burn my dread" :D
I always used a Mad Catz Dream Pad for my Dreamcast, as it had a much more comfortable analog stick and d pad, as well as 6 face buttons. Oddly enough it was officially licensed by Sega.
Thank you Coury and Mark! It's been a while! Starting off with the legendary Saturn controller too, woo! Looking forward to this and hoping to see that upcoming FFRVII "mini" episode soon!
Okay, it's been almost two years, the next generation has become the current one, I think it's time to talk about the Wii, Wii U, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS3, PS4, and PS5 controllers.
After a long hiatus since the N64, I got back into gaming a decade ago, with the 360, which I bought because of Mortal Kombat, which I loved as a kid. Later, I found out about emulation and got back into retro gaming. Then I started to buy USB controllers. Then real retro controllers along with USB adapters. Soon after, I was buying actual consoles, games and CRTs. Then back around with modern controllers for retro consoles, along with rare, wacky controllers. 300 plus controllers and about 20 consoles later, here I am, happy to have found a hobby and joy that was lost long ago, which I now share and pass on to my kids. Not to mention playing consoles and games I missed out as a kid/teen. I love this hobby. I'm happy to say your videos had a huge influence on this journey. I went from barely knowing the difference between composite and component or NTSC and PAL to fully RGB modding my own consoles, along with all kinds of crazy mods, and having a much deeper appreciation and understanding of hardware. When I get a new console, I go watch the corresponding RGB series video you made on it, when available. Thank you, Coury and Mark. I look forward to many years of watching your channel. Never change that intro music though, please! All the best! :)
Re: 3DO pad. I don't get why the daisy-chain ability would be "mocked". It was USB before USB. It was extremely consumer friendly because you didn't have to buy a costly multi-tap to play more than two players like the PS1. FIFA supported six players, no multi-tap needed. And not all 3do controllers had the daisy-chain on the controller itself, some like the Logitech pad had the splitter at the connector. The big advantage of having it on the controller was only one cord needed to be extra long (the pack-in controller did have an extra long cable) and there would only be a single cord to step over going from the console to the couch. Way ahead of its contemporaries in those respects. The diagonal issue was because the posts around the d-pad were about a millimeter too high. It's unclear whether this was an oversight or some old school purist wanting perfect 4-way (for Pac-Man?) control. Loosening the screws sort of works, but filing down the posts was the real fix. Also, this was only an issue for the first batch of Panasonic controllers. Later revisions (like those with the FZ-10) and other brands (like the Goldstar, Sanyo, Logitech) didn't have the issue at all.
I would say it was a really neat solution at the time. But I imagine for some, it's wasn't really ideal and they would rather have the controller plug to the system itself or use something like a Multi-tap. (Nintendo pretty much make their consoles supported two players by default since the NES, so I would say only having one controller port in the '90 is a bit dumb in my opinion.)
Sega Saturn controller is my favorite controller ever. The retro-bit wireless version are also awesome and I had been waiting for them forever. The only thing missing now to get the ultimate controller is a version with analog sticks. 8bitdo was supposed to be developing one, but I guess it was canceled when retro-bit got the licensing from sega. I still have hope... Unfortunately Sega completely ignored the "if it ain't broken don't fix it" when developing the dreamcast controller.
As someone who took very good care of his N64 controllers and constantly cleaned out the stick base, it doesn't matter what you do, those joysticks will always turn to shit. It's a shame, because when new, that is the most precise joystick there's ever been!
The N64 stick is a mechanical device with gears and moving parts that rub against each other. Like a watch or a car engine these parts require lubrication and a regular "oil change". I've been lubricating my N64 sticks since the '90s and my launch controller is still as good as new - it moves smoothly and reads as having a full range of motion in controller test programs Ideally you should use silicone grease, but even petroleum jelly will work in a pinch. It's a bit tricky to do as you have the completely take apart the stick box and make sure you don't get grease on the optical encoders, the results are well worth it though. If you've been cleaning white powder from around the base of your sticks then that's a sure sign they have no lubrication left as that powder's a result of the components grinding themselves to dust! And yes, the N64's analogue stick is massively more precise than the usual potentiometer-based designs. If you have the ability to run homebrew on N64 and PS2 you can download controller test programs for each. It's incredible to see how much the readings from PS2 controllers jump about all over the place and how poorly their readings return to centre when the stick is released - this is why both Dualshock 1 & 2s have such large dead-zones. By comparison a well maintained N64 stick is pin-point accurate and centralises brilliantly every time. If only they had come up with a way of making it maintenance-free...
@@obvfw First of all, I'm not paid, I'm not promoting anything and I don't guarantee you don't get defective parts. I just know that if you been searching alot like I did, it would probably be helpful for me to dump for you what I found and then decided to get. I was pretty happy with it. I even used left over lubricant for my unchanged controllers to help them work better. Steelsticks fully assembled are all backlogged waitlists from what I've found. No one is producing mass steel polished modules. It's not really the stick as important as the bowl is. The grinding to dust happens in the bowl in OEM controllers which are basically entirely plastic on plastic contact. When its dry of the lubricant you get grinding and rough feeling. If you don't care about costs, and want a smooth longer term solution to try out, start with one of the steelsticks64.com steelsticks64.com/?product=n64-steelbowl-b-grade steelbowls grade B. I got one of those and also: www.shapeways.com/product/EC6E6LL6E/n64-brass-gear-slots-3-40mm Remember to read that page and also get the plastic gears. www.shapeways.com/product/7JXFA3YWT/n64-gear-teeth-v1?optionId=65335755&li=more-from-shop Here's the capless stick I got and used steelsticks64 acrylic cap for colored joystick: www.shapeways.com/product/V87DV25NF/n64-capless-nylon-stick?optionId=67204108&li=more-from-shop This was then screwed into the stick post: steelsticks64.com/?product=neon-acrylic-cap everything came together quite nicely, but trying to put it back together in the controller was hell. It was confusing how you need to position everything then have the spring properly hold the thin disk ontop of the stick/gears all together. THEN drop it back into the controller module and close it up with the screw and 2 clips on topside. Good luck! I love Starfox64 so much - its played the absolute best with the original controller stick design on real hardware. nothing better imo.
they did, and honestly did some things better than even the best controllers do now. I understand the hatred of the classic N64 controller, but new with a fresh analogue stick; best for white knuckle delicate 3d platforming, makes today's analog sticks feel woody and too digital. Also the dreamcast D-Pad, its tall predictable pivot is the best fighting d-pad I've used; I neet a Seimetsu LS-62-01 arcade stick to surpass the latter. They are both so weird feeling to most people they just write them off without actually trying, but eh they had their merits for being taller than any other of their sort.
GameCube will always be my favorite system and have my favorite controllers that fit right in your hands, easy to memorize button placements, colors and shapes. Indentations on the triggers to rest your index fingers on with minimal accidental trigger pulls.
It even says Wired on the box, obviously Coury never took it out at all and only wanted to mention it as a joke cause every other word about the Duke was a joke when it's better than the S in my opinion
The Dualshock 2 is one of my favorite controllers of all time. It fits in my hands so comfortably. The pressure sensitive buttons were a great idea and I love the feel of the circle-gate, symmetrical analog sticks. The only thing I don't like about it is the D-pad. It isn't terrible but is rather jagged and doesn't compare to the comfort of say the SNES or N64 ones. Also, I gotta say, I would much rather use it to play Soul Calibur than the GC controller, even though I love that controller as well.
Another banger of an episode. I think MLIG are the only ones that can make a video 54 minutes long and have it feel like only 10 went by. I swear, if MLIG made an 8 hour video I'd sit and watch the whole thing and it would feel like 30 minutes.
Man. What a time. The controller for the Nintendo GameCube will forever be "the best controller" in my head. I'd use it on everything if I could. I'm glad to see someone agrees with me thinking the scattered layout is better than the diamond. I thought I was alone in that. I cannot wait for the next part. Thank you guys so much.
@My Life in Gaming - YOU FORGOT: To bring up that the Xbox also had analog buttons! All of the Team Ninja Games took advantage of the analog face buttons (well...DoA 3 and DoA: Extreme Volleyball did at least, I can't remember if Ninja Gaiden did...) and I'm also pretty sure Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance also took advantage of the analog face buttons. I care about this missed issue because Zone of the Enders 2 (I believe also ZoE1) both PS2 exclusive games took advantage of the analog face buttons in a big way. I'm sad that Microsoft dropped analog face buttons with the Xbox 360 and Sony kept analog face buttons with the PS3, but dropped them with the PS4. It really sucks that the game industry went backwards. There both Kojima at Konami and Team Ninja embraced this technology and the games are better because of it. It'd be nice if you guys could right this wrong by doing an episode on games both on the Xbox and on the PS2/PS3 that take advantage of it and explain how it effects the gameplay and your take on if it was worth the enhancement.
Probably the most impressed I've ever been with a new game or new system, is when I first played Mario 64 on a demo system set-up at my local computer and video game store. I've never seen such a big leap forward in BOTH graphics AND controller technology in a new generation system, and they complemented each other extremely well. Sega was right there with Nintendo in terms of also releasing a pretty good analogue controller around the same time, but they didn't make it the standard controller for their system from the beginning, so game developers were far less likely to design a game which really took advantage of the benefits of an analogue controller.
The Saturn controller (1st Gen) was my favorite. It is by far THE BEST controller for any Street Fighter game. The same goes for the Saturn 3D controller, which the Dreamcast controller was based on, but not as good. I do have the RetroBit version and it is exactly as I remember the original.
What's the game name on 15:50 ? That looks really cool! Edit. Nevermind, Google got it for me when I've asked it: "ps1 gunstar heroes" LOL. The game is Gunners Heaven
I loved the N64 controller and Mario 64 still feels like it has better analogue controls than most modern games, whilst Goldeneye with an N64 pad is still my favourite way to play any FPS game. With the Gamecube pad being the most comfortable analogue pad I've ever held
If there are 1,000,000 fans of the N64 controller then I am one of them. If there is only 5 fans of the n64 controller then I am still one of them. If there’s only 1 fan then I am that fan. If there are no fans left then I am dead. If the world is against the n64 controller then I am against the world!
@Patrick Holt you ain't the only one I love the Nintendo 64 controller! I found an excellent wireless Nintendo 64 controller that's as good as the original! You gotta get one! You will not regret, tell 'em polycube sent ya.
Thank you guys for all your hard work. Love seeing all the different controllers and such weird design choices for some of the controllers I never knew had like the dreamcase and its upside down cable spot
I didn't know I could watch a video about first party controllers and it be this good. Thank you guys for making such awesome content. Always a pleasure to see your videos!
No mention of the various DualShock OEMs? There's several different manufacturers for the first party Sony DualShock 1/2, you can tell which you have by the letter on the back. A, H and M. A stands for Alps for example. These different manufacturers even have their own revisions of each controller! Why does this matter? Because while they may look identical on the outside they are completely different on the inside. If you've never liked the DS1 for example because you think the buttons feel a bit stiff, then you might wanna try a different manufacturers controller.
Yes, silver PS2 controllers have a lot better triggers( triggers on silver controllers have that nice click) because they were manufactured by different company
Thanks for mentioning this. Just when I thought I knew everything about the PS2. I think I just chocked different controllers of mine feelinng different due to thier age or needing a good internal cleaning soon.
So that explains why each dualshock 2 I've owned has always felt a noticeably off from each other. I used to Frankenstein the damn things to make best feeling controller since each one would have some glaring flaw like mushy d-pad, buttons or shoulders.
I can’t wait for a part 3 in first party controllers. Modern controllers are great and all, but I’ve always had at least 1 issue with each controller like the PS3 controller having a creaking noise to it compared to the PS2 and the XBOX 360 controller having just a terrible directional pad. That doesn’t mean modern controllers are bad, far from it, but I’ve noticed that earlier controllers have much more durability and don’t suffer from sticky buttons or analog drift as much.
That's the thing with the stick placement in PS controllers, it is still pretty comfortable to use and it keeps the d-pad on a better position for 2D games and fast menuing.
I never understood why Xbox had the breakaway cables. They're just more parts to lose. Why not just make the controller cord pop out from the console just as easily? Same purpose achieved, fewer parts. Quite literally no reason for it to break off in the middle of the cord.
same, i recently found 2 old xbox controllers without those breakaway parts and they're unusable now! ..well, until i order new ones. which i might. someday.
Well, as someone who lost their Launch Edition PS2 due to my 2 year old nephew hauling ass between me and the TV and tripping on the controller cable causing my PS2 to crash onto the floor, a break away cable MAY, and I emphasize, MAY, have prevented my PS2 from meeting its fate at the hands of a 2yo. We shall never know, but I would have like to have had the option to potentially prevent the untimely demise of my PS2.
35:08 I don't see the trackball controller option for the CDi 🙃 As a kid I experienced the CDi very early upon its release and that one only had a trackball controller. That was truly one of the most awful ways to play a game on that system......
Surprised you never mentioned the fact that N64 controllers could be duel-wielded for some games like Goldeneye and Perfect Dark, giving you two analog sticks to work with.
I have so many memories with the Playstation 1 controller. While we owned an NES and SNES, I actually spent more time gaming on my dads computer. It wasn't until I got a playstation for my birthday one year that I really started getting into console gaming.
I'd like to see "Episode Zero" of this series, Gendration 1'sAtari 2600's iconic controller of making many people play RIGHT HAND STICK. And Generation 2, the Era of Ambidexterity, with Intellivision, the ColecoVision, the Emerson Arcadia 2001, and even the Atari 5200.
Finally, also if you look at the Xbox s controller it shares a bunch of similarities with the Dreamcast controller. The memory card location, the abxy position if not colours and the trigger position
The S controller for the Xbox will always hold a spot in my heart. When we first got an Xbox, I was 11-12 years old and the Duke was naff for my dainty little hands. The S though, that let me enjoy that beast of a console, through my teen years.
I don't know how modern you intend to get in the next episode, but definitely consider covering VR controllers like the Oculus Touch or Valve Index. Easily the most unique controller innovations are happening in that space.
Bring back the 6 buttons from the Sega Saturn -- it's way better for fighting games. Don't know why Sony and Microsoft still insist on only four face buttons.
Nintendo was not the 1st company to make analog controls it's primary input style, many 80's consoles did. Most notably the Vectrex which has a potentiometer self-centering thumb-stick (and also introduced the more standard directional input on the left side with action buttons on the right side) The N64 stick is not actually analog. It utilizes the exact same type of optical incremental rotary encoders you can find on old rubber-ball style mice or trackballs. Love the video nonetheless, it's always a good day when a MLIG vid pop-up on my subscription box :)
Hell yeah, a nice unexpected surprise guest spot for Digital Foundry. I love the work those guys do, their videos are so techy and nerdy but for some reason they are so interesting to me.
One small detail missed in the video regarding the Dual Analog controller: it has a secondary mode (indicated when you press the Analog button and a green LED lights up instead of red) that allows it to have compatibility with the few games that utilized the older PS1 Analog Joystick but didn't work with the normal analog setting of the pad. A neat little thing I've always found interesting about it.
You can also add in a rumble motor, as per the Japanese original, as the connections are still there. Unfortunately few games support it as they have to be programmed to specifically support dual-analog rumble which is completely incompatible from dualshock rumble.
I also gained a newfound appreciation for the N64 controller after watching this episode. I bought one last month and while I primarily use the Retro Fighters Brawler 64 for other games, I revisited the old controller, and unlike my disappointing revisit to the Dreamcast controller, I was anything but disappointed when I handled the old trident. I was expecting to be disappointed. But now I like it again. After having lots of trouble playing racing games like Micro Machines 64 Turbo on my Brawler 64 controller, the stick on the original controller handled those turns way better than I expected. The precision was excellent. I relived some awkward moments using it, but it wasn't that bad. Now I think I wanna buy three more of these bad boys in my collection! Thanks Try!
I absolutely loved the dual shock controller and it was a favorite for years.....until the GameCube controller! Yes, it's got some wacky elements to it but you hold it and it's like ergonomic bliss! Great video, thank you!
Nice mini documentary on controllers To clarify the reason the GameCube controller is so popular still for Smash is the ridges that give you more precise attacks
I'll always have a soft spot for the pressure sensitive face buttons on the DualShock 2. They were never especially useful outside cases an analog trigger could probably do better anyway like vehicle acceleration, but when the height of your jump or strength of your attack responds to the strength of your press it's a subtle touch that just makes it feel a bit more natural to me.
Tip: For racing games I use RC-style controls with Dual Shock or similar controllers when possible like in Gran Turismo. Which means the leftstick is throttle/brake and the rightstick is left/right. As a righthander I find this control way more intuitive than default layouts which in many/most games look like they're concocted by developers who hate gamers.
Working for Philips (PIMA) in 1993, I was forced to beta test, and beat dozens of CD-i titles using the original 910 machine's default Thumbstick controller. It was a pain!! I was eventually sent a couple Gravis pad style controllers and the games because much easier to play. I recently had a friend build me a CDi2SNES Adruino board based solution. I'm not using that with my 8Bitdo SNES30 wireless controller and I love it! I instantly beat the first 4 stages of The Apprentice without dying. :)
THA DUKE!!!! The Hyperkin version is wired to provide power and info to the centre screen because they (ironically) didnt have enough room for battery power.
I always adored the DS2/DS3 pressure sensitive buttons! I think it was an innovation that deserved to become an industry standard, so I'm really surprised it didn't...
Always love your videos, guys! Pretty sure you're one of VERY few that can keep me interested for an hour. Have one more question. Try! When are we going to see your new game room?
[Try4ce] Not sure! My plan was for after all of the Analog Frontiers episodes are out, but who knows, maybe I'll take a quick break from them at some point to get it out there, we will see.
The wireless GC controller I grew up with initially advertised itself with the phrase “We cut the cord, not the rumble” or something to that effect. Wireless and still had rumble, but I remember it not having the best buttons. I did end up getting a proper Wavebird later and surprisingly, it still works!
I can't wait for the next part, because when they'll be talking about the Kinect, the controllers are gonna be Coury and Try.
Renan de Souza My Life in Gaming.
Quite literally.
Now that you say that, I'm thinking about that time SomeCallMeJohny did that video on Sonic Freeriders.
@@Ballowax "Rolling around at the speed of cramp"
- poor tired Johnny
Now that I would love to see!
They did conspicuously skip over the Genesis Activator, though
Have you considered doing a similar style video comparing the controls on various portable gaming systems? From Game Boy to Vita, 3DS to Game Gear, each system took a different approach to control comfortability
This is a great idea!
If you forget to mention the Gamate in that video, I will unsubscribe.
@@mylifeingaming Definitely try to go over all sorts of consoles even the obscure handhelds you may have, like the gamecom, and more
@@mylifeingaming I'm looking forward to seeing the PSP Go getting the justice it deserves! It's the most comfortable handheld I've ever used, and it slides perfectly into an inside jacket pocket.
That music that plays when you're introducing The Duke 😂😂😂
You guys are great.
But it really should have been called "The Chief"! I mean, it was the Halo controller!
It’s the music when you get drunk in Conker’s Bad Fur Day (which had a remake on Xbox)
That got me laughing a lot. Whenever Coury's voice goes that deep, it's almost like he turned into a muscular giant for a brief moment.
Oh, Philips CD-i. It never fails. When a gaming UA-cam channel needs a "something even worse", you are always there to deliver.
That's not true! Hotel mario was a great.... :(
If you want a positive look at the CD-i watch 8bitguy's overview on it
Even though my favourite consoles from this era are the first 2 PlayStations, my favourite controller is the GameCube one, especially when it came to the exclusives like Luigi's Mansion and Metroid Prime.
This is like water to the desert, thank you
The reason they swapped Circle = Confirm and X = Cancel was because to American Sony executives, universally understood concepts like this were completely foreign to them. So they demanded that "X Marks The Spot." which makes no sense in yes and no terms at all.
Ah, so that explains why some games used Triangle as the cancel button in menus, but some used Circle or Square on the rare occasion; there was a definitive "Yes" symbol, but not a "No" symbol. (Except in Japan, of course.) Maybe they should have colored O green and X red to drive the point home?
I assumed that it was because Circle represents emptiness/negative space, hence cancel with X being like filling in a checkbox or the like, hence confirm.
I love all the video's you guys make, but I only have one complain....in the future videos, could you guys include the game name and system info below gameplay when showcasing it? Other then that, your video format is one of the best I've seen. Thank you for all your work.
I could certainly dig on this idea for the music tracks as well.
@@oobgarm1 Actually, they always write the music titles down at the end of every video 52:39
But yeah, it would be nice not to wait till the end and search for all Track names.
@@julio_official I was aware of that, but usually I hope that I know at least one song in there somewhere so I can try to figure out where the song I'm looking for is in relation to it
Agreed, I'd love to know which game is this one 15:49
It may be a bit distracting to have that show up in the middle of the video, but it would be cool to maybe have that as a subtitle option that you could turn on. I remember Every Frame a Painting used to do that with the film clips they showed.
I've been playing MGS2 and 3 for years and I had zero Idea I could put down my gun by slowly taking my finger off the button of the Dualshock 2. That's sick.
The 3D controller is actually my go to controller for my Saturn. I find it to be very comfortable.
I love it too, also on Panzer Dragoon Zwei if you disable the X button in the options the triggers only turn the camera and don't activate berserk mode, something not mentioned in the video. Got to love how its analogue stick still works flawlessly today unlike some other systems
Around 47:00 - the click in Rogue Leader is for maximum velocity. Open foils means better mobility, closed foils are for speed at the expense of control.
The 6-button Sega controllers were always my favorite. Similarly, the N64 also had 6 buttons in a 2x3 configuration. The original Xbox controller was similar with the white/black. I really hate how every controller moved to 2x2. 2x3 with start, mode/select, shoulders, triggers, dpad, and dual analog would be my ideal controller. You would be able to emulate nearly every console ever.
Helping me through this shift, thanks guys! I got the 8bitdo saturn pad and it's my default controller for emulation of retro games.
My Saturn USB pad is probably my most priced possession, lol, not even kidding.
That plus RetroArch is all I need...
EDIT: Holy shit, you can actually buy new ones for like 16-17€ now? Time to stock up then. I remember these got super rare a while back.
priced? was it more expensive? :P
Most *prized
The 3d controller of the Saturn is my favorite controller all around. Even my unknowing friends thought it felt and played great.
It was also the first controller with analogue triggers. Not until 2002 would another company create a controller with analogue triggers with Microsoft and the Xbox
Also the 3d controller is a must for pretty much any Saturn 3d game past late 96. Panzer dragoon saga and manx TT are a must
All i like to do is to mash the gamecube triggers. There's something about them and they should totally be in a fidget toy
RetroBit also posted a blueprint image of their own Dreamcast controller redesign to Twitter that's apparently hitting sometime near the end of the year. They're adding C and Z buttons that mirror the triggers for 6-button fighters, and there's also gonna be a Saturn D-pad among other touches.
🤤🤑🎉
@@eponymous7910 bruh
Thanks for bringing back that "Reach out to the truth" earworm, Try. Even though P4 is still my favorite in the series, nothing beats "Burn my dread" :D
Which version?
The way that it cut in, I got jolted from the sheer shock and unexpectedness.
BUUUURRNN MYYYYYY BREEAADDD!!!
@@rynomclaughlin1595
I once looked away
from that loaf in there
and it turned into a coal
I swear!
Persona 4 can be dated on the gameplay, but the soundtrack is top tier imho
where's part 3
I always used a Mad Catz Dream Pad for my Dreamcast, as it had a much more comfortable analog stick and d pad, as well as 6 face buttons. Oddly enough it was officially licensed by Sega.
Thank you Coury and Mark! It's been a while! Starting off with the legendary Saturn controller too, woo!
Looking forward to this and hoping to see that upcoming FFRVII "mini" episode soon!
This is a treat and a half. Got my OSSC today and MLiG uploaded!
Okay, it's been almost two years, the next generation has become the current one, I think it's time to talk about the Wii, Wii U, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS3, PS4, and PS5 controllers.
After a long hiatus since the N64, I got back into gaming a decade ago, with the 360, which I bought because of Mortal Kombat, which I loved as a kid. Later, I found out about emulation and got back into retro gaming. Then I started to buy USB controllers. Then real retro controllers along with USB adapters. Soon after, I was buying actual consoles, games and CRTs. Then back around with modern controllers for retro consoles, along with rare, wacky controllers. 300 plus controllers and about 20 consoles later, here I am, happy to have found a hobby and joy that was lost long ago, which I now share and pass on to my kids. Not to mention playing consoles and games I missed out as a kid/teen. I love this hobby.
I'm happy to say your videos had a huge influence on this journey. I went from barely knowing the difference between composite and component or NTSC and PAL to fully RGB modding my own consoles, along with all kinds of crazy mods, and having a much deeper appreciation and understanding of hardware. When I get a new console, I go watch the corresponding RGB series video you made on it, when available. Thank you, Coury and Mark. I look forward to many years of watching your channel. Never change that intro music though, please! All the best! :)
Re: 3DO pad. I don't get why the daisy-chain ability would be "mocked". It was USB before USB. It was extremely consumer friendly because you didn't have to buy a costly multi-tap to play more than two players like the PS1. FIFA supported six players, no multi-tap needed. And not all 3do controllers had the daisy-chain on the controller itself, some like the Logitech pad had the splitter at the connector. The big advantage of having it on the controller was only one cord needed to be extra long (the pack-in controller did have an extra long cable) and there would only be a single cord to step over going from the console to the couch. Way ahead of its contemporaries in those respects. The diagonal issue was because the posts around the d-pad were about a millimeter too high. It's unclear whether this was an oversight or some old school purist wanting perfect 4-way (for Pac-Man?) control. Loosening the screws sort of works, but filing down the posts was the real fix. Also, this was only an issue for the first batch of Panasonic controllers. Later revisions (like those with the FZ-10) and other brands (like the Goldstar, Sanyo, Logitech) didn't have the issue at all.
I have a 3DO and I actually like the controller.
I would say it was a really neat solution at the time. But I imagine for some, it's wasn't really ideal and they would rather have the controller plug to the system itself or use something like a Multi-tap. (Nintendo pretty much make their consoles supported two players by default since the NES, so I would say only having one controller port in the '90 is a bit dumb in my opinion.)
The daisy chain was more like FireWire before FireWire
Sega Saturn controller is my favorite controller ever. The retro-bit wireless version are also awesome and I had been waiting for them forever. The only thing missing now to get the ultimate controller is a version with analog sticks. 8bitdo was supposed to be developing one, but I guess it was canceled when retro-bit got the licensing from sega. I still have hope... Unfortunately Sega completely ignored the "if it ain't broken don't fix it" when developing the dreamcast controller.
As someone who took very good care of his N64 controllers and constantly cleaned out the stick base, it doesn't matter what you do, those joysticks will always turn to shit. It's a shame, because when new, that is the most precise joystick there's ever been!
The N64 stick is a mechanical device with gears and moving parts that rub against each other. Like a watch or a car engine these parts require lubrication and a regular "oil change". I've been lubricating my N64 sticks since the '90s and my launch controller is still as good as new - it moves smoothly and reads as having a full range of motion in controller test programs
Ideally you should use silicone grease, but even petroleum jelly will work in a pinch. It's a bit tricky to do as you have the completely take apart the stick box and make sure you don't get grease on the optical encoders, the results are well worth it though. If you've been cleaning white powder from around the base of your sticks then that's a sure sign they have no lubrication left as that powder's a result of the components grinding themselves to dust!
And yes, the N64's analogue stick is massively more precise than the usual potentiometer-based designs. If you have the ability to run homebrew on N64 and PS2 you can download controller test programs for each. It's incredible to see how much the readings from PS2 controllers jump about all over the place and how poorly their readings return to centre when the stick is released - this is why both Dualshock 1 & 2s have such large dead-zones. By comparison a well maintained N64 stick is pin-point accurate and centralises brilliantly every time. If only they had come up with a way of making it maintenance-free...
Get a steel stick I've heard they're pretty good
@@Xray64 Where would one get a steel stick? I've been searching, the only relevant result I found was still a WIP project.
@@obvfw First of all, I'm not paid, I'm not promoting anything and I don't guarantee you don't get defective parts. I just know that if you been searching alot like I did, it would probably be helpful for me to dump for you what I found and then decided to get. I was pretty happy with it. I even used left over lubricant for my unchanged controllers to help them work better.
Steelsticks fully assembled are all backlogged waitlists from what I've found. No one is producing mass steel polished modules.
It's not really the stick as important as the bowl is. The grinding to dust happens in the bowl in OEM controllers which are basically entirely plastic on plastic contact. When its dry of the lubricant you get grinding and rough feeling.
If you don't care about costs, and want a smooth longer term solution to try out, start with one of the steelsticks64.com steelsticks64.com/?product=n64-steelbowl-b-grade steelbowls grade B.
I got one of those and also:
www.shapeways.com/product/EC6E6LL6E/n64-brass-gear-slots-3-40mm
Remember to read that page and also get the plastic gears.
www.shapeways.com/product/7JXFA3YWT/n64-gear-teeth-v1?optionId=65335755&li=more-from-shop
Here's the capless stick I got and used steelsticks64 acrylic cap for colored joystick:
www.shapeways.com/product/V87DV25NF/n64-capless-nylon-stick?optionId=67204108&li=more-from-shop
This was then screwed into the stick post:
steelsticks64.com/?product=neon-acrylic-cap
everything came together quite nicely, but trying to put it back together in the controller was hell. It was confusing how you need to position everything then have the spring properly hold the thin disk ontop of the stick/gears all together. THEN drop it back into the controller module and close it up with the screw and 2 clips on topside.
Good luck! I love Starfox64 so much - its played the absolute best with the original controller stick design on real hardware. nothing better imo.
@@scikoolaid Hm, interesting. I'll look into it. Thanks for all the info!
So excited for this one, controllers definitely get unique during these early 3d gens.
they did, and honestly did some things better than even the best controllers do now. I understand the hatred of the classic N64 controller, but new with a fresh analogue stick; best for white knuckle delicate 3d platforming, makes today's analog sticks feel woody and too digital. Also the dreamcast D-Pad, its tall predictable pivot is the best fighting d-pad I've used; I neet a Seimetsu LS-62-01 arcade stick to surpass the latter. They are both so weird feeling to most people they just write them off without actually trying, but eh they had their merits for being taller than any other of their sort.
GameCube will always be my favorite system and have my favorite controllers that fit right in your hands, easy to memorize button placements, colors and shapes. Indentations on the triggers to rest your index fingers on with minimal accidental trigger pulls.
Hyperkin's Duke isn't wireless. It's wired.
It even says Wired on the box, obviously Coury never took it out at all and only wanted to mention it as a joke cause every other word about the Duke was a joke when it's better than the S in my opinion
@@rynomclaughlin1595 The Duke's sticks looks more refined though. The right stick is Domed which is better for aiming.
The Dualshock 2 is one of my favorite controllers of all time. It fits in my hands so comfortably. The pressure sensitive buttons were a great idea and I love the feel of the circle-gate, symmetrical analog sticks. The only thing I don't like about it is the D-pad. It isn't terrible but is rather jagged and doesn't compare to the comfort of say the SNES or N64 ones. Also, I gotta say, I would much rather use it to play Soul Calibur than the GC controller, even though I love that controller as well.
Another banger of an episode. I think MLIG are the only ones that can make a video 54 minutes long and have it feel like only 10 went by. I swear, if MLIG made an 8 hour video I'd sit and watch the whole thing and it would feel like 30 minutes.
“Mushroom cap with tiny bumps”
Me too bud....wait a second
Man. What a time.
The controller for the Nintendo GameCube will forever be "the best controller" in my head. I'd use it on everything if I could.
I'm glad to see someone agrees with me thinking the scattered layout is better than the diamond. I thought I was alone in that.
I cannot wait for the next part. Thank you guys so much.
@My Life in Gaming - YOU FORGOT:
To bring up that the Xbox also had analog buttons! All of the Team Ninja Games took advantage of the analog face buttons (well...DoA 3 and DoA: Extreme Volleyball did at least, I can't remember if Ninja Gaiden did...) and I'm also pretty sure Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance also took advantage of the analog face buttons.
I care about this missed issue because Zone of the Enders 2 (I believe also ZoE1) both PS2 exclusive games took advantage of the analog face buttons in a big way. I'm sad that Microsoft dropped analog face buttons with the Xbox 360 and Sony kept analog face buttons with the PS3, but dropped them with the PS4.
It really sucks that the game industry went backwards. There both Kojima at Konami and Team Ninja embraced this technology and the games are better because of it.
It'd be nice if you guys could right this wrong by doing an episode on games both on the Xbox and on the PS2/PS3 that take advantage of it and explain how it effects the gameplay and your take on if it was worth the enhancement.
Some of the controllers are very beautiful and awesome...🤘🏼💯✔️ Especially the Nintendo 64, the Sony Playstation 2, and the Xbox...❤️
DF colab while looking at the JAG?! I smiled so widely when it happened. Hahahaha.. Great video guys, like always!
Searched for this comment! :-D I like how John took the episode to his style in his portions! Felt like an wesome DF retro cameo
You guys are super good!!! One of the best channels on UA-cam!!
*MLiG where’s my Wii episode?*
Probably the most impressed I've ever been with a new game or new system, is when I first played Mario 64 on a demo system set-up at my local computer and video game store. I've never seen such a big leap forward in BOTH graphics AND controller technology in a new generation system, and they complemented each other extremely well. Sega was right there with Nintendo in terms of also releasing a pretty good analogue controller around the same time, but they didn't make it the standard controller for their system from the beginning, so game developers were far less likely to design a game which really took advantage of the benefits of an analogue controller.
Not gonna lie, i got hyped when i heard the Persona 4 song
The Saturn controller (1st Gen) was my favorite. It is by far THE BEST controller for any Street Fighter game. The same goes for the Saturn 3D controller, which the Dreamcast controller was based on, but not as good. I do have the RetroBit version and it is exactly as I remember the original.
Count me as a fan of the Nintendo 64 and especially its controller, that analog stick feels more mechanical than others, which I personally love.
44:49 Dr. Mario getting hit was perfectly timed with the music.
The production value is off the charts.....still to this day! You guys are awesome. Keep at it!
What's the game name on 15:50 ?
That looks really cool!
Edit. Nevermind, Google got it for me when I've asked it: "ps1 gunstar heroes" LOL.
The game is Gunners Heaven
I loved the N64 controller and Mario 64 still feels like it has better analogue controls than most modern games, whilst Goldeneye with an N64 pad is still my favourite way to play any FPS game. With the Gamecube pad being the most comfortable analogue pad I've ever held
If there are 1,000,000 fans of the N64 controller then I am one of them. If there is only 5 fans of the n64 controller then I am still one of them. If there’s only 1 fan then I am that fan. If there are no fans left then I am dead. If the world is against the n64 controller then I am against the world!
[Try4ce] Don't worry, you will never be the 1 fan because I'll be right there with you!
@@mylifeingaming dang I made a comment so good you came back to a two year old video.
@@mylifeingaming Same here
@Patrick Holt you ain't the only one I love the Nintendo 64 controller! I found an excellent wireless Nintendo 64 controller that's as good as the original! You gotta get one! You will not regret, tell 'em polycube sent ya.
Thank you guys for all your hard work. Love seeing all the different controllers and such weird design choices for some of the controllers I never knew had like the dreamcase and its upside down cable spot
Awesome work as always!
I didn't know I could watch a video about first party controllers and it be this good. Thank you guys for making such awesome content. Always a pleasure to see your videos!
No mention of the various DualShock OEMs?
There's several different manufacturers for the first party Sony DualShock 1/2, you can tell which you have by the letter on the back.
A, H and M. A stands for Alps for example. These different manufacturers even have their own revisions of each controller!
Why does this matter? Because while they may look identical on the outside they are completely different on the inside.
If you've never liked the DS1 for example because you think the buttons feel a bit stiff, then you might wanna try a different manufacturers controller.
interesting, I personally always felt the buttons were too mushy. Perhaps I'd like the stiff one? Or is there a more tactile one? :o
That’s very interesting.
Want to note though that Sony was the OEM, while the manufacturers are just called manufacturers :)
Yes, silver PS2 controllers have a lot better triggers( triggers on silver controllers have that nice click) because they were manufactured by different company
Thanks for mentioning this. Just when I thought I knew everything about the PS2. I think I just chocked different controllers of mine feelinng different due to thier age or needing a good internal cleaning soon.
So that explains why each dualshock 2 I've owned has always felt a noticeably off from each other. I used to Frankenstein the damn things to make best feeling controller since each one would have some glaring flaw like mushy d-pad, buttons or shoulders.
I can’t wait for a part 3 in first party controllers. Modern controllers are great and all, but I’ve always had at least 1 issue with each controller like the PS3 controller having a creaking noise to it compared to the PS2 and the XBOX 360 controller having just a terrible directional pad. That doesn’t mean modern controllers are bad, far from it, but I’ve noticed that earlier controllers have much more durability and don’t suffer from sticky buttons or analog drift as much.
Always (and still do) love the “duke” Xbox controller. Still till this day I find it very comfortable to hold but yeah, that dpad isn’t great.
That's the thing with the stick placement in PS controllers, it is still pretty comfortable to use and it keeps the d-pad on a better position for 2D games and fast menuing.
Omg I missed my life in gaming so much.
Pizza, beer, and a new MLiG episode: my idea of a perfect Saturday night.
I never understood why Xbox had the breakaway cables. They're just more parts to lose. Why not just make the controller cord pop out from the console just as easily? Same purpose achieved, fewer parts. Quite literally no reason for it to break off in the middle of the cord.
same, i recently found 2 old xbox controllers without those breakaway parts and they're unusable now! ..well, until i order new ones. which i might. someday.
Because Microsoft. Bad ideas are kind of their jam.
Well, as someone who lost their Launch Edition PS2 due to my 2 year old nephew hauling ass between me and the TV and tripping on the controller cable causing my PS2 to crash onto the floor, a break away cable MAY, and I emphasize, MAY, have prevented my PS2 from meeting its fate at the hands of a 2yo. We shall never know, but I would have like to have had the option to potentially prevent the untimely demise of my PS2.
@@racer4200 I could help to fix your launch edition PS2.
@@Tobi_DarkKnight Thanks man. This was quite a while ago and the PS2 is long gone.
This is my favorite era of games
Dreamcast, GameCube, and PS2
So dear to my heart
Part 3?
This is a truly amazing series guys. Glad to see the Nintendo consoles get some understanding as they personally were my favourites.
The best part is the Xbox controller with hilarious music, hahaha
As always excellent production values and a balanced look where you guys acknowledge nostalgia but also judge fairly
35:08 I don't see the trackball controller option for the CDi 🙃 As a kid I experienced the CDi very early upon its release and that one only had a trackball controller. That was truly one of the most awful ways to play a game on that system......
www.memoriabit.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/cdi-trackball.jpg
Surprised you never mentioned the fact that N64 controllers could be duel-wielded for some games like Goldeneye and Perfect Dark, giving you two analog sticks to work with.
Thank you for getting us through these troublesome times, im attempting to spread positivity too through my own content
I’m looking forward to them doing part 3 with coverage of the 360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, and potentially more
I have so many memories with the Playstation 1 controller. While we owned an NES and SNES, I actually spent more time gaming on my dads computer. It wasn't until I got a playstation for my birthday one year that I really started getting into console gaming.
Any plans to yet make Part 3?
I'd like to see "Episode Zero" of this series, Gendration 1'sAtari 2600's iconic controller of making many people play RIGHT HAND STICK. And Generation 2, the Era of Ambidexterity, with Intellivision, the ColecoVision, the Emerson Arcadia 2001, and even the Atari 5200.
Everybody is dropping #2's lately.
These controllers you are showcasing are immaculate. Such pristine condition geezus
The Duke is an amazingly underrated controller. It's a shame that a lot of people don't like it
I agree, I love the duke, my go to controller when playing most original Xbox games.
@@michael423 For me is also my go to controller when I play some PC games, thanks to a usb adapter breakaway cable and special driver
Always found it comfortable to use.
Finally, also if you look at the Xbox s controller it shares a bunch of similarities with the Dreamcast controller. The memory card location, the abxy position if not colours and the trigger position
Good lord guys clean your controllers
Fuzzball Renakitty The closeups of the PlayStation controllers analog sticks 🤢
There's a load of sense covered in this video. Especially with Try's intelligent summation of the N64 controller. Excellent work as always, guys.
[Try4ce] Thank you! Not everyone will agree with it, but I tried my best.
@@mylifeingaming You nailed it
When the ps2 section starts
REACH OUT TO THE TRUTH
The S controller for the Xbox will always hold a spot in my heart.
When we first got an Xbox, I was 11-12 years old and the Duke was naff for my dainty little hands. The S though, that let me enjoy that beast of a console, through my teen years.
What is the song at 0:53 ?
I don't know how modern you intend to get in the next episode, but definitely consider covering VR controllers like the Oculus Touch or Valve Index. Easily the most unique controller innovations are happening in that space.
Only noobs struggle with an N64 controller.
Only noobs struggle with any first party controller.
Only noobs struggle with things new to them.
I could not play n64 because i didn't know how to hold it. Also the drift... its bad on the controllers that are worn.
I always thought it was the other way around. Only noobs who missed the first two generations of gaming like the N64 controller.
Only normal human beings with only two hands struggle with an N64 controller. What planet are you from?
Amazing video production, interesting perspectives, and really entertaining presentation by everyone involved. Outstanding video
Convex not condex 🙄
Your N64 joystick lasted because you weren't rigorously into the THQ wrestling games. 😁
Bring back the 6 buttons from the Sega Saturn -- it's way better for fighting games. Don't know why Sony and Microsoft still insist on only four face buttons.
Nintendo was not the 1st company to make analog controls it's primary input style, many 80's consoles did. Most notably the Vectrex which has a potentiometer self-centering thumb-stick (and also introduced the more standard directional input on the left side with action buttons on the right side)
The N64 stick is not actually analog. It utilizes the exact same type of optical incremental rotary encoders you can find on old rubber-ball style mice or trackballs.
Love the video nonetheless, it's always a good day when a MLIG vid pop-up on my subscription box :)
The dreamcast controller was a "inspiration" to the xbox controller because the xbox IS LITERALLY the dreamcast 2, ffs YOU GUYS KNOW THIS.
you have no concept of the word literally, or many others... ffs.
Hell yeah, a nice unexpected surprise guest spot for Digital Foundry. I love the work those guys do, their videos are so techy and nerdy but for some reason they are so interesting to me.
One small detail missed in the video regarding the Dual Analog controller: it has a secondary mode (indicated when you press the Analog button and a green LED lights up instead of red) that allows it to have compatibility with the few games that utilized the older PS1 Analog Joystick but didn't work with the normal analog setting of the pad. A neat little thing I've always found interesting about it.
You can also add in a rumble motor, as per the Japanese original, as the connections are still there. Unfortunately few games support it as they have to be programmed to specifically support dual-analog rumble which is completely incompatible from dualshock rumble.
I also gained a newfound appreciation for the N64 controller after watching this episode. I bought one last month and while I primarily use the Retro Fighters Brawler 64 for other games, I revisited the old controller, and unlike my disappointing revisit to the Dreamcast controller, I was anything but disappointed when I handled the old trident. I was expecting to be disappointed. But now I like it again. After having lots of trouble playing racing games like Micro Machines 64 Turbo on my Brawler 64 controller, the stick on the original controller handled those turns way better than I expected. The precision was excellent. I relived some awkward moments using it, but it wasn't that bad. Now I think I wanna buy three more of these bad boys in my collection! Thanks Try!
[Try4ce] All my ranting is worth it if just one person comes around to seeing the good of the N64 controller. :)
Very informative as always. And it's always so nice to here that MLIG theme at the end of y'all's videos
I absolutely loved the dual shock controller and it was a favorite for years.....until the GameCube controller! Yes, it's got some wacky elements to it but you hold it and it's like ergonomic bliss!
Great video, thank you!
Nice mini documentary on controllers
To clarify the reason the GameCube controller is so popular still for Smash is the ridges that give you more precise attacks
I'll always have a soft spot for the pressure sensitive face buttons on the DualShock 2. They were never especially useful outside cases an analog trigger could probably do better anyway like vehicle acceleration, but when the height of your jump or strength of your attack responds to the strength of your press it's a subtle touch that just makes it feel a bit more natural to me.
Thank you guys for putting so much love into your videos!
Tip: For racing games I use RC-style controls with Dual Shock or similar controllers when possible like in Gran Turismo.
Which means the leftstick is throttle/brake and the rightstick is left/right.
As a righthander I find this control way more intuitive than default layouts which in many/most games look like they're concocted by developers who hate gamers.
Working for Philips (PIMA) in 1993, I was forced to beta test, and beat dozens of CD-i titles using the original 910 machine's default Thumbstick controller. It was a pain!! I was eventually sent a couple Gravis pad style controllers and the games because much easier to play. I recently had a friend build me a CDi2SNES Adruino board based solution. I'm not using that with my 8Bitdo SNES30 wireless controller and I love it! I instantly beat the first 4 stages of The Apprentice without dying. :)
THA DUKE!!!!
The Hyperkin version is wired to provide power and info to the centre screen because they (ironically) didnt have enough room for battery power.
I love Try's passion for anything Nintendo 64 related.
I always adored the DS2/DS3 pressure sensitive buttons! I think it was an innovation that deserved to become an industry standard, so I'm really surprised it didn't...
Always love your videos, guys! Pretty sure you're one of VERY few that can keep me interested for an hour.
Have one more question. Try! When are we going to see your new game room?
[Try4ce] Not sure! My plan was for after all of the Analog Frontiers episodes are out, but who knows, maybe I'll take a quick break from them at some point to get it out there, we will see.
The wireless GC controller I grew up with initially advertised itself with the phrase “We cut the cord, not the rumble” or something to that effect. Wireless and still had rumble, but I remember it not having the best buttons. I did end up getting a proper Wavebird later and surprisingly, it still works!