Contra Effect
 

They just don't build them controllers like they used to. :( Do you ever find yourself playing a game where inputs are everything, yet your controller is making it hard to pull-off those complicated maneuvers? Maybe you're playing a fighting game, and you just can't seem to make that half-circle overdrive/hyper-combo/super move go off. Maybe Sabin's Blitz commands in Final Fantasy VI are giving you trouble because your controller isn't responding how you want it to. Or MOST AGGRAVATING, you're playing Contra, and when you try to dodge an enemy bullet, you end up running toward it instead. What do you do in these situations? Do you give up and throw your controller at the TV? Do you find many times that there is junk in the D-pad that you have to clean out? Or do you end up buying games where inputs aren't so important?

My brothers and I find that our controllers seem to contra effect the most while we're playing fighting games (although it's still most annoying when playing Contra). The match is down to the wire, but we can't seem to pull off the more advanced moves when it really counts because our controllers are contra-effecting. Playstation controllers are the worst. Here's a test all of you can do: Whatever game it is you're playing for the Playstation or PS2, try moving left and right while only touching the down button on the D-pad. I guarantee you'll be able to do this with ease.

Okay, enough ranting. Anyone else feel the way I do?

In my opinion, the PS2 d-pad is among the best and one of the finest points of the dual shock 2. Compared to the Xbox / Xbox 360 d-pad, it's a blessing in terms of precision and diagonals. Its only negative side is that it induces blisters when played with high intensity for a long period of time.

If you're complaining about fighting games, there are tons of good joysticks for PS2 these days. Those games were meant to be played on a stick.

Edit: I've "hadoken'd", when I should've "shoryuken'd" many times, on a D-pad.
~*~*~Nerdy Nerd nerd nerd Nerdy Nerd*~~*~

Okay, I think I understand exactly what this Contra Effect is; when the controller doesn't seem to want to respond exactly the way you want it to. I've had this happen many times playing all kinds of games, especially shoot-em-ups. However, I don't fully understand the Contra example given (usually if I don't understand, I'd wing it, but you seemed to have coined this term on the one thing that's confusing me here). In what manner are you dodging the enemy bullet? Jumping over it? You can run toward a bullet and still jump over it. Care to clarify for me?

EDIT: Okay, I forgot about ducking, in which case it makes a lot more sense.

Usually I just get pissed off and moan about it. I mean, really? What can you do?

On an unrelated note, back in the '90s when I played a lot of Phantasy Star 4, I used to get REALLY mad when I'd try to run away from battle and end up spending more time getting pummeled than I would have if I had just fought. I used to slam the controller down on the floor so hard... I even broke one of the capaciters off inside of it, but darned if that Genesis 6-button controller didn't keep chugging along like a pro.

Yeah, today's controllers are piss. My 2 months old Xbox 1 pad left analog stick squeaks whenever it reaches the border of the socket... bah! Just bah!

When I attempt to push the A button, the left trigger button ends up getting pushed instead. Such bad controllers nowadays.