Dreamcast D-Pad
 

I've got myself a used Dreamcast with a also used gamepad, while the analog stick, buttons and triggers work perfectly the d-pad is lame. While this is no news it's quite annoying since all DC shmups use the D-Pad... the thing is that they're only 3 of 4 worth playing and I don't feel like buying a new pad or a PS2 pad adapter just to play these games.

So do you guys know if there's:
1. some software/action replay code/patch to make the games think the analog stick is the d-pad?
or
2. is there a Xbox/Xbox 360 to Dreamcast controller adapter?

I mention patches since I'm playing backups, and I mention a Xbox pad adapter 'cause unlike a PS2 pad (that I would only use for shmups) a Xbox pad could fully replace the DC pad.

Any help on this would be appreciated.

there is a PS2 to DC controller adapter, but now its really hard to find it.

Yeah I know, it's called Total Control. Infact there are a few of revisions of it, Total Control, Total Control 2 and Total Control Plus. And I even have a PS2 pad right here that I use with my XBox for... shmups and other 2D games emulated games. :D
The thing is, the adapter + shipping from USA (Play-Asia import) is too expensive for the use it will have, there's only a few shmups worth playing on the DC and maybe those I haven't tried yet (Under Defeat, Trizeal and Chaos Field) support the analog stick.
That's why I asked if you guys knew of any trick to make these games use the analog stick or an adapter to replace my DC pad with the XBox one.

On a side note, I just can't belive how massively overrated Ikaruga is. I mean it's not a bad game but nowhere near the greatness what everybody said it was.

But thanks for the awnser anyway.