[Multiplatform] Nintendo 64 controller versus psx dualshock

Despite its odd design, I did find the N64 controller worked well for some games at the time. The trigger on the bottom fit FPS games quite well, and the C-buttons worked well enough for camera manipulation and as movement in FPS games that used a Turok-style control system. Unfortunately, many games seemed to suffer from it: trying to play virtually any fighting game with the C-buttons was a chore, not to mention the d-pad section of the controller was practically never used, making it feel like a third wheel.

The Dual Shock was rather nice, although a bit harder to get used to. The position of the analog sticks isn't quite as comfortable, but the symmetry of them felt natural for many games, including Katamari Damacy. The analog click and just plain number of buttons made almost any game work well enough on it. And of course the built in rumble was nice as well, it's really surprising how often I overlook that until I actually go to play one of the older consoles that doesn't have it built in (or even the Sixaxis, ironically).

Overall, I liked the Dual Shock more, and its design was influential enough to carry on throughout the generations.

Originally Posted by RABicle

HAHAHA what? Set the standard for today's controllers, except 66.7% of them? Gimmie a break. And the 360 controller has far more in common with the Dreamcast than the Dualshock, which itself borrowed heavily from the N64 and SNES. To call any controller a standard setter is ridiculous.

No, the Dual Shock did set a standard, it was even given an award for it. After the Dual Shock, every console in the following generation except the Dreamcast adopted a dual analog, rumble-enabled, handle-gripped controller, and the Xbox 360 even went as far as adding in the extra two triggers as well, as well as analog stick buttons. Plus, the Dual Shock design was even adopted on PCs as the main form for gamepad controls, at least until Microsoft started pushing the Xbox 360 controller as the standard.

I liked the Dreamcast/Saturn analog controllers, but the only features from them that were really utilized in other consoles were the analog triggers and basic placement for the left analog stick/d-pad. Too bad the VMU/controller screen didn't live on.

Quote:

The dpad has been relegated to joke status since Super Mario 64.

Which is quite ironic, since Super Mario 64 DS relied on a D-pad for control (unless you wanted to use the extremely awkward touch screen controls for the game).

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by RABicle

Wow you won that point. A game that didn't come out until 2004 or wahtever, we can now retrospecitively realise the genius of the design of the Dual Shock when applied to Katamari Damacy.

Yes, that is actually the point, since the controller was designed well enough that it could still be used for new and different control schemes even 7 years after it was released. I'd say it's a pretty damn good controller design when games can advance UP to its level while managing to not hinder existing games in the process (which I really can't say for about most of Nintendo's controller designs).

Quote:

Are you kidding? The N64 Dpad was BIGGER than the Dual Shock one. Are you thinking of the Gamecube or something? And I could've sworn that everyone agreed that 6 face buttons was better for Street Fighter style fighters than 4.

The problem wasn't that it had 6 face buttons, it's that it had 6 face buttons of 2 different sizes and 4 of them were so small it was practically impossible to use them efficiently. The Saturn pad was a great 6 button solution, since the 3 upper buttons weren't much smaller than the main ones and were still easy to use and press. It's clear that the N64's C-stick buttons weren't designed to be used as action buttons, and in that case you'd almost be better off using a 4 button controller with triggers instead.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Elixir

The 64 controller was fine for things like Goldeneye, KI2, Pilotwings, etc. Did any game specifically make use of holding the dpad and analogue stick positions? I remember watching some video advertising the 64 and the "three positions" but most of the time there were only two.

I think at least one of the wrestling games did, NWO vs. The World or some such abreviation. Also Sin and Punishment had a control layout where you could use the D-pad+analog stick configuration, but then you don't have enough buttons to switch between lock-on and free aiming modes so it was kinda worthless...

How ya doing, buddy?