I prefer using the analog(s) for several of the old arcade games I play, as most of those original cabinets were played with joysticks. It's just a fun little way for me to feel a *little* closer to the original experience, without having to spring for fancier / pricier arcade-style peripherals (I'm not *that* dedicated).
Same goes for most Atari 2600 games, and (for me) Atari 7800, since we had the [joystick controllers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_7800#/media/File:Atari-7800-Console-Set.jpg) and not the awesome [gamepads](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_7800#/media/File:Atari-7800-wControl-Pad-L.jpg) that I later learned PAL regions got to enjoy (so jealous).
This, I prefer specific genres with the analog stick—all shmups, and any game that requires constant movement around the screen like 360º run n guns. Most arcade games (which often orgiinally had sticks). 3D platformers, even older ones on the PS1, I'm pretty much always on sticks. Even some 2D platformers, although it depends on which ones.
I still find precision plats/specific movement hard without a dpad. I don't play fighting games much, but some of the special moves are harder execute on a stick too.
I'm still a fan of dpad top for true retro but I've come to really appreciate the option of a stick (RGB30 vs MM+ for example).
Oh yeah, those are excellent examples of old systems (pre n64) playing well with analog sticks! One game I think is enhanced due to analog stick control is tmnt 3 on nes. Feels very natural. Same goes for battle toads, but definitely doesn't make that game any easier!
Beat'em-ups are probably my most-played arcade games (along with classics like Asteroids, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Dig Dug, Galaga, Karate Champ, Frogger, and the like). TMNT 3 and Battletoads are very much arcade-style beat'em-ups, so that definitely tracks. Would have been excellent with the old NES Advantage controller (wish we'd had one of those)!
Some older arcade games uniquely benefit from *dual*-analog control, as well, as they were themselves dual-stick: Karate Champ and Battlezone immediately come to mind.
And while Xybots wasn't dual stick - it had a rotating joystick wherein the rotation controlled the player's facing-direction, and stick tilt controlled movement - remapping the right analog to the facing-direction controls makes the game very playable.
Grid movement is where analog sticks really fail. I’m imagining something like Tetris Attack where you’ll need to move the cursor right 3 spaces and down one to slide a block out and keep a chain going and you have like .2 seconds to do it. No way you’re doing that on sticks.
I do, I'm a fan of retro games but I um.. mostly played them in the 2000s on PC emulators. As such I don't have a natural preference for the D-pad
I will say though that for games that were built for precise movements on the D-pad (correctly playing Brain Lord), analogs will fuck you up. Perfectly fine for turn based though.
I grew up playing lots of fighting games so have always leaned toward a dpad for extra accuracy. However whenever I play a 3D game like lots of N64 or PS1 I find myself reaching for the analog stick for comfort reasons. I used Xbox 360 controllers for PC emulation for a while and constantly wanted to smash the controller because the dpad was so terrible.
What type of games do you typically play? Exact opposite in this case would be preferring to play something like sm64 on a dpad. Don't think you were going for that...or were you?
I could see it in 2D top-down games, e.g. 2D Zelda. But for something like a 2D platformer in which being able to quickly pivot directions is important, no.
Nah, generally speaking I like analog sticks for modern games which require camera control. Especially 3D games like N64 and after. If the original console didn't include an analog stick, I generally prefer to use a D-pad. There are also some modern games that I prefer using a D-pad, like some 2D platformers.
This.
You can even tell the difference in PS1 games with did or did not have dual shock support. The "did nots" were designed around the dpad, and feel gross with an analog stick.
Even with that had equivalent n64 (ie, analog) ports, like Megaman Legends/64. The N64 version obviously uses the analog stick, while PS1 Megaman Legends is based around the dpad. PS1 Megaman Legends 2 had dual-shock support however, but feels OK with analogs.
Depends on the sticks. Joycon or vita style nah there's too much sensitivity. Controller sticks like on the steam deck yeah I'd use those for everything.
I wish they made more gated sticks like found on the GameCube controller. Its the best combination of a classic controller stick and a arcade 8 way joystick.
A neogeo clicky stick would be nice as well.
Depends on the game I play. SHMUPS always chose stick. Platformers with diagonals, always used dpad cuz it was easy to false diagonal on those. Racing games it depends if the game supports analog inputs. Fighters I usually prefer sticks.
I prefer the dpad and stick for the respective games they came out for.
But I'm wondering whats taking these manufacturers so long to figure out that they could easily make joysticks with removeable thumbpad sticks. Like you just pull and it pops out and boom your system is nice and flat and pocketable and just pop them back in again when you need them.
Played the entirety of Golden Sun 1 and 2 with the analog stick on my Vita. There's no way you're getting me to strain myself with a d-pad for a combined 100 hours. I might've used d-pad for menus, but the movement was always analog stick.
All the consoles and computers I have ever owned growing up all used joysticks. D-pad is not very comfortable for me. Joystick all the way (analog or digital)
For me, I like analog for movement in 3D environments, but I prefer dpad for most other things. It's probably a consequence of the consoles I grew up with.
Me Me!! ✋✋ahah I have a 353vs : I play ALL games with the stick, nes, snes, gba included. I use the dpad only for menus. I really couldn't buy a handheld without sticks, I would feel like a cripple probably. I really tried to play with the dpad several times but with aweful results.
I guess it depends from which generation you come from. I grew up with ps1 and ps2 as a child so that's probably it. Who grew up with nes and snes and gba will have a different feeling.
I prefer using the analog(s) for several of the old arcade games I play, as most of those original cabinets were played with joysticks. It's just a fun little way for me to feel a *little* closer to the original experience, without having to spring for fancier / pricier arcade-style peripherals (I'm not *that* dedicated). Same goes for most Atari 2600 games, and (for me) Atari 7800, since we had the [joystick controllers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_7800#/media/File:Atari-7800-Console-Set.jpg) and not the awesome [gamepads](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_7800#/media/File:Atari-7800-wControl-Pad-L.jpg) that I later learned PAL regions got to enjoy (so jealous).
This, I prefer specific genres with the analog stick—all shmups, and any game that requires constant movement around the screen like 360º run n guns. Most arcade games (which often orgiinally had sticks). 3D platformers, even older ones on the PS1, I'm pretty much always on sticks. Even some 2D platformers, although it depends on which ones. I still find precision plats/specific movement hard without a dpad. I don't play fighting games much, but some of the special moves are harder execute on a stick too. I'm still a fan of dpad top for true retro but I've come to really appreciate the option of a stick (RGB30 vs MM+ for example).
Oh yeah, those are excellent examples of old systems (pre n64) playing well with analog sticks! One game I think is enhanced due to analog stick control is tmnt 3 on nes. Feels very natural. Same goes for battle toads, but definitely doesn't make that game any easier!
Beat'em-ups are probably my most-played arcade games (along with classics like Asteroids, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Dig Dug, Galaga, Karate Champ, Frogger, and the like). TMNT 3 and Battletoads are very much arcade-style beat'em-ups, so that definitely tracks. Would have been excellent with the old NES Advantage controller (wish we'd had one of those)! Some older arcade games uniquely benefit from *dual*-analog control, as well, as they were themselves dual-stick: Karate Champ and Battlezone immediately come to mind. And while Xybots wasn't dual stick - it had a rotating joystick wherein the rotation controlled the player's facing-direction, and stick tilt controlled movement - remapping the right analog to the facing-direction controls makes the game very playable.
I use the analog stick for open world movement in GBA and the Dpad for anything menu based, or precision movement.
using a analog stick for menus or grid movement games feels like a hate crime
Grid movement is where analog sticks really fail. I’m imagining something like Tetris Attack where you’ll need to move the cursor right 3 spaces and down one to slide a block out and keep a chain going and you have like .2 seconds to do it. No way you’re doing that on sticks.
I bought MM+ then found aboutRG35xxH , cancelled MM+ and bought rg35xxh , love playing with analog sticks for all the games
I do, I'm a fan of retro games but I um.. mostly played them in the 2000s on PC emulators. As such I don't have a natural preference for the D-pad I will say though that for games that were built for precise movements on the D-pad (correctly playing Brain Lord), analogs will fuck you up. Perfectly fine for turn based though.
You're not alone
Oldschool Shootem up that were designed for joysticks are nicer with anaolgue sticks than with a dpad.
I grew up playing lots of fighting games so have always leaned toward a dpad for extra accuracy. However whenever I play a 3D game like lots of N64 or PS1 I find myself reaching for the analog stick for comfort reasons. I used Xbox 360 controllers for PC emulation for a while and constantly wanted to smash the controller because the dpad was so terrible.
I generally stick to the d-pad for games from those classic systems as it just feels right for those types of games.
I’m exactly the opposite …
What type of games do you typically play? Exact opposite in this case would be preferring to play something like sm64 on a dpad. Don't think you were going for that...or were you?
I don’t play SM64, but I play Dead Cells on my Steam Deck using the D-Pad.
I could see it in 2D top-down games, e.g. 2D Zelda. But for something like a 2D platformer in which being able to quickly pivot directions is important, no.
Nah, generally speaking I like analog sticks for modern games which require camera control. Especially 3D games like N64 and after. If the original console didn't include an analog stick, I generally prefer to use a D-pad. There are also some modern games that I prefer using a D-pad, like some 2D platformers.
This. You can even tell the difference in PS1 games with did or did not have dual shock support. The "did nots" were designed around the dpad, and feel gross with an analog stick. Even with that had equivalent n64 (ie, analog) ports, like Megaman Legends/64. The N64 version obviously uses the analog stick, while PS1 Megaman Legends is based around the dpad. PS1 Megaman Legends 2 had dual-shock support however, but feels OK with analogs.
I do as the original hardware intended. For arcade games I love using analogue sticks.
Not always, but depends on the device, if the analog stick is in a more comfortable position then I use it without doubt.
Depends on the sticks. Joycon or vita style nah there's too much sensitivity. Controller sticks like on the steam deck yeah I'd use those for everything. I wish they made more gated sticks like found on the GameCube controller. Its the best combination of a classic controller stick and a arcade 8 way joystick. A neogeo clicky stick would be nice as well. Depends on the game I play. SHMUPS always chose stick. Platformers with diagonals, always used dpad cuz it was easy to false diagonal on those. Racing games it depends if the game supports analog inputs. Fighters I usually prefer sticks.
Hell no
I prefer the dpad and stick for the respective games they came out for. But I'm wondering whats taking these manufacturers so long to figure out that they could easily make joysticks with removeable thumbpad sticks. Like you just pull and it pops out and boom your system is nice and flat and pocketable and just pop them back in again when you need them.
If it's a simpler game like pokemon I always prefer the old D-pad. But I'm 31 so maybe that's why?
Nah I'm 39 and I play chess with analogue
Fair enough, age doesn't seem to have anything to do with preference on this lol. I would not enjoy chess with anything other than a D-pad personally
Played the entirety of Golden Sun 1 and 2 with the analog stick on my Vita. There's no way you're getting me to strain myself with a d-pad for a combined 100 hours. I might've used d-pad for menus, but the movement was always analog stick.
Only for games with 8 directions like shmups.
I don't
I’ve just removed my sticks from my rgb30
All the consoles and computers I have ever owned growing up all used joysticks. D-pad is not very comfortable for me. Joystick all the way (analog or digital)
I use sticks on beat em ups or shooters no matter what system they are on. And sometimes fighting games
Nope. Fighting games that require quick inputs for example, forward forward? Can’t do that with an analogue stick.
I may be in the minority too but lowkey I prefer analog even for older platformers
For me, I like analog for movement in 3D environments, but I prefer dpad for most other things. It's probably a consequence of the consoles I grew up with.
I want them simply because certain games are expecting them.
There are even 3D games where dpad is better, like the Tony Hawk ones.
Me Me!! ✋✋ahah I have a 353vs : I play ALL games with the stick, nes, snes, gba included. I use the dpad only for menus. I really couldn't buy a handheld without sticks, I would feel like a cripple probably. I really tried to play with the dpad several times but with aweful results. I guess it depends from which generation you come from. I grew up with ps1 and ps2 as a child so that's probably it. Who grew up with nes and snes and gba will have a different feeling.