Ideas and Thoughts: Copycat Controllers

20-Sept-97

I recall one controller from years back that interested me. The ASCII Pad for Genesis. While I was, of course, a big SNES guy, I'd still play my uncle's Genesis while at my grandparent's house. The thing about this controller was it was a sort of hybrid between the SNES & Genesis pads. It had the curved-feeling of the Genesis controller, but instead of 6 buttons arranged 3-over-3, there were only 4 there, with the remaining two put on the shoulder of the controller. Much like, of course, the SNES controller! I thought this seemed pretty cool, because I could get the best of both worlds, playing Genesis games with my uncle using an SNES-style setup which was what I was used to. I never ended up getting one, but I still think the idea is cool.

What if this concept was applied to the N64? This would give people who are more used to the competitions' controllers something more normal for them to use, and they'd each have their advantages anyways, as I'll get into... now.

The Sega analog pad would, other than being a copy-cat controller, be a sort of alternative to things like the SuperPad 64, where the analog and digital controls are at the left. While this wouldn't work out for games which use both, that doesn't occur too often anyways.

The Sony dual-analog pad would be an even better alternative to the SuperPad 64. You could hold the controller the same way, no matter what kind of game it is. For most games, you could use the left side for analog or digital control, and for those games which would require the use of both, you could use the analog stick on the left. There would be 2 Z buttons as a side-effect, but that's no big deal. And what about rumbling? Remember how one addition of the new controller was the shaking effect, though due to patents, etc. won't be in the US version? Well, it COULD be used with the N64 rumbling effect!

Now, who would make these controllers? I have a company in mind, and there are good/bad aspects about it. I'm thinking of Mad Catz, because I know they know how to make copycat controllers. :) I was looking through a computer catalog, and lo and behold, I saw the PSX controller next to an N64 controller, though both were black, and the N64 one had ridges on the handles, for the fingers. These were, of course, for use with the PC, but at least we know Mad Catz knows copycat controllers are a nice idea. But from various sources (though I've never used one of their products) I've heard their controllers feel cheap/shabby compared to others. But then, if I was to play a PlayStation, I'd rather play using a shabby N64 controller than a normal PlayStation controller, so I guess it could be overlooked, as long as the controller stayed in working order.

PSX Dual-Analog with N64 Buttons

Here is a picture I made that takes the PlayStation dual-analog controller. It's pretty bad*, but it kind of illustrates the point. If you want to do better, go ahead, I'd be much obliged! If you do, contact me, and we'll see how I'll get the file from you. Of course you would be given credit for the pic...

• Who am I kidding, it's horrible! I mean, I didn't do such a bad job of disguising behind the buttons, but the buttons are poorly colored, and very much out of place, and don't seem to fit together... but it conveys the point...