| | | Got this wired Retro-Bit pad for playing Sonic games on PC after I thought my trusty DS4 was giving me an ergonomic issue on d-pad-heavy games (it wasn't, I was just clutching too hard while being frustrated at Sonic Generations (see entry 1715)).
It's made to look and feel like an old Genesis control pad; I didn't have a Genesis and I'm not sure about that, but it seems reasonably like one as far as I know. The d-pad has a nice rolly character to it, feeling easy on the thumb, and the buttons press easily with a sort of inviting looseness of action that isn't wobbliness; overall, the inputs feel lighter and easier to hit than the DS4's.
The whole pad is much lighter than the DS4, in fact--except for the 10' cable, which is however quite handy and feels very heavy-duty.
I'm maybe not too keen on the "MODE" button (for toggling between 3 and 6 button controller modes in whatever games that might still matter in, maybe?) positioned at the right shoulder--flush with the top, hard to see/feel, light activation, easy to hit accidentally, acts as Jump in Sonic Mania (see entry 1714) for instance. (Retro-Bit also has an 8-button pad with a more standard button on each shoulder, and the MODE button I think at the front middle, adjacent to the START button.) (Oh, and on the 6-button at least, Steam treats the MODE button as a SELECT button.)
Anyway, does just what it says, and only $15, so this is great--except the old-school non-ergonomics immediately invites my wrists to hold it in some sort of bent way that starts becoming painful within minutes.
This NEVER happens even after hours-long sessions with the DS4, and I just can't have it. So, into the bin this goes, alas.
On the plus side, it inspired me to try using my arcade stick (see entry 1430) for Sonic-ing instead, and I'm having fun with the light touch I can get with that. Probably can't keep it up for quite as long sessions as I can with the DS4, but I'll give it a shot. ; D |
|
|
| | | When I was enjoying the Genesis-style d-pad of the SEGA Genesis 6-button Arcade Pad with USB and suffering from the old-school pad ergonomics, I was thinking man, I wish someone would just make a pad with modern style extended grips and a Genesis-style pad. Well, someone did: Retro Fighters' rather horribly titled BrawlerGen USB, for $19.99:
https://retrofighters.com/our-collection/brawlergen-usb-genesis-mini-switch-mac-pc-controller/
HM.
This review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yN5-LOXumQ liked the BrawlerGen USB okay but said with the large d-pad you're prone to bumping your thumb into the analog stick, and that the pad feels light and hollow.
And I'd kind of prefer not to have another (10') wire to get tangled up. Still, if I find I'm uncomfortable with the swapped, Xbox-style d-pad position on the 8bitdo Ultimate I just ordered for Sonic-ing (I've been on DualShocks forever, so no idea if my hands will be okay with the left stick and d-pad positions being swapped (I ordered the Ultimate because my hands were NOT okay with the DS-style position of the left stick for OutRun 2006ing, to my surprise)), I will probably give this a shot unless something else turns up. |
|
|
| |