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[Jackano]

It's hardly debatable as the 4 colors were intended to be part of the console DNA (see the logo), all the way to the games:

 

[DerZuhälter]

Yeah, it's way superior. That's why Xbox and PlayStation to this day use a two-colour button scheme for their gamepads.

 

[Pinky]

I will never understand the hate for the NA SNES. Never hated or even disliked it. *shrugs*

 

[TheBryanJZX90]

Agreed, also the SNES as a whole has a better design than the SFC. Americans who prefer the SFC are still in their "everything from Japan is better" phase.

 

[Ouroboros]

Purple for nostalgia.
Colors for common sense.

 

[Timeaisis]

I thought the concave buttons were great and I have no idea why they weren't continued to be used.

 

[Thud]

Sorry for liking colors.

 

[Dr. Zoidberg]

For me it all comes down to the concave X and Y buttons.

do some of you prefer one over the other regardless of that factor?

I prefer concave buttons whenever and wherever. Controllers, sticks, you name it. So yes, for me the SNES controller is better than the SFami.

 

[mattwhite924]

Yeah, it's way superior. That's why Xbox and PlayStation to this day use a two-colour button scheme for their gamepads.

All the best looking Xbox controllers use monochrome buttons.

 

[sixteen-bit]

All the best looking Xbox controllers use monochrome buttons.

No lies detected.

 

[stan423321]

Here's an absolutely correct opinion of someone who never have held any type of SNES controller in whole life. They're not that different. It's cool they both lack analog sticks, it sucks they both have buttons labelled with alien hands in mind, though different usage by games themselves is a possibility. Colored buttons make some game analogies easier but not to huge degree, and I can't imagine why would I focus my touch analysis on some buttons being concave. Regarding the overall look it depends on everything else in the room.

 

[El Sabroso]

grew up with the NA version, when I could access to a super famicom one:

Nope. Multi Colour over purple everyday.

.

 

[jediyoshi]

Call me boring, I'd go even less color and take this

Although I'd still take the multi-color over the US version

 

[NumberThree]

I'll have to admit I've never tried a US SNES controller (I didn't even realize the buttons were different apart from color), but the X and Y buttons being concave seems weird to me. I feel like it'd be better to have the A/B as concave since that would sort of "hold" your thumb on the button, lining the tip of the tumb up with the X/Y buttons. But I guess this is impossible to judge without using the controller myself.

I've been thinking of buying a SNES30/SFC30 controller, but it would be nice to be able to test both options beforehand.

 

[Lynd7]

Don't care about the concave buttons. The US design for the console is just so ugly, even the damn cartridges are uglier in the US.

 

[dr_p0p7ar7_]

I grew up in the US, and I believe I had a knock-off PAL SNES Controller that may have been from Funcoland, or maybe it was a legit PAL SNES Controller. I have no idea how I actually got it, but it was my favorite controller and Player 2 was forced to use the Purple / Grey one.

 

[Rmagnus]

Call me boring, I'd go even less color and take this

Although I'd still take the multi-color over the US version

It look like it died...

 

[Twilight Princess]

If your colourblind, sure

 

[Caffeine]

nope lol

replaced both those indago button controllers with the pelican superior goat eu color scheme.

and on pc for oldschool stuff i use

 

[rj118]

Call me boring, I'd go even less color and take this

 

[Crankshaft]

I never owned a Snes, but all my friends had them. I always thought the Controller and system looked so plain. The first time I saw a SFC I realized what the SNES was missing... COLOR!

 

[PMurphy1978]

I was aware of that ugly NA design thanks to Mean Machines et al, and the last 25 years haven't changed my mind: the EU/JP colour scheme is better.

Not sure I'd like the concave buttons either.

 

[alr1ght]

I like the convex buttons better, tbh. The cord is hilariously short on the SFC controllers, though. If I were to suggest a controller to someone, I'd recommend the NA version simply due to cord length.

 

[klee123]

Meh, concave buttons didn't do anything for me and the console as well as the carts' design was garbage.

JP/EU all the way.

 

[kunonabi]

grew up with SNES but I vastly prefer the SFC in all respects including the controller.

 

[Gestault]

I don't have strong feelings about the colors, but the contrasting convex/concave buttons are a streak of design brilliance. The alignment matching up for punches/kicks for games like Street Fighter and Killer Instinct is the sign of an intuitive design.

For that reason, I'd argue that the US controller design is objectively better. I can't think of a reason to prefer the SFC buttons.

 

[Spukc]

 

[CyanideFuse]

In all these years I never knew that the buttons were different between versions. I never had a problem with the PAL SNES (other than the 50Hz of course) but I think I would prefer the US buttons. The colours, however...nope.

 

[Kolibri]

Everything, and I mean, everything about the US version of the SNES is fucking ugly.

One of the only times I was glad I grew up in the UK.

 

[Drkirby]

You are objectively wrong OP. Rainbow Colors > Shades of Purple.

 

[FrontalMonk]

if we had a controller with the candy buttons but with the X/Y buttons being concave this wouldn't even be a discussion, but here we are.

SFC controller is nicer to look at, SNES controller is nicer to control.

For my money, SNES is the better controller, but only by a hair.

 

[Chill Penguin]

The purple is unique and interesting so I definitely favor the Super Nintendo design over the Super Famicom. Considering the SNES sold about as much in NA as Japan and EU combined, the purple console is the most iconic version.

 

[Aeana]

You are objectively wrong OP. Rainbow Colors > Shades of Purple.

Let's check the OP and see what he said

For me it all comes down to the concave X and Y buttons. They really make all the difference, and the end result is near-perfection when it comes to controllers in the pre-dual analog stick era.

The only thing that the Super Famicom controllers have over their American counterparts is the color scheme. A Super Nintendo controller with the Super Famicom button colors would be absolute perfection as far as I'm concerned.

Honestly, is it really that hard to read ONE post?

 

[Magnet_Man]

I'd almost be inclined to agree with the OP (despite the purple colour sucking), but the fact that it's only the X/Y buttons that are concave mitigates that advantage significantly for me.

It's not like out of four face buttons it's hard to know which one you're pressing, so if the benefit is ergonomic, why didn't they make all four buttons concave? Concave or convex, I'd personally prefer to have a consistent feel to the cluster of buttons.

The idea is that the joint of your thumb rests on the convex button and the tip rests in the concave. Straighten your thumb and you're pushing the convex button, curl your thumb and you're pushing the concave button. It's similar to why a keyboard's space bar is convex and the keys are concave.

If you're using the tip of your thumb to push B/A, you're doing it wrong.

 

[ThatStupidLion]

i think the famicom design is worse than the snes. the logo is blag, and the colors are jarring, feeling a bit too toyish to me. though i do agree with the arg that the colors help discern the buttons. but the purple/grey layout is superior visually

love the convex/concave buttons too

 

[SeeNoWeevil]

The US SNES design/colour combo is horrific. Always hated it.

 

[score01]

Hell no op.

Shades of purple vs nicely coloured buttons? Just no.

You know you lost out with the brick like design of the US SNES and accept it. Also know that you lost out with the lousy purple colours on the controllers.

What the heck were they thinking.

 

[KORNdoggy]

the concave/convex buttons don't bother me, but that god awful US colour scheme certainly does.

 

[Danielsan]

PAL SNES / Super Famicom look >>>>>>>> US SNES look. Like it's not even a contest. I don't care for concave buttons either. So a double loss for the US SNES.

 

[Ged]

Hey! Don't trash the Panda, it's a wonderful car.

 

[Persona7]

I like the purple and concave buttons but hate the bulky design.

 

[redmetal86]

Well, since you're not going to be looking at the controller when you play, I guess it all comes down to the buttons.

Call me boring, I'd go even less color and take this

Although I'd still take the multi-color over the US version

It look like it died...

Looks more like a Polaroid One600 than a sleek car.

 

[lazygecko]

Agreed, also the SNES as a whole has a better design than the SFC. Americans who prefer the SFC are still in their "everything from Japan is better" phase.

I'm European and when I first saw the US SNES I couldn't believe how ugly it was.

 

[Red]

Call me boring, I'd go even less color and take this

Although I'd still take the multi-color over the US version

That's way better than the purple.

 

[WhatNXt]

 

[talkingood]

Let's check the OP and see what he said



Honestly, is it really that hard to read ONE post?

It's truly amazing how few people seem to actually read the OP, and instead just read and reiterate the replies.

 

[shira]

Concave rainbow it's the best compromise

 

[the androgyne]

Nintendo's righting their wrong with the SNES Classic to settle the concave/convex debate once and for all!
http://www.nintendo.com/super-nes-classic

 

[AuthenticM]

It's hardly debatable as the 4 colors were intended to be part of the console DNA (see the logo), all the way to the games:

damn, I had never realized.

 

[poppos2097]

I'll also say that this was the best looking SNES/SFC hardware:

Agreed, also like the SFC Jr (Japan's version of the SNS-101)