• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Control Stick vs. D-Pad in 2D Games

Adam_Roman said:
I beat Super Meat Boy with the analog stick and found it infinitely preferable to the D-pad, even when replaying on PS4 and Vita.
Click to expand...

Wasn't it made with analog sticks in mind? Even though you're only moving in a 2D space, you can still move with precision in the air due to the analog sticks. Most 2D games don't have the same level of movement.
 
Even now, I still prefer D-Pad over Control Stick for certain games in 3D.

I think I've just been conditioned to be stuck with the D-Pad having grown up relying on using a D-Pad for so long.

Maybe that's why I'm still so attached to handhelds, since more often than not it still uses a D-Pad. XD

Quite the complex. @_@
 
Where was this thread when the Switch was first revealed? Back then I was already complaining about this while everyone else didn't seem to give a shit.

The best we can hope for is shelling out another 50 for an optional d-pad Joy-con for portable play.
 
I prefer control sticks for retro 2D games because the new Nintendo D-pads are uncomfortable. The only one I prefer over the sticks is the SNES one.
 
D-Pad. Analog stick is garbage for 2D games.
Nintendo has to offer a a joycon with a D-Pad for Virtual Console or their 2D platformers or their going to be a miserable experience playing them.
 
callhitman said:
People cry to much. I understand it is better but not game breaking. People need to remember the average person doesn't care. little kids adapt very fast. the only people this truly hurts is hardcore gamers. Most of who will have a pro controler.
Click to expand...


Case in point. My 7 year old son plays all 2D games on Wii U with the analog stick. He also likes the graphics of NSMB Wii U better than the classic graphics, so go figure.

I have a Switch Pro Controller preorderd for all the 2D games the Switch has to offer. Once they offer Joy-Cons with a d-pad I will get one of those.
 
Peltz said:
That game is made with analogue control though.

Include a third joycon in the box with a d-pad.
Click to expand...

That still compromises the 2-Player aspect since it's no longer a guarantee that you'd have the one you need with you.

Not saying it's right or wrong, but that's probably partially factored in.
 
D-pad all the way. I *always* use it to browse menus and play platforming games and fighting games. I ordered a Pro Controller from Amazon Japan because I refuse to use the Joycon "d-pad" (and because no retailer in the USA has the Pro Controller up for pre-order, what the hell NOA?).
 
Unless the game actually uses analog movements then d-pad all the way. I hate stick for 2D games especially if things like quick double direction taps are needed.
 
Nasbin said:
D-pad. I play anything 2D on PC with a Saturn controller because it has the greatest D-pad of all time - feels so right.
Click to expand...

I disagree with this commonly accepted "truth" that the Saturn pad was the greatest.

Nintendo's own dpad on the Wii Classic Controller, Wii U Pro Controller, and Wii U gamepad are vastly superior to the occasionally inaccurate diagonals with the Saturn pad.

Games like Contra where diagonal aiming is necessarily are noticeably better on modern Nintendo d-pads for me vs. the old Saturn dpad.

I am really hoping for a left joycon that has a diagonal pad to play VC on the go.

supermarioworldE said:
It should be mandatory for every 2D game to require a Genesis/Saturn D-pad.

Just perfection.
Click to expand...

Genesis is worse than a lot, Saturn is good. Both are far from perfection.
 
supermarioworldE said:
It should be mandatory for every 2D game to require a Genesis/Saturn D-pad.

Just perfection.
Click to expand...

Speaking of which, I recently purchased 2 Japanese Saturn controllers (1 regular and 1 3D controller) for my PC with an adapter.
I originally wanted a NEOGEO-style PS3 controller because of its very unique kind of d-pad, but those are apparently ultra-rare or something. I guess I could have gotten an actual NEOGEO controller, but I doubt I'd actually use it for much with so few buttons.

There aren't any other controllers with a NEOGEO-like d-pad are there?
 
Pixel 2D art style = D-pad

2.5D games can go either way for me. Even moreso on the 3DS where the circle pad was an okay replacement for the d-pad at points.
 
A brand new analog stick is pretty nice, but they don't wear well.

meanwhile dpads can wear like an old baseball mitt.

dpad is legit. won't let you down.
 
I prefer D-Pads for sidescrollers (unless they have analog movement), but I can play them just fine with an analog stick.
 
D-Pad all the way. There isn't much point in an analogue stick when the movement is digital. If it's a 2D game that uses it (like holding more to the right = faster movement) then yeah, I'd use a stick, same for dual joystick shooters that use the right stick for shooting and have 360 degree aim. But for a game that is just digital movement and 8 directions then yeah, a dpad is much nicer to play with.
 
If Nintendo doesn't come out with a dpad joycon soon I'm sure Horizontal or another 3rd party will have one out soon. But yeah for 2D side scrollers and fighting games pretty much always dpad
 
I grew up on Nes clones, Genesis, Saturn then the DC, so I'm used to keeping the middle of my thumb on the dpad and not the tip.

That can't be done with the Vita and 3DS, dpad on DS3/DS4 sinks too low for that and the 360 one is unusable anyway.

I'm too old to relearn how to use it, so analog it is.
 
CrashPrime said:
I disagree with this commonly accepted "truth" that the Saturn pad was the greatest.

Nintendo's own dpad on the Wii Classic Controller, Wii U Pro Controller, and Wii U gamepad are vastly superior to the occasionally inaccurate diagonals with the Saturn pad.

Games like Contra where diagonal aiming is necessarily are noticeably better on modern Nintendo d-pads for me vs. the old Saturn dpad.

I am really hoping for a left joycon that has a diagonal pad to play VC on the go.



Genesis is worse than a lot, Saturn is good. Both are far from perfection.
Click to expand...

The Genesis controller had several revisions. The dpad in the six button pad is virtually identical to that of the JP-style Saturn.

I think you must have played with a bad controller, though. The Saturn dpad is a dream that never wears out your thumb or messes up an input, and diagonals feel incredible compared to the cross or dualshock. The only pad that can really claim to compete is the Neo-Geo CD's, but that's not even a real dpad so much as a miniature joystick.
 
Nasbin said:
The Genesis controller had several revisions. The dpad in the six button pad is virtually identical to that of the JP-style Saturn.

I think you must have played with a bad controller, though. The Saturn dpad is a dream that never wears out your thumb or messes up an input, and diagonals feel incredible compared to the cross or dualshock. The only pad that can really claim to compete is the Neo-Geo CD's, but that's not even a real dpad so much as a miniature joystick.
Click to expand...

The six button pad's dpad is similar but not exactly the same as the saturn one. I think I prefer the six button. Actually I don't know. They are both legendary.
 
Apoleptica said:
I played through super meat boy with an xbox 360 controller using the analog stick, I can't even imagine using a d pad for it. Same with emulated games like megaman or mario. I really don't understand the hate towards analog sticks for 2d games, I think they're superior.
Click to expand...

Because for games with 8 direction movement it's actually less accurate and has a slower take unless the sensitivity is dialed way up.

Basically you have a case of adding precision reduces the accuracy.
 
I would rather have a pressure sensitive dpad than an analog stick. If you try granturismo on ps2 with the pressure sensitive pad, you can experience the potential of it.
 
Depends entirely on how important it is to have multiple speed inputs.

Most 2d game don't have that, so d-pad for 99% of cases.

Playing shmups with a stick is one of the worst mistakes someone can ever make.
 
I thought it was weird that Inside didn't let you use the dpad at all. Flat plane with no real need for analog control, why wouldn't they just give me the option?
 
CrashPrime said:
I disagree with this commonly accepted "truth" that the Saturn pad was the greatest.

Nintendo's own dpad on the Wii Classic Controller, Wii U Pro Controller, and Wii U gamepad are vastly superior to the occasionally inaccurate diagonals with the Saturn pad.

Games like Contra where diagonal aiming is necessarily are noticeably better on modern Nintendo d-pads for me vs. the old Saturn dpad.

I am really hoping for a left joycon that has a diagonal pad to play VC on the go.



Genesis is worse than a lot, Saturn is good. Both are far from perfection.
Click to expand...
This guy knows what's up. You have fine taste in d-pads sir.

Check out the GBA SP D-Pad while you're at it. It's delightfully good.
 
I think it's completely game-dependent, and "2D" alone is not a sufficient indicator to make a decision.

E.g. there are 2D platformers which thrive on analog controls, but there are also some which control best digitally (for which I personally prefer an arcade stick).
 
As long as it is not the shitty Xbox 360 dpad, I can adapt on any game that can be played on either dpad or control stick.
 
shira said:
Playing 2D or GBA games on Gamecube was torture. TORTURE.

WTF were you thinking Nintendo with that dpad

LMf0Ufc.jpg
Click to expand...

Wasn't the dpad on gamecube's controller the same as the gba's anyway?
 
Younger me grew up playing 2D games with a d-pad (strangely forgetting the Atari years in the process). No way I'd control a 2-D game any other way. Sticks then came back and were used for 3D only, good!

Overtime, some strange devs (mostly indies) started forcing the controls of their 2D games though the sticks. I got used to it and sometimes I now (like with the latest Shantae and Raymans for example) end up using the sticks to control 2D games.
 
Chao said:
Wasn't the dpad on gamecube's controller the same as the gba's anyway?
Click to expand...

Similar to the original GBA but the SP and Micro have different ones. SP's is like DS Phat's and Micro's is like no other D-Pad I've ever used and it's fucking wonderful.
 
I used control stick for ori and the blind forest, heavy emphasis on diagonal inputs

Usually d-pad, like I played metroid games via d-pad on wii u
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

With the uptake in retro styled 2D games lately which games would you like to see make a return to 2D or even make their 1st entry into 2D?
34
424
Hudo replied
2D Mario games are bland as hell and 2D Donkey Kong games are far superior, 3D Mario games are where it's at
2
82
752
cireza replied
Bruisers 2D Boxing
10
300
Gamer_By_Proxy replied
Nvidia Damage Control: Game developers have full, detailed artistic control over DLSS 5 effects
News  2 3
121
909
Life Diff replied
  • Locked
DLSS5 vs PSSR vs FSR vs XESS etc
3
269
daninthemix replied
Top Bottom