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[Alexios]

I'm still waiting for amazon to stock the Saturn USB controllers.

I preordered one from amazon.de and it was dispatched around the correct date, though it has yet to arrive (I'm in Greece and chose the cheapest slowest shipping, sucks), it should be another week.

They appear in stock there still.
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07H3QWW5K/

Find them on other Euro-Amazons here with very specific search terms like this, it's what I do when importing stuff:
https://www.hagglezon.com/en/s/retro-bit official sega saturn usb
Or remove words like USB and Saturn if you want to include the rest of their range (wireless pads, non Saturn, pads for the original consoles with the retro ports etc).

I dunno about d-pad differences between Genesis and Saturn, I only ever had a Saturn but they look similar enough on these products. As with the videos above all of these things and even the 8bitdo M30 appear to be pretty good and fit for purpose according to hands-on reports. We'll see...

 

[Wonko_C]

I preordered one from amazon.de and it was dispatched around the correct date, though it has yet to arrive (I'm in Greece and chose the cheapest slowest shipping, sucks), it should be another week.

They appear in stock there still.
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07H3QWW5K/

Find them on other Euro-Amazons here with very specific search terms like this, it's what I do when importing stuff:
https://www.hagglezon.com/en/s/retro-bit official sega saturn usb
Or remove words like USB and Saturn if you want to include the rest of their range (wireless pads, non Saturn, pads for the original consoles with the retro ports etc).

I dunno about d-pad differences between Genesis and Saturn, I only ever had a Saturn but they look similar enough on these products. As with the videos above all of these things and even the 8bitdo M30 appear to be pretty good and fit for purpose according to hands-on reports. We'll see...

Thanks. Unfortunately with import fees the price skyrockets to more than double its original price, I'll take the plunge and buy the Genesis one. Then I'll later buy the Saturn one.

 

[SlaughterX]

I'm still waiting for amazon to stock the Saturn USB controllers. The Genesis one is available to purchase but I really want it only for fighting games and I've heard people saying the Saturn controller is the one with the best-ever D-pad for fighters. Should I just wait or is the Genesis controller just as good? Also which controller feels better in your hands?

Wait for the Saturn pad.

I'm interested in the wireless Saturn pads, as I already have 2 of the original USB pads from back in the day.

 

[Tarin02543]

I have the slate grey saturn pad for saturn.

It is perfect.

I think I will buy an extra one to keep it boxed.

 

[Wonko_C]

My Genesis controller arrived. I've only used the 3-button genesis controller decades ago, it is a lot smaller than I imagined! But very comfortable, and the d-pad feels very good! I'll see if I order the Saturn pad next week.


Right now I'm using it as a d-input pad. If I set it to X-input the d-pad acts as the left analog stick of a 360 controller. I think I saw some commands to switch the d-pad between left analog, right analog and POV, but I don't remember what it was, unfortunately.

 

[Wonko_C]

My Saturn USB controller finally arrived, and wow... very disappointed. Compared to the Genesis controller, the Saturn one feels cheap and low quality: The buttons feel way too loose, and the C button sometimes gets stuck and doesn't spring back up. The d-pad doesn't feel as solid as the Genesis one and the shoulder buttons have a weird shape and don't have that satisfying click the Genesis controller has.

It's a shame because the shape of the controller fits my hands much better and because of that I don't end up accidentally pushing the shoulder buttons when playing fighting games like it happens with the Genesis controller. Wish I could combine the best qualities of the two somehow.

 

[Kazza]

My Saturn USB controller finally arrived, and wow... very disappointed. Compared to the Genesis controller, the Saturn one feels cheap and low quality: The buttons feel way too loose, and the C button sometimes gets stuck and doesn't spring back up. The d-pad doesn't feel as solid as the Genesis one and the shoulder buttons have a weird shape and don't have that satisfying click the Genesis controller has.

It's a shame because the shape of the controller fits my hands much better and because of that I don't end up accidentally pushing the shoulder buttons when playing fighting games like it happens with the Genesis controller. Wish I could combine the best qualities of the two somehow.

Well, that's very disappointing to hear. I had heard good things about it.

 

[Alexios]

On the surface my Saturn pad which arrived yesterday seems spot-on to me, no issues with the build quality/buttons/shape/springyness, whatever.

But I do have practical use issues. I tried it in things like the Mednafen emulator (with Mednaffe GUI) for Saturn games and the Capcom Beat em Up Bundle on Steam.

In direct input (default) mode the d-pad registers as two different analog axis for the horizontal and vertical directions. In the configuration software/screens of games/emulators/Windows it actually maps/registers but in games the vertical axis is dead.

In xinput mode (hold Start for 5 secs to toggle) everything appears to work fine except the right shoulder button which registers as an analog R trigger rather than an R button and does nothing in games (again it maps/registers fine).

Has anyone else encountered this? Is it because it registers as analog axis but perhaps doesn't quite register an 100% analog press but rather something like a 99% press instead?

If I just check the windows device setup screen where all the axis and buttons are visible and highlighted on press everything checks out but I do see a short distance left from the max possible in each of the inputs that register as axis rather than buttons.

The dinput problem was apparent from the start but I thought I was good to go after switching to xinput as I initially tried games that don't use the shoulders. This is such a bummer. I've e-mailed retro-bit and have been googling about it with no luck.

Going through the axis calibration in Windows where it asks you to center then press every axis to its max value etc doesn't change the behavior in games in either mode. Please halp

 

[Alexios]

So, the above issues might just be Mednaffe/Mednafen being weird after all, trying games like Tekken 7, Sonic Mania and stuff on Steam all inputs seem to work properly.

The Beat 'Em Up Bundle also works, that was my bad because by default the button arrangement was a bit weird but it was easy to figure out after all (most games use few buttons).

Edit: I had some trouble configuring the SEGA Mega Drive & Genesis Classics on Steam as well when using the old simple launcher option but it mapped fine in the 3D room in-game and works properly (but actually only works in-game, outside the games I can't do anything in the 3D room, this might be because the software seems to detect it's a SEGA controller and not let it fully function as a 360 pad, which is super weird!).

Maybe these problems come with the territory, these are controllers for a very specific purpose after all, not something that lets you play every game, you can't even map PS1 emulators fully given the lack of a "Select" button equivalent (but of course in many games you can do with that or Start and map accordingly) and modern retro games like CrossCode may also require the additional "Select" button or have weird arrangement expecting the standard diamond and 4 shoulder buttons to be convenient.

Retro-bit really should provide some configuration software so you can choose to map the inputs differently though, for example decide if the d-pad is mapped as the actual d-pad or an analog stick (as it is in Tekken 7 I can't navigate the menus with this pad!).

 

[Tarin02543]

It is now perfect but I have to admit that the first controller I've received had buttons that didnt work.

The replacement controller has no issues.

 

[Alexios]

It is now perfect but I have to admit that the first controller I've received had buttons that didnt work.

The replacement controller has no issues.

Can you try Mednafen with Mednaffe GUI or the SEGA Mega Drive stuff on Steam and tell me if the problems I have exist for you also? Just to make sure my pad isn't worse (again it now appears fine in most real games, it's only certain configuration software like emulators so far that give me trouble with certain inputs not registering in-game even though they register in the configuration)?

So you don't have to re-read, in dinput mode in Mednafen the dpad up/down doesn't work even though it maps fine.

In xinput mode (holding start for 5 secs so it's recognized as a 360/one pad with certain default mappings) the right shoulder button again registers fine but doesn't function in gameplay.

In the SEGA retro stuff on Steam, if using the simple launcher then again in xinput mode I can't map the shoulder buttons and in dpinput mode I can map everything but nothing works in game. Only in the normal 3D room interface can I get it to work (in either mode but again it only works in gameplay, I can't control the room elements/launch games or whatever else with it, only once I start a game do the controls work).

 

[Tarin02543]

Can you try Mednafen with Mednaffe GUI or the SEGA Mega Drive stuff on Steam and tell me if the problems I have exist for you also? Just to make sure my pad isn't worse (again it now appears fine in most real games, it's only certain configuration software like emulators so far that give me trouble with certain inputs not registering in-game even though they register in the configuration)?

So you don't have to re-read, in dinput mode in Mednafen the dpad up/down doesn't work even though it maps fine.

In xinput mode (holding start for 5 secs so it's recognized as a 360/one pad with certain default mappings) the right shoulder button again registers fine but doesn't function in gameplay.

In the SEGA retro stuff on Steam, if using the simple launcher then again in xinput mode I can't map the shoulder buttons and in dpinput mode I can map everything but nothing works in game. Only in the normal 3D room interface can I get it to work (in either mode but again it only works in gameplay, I can't control the room elements/launch games or whatever else with it, only once I start a game do the controls work).

Hello, I'm afraid I have the Saturn version (not USB) so I can't try it on emulators.

I hope your problems will be fixed.

 

[Alexios]

That's just it I'm not sure if it's problems or just these specific programs being weird with the input they expect, since in other games everything works fine.

I hope at least Mednafen/Mednaffe will work somehow since I mainly got it for Saturn emulation, haha.

Maybe these annoyances are just to be expected when using non-standard controllers.

 

[Starlight Lotice]

Are these on Amazon Uk and if so, are they going to be compatible with the mini?

 

[Wonko_C]

Can you try Mednafen with Mednaffe GUI or the SEGA Mega Drive stuff on Steam and tell me if the problems I have exist for you also? Just to make sure my pad isn't worse (again it now appears fine in most real games, it's only certain configuration software like emulators so far that give me trouble with certain inputs not registering in-game even though they register in the configuration)?

So you don't have to re-read, in dinput mode in Mednafen the dpad up/down doesn't work even though it maps fine.

In xinput mode (holding start for 5 secs so it's recognized as a 360/one pad with certain default mappings) the right shoulder button again registers fine but doesn't function in gameplay.

In the SEGA retro stuff on Steam, if using the simple launcher then again in xinput mode I can't map the shoulder buttons and in dpinput mode I can map everything but nothing works in game. Only in the normal 3D room interface can I get it to work (in either mode but again it only works in gameplay, I can't control the room elements/launch games or whatever else with it, only once I start a game do the controls work).

I got to check out and see if I could reproduce the same issues and all the mednaffe stuff behaves exactly like you said. Strangely enough, the mednafen saturn core in retroarch works fine.

As for the sega collection, can't map the shoulder buttons either. But it works fine using dinput on my end. Played a bit of Gunstar Heroes without issue.

I have had similar issues using a Madcatz Xbox 360 fightpad, the shoulder button won't register by some old games and emulators. I had to resort to get around those limitations with 3rd party button mappers or creating a custom Steam mapping profile.

 

[Alexios]

I got to check out and see if I could reproduce the same issues and all the mednaffe stuff behaves exactly like you said. Strangely enough, the mednafen saturn core in retroarch works fine.

As for the sega collection, can't map the shoulder buttons either. But it works fine using dinput on my end. Played a bit of Gunstar Heroes without issue.

I have had similar issues using a Madcatz Xbox 360 fightpad, the shoulder button won't register by some old games and emulators. I had to resort to get around those limitations with 3rd party button mappers or creating a custom Steam mapping profile.

Yeah I wasn't very clear, the SEGA collection for me works in xbox pad mode but only if I'm in the 3D room interface, not if I right click and choose the simple launcher in the Steam games list. And even then only in actual gameplay, I can't control the actual 3D room menus/elements.

Thanks man. I guess that's just how these things are for non standard gamepads then, rather than something being off with my pad after all (or it's a common mistake of pad manufacturers and how they use and adjust the various control driver/api functions to their pads I guess).

I tried a Steam mapping profile but it got some conflict in Tekken 7 as it seemed to use a Steam controller profile by Namco or something, and I couldn't get it to work right in Mednaffe adding that as a non Steam game, I guess it doesn't catch it as launched until you run a game.

Edit: I used the World of Joysticks dinput to xinput mapper thingie and once again the R trigger doesn't work in Mednaffe so I'm inclined to believe this is a general problem when some software/drivers/pads try to map an analog trigger to a button....

Does anyone use an 8BitDo M30 or Hori Fighting Commander to see if behavior is the same? I'm leaning to a Hori because of its other conveniences (dpad/stick switch - you can do this with button combos on M30 - and extra shoulder buttons) but I want the SEGA style dpad.

 

[Wonko_C]

I think I got one (Saturn USB) from the bad batch.

I can still return it, though, so not all is lost.

 

[waylo]

The USB Genesis one is only $15 on Amazon right now. Just ordered myself one.

 

[waylo]

Received my USB Genesis pad today. Unfortunately I think the D-pad is busted. It never stops registering inputs, and if I try and go into the Steam controller config menu to reconfigure it, the D-pad only has two bindable axis' (Axis 4 or Axis 0), so I can only have one of up or down and one of left or right bound at any given time.

 

[Alexios]

Just posting to say my issues with the Saturn USB pad I reported exist in some games and the Mednafen Saturn emulator actually don't apply when running the latest SSF version (plus I noticed there's a GPU rendering option now which seems much faster). So people can try that emulator over others if they get those issues. At least now I'm confident the hardware is good and it's all up to how the software interprets the inputs. Without saying the hardware/firmware couldn't have handled it better for it to work across the board of course, I have no idea of the details, only that some software gets confused and doesn't work right when pressing digital inputs on the pad that are mapped to emulate analog inputs (the d-pad is an analog stick axis and two buttons act as analog trigger axis). At least I can play all my Saturn games fine now!

 

[Kazza]

The bluetooth ones are coming soon and they look really good. They have rumble inside, so are a little heavier than the originals, but apart from that look and feel the same.





Apparently the 2.4ghz ones will also release soon. I personally am still waiting for the twin-analogue ones. Here are the pre-order links (taken from the video description):

Available to order here: https://bit.ly/2qat2DZ use code "pixel10" for 10% off!
2.4ghz versions releasing later available for order here: https://bit.ly/2pgpf7y
Shop Play-Asia: https://bit.ly/2m4xq5c
Shop Castle Mania Games: https://bit.ly/2MsQuFG
Shop Stone Age Gamer: https://bit.ly/33dGaY6

 

[Hudo]

Selling officially licensed Saturn controllers -> The Sega Saturn Mini low-key confirmed?

 

[Spukc]

Selling officially licensed Saturn controllers -> The Sega Saturn Mini low-key confirmed?

i don't think so saturn emulation is not the best ever if i remember correctly
same for n64

 

[Kazza]

Selling officially licensed Saturn controllers -> The Sega Saturn Mini low-key confirmed?

While I would love for this to be true, I think the Saturn is probably behind the Dreamcast and Master System in the mini list for Sega. Hell, I even think they would release a Megadrive 2 (using the model 2 and 42 different games) before they would release a Saturn Mini. My only hope for a Saturn Mini is that it was Sega's most successful console in Japan, so if SoJ are calling the shots, then it's a possibility. I would love to see the variation between a Japanese Saturn Mini and the Western one. We could end up with most of the games being completely different.

i don't think so saturn emulation is not the best ever if i remember correctly
same for n64

Saturn emulation being difficult/bad is a bit of an outdated myth nowadays. Although not perfect, it's not too far off now. Both Mednafen and Yaba Shanshiro have made great progress in recent years. The 3D part of Sonic Jam looks especially good with a res (and fps?) boost:






I personally think that a resolution boost is massively beneficial for that generation of games (those early 3D games can look a little rough otherwise), so they should probably just wait until powerful enough hardware becomes cheap enough for a mini (the tech used in the Minis so far wouldn't be up to the job). I'm happy for them to skip the mini and just release a collection on modern consoles.

 

[Hudo]

i don't think so saturn emulation is not the best ever if i remember correctly
same for n64

Yeah, I see what you mean. But I kinda hope that maybe if M2 and Sega tackle this together, maybe we'll get something nice.

 

[Spukc]

Yeah, I see what you mean. But I kinda hope that maybe if M2 and Sega tackle this together, maybe we'll get something nice.

i would def get one day1!
have you checked out that n64 mini it runs pretty bad

 

[Hudo]

i would def get one day1!
have you checked out that n64 mini it runs pretty bad

Sadly, I'm not familiar (anymore) with the N64 emulation scene. But hey, maybe NERD are working on an official N64 emulator for a N64 classic mini and/or Switch Online as we speak? I don't believe that they are occupied with their NES/SNES/GB emulators anymore, surely those are solved problems by now.

Aren't there N64 cores for RetroArch that run (somewhat) well?

 

[Spukc]

Sadly, I'm not familiar (anymore) with the N64 emulation scene. But hey, maybe NERD are working on an official N64 emulator for a N64 classic mini and/or Switch Online as we speak? I don't believe that they are occupied with their NES/SNES/GB emulators anymore, surely those are solved problems by now.

Aren't there N64 cores for RetroArch that run (somewhat) well?

aye but you need to keep in mind it has to run on cheap ass hardware.
(a mini console)

and it's just not on the same level as ps1 emulation or 16 bit

 

[Kazza]

Anyone fancy any pink controllers (in support of a good cause):

Official Sega Genesis Pink USB Controller

Retro-Bit® is thrilled to announce that its partnership with SEGA® and Limited Run Games has brought the opportunity for all to give back and raise awareness in time for national breast cancer awareness month. This October 2019, Retro-Bit is releasing for pre-order, a collection of limited...

limitedrungames.com

Official Sega Saturn Pink Controller

Retro-Bit® is thrilled to announce that its partnership with SEGA® and Limited Run Games has brought the opportunity for all to give back and raise awareness in time for national breast cancer awareness month. This October 2019, Retro-Bit is releasing for pre-order, a collection of limited...

limitedrungames.com

 

[Rodolink]

That transparent Saturn one might be my definitive retro controller

 

[Starlight Lotice]

I have pre-ordered the Pink Saturn Controller.

If not at least to help the Breast Cancer research (I have had two of my relatives have it).

 

[Alexios]

So, what's going on with Retro-bit? Why are the Saturn controllers not shown at all on their site? What about the models they had yet to release like the Saturn controller that includes extra triggers and dual analog sticks so that it's compatible with all kinds of games?

Also to add to my last post:

Just posting to say my issues with the Saturn USB pad I reported exist in some games and the Mednafen Saturn emulator actually don't apply when running the latest SSF version (plus I noticed there's a GPU rendering option now which seems much faster). So people can try that emulator over others if they get those issues. At least now I'm confident the hardware is good and it's all up to how the software interprets the inputs. Without saying the hardware/firmware couldn't have handled it better for it to work across the board of course, I have no idea of the details, only that some software gets confused and doesn't work right when pressing digital inputs on the pad that are mapped to emulate analog inputs (the d-pad is an analog stick axis and two buttons act as analog trigger axis). At least I can play all my Saturn games fine now!

The controller also works properly through RetroArch, not just SSF, so it can be used with all kinds of emulators cementing it wasn't (just?) the hardware's fault when different inputs didn't register properly, there's just something not quite standard here that makes some software unreliable for it.

I've been quite happy with my purchase after discovering it works in RetroArch as well but what with it having issues elsewhere and my feeling the build quality isn't quite on par with the original (but with no actual problems yet) I'm not entirely sure it was the better choice over 8bitdo's M30 pad.

 

[Alexios]

Well, fuck. As it happened to others my Retro-bit Official SEGA Saturn USB pad's d-pad just broke. I was playing around on Saturn/DC emulation as above and suddenly the back direction stopped responding. I opened it up to make sure it didn't just need cleaning or something and sure enough the little cross is snapped. Fuck

I've only had it for around 6 months and mostly only used it for like two, some of it when I first got it and again recently as my retro gaming comes and goes in phases. I guess I should have gone for the 8bitdo M30 or the Hori Fighting Commander even if they aren't so nostalgic looking after all.

I think I'll go for the Fighting Commander next, its pricier but the same-sized top and bottom rows of buttons might make it even more convenient for fighting games over pads that emulate Saturn's smaller x y z buttons and it also has extra shoulder buttons making it more versatile for PS1 emulation too.

Edit: just ordered one for 30, should have done it many years ago I guess.

 

[Spukc]

I ordered the m30. Returned it after 1 day.
Horrible controller for fighters.

Then i tried the fighthing commander.
Never looked back

 

[darth.shrimp]

I ordered a USB Saturn controller that I received a few weeks ago; haven't had time to really play with it yet, but so far it feels pretty much exactly like how I remember the original.

Next week I'll get back my old disks so I'll be able to test it with some actual Saturn games (can't wait to play some Guardian Heroes again, high school feels so far away...), and come January I'll try some Blazblue once my usual opponent comes back from visiting his family. Hopefully it will hold up well, but if it breaks... well at least it was pretty cheap. I'll probably get a Hori Fighting Commander as replacement when/if that happens, although I like the Saturn's circle pad a lot better than modern d-pads.

 

[daninthemix]

That's just it I'm not sure if it's problems or just these specific programs being weird with the input they expect, since in other games everything works fine.

I hope at least Mednafen/Mednaffe will work somehow since I mainly got it for Saturn emulation, haha.

Maybe these annoyances are just to be expected when using non-standard controllers.

I encountered these issues and they turned out to be a problem with Mednaffe, not Mednaffen. When I configured the controller directly in Mednafen, the D-Pad and all other buttons work as intended.

I realise you've moved on from this controller but in case anyone else has these issues.

 

[RAIDEN1]

Seeing these Saturn controllers reminds me we won't be seeing a Saturn Mini anytime soon...

 

[Alexios]

I realise you've moved on from this controller but in case anyone else has these issues.

Yep, Fighting Commander already arrived. It's awesome though it's a shame the d-pad isn't saturn style. But at least it's good and won't break (right?). I'm even using it in up to Dreamcast emulation, not just 2D but also Code Veronica and stuff too, whatever doesn't need a stick.

Actually moved on from Mednafen/Mednaffe as well, since I also mentioned the controller worked fine in RetroArch which included much of that (Beetle cores for various systems) and the Saturn pads worked fine with it as well.

 

[rickyEGM]

Love this dang controller!

 

[Alexios]

Love this dang controller!

Hope yours doesn't break after a few months of use like mine

Perhaps you can open it and somehow reinforce the dpad cross before it actually snaps and that way it can last, if adding material doesn't alter its usability. Maybe if you have access to 3D printed stuff you can just glue a thin layer of a durable material on it or something like that.

Opening it and putting it back together is very easy don't worry about that part. This is the bit that's prone to failure (that's the top half of the controller inverted to show it):

Happy with my Hori Fighting Commander now since this happened, a damn huge shame for it though

Edit: oh fuck, was gonna page Wonko_C to ask about his pads and how they fare but I see his stuff broke long before mine did... Fuck.

I wonder how the Japanese Genesis Mini's 6-button controllers are in comparison to these Retro-Bit ones. Shame they don't have shoulder buttons.

 

[Wonko_C]

Hope yours doesn't break after a few months of use like mine

Perhaps you can open it and somehow reinforce the dpad cross before it actually snaps and that way it can last, if adding material doesn't alter its usability. Maybe if you have access to 3D printed stuff you can just glue a thin layer of a durable material on it or something like that.

Opening it and putting it back together is very easy don't worry about that part. This is the bit that's prone to failure (that's the top half of the controller inverted to show it):

Happy with my Hori Fighting Commander now since this happened, a damn huge shame for it though

Edit: oh fuck, was gonna page Wonko_C to ask about his pads and how they fare but I see his stuff broke long before mine did... Fuck.

I wonder how the Japanese Genesis Mini's 6-button controllers are in comparison to these Retro-Bit ones. Shame they don't have shoulder buttons.

Strangely enough, the Genesis controller is still going strong. Apparently there was a bad batch of Saturn ones. They even have different packaging. (My box was white, and I've seen black/purple boxes too, don't know if those are any better.)

 

[Alexios]

My box is black (and a lot of blue with that giant planet-style saturn logo with all the games swirling around it). If there's an acknowledged bad batch where are the free replacements at? Or how did people figure it's a batch? Or how can one tell if he got a bad batch?

Well, hope it doesn't happen to your other one but presumably it's had a bit less use as you used the Saturn one until it broke? Mine took a bit longer to break than yours too, but it did.

 

[Wonko_C]

I read about the suppossed bad batch on reddit, (just a blurb, really) but sadly that probably won't pass as real confirmation, it was never confirmed by retrobit AFAIK.

 

[Alexios]

Yeah, oh well. I was hyped and kept bumping this thread with videos and stuff and also liked the pad a lot after I got to use it with emulators and stuff though it somehow never felt as good as the real deal I remembered, but now I can never recommend Retro-bit again until they confirm anything.

Oh well, I won't be needing another gamepad for ages anyway (I hope), the next gen consoles seem to be going for the same stuff all over again going by the patents so any PC port will be usable with the DualShock4 and I have my Fighting Commander for anything that doesn't need sticks.

The only way I see me buying another gamepad at some point is if 8bitdo does something like an M30 Pro with 4 shoulder buttons and dual analog sticks on top of the full 6 face buttons and people confirm it's amazing so that one controller can handle just about any game thrown at it.

Well, any company, Retro-bit also had shown a Saturn pad with twin sticks but I've not seen anything about it since and their site doesn't even show the Saturn stuff atm so maybe they were scrapped (and of course I'd be wary). Or it could be a Hori Fighting Commander with sticks.

Edit: wait, what the shit, if you go check out a couple of their older non-SEGA branded controllers there's a "WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm" sign? What the fuck? How does that happen? It links here which is the main site and not the actual chemicals in question....

 

[sol_bad]

Is there a control pad that can be used on PC and also the NES/SNES/Mega Drive minis by any chance?

I bought this controller and it's wifi signal can be pretty terrible at times.

Amazon.com: HORI Super SNES Classic Edition Fighting Commander Wireless Controller Pad Officially Licensed by Nintendo: Video Games

Amazon.com: HORI Super SNES Classic Edition Fighting Commander Wireless Controller Pad Officially Licensed by Nintendo: Video Games

www.amazon.com

Alexios is your controller basically the same as the above?

 

[Alexios]

No, mine is not the same, I have a photo of it in previous posts. It's just called "Fighting Commander" and is basically primarily for PS4 but also works with PS3 and PC. It's wired. There's also an Xbox One version (obviously works with PC too, and apparently the Xbox 360).

Edit: 8bitdo seems to have you covered, you can buy the Mega Drive Mini edition of the M30, which is presumably the same as the standard PC/Switch/whatever pad, and then the retro receiver dongle for SNES Classic. Look into it to ensure compatibility/mappings.

Edit again: nope, that's wrong actually, that version of the pad is not bluetooth. They also don't seem to sell a stand alone receiver for Mega Drive Mini as they do for SNES Classic so you can't buy the bluetooth M30 and two receivers, you're sol I guess.

I really doubt there's anything that works with all those things at once. Maybe there's a Mayflash adapter or something to use a pad that works with PC and some other systems on a SNES Classic or similar but again I doubt it'd work with all of it.

Solution: emulate all those systems and a ton more with better quality and features on your PC with RetroArch instead and the controller of your choice and keep the mini/classic/whatever consoles as decorative novelties on a shelf.

 

[daninthemix]

Actually moved on from Mednafen/Mednaffe as well, since I also mentioned the controller worked fine in RetroArch which included much of that (Beetle cores for various systems) and the Saturn pads worked fine with it as well.

Oh yeah RetroArch Beetle core is amazing...but it doesn't allow for cheats, whereas native Mednafen you can use those old Gameshark codes.

 

[darth.shrimp]

About the "bad batch"; when I bought mine on Amazon, I noticed some were called "old version" while others (the one I got) are called "Model 2". Sure enough, quite a few reviews for the former mention the d-pad breaking, or buttons getting stuck, while none do for the "Model 2" controllers.

Anyway, for mine, so far so good. The cord is really too long though...

 

[Kazza]

Hope yours doesn't break after a few months of use like mine

Perhaps you can open it and somehow reinforce the dpad cross before it actually snaps and that way it can last, if adding material doesn't alter its usability. Maybe if you have access to 3D printed stuff you can just glue a thin layer of a durable material on it or something like that.

Opening it and putting it back together is very easy don't worry about that part. This is the bit that's prone to failure (that's the top half of the controller inverted to show it):

Happy with my Hori Fighting Commander now since this happened, a damn huge shame for it though

Edit: oh fuck, was gonna page Wonko_C to ask about his pads and how they fare but I see his stuff broke long before mine did... Fuck.

I wonder how the Japanese Genesis Mini's 6-button controllers are in comparison to these Retro-Bit ones. Shame they don't have shoulder buttons.

Ah, the exact same thing happened with my Retrobit Saturn controller (although that controller was their previous model, before they got the official licencing from Sega).

I hope they still go ahead with the twin stick Saturn pad (and also the upgraded Dreamcast pad they released a prototype of).

 

[Kazza]

The cord is really too long though...

Ha, people normally complain about the exact opposite issue, so I guess they just decided to play on the safe side and make it extra long.