Problems with megadrive controllers

Retr0gamer

With all this talk of retro consoles I decided to get my megadrive from the attic and giveit a bash. The first thing I noticed was how bad the controllers where. I take back everything I said about the xbox controllers. The second thing I noticed was that both my joypads were very unresponsive. The buttons and d-pad need to be pressed really hard to get any response. I opened them up and put them back together and it improved things but the right direction only works sometimes and usually sends you diagonally up and the buttons still need to be pressed quite hard. The pads haven't been used in 7 years.

Anyone know how to fix this problem. I desperately want to play Thunderforce 4.

smiaras

This post has been deleted.

Deadwing

The real problem with megadrive controllers was the d-pad. Trying to do a ha do ken on those things almost pulled the skin off your bloody thumb.

Pugsley

I dunno, I always loved the official 6 button ones, their the best controllers ever made for a console imo, so reliable and so comfortable, thats all I ever used for the mega drive, never needed anything else, infact I cant even rememebr what the 3 button ones looked like

Thatst he on you want .

Retr0gamer

It's the three button ones I'm talking about. They are truly terrible. The shape just doesn't fit your hands. The six button one was a great controller.

BLITZ_Molloy

The 3-button controllers were notorious. I was very careful with mine but two of them just wore out on me.

The d-pad was indeed torturous. I built up a big rubbery pad on my left thumb joint from playing too much SF2.

Used have a Quickshot 6-button pad for the MD that was wonderful - slightly bigger than the official 6button one with a smokey black front on it. I really miss that pad. It was so comfortable.

SantaHoe

When you open the controller, have a look at the rubber contacts that sit between the circuit board and the plastic D-pad fitting... look on the underside of the rubber where the black conductor bits are... check closely for dust, grime, crudd or tares... give the black contacts a good rubbing with your finger to get any crap off it... even if you don't see any crudd.
Also do the same on the corresponding bits on the circuit board contacts.
Should sort out dodgy unresponsive buttons.
Also make sure the circuit board has no fractures that are severing pathways when the pad is pressured in certain places... although cracks should be immediatly obvious.
The rubber bits are your main problem though, over time and use, they'll deteriorate and rip... best bet is to knick some from another controller.

astrofool

I hated those controllers, weren't much good for anything other than sonic Was big reason at the time why the super nintendo was great.

Of all the next gen consoles, the xbox controller-s has to be the best tho, the analogue d-pad is so much nicer than the gamecubes one, and the ps2 has sh*te control pads.

suppafly

wish i knew about that six-button controller when i was in my mad mega-drive phase. I always thought that The SNES pads were pretty good.

SantaHoe

Originally posted by astrofool
and the ps2 has sh*te control pads.

BLASPHEMER!!!
PS2 pads are a gift from God.
Input nirvana tbh.
*Ties up niggy and burns him at the stake*

DiscoStu

the original dualshock is the pad of champions. the ps2 version feels a little spongy with the pressure sensitive buttons and d-pad.

the hori anashin2 wireless ps2 pad is a very very good third party pad if a little pricey and only on sale in japan.

BLITZ_Molloy

The PS2, Gamecube and old Xbox pad (I haven't tried the small one) all have pretty rubbish d-pads.

If your into fighters you're better off with a stick anyway. Hori make a whole load of sticks - Soul Calibur 2, SVC Chaos and VF4: Evo. They're all great. Damn sight better than the X-Arcade anyway.

Pugsley

Nintendo have always made the best controllers on consoles (except the mega drive 6button, it was king of its day), the N64 controlelr was excellent I thought, the only downside was that the analogue sticks didnt last long befoe they got very sticky, and, generally knackered. The Gamecube controllers are nigh on perfect too IMO, so comfortable to use (if a bit odd at first). I never minded the PS controlelrs (havent played much PS2, but ah well), the dual shock's werent bad, but not enough games made full use of the extra analogue sticks, most games just included them for teh sake of it more or less without actually giving them a perpose. However I think the X-box had possably the worst controlelr ever made, it was as bad as the classic Master System ones! (a square with a huge D-pad and 2 huge buttons, it sucked).

l3rian

I still have my megadrive 6 button controller, is there a converter for it to work in my pc?

BLITZ_Molloy

No convertors that I know of. In fact, there are very few converters out there for any console pads that work as advertised; driver problems, input delays, constant rumble etc. Magic Box is about the only good one.

You could always get a cheap PC pad and wire the guts up to the Mega Drive controller.