Original PlayStation 1 Controller Appreciation Thead

[Video Games Are Dumb]

Hello Era,

As a stupid person, I purchased the PlayStation 1 Classic the day it released. And while the device itself it an undeniable disappointment, the silver lining is two near perfect recreations of the original PS1 pad, complete with USB!

Best of all, this allows users to plug directly into any number of emulation devices and play the PS1 catalogue just as it was intended. And I've seen a lot of people online bemoaning the Classic not including the Dualshock or Analogue pads. But as someone who play a ton of PS1 games, those variations really weren't as wildly supported as is believe today. Heck, outside of Ape Escape and having Psycho Mantis push your controller around, most games worked just as well, if not better, with the dpad.

This bad boy was the creation of Teiyu Goto, and while many call it a simple revision of the SNES pad, I find it to be quite revolutionary. First of all, the handles fit directly into the players' palms. The modern versions of this design can be rather snug as the thumbs reach towards the center for the analog sticks. But here, it really does feel evenly distributed. Between the slope of the back and the click think buttons on top, there aren't many controllers that can boast simplicity, pragmatism, and comfort.

This controller is incredible for the genre's of the day. Perfect for fighters like Street Fighter Alpha, action RPGs such as Alundra, and rather adapt at early 3D shooter such as Syphon Filter or survival horror like Silent Hill. Playing the first two Tony Hawk games with anything but this controller just plain feels wrong. Heck, I would go so far to say it's more enjoyable playing most classic retro games with this pad.

Now I realize some may say that time has passed it by. And in many respects, I agree. The games of today simply require far too many inputs than the simple PS1 controller can provide. But for a plethora of indie games, it still works remarkably well. And let us not forget Olivier 'Luffy' Hay's 2014 EVO victory for Ultra Street Fighter 4, which was preformed entirely with the humble PlayStation controller.

How good?

 

[Alvis]

ugh, the worst version of the worst controller design of all time IMO, even worse than the N64 one

I hate symetrical sticks and they shouldn't be a thing. I get that back then they had no idea what they were doing, but nowadays I don't understand how or why anyone stands that design lol. If I eventually buy a PS5 or whatever the first thing I'm gonna do is buy some kind of Xbox controller adapter if they already exist.

 

[Deleted member 59109]

I might like it better if it had an analog stick. (And a different color option)

 

[Print_Dog]

This thing fit my little kid hands like a glove back in the day. Untouchable Quality, I'd say.

 

[BKLorenzo]

It's iconic.

 

[truncated_pachyderm]

Absolutely love this controller. When I first owned a PlayStation, it came with the DualShock and I never saw this controller until I was much older. In retrospect it is clear that Sony "slapped on" the analog sticks, which explains why the DualShock (1, 2, and 3) feels so awkward.

Been playing A LOT of PS1 on my PSIO modded console through RGB and OSSC and I use this controller whenever possible.

Is it possible to pick up the USB versions for cheap anywhere, sans the rest of the console? Seems like they'll be great for MiSTer (one day) or PC emulation.

 

[Deleted member 5457]

I'm with you 100%. Seeing it in 1995. was really something else.

 

[GamerJM]

I really don't like this controller. The segmented D-Pad is very mushy and over time I've grown to like it less and less. It's fine for fighting games (probably because I played a lot on the PS3 which is essentially the same thing in terms of D-Pad/face buttons) and 2D RPGs, but everything else....no thank you. Moving a character around in a 3D space with that D-Pad will always feel inherently clunky. I've been playing the original version of FF7 and the fact that I have to navigate one of the first fully realized expansive 3D JRPG worlds with.....that thing is honestly my least favorite part of the game.

 

[Video Games Are Dumb]

Is it possible to pick up the USB versions for cheap anywhere, sans the rest of the console? Seems like they'll be great for MiSTer (one day) or PC emulation.

Click to shrink...

Just buy the PS1 classic. It's always dirt cheap and comes with two controllers!

 

[Gelf]

It was good for introducing 4 shoulder buttons but really as it's a 2D pad, in the vast majority of cases I'd rather use a Sega Saturn controller. That segmented dpad would blister my thumb in fighters.

 

[Alien Bob]

I still can't believe it took Sony until the PS4 before they actually looked at human hands and went, "ooooh, like that!"

To be fair, they tried with the Boomerang but went a little too far.

 

[MrMiyamoto]

I think there is a lot of evidence that it is just a minor revision (extra shoulder buttons and grip wings) to the SNES controller, especially considering that the Nintendo PlayStation prototype has been in the public eye recently and is a more investigated part of the origins of the Sony PlayStation than it was at the time.

 

[Video Games Are Dumb]

Nintendo PlayStation prototype has been in the public eye recently

Click to shrink...

I've held that controller in my hand! It really is just an SNES pad.
Now the PS1 controller, boy howdy, it's comfy as hell!

 

[Android Sophia]

I've got two of these due to owning a PlayStation Classic. They're very good for retro inspired games, honestly.

 

[OneThirtyEight]

Got my PS1 with the Dualshock. However our second controller was the transperent green version of the original since it was cheap i guess. Felt better playing Tony Hawk with it. Or at least when i played those games i used the OG controller for some reason.

 

[Deleted member 50761]

I loved this controller, seemed a massive step up from my Mega Drive.

 

[vrietje]

Never used it . First time I played a PlayStation it had a Dual Shock.
recently bought a Ps1 and a PSone one has this controller the other a Dual Shock.
But is there a modern alternative that works on original PlayStation hardware? Something like the Tribute 64 for the N64?

 

[Pyro]

Fun fact: it wasn't until a couple years ago when I learned the first PS1 controllers had no analog sticks and I'm still confused as to why some people call it the PSX.

 

[Poison Door]

I picked up a PS classics for the controllers, Perfect for retro gaming. Don't know why I never cared much for the Dual Shock, had plenty of games back in the day that supported it but rarely used the joysticks.

Fun fact: it wasn't until a couple years ago when I learned the first PS1 controllers had no analog sticks and I'm still confused as to why some people call it the PSX.

Click to shrink...

IIRC PSX was the codename for the PS1.

 

[Nakenorm]

I guess I liked it at the time? But it's easily the worst dualshock and I can't see myself ever going back to it. I legit thought it was weird and unenjoyable to play on a dualshock 3 some weeks ago so can't imagine what a original DS would feel like now.

 

[Menchin]

I prefer the model that has sticks

 

[Herne]

That separated D-Pad was, and remains, the worst.

I guess I liked it at the time? But it's easily the worst dualshock and I can't see myself ever going back to it. I legit thought it was weird and unenjoyable to play on a dualshock 3 some weeks ago so can't imagine what a original DS would feel like now.

Click to shrink...

The first Dual Shock was the controller with the two analogue sticks. The first controller had no name (that I recall, anyway).

 

[Gio]

It's too light. The first PS1 I got to use had both a Dualshock and an original controller and the former felt much better to play with.

 

[Patitoloco]

I prefer the Dual Analog/DualShock version, this one is just okay IMO

But the Dualshock is the controller that change how other controllers worked in the future, it's iconic.

 

[Nakenorm]

The first Dual Shock was the controller with the two analogue sticks. The first controller had no name (that I recall, anyway

Click to shrink...

Oh yeah, forgot about that