360 Versus PS3: The D-Pad Edition

Which do you choose? Yeah, yeah, yeah! You read my post comparing the PS3 and 360 analog sticks and decided that I was just a drooling fanboy just out to bash Sony. OK, the Bitmob community probably knew I was just writing for the controller based writing prompt, but those N4G.com guys.... Sheesh!

Well, I'm back. This time I've got my sites set right on the weakest aspect of the 360 remote: the D-pad.

The 360's D-pad is a sticky, unaccurate mess that is useless in almost any situation that calls for twitch reflexes. It feels a bit like playing with a PSP that has had its D-pad "fixed" using super-glue and a quarter.

Try to compare this to the Dual Shock's individual buttons which are perfectly spaced and there is no real comparison. The DS3 wins hands-down.

Now, what would you say if I told you that Microsoft actually knows how piss-poor the 360's D-pad is? What if I told you that Microsoft had actually produced a 360 controller with a fixed, un-sucky D-pad, but then only made it a "special edition" and neglected adding the changes to every controller they produce?

Well, its true.

That's a bit like Toyota telling the world that they are going to fix the Prius, but only in certain "special edition" models!

(4)

Sandy Morley

April 04, 2010

Why does the d-pad need to be good? I don't remember the last time I used it for something other than selecting items from a menu. I suppose that makes me a fanboy though.

Frank Anderson

No, the D-pad is pretty useless and not worth complaining about other than a few situations. Fighting games suffer greatly under a poor D-pad. Also games that use it in-depth in menus, like Oblivion. The poor D-pad can cause a ton of mistaken inputs when choosing spells and items you have put on there for quick access.

So, I can totally see why anyone who doesn't use the D-pad much will not think it an issue. I only call MS out on it because they have actually offered up a controller that fixes the issue, bit didn't integrate that fix into all of their controllers.

These last three posts of mine were not about how the 360, PS3 or Wii suck. They are about examining what I consider the weakest aspects of these controllers. In the case of the Wii I obviously have a mostly negative opinion, but Nintendo also gets my money on almost every major release they put out for the system so I would not call myself a hater.

The only reason I say anything about fanboys at all is because my first post on this subject got put on N4G and the results were pretty hilarious. Click the link I provided in this piece to see what I am talking about.

See my other posts if you want my take on aspects of the Wii and PS3 controllers--

360 Versus PS3: The Analog Stick Edition.

How The Wii Remote Broke Okami.

I probably stoked the fires by naming two of the posts '360 Versus PS3,' but I also believe people should be able to debate how aspects of the systems compare without it turning into a flame war with people calling each other names. Just because one aspect may be better than another that does not mean an entire system is bunk or not worth owning. If I thought that was the case then I would not own all three!

Bryan Glynn

To each most certainly their own. I have always detested the DualShock D-pad, as the lack of connection in the middle between all four directions feels awful. The NES controller had the inaugural D-pad down back in the day, and the Wii and 360 have it right today.

Andrew Hiscock

April 05, 2010

The one thing I don't like about the 360 D-Pad is it's all in one nature. Even the Nintendo D-Pad has discrete areas... The 360 is a big circular mess. Frankly, I have no idea how it's used, as I haven't really played a game that uses it as a main method of input. But I don't look forward to that day. It's uncomfortable.

I love the Playstation D-Pad, thought.