The best D-Pad of any handheld! Why dont the competition notice?

Yeah, I know its possibly not worthy of a thread, but I've been playing a lot of my handhelds over the last few days, and the Joystick of the NGPC is so much betterthan the rest!
I mean just SO MUCH better!
So, how come the others dont copy it?
I mean, they copies the format of the NGPC quickly enough!*Cough*GBA*cough*
Why stick with a D-Pad?
How 1980s is that?
Heres how I rate the Systems I own, controller wise.
And I take into account their age!

Atari Lynx. 7/10
In those dark NES and Master System filled days, the Lynx 1's controller was excellent! If slightly slippy.

GB Original. 6/10
Good for its time, but smaller than the Lynx's D-pad, making it more suited to kiddy paws.

Sega Gamegear. 7/10
An improvement, but could have been beter.

Sega Nomad. 8.5/10
Without doubt, as good as a D-pad gets!
Excellent.

GB Colour. 6/10
10 years and no improvment!

Neo Geo Pocket Colour. 9.5/10
Finally a joystick!
Perfectly formed miniature joystick, excellent "clicky" response. Wonderful! About time! We've suffered enough!
Would get a perfect score, if it wasn't a dust trap.

Wonderswan. 5.5/10
The brainchild of Gunpey! This guy gave us the Game & Watch, and The Game Boy!
So, WHY did he make the Wonderswans controller so fucking awful?
God only knows!
And I have to mention the Start and Sound buttons being on the bottom of the screen! Not to mention the D-pad being to close to it!
So you always end up with fingerprints on it!
Good system, Bad design!
But hell, Gunpey! We Loved Ya!

Game Boy Advance. 5/10
More of the same, and difficult to hold as well!
Unless you have the tiny hands of a Japanese 5 year old!
We need a bigger version for us clumsy westerners!

Slug, I wholeheartedly agree with everything you just said. I could spend hours playing on my ngpc and never feel a thing. My GBC and GBA, on the other hand, have my wrists and thumbs begging for mercy after a long bout with DW 3 or Mario Kart. And damn I would love to play that upcoming KoF game on the GBA with a stick, that would just be sweet. But alas, we're just stuck, and damnit, I've been away from my Last Blade too long, back to work!

well its all in the reasoning for the
methods from SNK
the NGP is essencially a mini NEOGEO...
it seems totally elementry but its true!
KOFs
SS
MS
all the big games and then
original titles too..
just compare how many NEOGEO pocket titles
are super deformed conversions of the actual
NEOGEO titles...
naturally SNK wanted to make the pocket
a handheld NEOGEO...
so what better way to do that then making the
d pad a joystick <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">

The d pad on the NGPC actually feels a lot more accurate than the d-pad on the Neo CD. But why do we suffer playing handhelds? None are that great.

I've got to agree with you on the Nomad having one of the best d-pad out of all the handhelds you mentioned. Even though the system itself is a design travesty (crappy LCD, non-existend battery life, hulking battery pack, etc), it has a kick-ass d-pad. I was fond of the NGPC's responsive pad as well, but the clicking noises it produces could be a problem in certain scenarios.

[ November 12, 2001: Message edited by: DolphinLord ]

Hmmm interesting. Everything you stated is about correct Metal.

Altrough the NGPC's d-pad has one problem as stated by Dolphin. The noice is pretty irritating. When in example playing at night, everybody wants it to be quiet. But no, the stick makes noice <IMG SRC="smilies/loco.gif" border="0"> Which my parents won't allow so no playing at night <IMG SRC="smilies/frown.gif" border="0">

I think they should make a handheld with two choices either a stick or something like a d-pad. I mean after all everyone likes the d-pad. No pain, I feel like I can do moves easier (with fighters). And it just feels the best.

Forget about the normal sticks, forget em <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

Cho

Hmmm,
My dream controller for a handheld would be a stiffened version of one of the dual shock joysticks from a PSX controller. But with one very important addition! I would love to see some kind of progressive resistance built into the stick, to give a true positive analogue feel to racing or flying games. The little stick could turn and lock into place to facilitate adjustment of this feature for different styles of game!
I find the Sony originals very precise, but they feel very sloppy and lifeless.

As for the NGPC!
In a word WOW!
As has been said above, by a wise man!
Its every bit a handheld NEO!
Only necessary compromises were made, the Controller is just superb, the unit is playable for extended periods without the user suffering from cramps or an RSI! Battery life is good, the games are superb, etc, etc.
I'm not saying the NGPC is perfect! Its not!
However, with the support it needed, and the sales it deserved, its 32bit replacement would have been!
Imagine a NGPC with more power, less slow-down, more colours per sprite, better sound, a backlight!!!

Oh God!
I need a cold shower now! <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">

Originally posted by EvilWasabi:
<STRONG>The d pad on the NGPC actually feels a lot more accurate than the d-pad on the Neo CD. But why do we suffer playing handhelds? None are that great.</STRONG>

Click to expand...

You are winding me up right?

If you like Genesis games you must like the Nomad?
If you like Neo how can you dislike the NGPC?
If you like Nintendo, and especially SNES, how can you not like GBA?

I mean! I can see that the Game Boy, Game Gear and Lynx are a matter of personal taste, but come on!

Eh, for me, I say why choose? I'm working on buying em all <IMG SRC="smilies/tickled.gif" border="0">

Originally posted by Kaede's Disciple:
<STRONG>Eh, for me, I say why choose? I'm working on buying em all <IMG SRC="smilies/tickled.gif" border="0"></STRONG>

Click to expand...

Sounds like a good plan! <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">
Wich do you have at the moment?

As of this point I have 2 ngpcs, a GBC, a GBA, a Lynx and a Microvision. My next conquest will be a Nomad, and the Turbo Express, maybe when I strike oil <IMG SRC="smilies/tickled.gif" border="0">

I thought I'd like to mention it but you missed out the game.com metal slug which has a d-pad. Mind you it a really crap handheld and ngpc has the best controller rever in my opinion. I own a game.com, 2 ngpc's, gameboy pocket, gameboy colour, gameboy advance, and a game gear.

Originally posted by Kaede's Disciple:
<STRONG>As of this point I have 2 ngpcs, a GBC, a GBA, a Lynx and a Microvision. My next conquest will be a Nomad, and the Turbo Express, maybe when I strike oil <IMG SRC="smilies/tickled.gif" border="0"></STRONG>

Click to expand...

Thats a bloody good start!
I dont have a microvision <IMG SRC="smilies/frown.gif" border="0">
I've got a Creatronic Mega Duck though!

BTW. I really recommend the Nomad over the TE!
Games are so much better, and easier to get! OH and cheaper <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">

Originally posted by James:
<STRONG>I thought I'd like to mention it but you missed out the game.com metal slug which has a d-pad. Mind you it a really crap handheld and ngpc has the best controller rever in my opinion. I own a game.com, 2 ngpc's, gameboy pocket, gameboy colour, gameboy advance, and a game gear.</STRONG>

Click to expand...

HOw could I forget the Game.com? <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">
Seriously though, I've bought three in the last 6 months, and all have been faulty <IMG SRC="smilies/frown.gif" border="0">
Two had lines on the screen, one just didn't work at all?

BTW. are your local EB/Game's selling Game Gears again?
Cos they are down here!
All be it recon'd crappy ones, but they do have some games!

Cool, I've got a Game.com, Res Evil 2 rocks hehehehe (Not)

Originally posted by londongeezeruk:
<STRONG>Cool, I've got a Game.com, Res Evil 2 rocks hehehehe (Not)</STRONG>

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I've never played RE2 on the Game.com, whats it like?

the maps are just like the Dc and ps version, But it's really ackward to play because it's trying to be 3D

Originally posted by londongeezeruk:
<STRONG>the maps are just like the Dc and ps version, But it's really ackward to play because it's trying to be 3D</STRONG>

Click to expand...

At least its rare!
Whats that Panzer Dragoon for the Game Gear like then?
*Jealous* <IMG SRC="smilies/tongue.gif" border="0">

i don't have it yet, But just got King of fighters battle de paridise, ghost photo studio, Melon chow growth diary and Super strip mahjong. Only came to around £110 inc UPS express shipping for hong kong

Originally posted by Metal Slug:
<STRONG>HOw could I forget the Game.com? <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">
Seriously though, I've bought three in the last 6 months, and all have been faulty <IMG SRC="smilies/frown.gif" border="0">
Two had lines on the screen, one just didn't work at all?

BTW. are your local EB/Game's selling Game Gears again?
Cos they are down here!
All be it recon'd crappy ones, but they do have some games!</STRONG>

Click to expand...

Yeah, I heard they were selling Jaguars for 20 quid too. I might get a Game Gear though, 'cos I only recently found out the screen broke on my old one after I bought some cheap games (1.50) games from a local video shop. But they stink of fish, 'cos it used to be a fish shop. I mean REALLY stink. Almost unplayable. Anyone else heard of games that smell so bad you cant play 'em? Thats Stockport for you.

I don't think any handheld has a really good controller.

The NGPC's stick is awesome, but only if you are playing fighters. What other system does fighters the NGPC does? None. That's why, IHMO, the stick is a good design, just not very suitable. I can't say I really like the stick for portable RPGs and other games. It works good on the NGPC tho.

Just an opinion.