Play with the original controllers

[Princess Rescuer]

And by that I mean the Joy-Cons or the Pro Controller. Not the PS4 controller or remakes of the Super Famicom controllers. Play the game with the controllers the system was intended for. The Joy-Cons have good, responsive control sticks that work well with 2D games. And the pro controller has a D-Pad which isn't hard to reach and is comfortable. There will eventually be a remake on a Sony console and on PC, where you'll get to have your Sony controller with the level D-pad again. And that will be the better version.

[sol-alpha]

Play the game with the controllers the system was intended for.

We live in an age now where the Xbox adaptive controller exists. There's no need to be a purist about what controller a person should use to play games with. This isn't a big deal.

Even the Switch is about playing anyway you want.

[Princess Rescuer]

I say this because I just bought an 8bitdo NES-like controller to play Vs. Super Mario Bros. with. In order to make it even work, you have to install firmware. You can't do this from a Mac computer- it isn't compatible. Same goes for the Switch controller converter that lets you play with a PS4 or Xbox One controller as well. Even if I could get it to work, I just don't like the NES controller or any controller that's trying to be like it. It's a very harsh and uncomfortable controller. Same goes with controllers that want to be like the Super Famicom- although that controller is rounder, it still doesn't have the grips designed for human hands or comfortable grips and textures like every modern controller has. And I must say- aside from "no input lag" (which a wireless recreation would remove), the SFC controller was never my favorite controller to play Umihara with- the big D-Pad made diagonals difficult and the buttons were a little too far apart. Plus the oddly positioned pause button looked cool, but made pausing awkward. That and it was too thin. The Vita had many of the same issues. Playing the game on the Vita TV with a PS4 controller (or earlier, a PS3 controller) was something I preferred.

Fun fact- when I first got Umihara Kawase Shun, I used a SFC-to-PS1 converter to play it. And when I just broke into the PS1 controllers, my performance was better. I tried to order two PS1-to-SFC converters to help with SFC games as well as extend the short cords, but never got them for whatever reason and never ordered other ones. And my experiences have been better and less expensive. Sometimes, you just have to trust console manufacturers and create new memories instead of trying to fabricate old ones.

[sol-alpha]

Okay, so you had a bad time with third-party controllers and you have a preference for PlayStation controllers.

That's what I thought this thread was going to be: controller preferences, but you worded it very badly by telling people what they should play with: "original controllers" instead of just suggesting it.

You could change this topic to Super Smash Bros for Wii U telling people to only play with the original controllers: Wii U Gamepad/Pro Controller and it would be the same thing (especially when only 1 Wii U Gamepad can only be used per system), people having different preferences won't care what you tell them to do. They'll play Smash for Wii U using a:
- GameCube Controller
- Nintendo 3DS
- Wii Remote+ held sideways
- Wii Remote+ and Nunchuk
- Wii Remote+ and Classic Controller Pro
- Wii U Gamepad
- Wii U Pro Controller

One last thing, if Umihara Kawase Fresh! Got ported to PC, are you going to tell people that they should only be using Keyboard+Mouse controls to play it because that's the original controls for a PC? i.e.

Play the game with the controllers the system was intended for.

[Princess Rescuer]

Nah, in that case use the controller you have already been using on PC. Umi is terrible with a keyboard.

I started this because I was disappointed with custom controllers and wanted to warn people not to use them. They might be good someday.

[sol-alpha]

I plan to buy the new Switch SNES wireless controllers that were announced in the Nintendo Direct recently. I assume they should work with Umihara Kawase Fresh since you can use the dpad in that game.

[Princess Rescuer]

That's what I was planning on too. Unfortunately, I don't like Fresh very much. Still waiting for current-gen re-releases of the previous games.

[Alc]

I plan to buy the new Switch SNES wireless controllers that were announced in the Nintendo Direct recently.

They sold out pretty fast, huh? Did you get any? They're being flipped for about £50 apiece on ebay, which isn't terrible, but I'd want a cast-iron recommendation before dropping that. I did have a pair of the NES controllers, which were fun for the NES virtual console thing, but the d-pads were a little sharp (just like the real NES) so I sold them on.

In general I'm not too impressed with the Joycons. They don't have great range and are really susceptible to interference, even by bluetooth standards. There's also a class action lawsuit started up in the Sates over the failure rates on their analogue sticks, so far mine have been alright but they feel flimsy and I dare say I'll have to replace them before too long. I'm disappointed that they didn't alter the design for the new all-in-one Switch, they know those sticks start to drift over time. My feeling is that it's kind of shitty that joycons die, but at least you can just replace them - with an integrated system that's a real problem.

The Switch Pro controller I've got is mostly fine but as time's gone on I've noticed that occasionally I get a faulty "up" input on the d-pad, which seems a common complaint. I've heard of some pretty janky fixes involving raising the d-pad, but people then seem to have to increase pressure to get it responsive, so I just use that pad for its analogue sticks. All around I'd say this generation is a drop in the usual Nintendo quality.

[KawaseFan]

Yeah, I noticed issues with the sticks on my joy-cons about a month ago.  Unfortunate that they'd only last a bit over two years (didn't quite get my Switch at launch, got it a couple of months later).  I'm holding out on buying new ones as long as I can, but it seems inevitable that I'll have to.

I was planning to get one of the wireless SNES controllers and then totally forgot about it!  I'm not surprised that people would use eBay to take advantage of the limited supply, but I'm sure it won't be too long before they're back in stock.  I'd definitely be interested in any impressions if anyone around here got one, though!

[Alc]

I'm not surprised that people would use eBay to take advantage of the limited supply, but I'm sure it won't be too long before they're back in stock.

Unfortunately it's Nintendo, who have historically always been conservative when stocking hardware, to the delight of ebay scalpers and the ire of everyone else. Here in Europe, Nintendo's response to these selling out overnight was to say that a "small number" will be made available at some later date, which isn't particularly reassuring. Any other company would be delighted that there was such strong demand for a product, and would endeavour to meet it, but apparently not Nintendo. Are they marketing geniuses, deftly generating desire among their user base through scarcity, or are they simply incompetent? I guess it's academic. I can't buy one without hopping on ebay and paying double what it cost first hand, and that's irritating.

[KawaseFan]

I've played a bit of Fresh today with the wireless SNES controller; things might change with the PS4 version, but as of right now, I would call this my preferred controller for playing Fresh, and it'll certainly be the controller I use for the Switch version of Fresh from now on.  I consider it a better choice than the Switch Pro controller, as the ZL/ZR buttons aren't really required and the d-pad doesn't seem to have the same weird issues (or at least I haven't experienced anything like that yet, hopefully it stays that way and I'll update this post if that changes).  SNES controller vs. joy-cons is probably more a matter of preference between d-pad and stick (unless you somehow really like playing Fresh with the joy-con buttons...) and I definitely prefer the d-pad.

I would not recommend buying the controller just for Fresh, though, obviously; but I would definitely recommend using the controller with Fresh to anyone who already has or will get the controller.

[Alc]

Glad to hear from a reputable source that the SNES pads are good for these games. I spotted them back in stock again, Nintendo seem to have made a good amount this time around which is really excellent news. Hopefully a couple are en route to me right now (along with a couple of the NES ones too).

unless you somehow really like playing Fresh with the joy-con buttons...

When playing Fresh I used an 8bitdo M30, since the game supports remapping controls and doesn't require too many buttons. For Tetris 99, though, I do use the joy-con buttons as a d-pad (Tetris 99 does support some remapping, but not d-pad, which I'd need for the M30) - the button d-pad is actually pretty good for a game where you only ever want to press cardinal directions.

Are you continuing to play Fresh, by the way? Just curious if it stuck with you. I beat it but haven't been back.

[KawaseFan]

When playing Fresh I used an 8bitdo M30, since the game supports remapping controls and doesn't require too many buttons. For Tetris 99, though, I do use the joy-con buttons as a d-pad (Tetris 99 does support some remapping, but not d-pad, which I'd need for the M30) - the button d-pad is actually pretty good for a game where you only ever want to press cardinal directions.

Oh, definitely, the buttons were great for Tetris 99.

I just remain baffled that the lead platform for Fresh was a console where the included controller doesn't have a d-pad.  Then again, the stick is still there, if you can get used to it; personally, I never could, but I'm sure plenty of other people would've been fine with it.  At least other options exist for playing with a d-pad, though.

Are you continuing to play Fresh, by the way? Just curious if it stuck with you. I beat it but haven't been back.

Since finishing Kawase's quest, I haven't played it much besides checking out the classic stages when they were released, and playing through some of Cotton's quest yesterday.  I'll probably play through the rest of the challenges and Cotton's quest soon, but I can't see myself spending anywhere near as much time on Fresh as I have on the other games.

[nathan]

I got a Switch Lite because I figured I would get more use out of a D-Pad than TV hookup when I don't even have an HD TV. I haven't bought Fresh (doesn't look like I would like it that much) but it is a pretty decent d-pad (better than the DS Lite and SNES, worse than the Saturn).

[Princess Rescuer]

BTW, the Shell is better than the Pro.

[Alc]

BTW, the Shell is better than the Pro.

What is a Shell?

[Princess Rescuer]

The thing you put the Joy-Cons in.

[Alc]

Why do you prefer the Shell to the Pro? You mean the Switch Pro pad, yes?

As time's gone on I've had a growing list of grievances with the joycons. The analogue sticks are flimsy and built to break, to the point where there's a class action lawsuit in America over it. They suffer from the worst Bluetooth interference issues of any pad I own. The cardinal-only "button d-pad" is, at best, a kludge of a solution. If I put Tetris 99 aside (where the button d-pad works well because no diagonal inputs are necessary), the Switch would almost certainly be the platform where I've got the least use out of the default controller. I'll take the Pro if I'm wanting analogue sticks, or the 8bitdo M30 if I'm wanting a d-pad; both are much more to my taste. This doesn't leave much room for the joycons.

[Alc]

The Super Nintendo pads for the Switch arrived earlier. They're excellent! I do wish they'd seen fit to add a Home button somewhere, though. I wonder if the parts are compatible with old Super Nintendo pads? I tried a few of the ebay replacements a couple of years ago, each was slightly different in design but they were all equally terrible.

Unrelated, but I hope you're all staying safe and your friends and families are doing ok. Crazy times.

[KawaseFan]

BTW, the Shell is better than the Pro.

The thing you put the Joy-Cons in.

This thing?

Personally, out of those two, I prefer the Pro controller.  I bought the charging grip not long after I bought the Switch, and I barely used it; if I'm playing with joy-cons and the batteries get low, that's my cue to stop playing.  Overall, I actually prefer the freedom of using joy-cons and putting my arms in whatever position I like, but the faulty sticks are getting pretty annoying, so I am now using the the Pro controller where possible.

The Super Nintendo pads for the Switch arrived earlier. They're excellent! I do wish they'd seen fit to add a Home button somewhere, though.

Yeah, a home button would've been good to have, since they went to the trouble of adding ZL/ZR buttons.  Even so, the controller's definitely great to have.

Unrelated, but I hope you're all staying safe and your friends and families are doing ok. Crazy times.

Thanks, and the same to you and yours.  Crazy times, indeed.