Games you think could have had better controls

Tornadoboy

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My list:

Frontline - I always hated that dial/fire thing, it would have been a lot better with a rotary control like Ikari Warriors and a separate fire button.

Sundance - I don't know what they could have done differently given the gameplay, but no doubt having over a dozen buttons certainly didn't help in attracting players.

Carnival - Fun regardless but it might have been even better with a spinner instead of a joystick.

Xenophobe - Cool game but needlessly awkward controls IMHO, a simple joystick and separate buttons would have worked a lot better, I've got that board and when I get it working that's how I'm going to rig it up
 
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DOT - I wish the joystick was rotary and the knob just went up and down.

Centipede - I wish the trackball was on the left side. Usually, after about the 2nd level I cross my arms and play with my left hand on the trackball and fire with my right.
 
berzerk with two joysticks would be awesome....might get a score above 5000 with it.....

I would disagree on that one, I like the game the way it is, the controls work perfectly. I think what you are talking about is a different design for the game.

The Berzerk and Frenzy controls play well for both right and left hand style of play.

-Grant
 
I would like to try out Zoo Keeper with a spinner. I've never played on a real cabinet unfortunately, but on Atari Classics and MAME the controls are really awkward.
 
I like the dial control in Front Line/Tin Star/ Wild Western.:eek:

My choice would be Arabian. I absolutely loathe the idea of pushing up the joystick!!!! Why or Why is there no 'jump' button?
 
I would like to try out Zoo Keeper with a spinner. I've never played on a real cabinet unfortunately, but on Atari Classics and MAME the controls are really awkward.

I got used to the joystick pretty quickly - but I agree, using a spinner would be worth a try. It'd probably make your hand cramp, though, `cause you'd want to use your fingertips for precision moves. Very fast precision moves...
 
Cool thread...

Gyruss:
I like the idea of a spinner, but I think I have to disagree on that. The use of an 8-way stick (good one, original style - munroe?) allows you to position yourself in those 45 degree positions just right on those bonus levels.


Arabian:
Yeah, I owned one for a few years - the joystick really needs to work well or you'll be toast. Same goes for Kangaroo...but that extra challenge is part of what makes it unique at the same time.

Front Line:
I just got one recently. Everything works great, except for that push button on the rotary....gonna have fun tearing it apart and rebuilding it :) I'm more of a mechanical kind of guy so this actually will be interesting at the same time. I actually feel like the controls are easier than the Ikari type controls - my hand starts to cramp playing that way, I guess I'm just getting old :(

Congo Bongo & Zaxxon/Super Zaxxon:
I always had a difficult time getting the controls to do what I wanted on those. The isometric 3-D type images were really cool to see (and still are), but just seemed like they should have rotated the joystick or something, I dunno...

Asteroids/Deluxe/Space Duel:
I know the separate buttons make it unique and challenging, but I still have trouble with it. Maybe a spinner, then could rotate quicker?

Contra/Super Contra:
Seems like it would be better with a rotary button, too...

-GackAttack
 
Defender is just a mess, could've been simplified

This is true, but its also part of the appeal for me. They could have done it console style with an 8 way joystick for Reverse and Thrust, but it would have been a less rewarding game. Once you develop the muscle memory for the controls, the challenge of Defender and Stargate will really keep you entertained.

There is a MAME build with spinner enabled versions of Gyruss and Time Pilot. Perhaps it just because I've been playing them so long, but I like them better with sticks.

Blasteroids used the spinner, but I still feel its a lesser game than Asteroids and Asteroids Deluxe.
 
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