Good controllers for PC? (#Reload)

[Spootmeister]

I just got #Reload for PC off of Good Old Games and, despite having been a PC gamer for years now (though this is my first fighting game on PC), I'm finding the keyboard inadequate. I'm not looking for expensive control solutions, so most of the good arcade sticks are out. I should be perfectly comfortable playing the game with a gamepad, however. I'm wanting a wired one that would be good for fighting games in general, not necessarily just for Guilty Gear. Also, I'm pretty new at fighting games, so I'm not very demanding of control perfection, anyway.

Most of what I'm seeing recommended consists of Sega Saturn and 6-button Sega Genesis USB controllers, though of the former, I'm only really seeing ones from Gtron and Retro-Link that appear to be of spotty build quality. For #Reload, at least, I'm open to pads with four face buttons (as the Dust function could probably go on a shoulder button without much discomfort). I have an old 6-button Genesis pad that I could buy a USB adapter for, but I'm not sure what condition the controller is in, so I'd rather not rely on this option exclusively.

From cheap, but decent, arcade sticks to good-quality gamepads, what would you recommend for me? Please provide URL's to your recommendations. Thanks in advance!

[Silmerion]

I hear these are pretty good.

Also, remember that literally any Xbox 360 controller works with PCs.

[Teyah]

Hey - looks like you're in the $50-70 budget range from what you've said, and you haven't yet decided if you want a stick or a pad. Here is what I feel is the best of each within that range.

Pad: In looking for a good pad, the most important part - by far - is the d-pad itself. This is why I don't recommend 6-button pads like the Saturn-style fight pads out there, or the new analog clicky style pads. The d-pads on these are just one big plastic chunk with no separation between individual directions, which translates to imprecise inputs. To me, the definitive winner in this category is the standard Sony Dual Shock 1 or 2, with its smooth, segmented pad. The only caveat is that new Dual Shocks come with a gritty, bumpy covering that takes a little time to wear off, but once it does, it's smooth as butter. You probably already have a pad like this if you've ever owned a PS1/PS2. To hook it up to a PC you just need a PS2 to USB converter, which is very cheap and common (~$10-20).

Stick: Just like with the pad, the most important thing on a stick is the joystick itself. In the $50-70 price range you can't really get a high-end Sanwa or Seimetsu stick, so you'll need to settle with stock manufacturer parts. Right now, the best low-end joystick is probably on the Hori Fighting Stick V3/VX, which you can get for $60 ($70 for the 360) over at http://stores.horiusa.com/. It'll take a bit of work, but you can also throw in better parts into the case in the future too, if you decide the stock stuff isn't cutting it.

http://stores.horiusa.com/-strse-124/Playstation-3-Fighting-Stick/Detail.bok

http://stores.horiusa.com/-strse-122/Xbox-360-Fighting-Stick/Detail.bok

Edited October 6, 2012 by Teyah

[Aegis High]

Get a PS2 controller and a USB PC adapter

[GATO//]

If you are looking for a pad i would get the hori fighting commander 3 pro, its ~$30 and has 6 face buttons and only a d-pad. you can change the sensitivity and angle of the pad so you can change it to how you like. I have had it for about a year and I love it. I use it for #R , BBCT, and SSF4AE. It is a ps3 controller but it recognizes it right off the bat so no issues there. prefer it over the madcatz one. As for an arcade stick, I only have an hrap v3-sa and have barely used it so I dont know if its good or bad. Dont limit yourself to 360 controllers (unless you also have a 360 and would benefit from getting it), ps3 controllers seem to work fine without additional drivers (unless its wireless).

http://www.amazon.ca/PS3-Fighting-Commander-3-Pro/dp/B0057WDD6O

[Blade]

I happen to like the PSP-style D-pad, but I don't know of any PC controllers that have it on that level of sensitivity.

[ATG Warlord]

A Qanba stick is a good investment

http://www.amazon.com/Qanba-Q4-Q4RAF-Black-Fightstick/dp/B007SGGLZW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349859273&sr=8-1&keywords=QanBa

Edited October 10, 2012 by ATG Warlord

[Amadeus46Art]

DS3 Tool + PS3 pad works fine. DS3 Tool even has Xbox controller emulation so it will recognize the PS3 pad as an Xbox controller.