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281:. Though developed because they were more compact than joysticks, and thus more appropriate for handheld games, D-pads were soon found by developers to be more comfortable to use than joysticks. The D-pad soon became a ubiquitous element on console gamepads, though to avoid infringing on Nintendo's patent, most controller manufacturers use a cross in a circle shape for the D-pad instead of a simple cross.
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Though three-dimensional games rose to prominence in the mid-1990s, controllers continued to mostly operate on two-dimensional principles. Players would have to hold down a button to change the axes along which the controls operate rather than being able to control movement along all three axes at
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also featured six action buttons, with four face buttons arranged in a diamond formation, and two shoulder buttons positioned to be used with the index fingers, a design which has been imitated by most controllers since. The inclusion of six action buttons was influenced by the popularity of the
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introduced the CyberMan, the first practical six-degrees-of-freedom controller; however, it sold poorly due to its high price, poor build quality, and limited software support. Industry insiders blame the CyberMan's high profile and costly failure for the gaming industry's lack of interest in
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Despite these changes, gamepads essentially continued to follow the template set by the NES controller (a horizontally-oriented controller with two or more action buttons positioned for use with the right thumb, and a directional pad positioned for use with the left thumb).
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can be used to connect them wirelessly, or the controller can be connected directly to the computer over USB (wired versions of Xbox 360 controllers were marketed by
Microsoft as PC gamepads, while the Xbox One controller can be connected to a PC via its Micro USB slot).
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Some common additions to the standard pad include shoulder buttons (also called "bumpers") and triggers placed along the edges of the pad (shoulder buttons are usually digital, i.e. merely on/off; while triggers are usually
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Gamepads or devices closely modelled on them are sometimes used for controlling real machinery and vehicles, as they are familiar to users and (in the case of actual gamepads) provide an off-the-shelf solution. The
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were the predominant form of gaming controller for PCs, while console gaming controllers were mostly digital. This changed in 1996 when all three major consoles introduced an optional analog control. The Sony
991:
414:). The controller is also multifunctional and has an expansion port which can be used for a variety of peripherals. An analog stick peripheral, called "Nunchuk," also contains an
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initially used toggle switches built into the computer readout display to control the game. These switches were awkward and uncomfortable to use, so
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and Bob
Saunders built and wired in a detached control device for the game. This device has been called the earliest gamepad.
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software antimicro, Enjoy2, or proprietary commercial solutions such as JoyToKey, Xpadder, and
Pinnacle Game Profiler.
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combined digital and analog controllers in a single body, starting a trend to have both an analog stick and a d-pad.
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input. Generally they have been made to circumvent the lack of joystick support in some computer games, e.g. the
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held in two hands, where the fingers (especially thumbs) are used to provide input. They are typically the main
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gamepad (Japanese Super
Famicom version is shown), which popularized the layout used by most modern gamepads
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740:"Blisters And Frustration: Joysticks, Paddles, Buttons and Game Port Extenders for Apple, Atari and VIC"
245:
It would take many years for the gamepad to rise to prominence, as during the 1970s and the early 1980s
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883:"Nintendo Revolution ::: Advanced Media Network - Mario, Zelda, Revolution Controller, Innovation"
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992:"From Joysticks to Warfare: Military's Rising Use of Video Game Controllers in Submarines, Tanks"
450:. Third-party USB adapters and software can be employed to utilize console gamepads on PCs; the
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196:. There are several programs that emulate keyboard and mouse input with a gamepad such as the
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developed a gamepad device for directional inputs, a D-pad with a "cross" design for their
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control pad has three face buttons, but a six-button pad was later released. The
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saw many major changes, and the eminence of gamepads in the video game market.
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This article is about the type of video game controller. For the TV show, see
616:"Graphical program used to map keyboard keys and mouse controls to a gamepad"
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1123:
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1010:"Real life gaming: How the British Army modelled tank controls on a gamepad"
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34:"Action button" redirects here. For the game development studio founded by
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Six-button
Genesis/Mega Drive controller that was released later
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additionally usable on DualShock 3, DualShock 4 and DualSense.
23:. For the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii U console, see
1024:"What it was like inside the lost Titanic-touring submersible"
854:
Arcade Mania!: The Turbo-Charged World of Japan's Game
Centers
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697:
467:
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but unlike the Wii Remote, it lacks any pointer functionality.
55:
527:
uses a device modelled on gamepads to operate systems on the
273:
handheld game. This design would be incorporated into their "
659:
Enjoy2 v1.2 released: control games with your gamepad on OSX
363:
can also be played with two hands like a gamepad controller.
257:-compatible pushbutton controllers were also available. The
253:
were the dominant video game controllers, though several
340:
3D Control Pad had a single analog thumbstick, and the
462:
can be used with third-party software on systems with
277:" series and console controllers such as the standard
693:"Get a Grip!!!: Joysticks Past, Present & Future"
523:
use Xbox controllers for operating devices, and the
1310:
1253:
1194:
1187:
1071:
932:"How to use the PS4 DualShock 4 controller on a PC"
912:
Magic Wand: How
Hackers Make Use Of Their Wii-motes
381:developing 3D control over the next several years.
185:There are programmable joysticks that can emulate
762:"The Next Generation 1996 Lexicon A to Z: Joypad"
406:pointing which the system uses to understand all
143:Shoulder buttons ("bumpers") and triggers on an
1049:
8:
965:"How To Use A Console Controller On Your PC"
368:once. One of the first gaming consoles, the
744:Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games
641:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
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312:arcade series, which utilized six buttons.
168:buttons, and an internal motor to provide
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478:controllers are officially supported on
410:and rotation (back and forth around the
336:had twin convex analog thumbsticks, the
86:of all important aspects of the article.
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372:, did have a controller which provided
327:For most of the 1980s and early 1990s,
634:
430:. Examples of PC gamepads include the
82:Please consider expanding the lead to
944:from the original on January 19, 2016
172:. Analog triggers, like that of the
7:
829:. segagagadomain.com. Archived from
603:from the original on March 26, 2016.
482:with Microsoft-supplied drivers; a
14:
881:Levin, Phillip (April 25, 2006).
963:Plunkett, Luke (July 23, 2013).
426:Gamepads are also available for
60:
259:third generation of video games
74:may be too short to adequately
994:. 20 June 2023. Archived from
109:Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
84:provide an accessible overview
27:. For the Android device, see
1:
585:Schaaf, Tobiasa (July 2014).
508:Logitech F710 Game Controller
16:Type of video game controller
807:. sal romano. 26 August 2010
656:Yifeng Huang (May 6, 2013),
541:used a gamepad for control.
40:Action Button Entertainment
1377:
712:. May 1996. pp. 34–42
596:. No. 7. p. 17.
499:Trent Tresch piloting the
230:Entry into the mass market
111:, a typical modern gamepad
44:
33:
18:
412:pitch, roll, and yaw axes
352:Three-dimensional control
1318:List of game controllers
852:Ashcraft, Brian (2008).
781:. March 1996. p. 35
45:Not to be confused with
1174:Virtual reality headset
299:Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
1065:Video game controllers
511:
422:Usage across platforms
408:directions of movement
374:six degrees of freedom
364:
342:Nintendo 64 controller
334:Dual Analog Controller
324:
294:
242:
148:
112:
910:Jamin Brophy-Warren,
827:"6 Button Controller"
498:
359:
318:
292:
285:Continued refinements
237:
194:Nostromo SpeedPad n52
142:
106:
466:functionality, with
440:Microsoft SideWinder
216:The 1962 video game
198:free and open-source
179:Super Mario Sunshine
156:); centrally placed
1271:Gesture recognition
1144:Musical Instruments
917:Wall Street Journal
887:Revolution Advanced
587:"Gamestation Turbo"
370:Fairchild Channel F
255:Atari joystick port
174:GameCube controller
129:video game consoles
119:is a type of video
21:Gamepad (TV series)
1109:Interactive urinal
1012:. 14 October 2016.
512:
428:personal computers
365:
325:
321:SNES/Super Famicom
295:
243:
149:
113:
1346:
1345:
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1276:Haptic technology
1134:Motion controller
1079:Arcade controller
998:on June 20, 2023.
893:on April 27, 2006
867:978-4-7700-3078-8
551:Computer keyboard
506:using a modified
458:, Wii Remote and
391:is shaped like a
101:
100:
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1359:Game controllers
1235:Telephone keypad
1195:Physical buttons
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1188:Controller parts
1072:Controller types
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889:. Archived from
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534:. The ill-fated
532:main battle tank
448:Steam Controller
329:analog joysticks
275:Game & Watch
212:Analog joysticks
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860:. p. 192.
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777:. No. 15.
774:Next Generation
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708:. No. 17.
705:Next Generation
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594:ODROID Magazine
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454:, DualShock 4,
446:range, and the
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303:SNES controller
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69:This article's
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801:"face buttons"
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736:Rost, Randi J.
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556:Computer mouse
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491:Non-gaming use
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432:Asus Eee Stick
423:
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396:remote control
353:
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309:Street Fighter
286:
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279:NES controller
240:NES controller
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201:cross-platform
170:force feedback
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78:the key points
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29:Archos GamePad
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92:February 2012
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47:Gaming keypad
41:
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30:
26:
25:Wii U GamePad
22:
1338:Toys-to-life
1328:Reset button
1231:Start button
1222:Scroll wheel
1202:Analog stick
1163:direct drive
1098:
1018:
1004:
996:the original
986:
974:. Retrieved
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958:
946:. Retrieved
935:
925:
915:
906:
895:. Retrieved
891:the original
886:
876:
853:
847:
835:. Retrieved
831:the original
821:
809:. Retrieved
804:
795:
785:November 20,
783:. Retrieved
772:
756:
747:
743:
726:
716:November 20,
714:. Retrieved
703:
663:, retrieved
658:
651:
625:. Retrieved
619:
609:
593:
580:
566:Racing wheel
536:
529:Challenger 2
525:British Army
513:
503:
425:
400:tilt sensors
386:
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217:
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177:
165:
161:
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125:input device
116:
114:
89:
73:
71:lead section
1298:Touchscreen
1286:Digital pen
1179:Wired glove
539:submersible
452:DualShock 3
404:dimensional
338:Sega Saturn
270:Donkey Kong
238:The iconic
1217:Hat switch
1207:Arrow keys
1129:Microphone
897:2019-11-20
750:(1): 106ff
614:Ryochan7.
572:References
402:and three-
393:television
389:Wii Remote
361:Wii Remote
224:Alan Kotok
147:controller
36:Tim Rogers
1254:Sensitive
1240:Trackball
1124:Light gun
1094:Dance pad
937:TechRadar
811:26 August
561:Game port
504:Cyclops 1
501:OceanGate
464:Bluetooth
456:DualSense
436:Gravis PC
247:joysticks
219:Spacewar!
76:summarize
1353:Category
1323:Multitap
1293:Touchpad
1119:Keyboard
1114:Joystick
942:Archived
858:Kodansha
837:1 August
738:(1983),
637:cite web
598:Archived
545:See also
476:Xbox One
472:Xbox 360
378:Logitech
265:Nintendo
187:keyboard
145:Xbox 360
135:Features
51:Joystick
1311:Related
1245:Trigger
1099:Gamepad
805:Gematsu
665:May 19,
627:July 6,
521:US Navy
517:US Army
480:Windows
460:Joy-Con
251:paddles
207:History
117:gamepad
1333:R.O.B.
1281:Stylus
1149:Paddle
976:4 June
970:Kotaku
948:4 June
864:
621:GitHub
484:dongle
438:, the
434:, the
191:Belkin
164:, and
162:select
154:analog
38:, see
1212:D-pad
1159:Wheel
1154:Pedal
1139:Mouse
601:(PDF)
590:(PDF)
537:Titan
158:start
978:2016
950:2016
862:ISBN
839:2010
813:2010
787:2019
718:2019
667:2017
643:link
629:2016
519:and
474:and
442:and
387:The
319:The
249:and
166:home
127:for
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