Controller choice - GC, Classic Pro, N64
6 years ago
United States

Hello everyone, I'm curious about what controller you use and why.

It seems like most people just use GameCube controller, but I personally dislike the GC controller buttons for zelda games (perfect for games like Smash Bros Melee, however).

I use the Wii Classic Pro controller and prefer it over the GameCube controller because of the quick digital shoulder buttons. I also find ESS position slightly easier on the Pro Controller, but the joystick position on the controller (similar to PS controllers) makes it hard to get used to both sides of ESS..

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with an N64 to GC adapter and the effects this has on ESS position specifically. I assume you don't get the nice N64 controller ESS zone (it's so much easier to get ESS on N64) because you're converting to GC controller anyway, but if anyone has the technical information on how that works, I'd like to know. Personally, if there are no downsides to using an N64 to GC adapter, I'll probably switch to that for the sake of nostalgia haha.

Any detailed opinions (more than "GC is best /end") would be greatly appreciated. :)

Edited by the author 6 years ago
Maryland, USA

I used the GameCube controller because it felt the most natural to me.

I don't like how the Classic Controller (Pro in particular) has C-Down on the back shoulder buttons and I dislike the fact that the stick is on the bottom.

I haven't tried using an N64 controller (for speedrunning) so I wouldn't know. I do believe, however, the adapter has no effect on ESS/Deadzone.

Antarctica

I know a bunch of people use N64 to GC adapters for OOT and I don’t know of any issues with it. Those runners seem to like it and how it works.

If the classic controller pro had the shoulder buttons reversed such that ZL was target and ZR was shield I probably wouldn't mind using it but having them as they are just isn't natural to me and makes it basically unuseable. I also dislike how the a/b/x/y buttons are rotated counter clockwise to how I personally think they should be (I realize they setup the look of the controller like snes, but that doesn't mean the button that says 'a' on the controller has to equal 'a' for n64). It would have been nice if they added in customizing the button input to whatever you want as part of virtual console.