I know nes advantage sucks but if donkey kong players or fighting game players can do frame perfect things regularly with joysticks would it possibly be beneficial for emu?

Especially a hitbox might be interesting (all buttons no joystick) as it's similar to a keyboard with bigger keys.

Beneficial? no way - would be way harder to do precise tricks - many of which include left/right/release toggles in single or double frame windows.

I know people have gotten FPG and done other tricks (4-2 bumps) on joystick, but I agree with Darpey, it would make it harder (but still possible), not easier.

The 3DS VC allows you to play with a joystick, but the dpad is way more responsive than the joystick.

I think I'll at least try it if I ever run this game because nobody has used sticks as a controller (don't know if I will run), older fighting games at a high level had precise execution frequently all game, I already think mechanical keyboard is advantage over nes pad (would be better if everyone had to use same controllers but I realize that's not how most speedrun communities are), since there's no rules except no cheating, might as well try.

Idk if you only talk about NES Advantage or Joysticks in general, but I play with a bootleg Switch Pro-con and I use the joystick. I honestly think joystick is better than d-pad. And yes, I can do frame perfect tricks and stuff. It's not about the controller, it's about the player

I mean more like arcade joystick, like street fighter, not analog joystick on gamepad, it might suck or might be fun, have to try to know I think.

I use NintendoSpy to capture my inputs and its XML archive doesn't recognize my d-pad as d-pad but as a stick instead. Physically my controller has a d-pad but the NintendoSpy reads it as a stick so if you want to play with a stick it should be possible but your inputs won't be as accurate as d-pad since the game is supposed to be played with d-pad.

I've made this improvised tutorial and maybe it can help you because I show the XML archives a little bit, the input display part is near the 9:00 minute mark:

https://www.speedrun.com/smb1/guide/wke60

This thread honestly is really interesting to me. Speedrunning SMB1 with Joystick/Dance Pad!? This sounds interesting.

lmao now I want to run with my GH guitar. I might try to get a good time on a category I've never ran just for the lolz

i have gotten 1-1 fpg 1-2g 4-1 fpg 4-2 blazit 8-2 tas framrule from blant 8-3 fpg and a fast 8-1 8-4 with a ps4 controller with a joystick. So like its a preference thing.

I play on gamecube controller. Use what's comfortable to you.