Nintendo 64 > Joypad

Nintendo set out to create a new controller for a whole new type of console game: a 3D one. The N64 pad was a huge benchmark in console joysticks and has been copied by absolutly everything after it, you just have to look at today's console pads to realise they were more than "inspired" by the Nintendo 64 pad.

In 3D games a d-pad just isn't good enough, Sony also knew this but obviously they're too stupid to actually invent something. Now that I mention it, Nintendo invented the d-pad as well... anyway, Joysticks arn't a new invention, they've been in arcades and on early consoles for years but of course it's a huge waste of fingers if your whole hand is grabing a joystick, so Nintendo created the miniature 'thumb stick' that could be used using only your thumb. A d-pad also has some use so they slapped one on the left of the pad too.

The SNES shoulder buttons make a return on the N64 pad, L and R are on the left and right corners of the pad and have been 'Inovated' by Sony on their Playstation pad by add 2 more. Face buttons include A, B, the Z 'Trigger' button and the 4 C-buttons.

The C-buttons are based around using the camera in Mario 64, the left and right C-buttons would rotate the camera around mario while the top and bottom C-buttons would zoom in and out.

3D games have also brought along our good friend Mr. Memory card. We could just shove a socket on the console it self, but oh no we're original, lets stick it in the pad. The socket it the N64 joypad also housed the Rumble Pak and Transfer Pak. You can almost taste innovation here.

Right, we've got the buttons and the fancy analog stick, now we have do mold some plastic to stick these buttons to. The N64 pad despite popular belief is actually very comfortable, the Z trigger has a big curve underneath it to rest your three lower fingers while your index is on the Z trigger and your thumb is on the analog stick. You right thumb is left free to press whichever pretty button it chooses while your right index finger rest on the right shoulder button and bottom three finger on the curved out right prong. Of course there's more than one combination to hold the N64 pad, we're not talking cama-sutra here but there's more than one anyway. When you're using the d-pad with your left hand, you use basically the same setup as your right hand with your bottom three fingers on the curved out prong, index finger on the shoulder button and left thumb to twiddle with the d-pad.

Here it is, our finished and rather cool looking three pronged joypad. But one thing the N64 has that the SNES didn't is four joypad ports, and you can get pretty confused which pad is yours with four grey control pads scattered on the floor. To solve this problem the Nintendo 64 pad was released in all the colors of the rainbow and here they are...

Overall the N64 pad, if a bit big, is still a huge masterpiece and has been copied by every pad released after it, even Sony re-designed the playstation pad to keep up with the N64's huge advantages over Sony's SNES-a-like. One last piece of trivia for you: older N64 pads have a big block on the cord while newer ones do not. Here it is:

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