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[DunDunDunpachi]

No dual-stick controllers. No mouse and keyboard. No USB Saturn pads. No, not even a wiimote

One joystick and ten-or-so buttons. Would you be able to forego the huge number of games that need additional inputs? Would you try to make it work anyway? Would you shift your gaming habits and tastes to accommodate the restriction?

For those who think they could swing it, what games would you focus on in this hypothetical scenario?

 

[Hideous Snake]

I can manage but I'll have to limit myself in genres.

 

[JAMMA]

.

 

[Thing on a Spring]

No bother. I'd be happy to just play fighting games and old school arcade games.

 

[Oddspeak]

I like fighting games and shmups, and turn-based games won't be affected much. Something like DMC would be damn near impossible, though.

I can try to make it work.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

I'd miss racing games, any shooter that requires camera control, and deep strategy games. Puzzles, shmups, fighting games, sidescrollers of all kinds, console games up to the mid-90s, and most arcade games would be plenty of variety though.

 

[FeiRR]

4 directions and one button was the standard of 80s and 90s computers. This is how I played almost all games for more than 10 years. But I wouldn't want to go back.

 

[Hawks Eclipse]

Nope, can't do it. I like too many types of games to limit myself to joystick controls only.

I will say I love the feedback of a good Sanwa stick and buttons, those clickety clackety sounds!

I gotta say though, I wonder how many of the games I love could be tweaked to play fairly decently on a joystick only.

Eg. God Hand would need some modifier to make the joystick temporarily function like the right analog so that you can duck/sidestep/back flip.

 

[ProgenitorCastle]

Naah. Don't get me wrong, I recently got a mini arcade stick for the Switch and just beat Metal Slug 4 using it and it was great for that purpose. But too many games I enjoy like PS2 games for example need additional inputs and stuff not found on an arcade stick.

 

[DGrayson]

Excellent stick choice for the op image.

 

[Spukc]

Arcade stick basically means 2d gaming.
or 2d gameplay/ 3d gfx.

i have no issues with this.
as i prefer 2d games most of the time.

 

[Old Retro]

I was forged in arcades, convienence stores, pizza parlors... I still hold my controller like I'm playing a coin op. I could make it work for me.

 

[Grinchy]

It would be almost as bad as losing one of my hands and still trying to play games. I think it would just be over for the hobby.

 

[Strife In a Teacup]

For those who think they could swing it, what games would you focus on in this hypothetical scenario?

 

[Domisto]

I'd miss racing games

I'd still play racing games. 3 buttons and a stick is plenty. Early 90s I played everything with a one button stick. Would also play a lot of platformers, beat 'em ups and fighters, maybe get back into combat flight sims.

But no way I'd want to do it. I like management and strategy games too much. I once tried SimCity on Playstation with controller and it was painful.

 

[dan76]

I' d be ok with it. Considering the thousands of arcade games that were made that I'll never master it's not like I'd run out of things to play.

I'd really miss lightgun games, Outrun2 and stuff like The Last of Us and OTS Resident Evil, but as long as I have Mr. Do and the odd shmup I'd be good. Probably end up a much better player.

 

[Kev Kev]

For old school games maybe, but anything N64 and onward, naw man

 

[Domisto]

On a related note, the Megadrive and Amiga controller ports are very similar. My mate only had one controller so for a laugh I took my poxy one button stick round to see if it would work. I remember playing the original Mortal Kombat really badly. Then we tried Sonic 2 co-op and it was bearable, got quite far considering.

 

[The Pleasure]

Only if all fighting games get great netcode

 

[Jamesie]

Violence in games doesn't cause me to think about murdering people but being forced to play an RTS or an FPS with a controller or an arcade stick would make me think about that but rather at a level where I can, well level, an entire city.

I'd be mostly okay with most other game genres though. Oh look, a butterfly...

 

[Hawks Eclipse]

I was reminded of this thread when I read this just now.

Dad modifies Xbox Adaptive Controller so his daughter can play Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Here's something to warm your heart on a chilly Monday morning: a Dad from Jersey has built a custom version of the Xbo…

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