Plastic Nintendo Buttons

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Pretty random topic, but just curious - do you have a problem with the "new style" buttons Nintendo have started to use on the Wii U controllers? Do you prefer them?

What I mean by this are the D-Pad, shoulder and face buttons on both the GamePad and Wii U Pro Controller.

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Ever since I can remember, all Nintendo portables and controllers have had a glossy, sturdy fit and feel for buttons and D-Pads. The Wii Remote does, GameCube controllers do, so it was strange that Nintendo moved onto a different feel for the most recent set of buttons.

Am assuming it maybe the case with the NEW Nintendo 3DS.

The new buttons feel a bit more matt, a little bit more flimsy, which surprised me when I first got my mitts on the Pro / GamePad controllers. I don't have a massive problem, but doesn't quite feel as quality as Nintendo of old.

Thoughts?

Cubed3 Admin/Founder & Designer

I do prefer the buttons of the 64/GameCube/GBmicro finish compared to the DS's/3DS' but it hasn't bothered me that much. 

I really dont don't like the buttons on the 360/XB1 controller though as I feel they are too big and the DualShock controllers buttons are too flat for me! Lol I've always thought Nintendo get a happy medium in general. 

The new ones, Wii U ones, just feel pretty cheap to me - unfinished - it's strange, the GamePad/Pro controllers use gloss buttons for the +/- and home, but use the new style buttons for the A/B/X/Y - wonder why that is.

Cubed3 Admin/Founder & Designer
Our member of the week

I personally don't mind mat buttons over glossy ones. I DO mind glossy controllers though. In fact I mind anything glossy that you have to hold in your hands all the time, since they're fingerprints magnets, and they hand up looking all dirty just from being touched.

As far as buttons go, the only thing I've been minding from Nintendo in general is how tiny they've made their D-pads to be on pratty much any of their hardware in the past decade. I can understand on handhelds meant to remain compact (although that still doesn't make for very comfortable controls), but on something like the DSi XL or 3DS XL, there should definitely be a larger D-Pad on there! The D-Pad seems larger on the Wii U Controller Pro though, kudos to them for that but the whole controller is a tad too bulky for me to play, say... a Street Fighter game on the D-Pad of the thing. But for anything "twin-stick" and using the shoulder buttons, that controller is ACE.

I used to play MK8 using the Wii U Pro Controller because it's more convenient for me (lasts longer on battery than the gamepad itself anyway) but the buttons are a bit too... how should I put it... HIGH, like they're too thick and small, so it leaves a mark in my right thumb after a while from holding the A button down constantly. So I now play using the Club Nintendo SNES controller for Wiimote that you could exchange your stars for on the European Club Nintendo at one point. And I play MK8 using the comfortable D-Pad of the SNES controller, and I'm right at home with that one.

Nintendo controllers and handhelds that I hated the D-Pad on because it was too small include the DS Lite, DSi, DSi XL, Wiimote, Gamecube Controller (not to mention the placemet on that one, but few games really made you want to play with the D-Pad anyway), 3DS, 3DS XL... and I can only imagine it's going to be super tiny on the New 3DS and New 3DS XL too... The worst is the 3DS one... because it's squeaky and on mine, plastic on top of it peels off, literally... Not the cheapest D-Pad I've encountered, but we're close.

Cubed3 Limited Staff :: Review and Feature Writer

I personally like them. However, the old ones were so much better. The grip is simply so much better with glossy buttons.

The difference between illusion and reality is vague to the one who suffers from the former and questionable for the one suffering form the later.

I'm indifferent, can't tell the difference enough to care.

Most of the D-Pads on Nintendo hardware are pretty decent now, too. The only one I didn't like was the DS Lite one, which was way too squishy and unresponsive. The best D-Pad I've used on Nintendo hardware is surprisingly the Gameboy Micro's, it was amazing!

I can't really think what you use the D-pad for on the 3DS though except for a few eShop titles?

I really like the D-pad on the Micro too. It's easily the best one Nintendo have done. Other than that I don't think they've done a decent D-pad since the SNES days. With that said it's not as important these days as it was back then...soooooo.....


Our member of the week

Yeah the D-Pad on the 3DS is especially for some eShop titles. Imagine yourself playing Super Mario Bros. DX (which a lot of us got for free) on the circle Pad? That's no possible. And on the D-Pad... well it's uncomfortable to say the least Smilie. I need a D-Pad in general for Virtual Console games and newly made retro styled games. For example, I play through Guacamelee on the eShop exclusively through my SNES controller Smilie.

Cubed3 Limited Staff :: Review and Feature Writer

I can't play Deluxe at all, it's too zoomed in for me. I'd rather just play the NES version! but yea I get what you mean.  I do like how you use the SNES controller for MK8, I'll have to try that when I get home. My issue with the SNES controller is that of you are playing a fast reflex game like Street fighter or MK or Mario Kart then your hands start to hurt as there isn't much grip with the controller. I don't get how I used to do it when I was younger!

( Edited 01.11.2014 21:24 by Flynnie )

Our member of the week

I own the original cart and since back then I had never owned a NES it was my first proper introduction to the original NES version of SMB, apart from All-Stars on SNES. Plus, the game as HEAPS of bonus content which I was very happy to sample on Game Boy Color back then Smilie.

As for the SNES controller, I have unusually tiny hands, even for someone a normal height like myself, so I feel right at home with it Smilie. Between 1992 and 1998, this was my MAIN controller, so I had plenty of time to get used to the layout and grip Smilie (had a playstation and PC engine too, for a few months in the same time period but most of my gaming was happening on the SNES)

Cubed3 Limited Staff :: Review and Feature Writer

Speaking of buttons thought I wasn't a fan of the original GB buttons. The d-pad was fine but harking back it wasn't the best. Man I feel like I need to have all of these controllers in my hands now to compare! 

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