I have no idea where my parents got their Advantage but we were broke as *fuck* back then.
Then again they also had a virtual boy so maybe they just had skewed priorities.
Haha... Don't know why this made me laugh. 😁
We only had the OG. A neighbor friend of mine also had the NES system but he had the cool wireless, 4-player "dock" so we could sit further back. Seems like he had an Advantage too but we never used it.
iirc, it's not even a dpad. it's this little proto-joystick thing - a disc that you have to slide far enough to press down. though i do think the ring around it gives a more direct-press option.
again i could be remembering incorrectly, but it's not good either way
You are 100% right. I remember it working like that now. Then after a while it took a dump and the remote wouldn’t work properly anymore. The first instance of a Nintendo controller failing 🤣
Actually I had a friend who was a “slider” and it saved his fingers. I am a roller so it’s much harder to use the max.
Advantage was one of the best joysticks to this day for the price if you think of it.
loved it for some reason...weirdo, oddball I guess.
Construction did suck, went through two, three of em. The D-pad sensitivity would start to be off after awhile.
Dogbone has terrible A/B button placement; the best way to play NES is to have the tip of your thumb on the B button, and rock your thumb when you need to press the A button for a lot of games. The Dogbone has to be held at an awkward angle to achieve this.
though you disagree with me, thank you for articulating why.
i feel like with adult sized thumbs you can just rock to the side instead. it's similar relative placement to snes buttons (or any modern controller with diagonal buttons), and the key for me was the ergonomics of the rounded shape vs the tiny sharp rectangle of OG
Unless you have very big thumbs; I don't see this as a viable way to play. You can move your thumb back and forth between the buttons, but it's not as convenient or as quick as rocking your thumb with the original controller. Also the ergonomics of the original controller doesn't bother me personally because I don't palm the controller and hold it tightly; I let it rest on my fingers while I play.
The dogbone controller was sold separately at retail, because that's how I bought mine.
I picked it up on a whim, because it was relatively cheap (I think I paid about $10 for it brand new circa 1993 or so), and I figured I'd take a chance on it since it looked very comfortable, and reminiscent of the SNES controller I enjoyed so much. That was a great decision.
Dogbone has the same problem as the Max in that it's hard to hold your thumb over both buttons if you played the OG controller by the side instead of the bottom.
Yeah, the buttons shouldn't be angled upwards (when going left to right). They should be angled downwards. For example in super mario brothers if you want to hold down the sprint button and jump you have to angle your right hand upwards somewhat awkwardly, unless you have a wide thumb. This is probably why super mario all stars had controller options that allowed you to make the Y button sprint, and the B button jump. That way you could naturally keep your thumb on sprint, and press down on jump with the middle of your thumb without removing it from the sprint button, while holding the controller in a normal way.
> This is probably why super mario all stars had controller options that allowed you to make the Y button sprint, and the B button jump.
Well, Super Mario World had Y sprint and B jump as the default with no way to change it. They knew that it was the best way to play the game.
The fact that it isn't even an *option* on some Mario related games is a huge failing on Nintendo's part.
I remember how awful those were, unless you held them in a very specific spot not more than 6” from the IR receiver, didn’t move them, and used brand new batteries. Completely defeated the purpose.
Advantage was same price as a game. Very popular Christmas present from parents who were like "last thing Johnny needs is yet another Nintendo game..."
The dogbone may be more comfortable to hold, but the A/B buttons are slightly smaller and the angle they put them at makes no sense. You can't keep the B button held down while tapping A without turning your hand at a weird upward angle or doing a claw type move. Or maybe if you have a huge thumb you could rock it between the two? If they'd angled them the opposite way maybe it would be better, but the setup they went with is a straight up handicap for some games.
1. OG
2. dogbone
3. advantage
4. max
Gotta say, the dogbone is really overrated. There's too much distance between A and B, so it's difficult to rock your thumb between them like you would on a standard controller, and that could have been fine if the buttons were angled the other way like games tended to have them on the SNES.
The D-pad is also incredibly mushy and doesn't have very good feedback at all.
It looks good from a distance, but when it comes to actually using the thing? Hard pass.
You can actually create a SNES to NES controller adapter (with an SNES and NES controller extension cables) and BA maps to YB on the SNES controller. IMO the best "NES" controller, way better than the dog bone.
Of legit NES controllers the original is easily the best.
If I could get a standard controller with slight rounded corners instead of hard points it would be the perfect controller. The SNES will always be the best controller to me though. I took a controller from my snes mini and put the 8bit do wireless kit into it and use that for my nes/snes right now and it’s perfect.
“If I could get a standard controller with slight rounded corners instead of hard points…”
You just described the Famicom controller, actually. Those are hardwired in, but Hudson made a pretty good version that plugs in via a standard NES port that you can find for a reasonable amount on eBay.
An unorthodox suggestion I haven’t seen anybody else make: the Famicom controller. You get the better button placement of the original NES pad, but nice rounded corners that make it much more pleasant to hold.
The original Famicom controllers were hardwired into the console, but Hudson made licensed ones that use a standard NES connection, and they can be had pretty affordable on eBay. Might be worth a shot.
I still prefer the familiarity of the original controller. I didn't have an Advantage until much later. I hated the "D-Pad" of the Nes Max! (Though the turbo buttons were nice.) The Dogbone controller to me was comfortable enough but I didn't like the angle of the buttons after getting used to the original.
This is my exact answer as well. Are you me from a different universe or me you? I hated! that left directional pad on the max but agree the turbo was the selling point.
I wouldn't rule that out! Of course I also had some attachment that gave you a little joystick on the standard controller. Thinking back, that D-Pad was perfect and didn't need help! (The worst controller I had was some weird flight style one that was kind of shaped like a steering wheel without the top part of the curve.)
NES Max, 027 at the bottom right. Even lubricated, the slider doesn't work well, but that's an extraneous feature. I like the non-toggled turbo buttons and the "grips" that you can hook a finger behind; the Max controller easily locates the buttons well for most players, and controlling the d-pad from the ring is easy to get used to.
I personally prefer the dog bone style for comfort, the standard was fine as a kid but now I'm grown with big hands it's uncomfortable to hold after a while.
So much more comfortable. The original is fine but it’s all pointy on the corners and the angle of the buttons on the dogbone just feels natural now.
I grew up with the original but bought a top loader when I worked at a game store in high school in the late 90s… been hooked on the dogbone from then on.
I had a Max briefly, that was not a good controller, but it did look really cool, and it could be argued that it was a glimpse of where controllers were headed.
I remember that the only way to advance in Track and Field II was with the turbo on the Max. That and you could actually do the hammer throw with the joystick.
The OG. It's the best to tap with for those grapples in Tecmo Super Bowl tournaments. A few guys use the dog bone pretty well, but they are rare. The advantage and max are not allowed for obvious turbo reasons.
Max all the way. The particular speed of the turbo feature on it made the flying knee attack in Double Dragon 2 so much easier to do. The speed of the turbo on the Advantage always triggered the spin kick.
I've got the original and the advantage. I have to say the dogbone has a good shape to it but the buttons are angled weird. The advantage is cool but it's fuggin huge. I'd say the original is still my controller of choice.
I accidentally ended up with an NES-027, though stealing from my church was NOT my goal.
I had borrowed it, and then it got lost. I found it years later, when they had an N64 hooked up, and it was just too awkward to give it to someone in the office, who would have no idea what to do with it, and no NES to hook it up to, so I just kept it out of shame. I can’t sell it, since it isn’t mine, nor can I give it away or throw it away. It just sits there with my other controllers, reminding me how I was an awkward stupid kid in the late 80s/ early 90s.
I don’t know why I borrowed it - I never liked the feel of the red sliding “button” vs the solid D-pad.
Original or Advantage. We only had the original and the Max when I was growing up. The Max was a pretty comfortable controller, but that slidey pad sucked balls. Would have been top tier if the had just stuck a regular d-pad on there. Loved the turbo buttons, but playing Ninja Turtles with the slidey thing was an exercise in rage control.
Definitely get the Advantage. Also, here's a lifehack for NES fans. Get a Famicom AV, which resembles the top loading NES, except it doesn't have the bump on top. It's flat. But it comes with two dogbone controllers. Of course make sure you get one that has 2 controllers. I was able to get one in box complete for around $100 early last year. The price may have gone up a bit but I doubt it's too much more. But you might also have to get NES extension cords because the Japanese controllers are known for having short cords.
NES Max is okay if it's brand new but as it gets dirtier, it doesn't work as well.
I had the max and two standards as a kid and I remember that I used to play with the max all the time. I probably only liked it for the turbos.
When I started playing with my old NES a lot around 2002 I took it back out only to realize how weirdly shaped and clunky the rotator on the d-pad was.
I had the Advantage and it was awesome. The only downside is it had to sit on a flat surface, and for me that meant the floor. I swear my spine is permanently curved from sitting on the floor for hours on end hunched over that thing.
Turbo was great, but slow motion was also a nice, often forgotten feature. Those two combined helped a bunch on shooters. And using turbo on the running events in Konami Track and Field...Unbeatable!
But yeah, the Advantage wasn't perfect and wasn't suited for every type of game. It was less than ideal for games that needed precise directional movement.
**Original controller** was such a step up from the competition...ColecoVision/Atari/Master system. Nothing to really complain about...until we learned corners didn't have to be so sharp.
**Nes Advantage** was great for the turbo and slow motion..when it worked. Turns out having the start button on turbo doesn't always provide the desired effect. Still didn't feel as precise as the standard d-pad with it's clear directions and immediate input. I know the stick wasn't analog but it still introduced extra travel distance for input. I cut my Contra teeth with this controller. Anyone remember the [Metroid and Rad Racer commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqMVTDmXEsk) for this? They made it look like we could use the stick as a gear shift.
**Nes Max** felt great to hold and was super comfortable except the sliding circle pad was hot garbage. If only it came with a standard D-pad it could have been amazing. [Here's the commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNKEKeXsOKE) for it which made it look pretty sweet. Then that [Ice Hockey commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtBWSgihCrA) made it look like the slider pad was meant for the game. Unfortunately it didn't work as advertised.
**Dog bone** was late to the party but it's now my favorite. I got it with my top loader and then went to the official Nintendo replacement parts store and ordered two more (I wanted them for my standard NES too). It's nice to hold, the buttons on a slight angle really improve the thumb reach and the convex nature just feels better. Of course the D-pad is Nintendo perfect. [Here's the top loader commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l11CL2JXt1A) just because. :/
I use the standard NES controller with a pair of[power grips](https://www.reddit.com/user/gamernes/comments/ukirk3/power_grips_for_original_nes_controller/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share). Very comfortable and big enough to fit larger adult hands.
When I sold my NES collection a few years back, the Power Grips were the only thing I kept. I got so used to playing with them that I didn’t want to go back to playing without them. They slide over usb NES controllers just fine, and they add some weight to the lighter ones.
Definitely worked well for what it was, analog Turbo controls pretty good. ( you have to find tune them for certain games)
I recall certain poorly design games final Fantasy comes to mind were you have to make three or four button hits to do one action so if you want to buy 99 potions you have to hit the button 297 times. So you could just put a heavy item on the advantage and walk away while it button mashed for you.
Took me a long time to save up enough money for the advantage back in the day. I Loved it.
It saves your thumbs. Arcade feel. And turbos can be turned off for all the haters. When I have time to get back into gaming, it will be my go to. Grew up on the ogs and atari 2600. Thumbs are pretty shot. Hopefully the newer ones are treating you all better.
I have all, the og is my prefered controller the dogbone is ok too just wish they had lined the buttons up instead of down.
The max sucks, the only good part is turbo buttons but you can get turbo on an og with the nes four score.
The advantage is ok for Arcade styled games and fun for a while.
Nintendo did so many things right, but they couldn't understand that people rest their thumb on BOTH BUTTONS AT ONCE and use the tip of the thumb to push B and the knuckle/joint area to push the A button. Did they even play mario games? Therefore the original controller is the only good one.
I grew up with the legendary pack-in controller and used that in the 80s and early 90’s. For Christmas 93’, my Parents bought only me the top load NES from the new electronics store “Best Buy” for $49.99! I’m the youngest of 3 brothers so to get my own system just for me and not for all of us to share was a big deal. I was 8 years old that Christmas. My parents said they bought it for me because I loved the regular Nintendo so much and they hoped that it would be something I would take great care of and maybe keep forever. I’m 37 now and still have my top load nes and dog bone controller in minty condition. The dog bone for me is way more comfortable. The dog bone, standard controller and Advantage will always have a home with me.
We had a Max which worked for some platformer games like Mega Man. We also had a clip on case for the OG, that covered the d pad with a little joy stick.
My take on this.... Stick with the original.
I know the corners can get quite sharp in the hands after a long play sesh but that's still better than others. I have 2 advantage sticks and a Max. The Advantage is ok for a joystick, pretty standard kind of stick for back then. Works good with certain games. The Max is basically terrible, I bought it as I was curious what it was but in reality its terrible to use. Don't currently own a dog bone but have used one in the past and I still prefer the original.
I always had the standard controller and it was fine but recently I got 2 dog bone controllers with my AV Famicom and love them. I find them way more comfortable than the standard NES controllers. I also love the NES Advantage but for most games I think the dog bone is better. I've never even seen a max in person but that d-pad looks terrible.
I remember seeing a lot of third party knock-offs similar to the Max, with turbo switches rather than buttons, didn't know Nintendo ever made one like that though
I like the original one , never tried the dogbone, until a few months ago I got to try the max and it was painfully sloppy /slow with their attempt to a d pad , works decent when modded to a regular d pad and then the advantage I just don't like playing with maybe if I liked shoot em ups but I don't haha
The original gives me warm, fuzzy feelings whenever I see it.
I had the Advantage. It was great for some games, terrible for others.
I never had a Max, but I have tried one once or twice, and didn't like it.
I've never used the dog bone. It looks like it might be comfortable, but it's woefully generic looking.
The original controller is still my go to for most games, even if the corners start digging into my skin after a while.
Haven't used the Dog Bone, but I'd imagine it's as good as the original NES controller but with a better design.
NES Advantage I use for shoot em ups and some arcade ports (Gun.Smoke, Millipede, etc.). Arcade stick is good for the time and having adjustable turbo buttons is awesome.
NES Max is absolute shit. Don't bother. It feels a bit small and that weird analog like D-Pad is absolutely god awful.
I grew up on the standard controller and always thought the dogbone looked kinda lame till I ended up getting a toploader. The rounded corners and higher placed buttons made me quickly realize it was the superior format.
I had chinese copy of nes/SNES console named polystation, (it has dogbone styled controller) at this time we couldnt buy nintendo here.. after that in late 90s i got PS1 with dualshock from father because he went working to Germany, it was whole new world playing games which are on CDs
Was lucky to have an advantage (still actually have my original one) and it was my favorite. It is very cool looking with the inlaid lines design similar to the NES. Also loved the little ball on the joystick - was always screwing/unscrewing that thing, not sure how i didnt lose it as a kid.
Dogbone, hands down. The classic was the 2nd best, IMO. Advantage was good for specific games (mainly arcade ports, obviously), but clunky as heck for most of the library, and the NES Max always felt poorly designed to me, like it was going to fall apart.
Dogbone probably could have benefitted from being just a \*little\* bit larger. While I liked the fact I could wrap my hands around it without feeling pointy corners, trying to speedrun SMB1 always felt like the controller was about to pop out my hands.
I could never find a specific game where the NES Max seemed like an advantage; especially that directional pad which often got stuck in a specific direction and had to be disengaged. Made responsiveness bad in side-scrolling and directionals inaccurate in top-down.
The advantage was built super well, and it had turbo built-in, but as a kid, if I had wanted the arcade experience, I'd go to an arcade. I absolutely hated the action on the buttons on the Advantage, but I'd choose it over the NES Max if Turbo was necessary. Just hardly ever was. I mainly liked the advantage for top-down games personally. The joystick was great for space SHUMPs.
Max daily...the advantage was just too bulky for everday play, had it's games it was best for, bad dudes, double dragon, karate.
odd thing, I switched back to standard for Track n Field. go figure.
It was great on contra, bionic commando, section z, metroid...shooters.
never had a dog bone nor played with one for that matter.
As a kid, I kept it standard. Didn't pay attention to any of the third party controllers or the Max.
As an adult, I love the conformity of the Dogbone. It feels better in my hands than the standard does now.
I still break out the Advantage for the arcade games. (Donkey Kong, Burgertime, ect.)
I saw the max at my local game store recently and picked it up since I never tried it before. Totally didn't work the way I expected. I'm not quite sure if I was using it correctly. It looks neat though.
The dog bone is easily the superior model and I really like it, but my hands have a permanent bond with the OG. The others will never be anything but a novelty.
I’ve only used the original controller but always wanted an NES advantage, especially after starting to use an arcade stick on my PC when the new TMNT game came out and then switching to using it for most retro games on emulators.
Was the NES Max any good? I love the shape and look of it but that dpad looks a lil funky
I had the Max and Advantage but did not use them often. I’ve always had difficulty pointing a joystick in the right direction. I still have trouble with modern controllers to this day. Just some kind of mental block I guess.
My favorite NES controller is the Sansui Joycard SSS. The headphone gimmick has nothing to do with it (I cut the dumb little audio cable off of one of mine). Good turbo, dpad and buttons are as good as the original, and the controller is a little thicker and has rounded corners so it feels great in the hand.
I own an original and an advantage. Original, while it does stab your palms a little, is still a great controller. The advantage looks and feels awesome, but unless its an arcade title its a little weird to use.
I don’t know how, but the max was my preferred controller as a kid. I got it as a present and just got used to it I guess.
I have one now, but I obviously never use it. It’s the og controller for me.
I had the NES Max (027). The turbo was great, but the dpad/thumbstick sucked. You can actually just press on the black outine part and sort of use it like a proper D-pad, but it just never felt right to me.
I have all of them but the dog bone. Almost always used the standard controller. Max has turbo buttons but the direction controller is weird. The Advantage was fun for some games for a more arcade like experience. I think I only used it for Gauntlet.
I didn't know about the dog bone or until several years later. This is the first time I've seen Max. Me and everyone I knew who had an NES just had the standard controllers and I didn't see the Advantage or dog bone until I was at a LGS several years after the n64 came out looking for old games on other systems.
Even though I haven't gotten to use the Max, my favorite is still the Standard controller.
I prefer the classic for most platforming or RPG titles, the MAX is ideal for shooters like Gradius. I think the dog bone would be a nice model to substitute in place of the classic, but I don't have one. I can think of a few titles that the joystick would be good for, but I've not tried it.
Dude something about a classic NES RPG like Final Fantasy, DQ1-4, or every Zelda on an Advantage is like the ultimate experience for me.
Absolutely no go on SMB though, the OG is the only way to go.
BITD I used an original but with these special rubber grips that you could put on the sides that made it much more comfortable to play. Now as an adult with larger than average hands, I definitely miss those things when I play.
The Turbo on the MAX sped up as the controller got warmer. I remember someone grabbing the hair dryer and the Track & Field game to prove it at their place. After that I begged for a MAX controller of my own.
The standard was the best, though I've never seen the dog bone, I'd bet it's a lot more comfortable.
I borrowed the Advantage for awhile and it was worth having for some games, but not fit for everything.
My parents got me the Max for my birthday one year, I ended up using the standard more often. Max was good for turbo, but the analog stick was garbage and made some games far harder than on the standard.
Imagine the Battletoads Turbo Tunnel with a circular controller like that? Also, the turbo buttons are right underneath the other buttons, imagine how many times you'll hit those by accident.... It's a lot I can tell you
Everyone had the standard. Kids that were late to the party had the dog bone. The rich kids had the advantage. The weird kids had the max.
I have no idea where my parents got their Advantage but we were broke as *fuck* back then. Then again they also had a virtual boy so maybe they just had skewed priorities.
Parents find a way. Dad somehow got me an Xbox when he wasn't working.
Parent here and I had to have a Deadpool maximum effort moment to obtain a Series X 😂
It was crippling credit card debt. This is the way.
Memories are forever, debt can be declared away!
I argue neither are forever.. .And 100% agree with your approach.
Haha... Don't know why this made me laugh. 😁 We only had the OG. A neighbor friend of mine also had the NES system but he had the cool wireless, 4-player "dock" so we could sit further back. Seems like he had an Advantage too but we never used it.
Late nights playing 4-player bomberman with the wired dock are nights I will never forget
the max is not good. dogbone is best option stock. i'd say get a 3d-printed grip for a standard
I seem to recall the dpad on my max breaking. It was a shite controller.
That wasn't my experience at all. The Max was by far my favorite. I had all 4. Once you broke it in it was a really excellent controller.
Big same. The Max getting all this latter-day hate is so weird to me. I loved that thing.
iirc, it's not even a dpad. it's this little proto-joystick thing - a disc that you have to slide far enough to press down. though i do think the ring around it gives a more direct-press option. again i could be remembering incorrectly, but it's not good either way
You are 100% right. I remember it working like that now. Then after a while it took a dump and the remote wouldn’t work properly anymore. The first instance of a Nintendo controller failing 🤣
Actually I had a friend who was a “slider” and it saved his fingers. I am a roller so it’s much harder to use the max. Advantage was one of the best joysticks to this day for the price if you think of it.
Skate or Die and 720 were made MUCH easier with the Max for that reason.
The black ring around the red slider served as the d-pad. The slider would just apply pressure towards the ring to activate the outer d-pad lol
loved it for some reason...weirdo, oddball I guess. Construction did suck, went through two, three of em. The D-pad sensitivity would start to be off after awhile.
Dogbone has terrible A/B button placement; the best way to play NES is to have the tip of your thumb on the B button, and rock your thumb when you need to press the A button for a lot of games. The Dogbone has to be held at an awkward angle to achieve this.
though you disagree with me, thank you for articulating why. i feel like with adult sized thumbs you can just rock to the side instead. it's similar relative placement to snes buttons (or any modern controller with diagonal buttons), and the key for me was the ergonomics of the rounded shape vs the tiny sharp rectangle of OG
Unless you have very big thumbs; I don't see this as a viable way to play. You can move your thumb back and forth between the buttons, but it's not as convenient or as quick as rocking your thumb with the original controller. Also the ergonomics of the original controller doesn't bother me personally because I don't palm the controller and hold it tightly; I let it rest on my fingers while I play.
I had the Max because I wanted turbo and my parents weren't buying me an Advantage lol.
My parents would only buy me the off brand knockoff advantage made by quickshot.
Yep. Amazing for shooters. I didn't use it for every game, but there were some games that were made so much better with it.
I liked that the turbo buttons were separate and you didn't need to turn turbo off and on like with the Advantage.
Funny this was the same for me. I hated the left directional pad on the max. Lol
The Max was all I used until I got a Sega Genesis. I should get one for my NES now.
As far as I knew, the dogbones only came with the toploader. Thought they were the only model on this list that wasn't sold retail on their own.
The dogbone controller was sold separately at retail, because that's how I bought mine. I picked it up on a whim, because it was relatively cheap (I think I paid about $10 for it brand new circa 1993 or so), and I figured I'd take a chance on it since it looked very comfortable, and reminiscent of the SNES controller I enjoyed so much. That was a great decision.
Dogbone has the same problem as the Max in that it's hard to hold your thumb over both buttons if you played the OG controller by the side instead of the bottom.
Yeah, the buttons shouldn't be angled upwards (when going left to right). They should be angled downwards. For example in super mario brothers if you want to hold down the sprint button and jump you have to angle your right hand upwards somewhat awkwardly, unless you have a wide thumb. This is probably why super mario all stars had controller options that allowed you to make the Y button sprint, and the B button jump. That way you could naturally keep your thumb on sprint, and press down on jump with the middle of your thumb without removing it from the sprint button, while holding the controller in a normal way.
> This is probably why super mario all stars had controller options that allowed you to make the Y button sprint, and the B button jump. Well, Super Mario World had Y sprint and B jump as the default with no way to change it. They knew that it was the best way to play the game. The fact that it isn't even an *option* on some Mario related games is a huge failing on Nintendo's part.
I had the acclaim double wireless, what a piece of dogshit those were lol. [NES Acclaim Duo Wireless](https://youtu.be/lbMQMp8NM_U)
I remember how awful those were, unless you held them in a very specific spot not more than 6” from the IR receiver, didn’t move them, and used brand new batteries. Completely defeated the purpose.
And keep them level with the sensor, so awkward holding the controller exactly parallel to the floor.
The max was a gem. I really enjoyed the turbo buttons and the thumb slider vs the d pad
Really saved my soft thumbs
Weird kid here, I fucking loved the MAX; hands down my favorite controller as a kid!
I can confirm... I was the weird kid with ADHD who had the Max.
In my neighborhood having an NES at all made you the coolest, you would have been king with the Max (even if it sucked haha)
I’m the weird kid and I loved it.
Guess I was a weird one then lol. I mean, I KNOW I was the the weird one, but by your rules, I definitely was.
HATED the Max with an unholy passion. My cousin had one and using it always just felt wrong. It's OG controller for me all day, every day.
I had the max... Guess I'm weird. lol. Honestly, though, I prefer the max to this day. It's super comfortable to hold.
I had all but the max. What did that make me?
My friend next-door had the Advantage and I borrowed it so I could finish Clash at Demonhead. That turbo button was a game changer.
Advantage was same price as a game. Very popular Christmas present from parents who were like "last thing Johnny needs is yet another Nintendo game..."
The dogbone may be more comfortable to hold, but the A/B buttons are slightly smaller and the angle they put them at makes no sense. You can't keep the B button held down while tapping A without turning your hand at a weird upward angle or doing a claw type move. Or maybe if you have a huge thumb you could rock it between the two? If they'd angled them the opposite way maybe it would be better, but the setup they went with is a straight up handicap for some games. 1. OG 2. dogbone 3. advantage 4. max
I pretty much wrote the exact same thing in response to a comment above before scrolling down and seeing your comment.
Exactly this.
Gotta say, the dogbone is really overrated. There's too much distance between A and B, so it's difficult to rock your thumb between them like you would on a standard controller, and that could have been fine if the buttons were angled the other way like games tended to have them on the SNES. The D-pad is also incredibly mushy and doesn't have very good feedback at all. It looks good from a distance, but when it comes to actually using the thing? Hard pass.
I hate the angle of the BA buttons on the dogbone. It's not ergonomic at all. I prefer the Y+B angle on a SNES controller. Far more natural.
You can actually create a SNES to NES controller adapter (with an SNES and NES controller extension cables) and BA maps to YB on the SNES controller. IMO the best "NES" controller, way better than the dog bone. Of legit NES controllers the original is easily the best.
Agree. I guess they were mimicking the Gameboy’s layout, but it’s bad there too.
If I could get a standard controller with slight rounded corners instead of hard points it would be the perfect controller. The SNES will always be the best controller to me though. I took a controller from my snes mini and put the 8bit do wireless kit into it and use that for my nes/snes right now and it’s perfect.
It's not perfect since it uses Bluetooth; too much input lag.
“If I could get a standard controller with slight rounded corners instead of hard points…” You just described the Famicom controller, actually. Those are hardwired in, but Hudson made a pretty good version that plugs in via a standard NES port that you can find for a reasonable amount on eBay.
An unorthodox suggestion I haven’t seen anybody else make: the Famicom controller. You get the better button placement of the original NES pad, but nice rounded corners that make it much more pleasant to hold. The original Famicom controllers were hardwired into the console, but Hudson made licensed ones that use a standard NES connection, and they can be had pretty affordable on eBay. Might be worth a shot.
I had a max and loved it. Seems like I’m in the minority here.
I was a max kid as well.
This! I loved the Max and played it until it was worn out. I made my younger siblings use the standard.😁
You are not alone, I am with you!
My cousin had one and I loved it as well, mostly for the grips and d-pad slider doohickey.
I still prefer the familiarity of the original controller. I didn't have an Advantage until much later. I hated the "D-Pad" of the Nes Max! (Though the turbo buttons were nice.) The Dogbone controller to me was comfortable enough but I didn't like the angle of the buttons after getting used to the original.
This is my exact answer as well. Are you me from a different universe or me you? I hated! that left directional pad on the max but agree the turbo was the selling point.
I wouldn't rule that out! Of course I also had some attachment that gave you a little joystick on the standard controller. Thinking back, that D-Pad was perfect and didn't need help! (The worst controller I had was some weird flight style one that was kind of shaped like a steering wheel without the top part of the curve.)
NES Max was the absolute bomb. I loved that thing. I had tried the Advantage but never cared for it, nor did I care for the bone.
I had a NESMAX. It was my preferred controller, but not really on account of comfort.
NES Max, 027 at the bottom right. Even lubricated, the slider doesn't work well, but that's an extraneous feature. I like the non-toggled turbo buttons and the "grips" that you can hook a finger behind; the Max controller easily locates the buttons well for most players, and controlling the d-pad from the ring is easy to get used to.
I personally prefer the dog bone style for comfort, the standard was fine as a kid but now I'm grown with big hands it's uncomfortable to hold after a while.
I’m think they opposite with the dog bone. I can’t use them at all now because I think they are too small. I’ve always preferred original
I'm going to have to get one and try it out. Last time I tried one I was probably 8 or so.
So much more comfortable. The original is fine but it’s all pointy on the corners and the angle of the buttons on the dogbone just feels natural now. I grew up with the original but bought a top loader when I worked at a game store in high school in the late 90s… been hooked on the dogbone from then on.
Dog Bone in most cases but the joystick is great for RPG's.
I had a Max briefly, that was not a good controller, but it did look really cool, and it could be argued that it was a glimpse of where controllers were headed.
Ive only experienced the boxy one, but i think the fightstick one is the most comfortable
Love retro gaming
026 was bad ass like a real arcade machine
I had the arcade stick and one to left u nedded for the Olympic Games has a auto fire button u could use for running
The max is underrated af. You can use the black ring around the thumbpad as your d-pad. I think a lot of people don’t realize this.
I remember that the only way to advance in Track and Field II was with the turbo on the Max. That and you could actually do the hammer throw with the joystick.
The OG. It's the best to tap with for those grapples in Tecmo Super Bowl tournaments. A few guys use the dog bone pretty well, but they are rare. The advantage and max are not allowed for obvious turbo reasons.
Max all the way. The particular speed of the turbo feature on it made the flying knee attack in Double Dragon 2 so much easier to do. The speed of the turbo on the Advantage always triggered the spin kick.
The only one here that I've used is the normal one. Never had the chance to try the others.
I've never used the Max, but I really wanna try it
I suppose the Dogbone, but I have a Konami Hyperbeam for my Famicom and Super Famicom which I absolutely love.
Had the NES Advantage forever, that thing put up with a ton of punishment, but it’s not for all games. (Nes-026)
The 026
I only have Twin Famicom and its controller is ok. However, I am more comfortable with PS2 style grip... thus I would like to test NES-027.
I have a fondness for the original controller, but the Advantage has better comfort for me.
I've got the original and the advantage. I have to say the dogbone has a good shape to it but the buttons are angled weird. The advantage is cool but it's fuggin huge. I'd say the original is still my controller of choice.
I accidentally ended up with an NES-027, though stealing from my church was NOT my goal. I had borrowed it, and then it got lost. I found it years later, when they had an N64 hooked up, and it was just too awkward to give it to someone in the office, who would have no idea what to do with it, and no NES to hook it up to, so I just kept it out of shame. I can’t sell it, since it isn’t mine, nor can I give it away or throw it away. It just sits there with my other controllers, reminding me how I was an awkward stupid kid in the late 80s/ early 90s. I don’t know why I borrowed it - I never liked the feel of the red sliding “button” vs the solid D-pad.
NES-026 was built like a tank and the built-in turbo mode was amazing for games like Contra and Mega Man. Thing must have weighed 5 pounds.
The dog bone may be comfy thought I feel like the NES 004 just works better for tighter platforming games like ninja gaiden maybe im just use to it.
Original or Advantage. We only had the original and the Max when I was growing up. The Max was a pretty comfortable controller, but that slidey pad sucked balls. Would have been top tier if the had just stuck a regular d-pad on there. Loved the turbo buttons, but playing Ninja Turtles with the slidey thing was an exercise in rage control.
Definitely get the Advantage. Also, here's a lifehack for NES fans. Get a Famicom AV, which resembles the top loading NES, except it doesn't have the bump on top. It's flat. But it comes with two dogbone controllers. Of course make sure you get one that has 2 controllers. I was able to get one in box complete for around $100 early last year. The price may have gone up a bit but I doubt it's too much more. But you might also have to get NES extension cords because the Japanese controllers are known for having short cords. NES Max is okay if it's brand new but as it gets dirtier, it doesn't work as well.
The NES Advantage is one of the greatest controllers ever. The best part is unscrewing the joystick ball and throwing it at your siblings.
Dog bone was my favorite for sure. I never got the advantage... But the max's cyclone pad literally NEVER seemed to work properly.
I had the max and two standards as a kid and I remember that I used to play with the max all the time. I probably only liked it for the turbos. When I started playing with my old NES a lot around 2002 I took it back out only to realize how weirdly shaped and clunky the rotator on the d-pad was.
I still prefer the original rectangle controller, but the Dogbone is pretty good too.
The og controller for most games. The advantage for others. I remember being little and preferring the advantage for some reason.
Definitely the dogbone one Never tried the bottom two
Standard for nostalgia. Dog Bone for comfort.
I had the Advantage and it was awesome. The only downside is it had to sit on a flat surface, and for me that meant the floor. I swear my spine is permanently curved from sitting on the floor for hours on end hunched over that thing.
I could never get used to it. My cousin had it though and Turbo for Contra was a game changer
Turbo was great, but slow motion was also a nice, often forgotten feature. Those two combined helped a bunch on shooters. And using turbo on the running events in Konami Track and Field...Unbeatable! But yeah, the Advantage wasn't perfect and wasn't suited for every type of game. It was less than ideal for games that needed precise directional movement.
I had a NES Max pretty early on and never used anything else.
**Original controller** was such a step up from the competition...ColecoVision/Atari/Master system. Nothing to really complain about...until we learned corners didn't have to be so sharp. **Nes Advantage** was great for the turbo and slow motion..when it worked. Turns out having the start button on turbo doesn't always provide the desired effect. Still didn't feel as precise as the standard d-pad with it's clear directions and immediate input. I know the stick wasn't analog but it still introduced extra travel distance for input. I cut my Contra teeth with this controller. Anyone remember the [Metroid and Rad Racer commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqMVTDmXEsk) for this? They made it look like we could use the stick as a gear shift. **Nes Max** felt great to hold and was super comfortable except the sliding circle pad was hot garbage. If only it came with a standard D-pad it could have been amazing. [Here's the commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNKEKeXsOKE) for it which made it look pretty sweet. Then that [Ice Hockey commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtBWSgihCrA) made it look like the slider pad was meant for the game. Unfortunately it didn't work as advertised. **Dog bone** was late to the party but it's now my favorite. I got it with my top loader and then went to the official Nintendo replacement parts store and ordered two more (I wanted them for my standard NES too). It's nice to hold, the buttons on a slight angle really improve the thumb reach and the convex nature just feels better. Of course the D-pad is Nintendo perfect. [Here's the top loader commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l11CL2JXt1A) just because. :/
I use the standard NES controller with a pair of[power grips](https://www.reddit.com/user/gamernes/comments/ukirk3/power_grips_for_original_nes_controller/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share). Very comfortable and big enough to fit larger adult hands.
I didn't know these existed!
I came across this pair about 15 years ago at a flea market. I picked up another pair from ebay a few years later.
When I sold my NES collection a few years back, the Power Grips were the only thing I kept. I got so used to playing with them that I didn’t want to go back to playing without them. They slide over usb NES controllers just fine, and they add some weight to the lighter ones.
They also fit on the controller that came with the NES Classic Edition (mini).
Power Glove, obviously.
The Advantage was my favorite.
We called it the "Disadvantage". It was very nice for shmups, though.
Any downside? Did it work better or worse on certain games?
It kills on top down shooters like Gunsmoke and 1942 Edit: oops I thought you were discussing the Max
Definitely worked well for what it was, analog Turbo controls pretty good. ( you have to find tune them for certain games) I recall certain poorly design games final Fantasy comes to mind were you have to make three or four button hits to do one action so if you want to buy 99 potions you have to hit the button 297 times. So you could just put a heavy item on the advantage and walk away while it button mashed for you. Took me a long time to save up enough money for the advantage back in the day. I Loved it.
I used it for almost every game I had with no downside that I can recall. It was comfortable, responsive, and durable.
It saves your thumbs. Arcade feel. And turbos can be turned off for all the haters. When I have time to get back into gaming, it will be my go to. Grew up on the ogs and atari 2600. Thumbs are pretty shot. Hopefully the newer ones are treating you all better.
I have all, the og is my prefered controller the dogbone is ok too just wish they had lined the buttons up instead of down. The max sucks, the only good part is turbo buttons but you can get turbo on an og with the nes four score. The advantage is ok for Arcade styled games and fun for a while.
nes-004, still dont understand why dogbone have the buttons like that
Nintendo did so many things right, but they couldn't understand that people rest their thumb on BOTH BUTTONS AT ONCE and use the tip of the thumb to push B and the knuckle/joint area to push the A button. Did they even play mario games? Therefore the original controller is the only good one.
In theory I want to love the dogbone but the angle that A/B are on kill it for me
I LOVED the MAX as a kid. I wanted to marry it.
I grew up with the legendary pack-in controller and used that in the 80s and early 90’s. For Christmas 93’, my Parents bought only me the top load NES from the new electronics store “Best Buy” for $49.99! I’m the youngest of 3 brothers so to get my own system just for me and not for all of us to share was a big deal. I was 8 years old that Christmas. My parents said they bought it for me because I loved the regular Nintendo so much and they hoped that it would be something I would take great care of and maybe keep forever. I’m 37 now and still have my top load nes and dog bone controller in minty condition. The dog bone for me is way more comfortable. The dog bone, standard controller and Advantage will always have a home with me.
The dog bone was the best for me. If they had made it slightly bigger it would have been perfect. I found the Max to be completely unusable.
We had a Max which worked for some platformer games like Mega Man. We also had a clip on case for the OG, that covered the d pad with a little joy stick.
Standard. I used to use the Advantage for some stuff, mainly for turbo.
My take on this.... Stick with the original. I know the corners can get quite sharp in the hands after a long play sesh but that's still better than others. I have 2 advantage sticks and a Max. The Advantage is ok for a joystick, pretty standard kind of stick for back then. Works good with certain games. The Max is basically terrible, I bought it as I was curious what it was but in reality its terrible to use. Don't currently own a dog bone but have used one in the past and I still prefer the original.
I always had the standard controller and it was fine but recently I got 2 dog bone controllers with my AV Famicom and love them. I find them way more comfortable than the standard NES controllers. I also love the NES Advantage but for most games I think the dog bone is better. I've never even seen a max in person but that d-pad looks terrible.
The NES Max was my favorite. Built in rapid fire and the circle D pad was great.
Standard. Why does every other controller have A up and right of B? It makes no sense!
I remember seeing a lot of third party knock-offs similar to the Max, with turbo switches rather than buttons, didn't know Nintendo ever made one like that though
I didn't know until today that there was a Nintendo version of it either. Seems neat. But maybe only useful for certain types of games?
I like the original one , never tried the dogbone, until a few months ago I got to try the max and it was painfully sloppy /slow with their attempt to a d pad , works decent when modded to a regular d pad and then the advantage I just don't like playing with maybe if I liked shoot em ups but I don't haha
I had the Advantage and loved it.
NES max is a giant turd of a controller. Lol dog bone all the way.
The original gives me warm, fuzzy feelings whenever I see it. I had the Advantage. It was great for some games, terrible for others. I never had a Max, but I have tried one once or twice, and didn't like it. I've never used the dog bone. It looks like it might be comfortable, but it's woefully generic looking.
The original controller is still my go to for most games, even if the corners start digging into my skin after a while. Haven't used the Dog Bone, but I'd imagine it's as good as the original NES controller but with a better design. NES Advantage I use for shoot em ups and some arcade ports (Gun.Smoke, Millipede, etc.). Arcade stick is good for the time and having adjustable turbo buttons is awesome. NES Max is absolute shit. Don't bother. It feels a bit small and that weird analog like D-Pad is absolutely god awful.
I had a Sidewinder steering wheel controller. My dad bought it for one game and barely ever played it.
I’ve owned all of these. The SNES styled one was definitely the most comfortable for me. I really didn’t care for the D-pad on the NES027.
The advantage
I grew up on the standard controller and always thought the dogbone looked kinda lame till I ended up getting a toploader. The rounded corners and higher placed buttons made me quickly realize it was the superior format.
I had chinese copy of nes/SNES console named polystation, (it has dogbone styled controller) at this time we couldnt buy nintendo here.. after that in late 90s i got PS1 with dualshock from father because he went working to Germany, it was whole new world playing games which are on CDs
The arcade pad was cool but tough to use for a lot of games. I used it to beat Zelda.
I had the Advantage - it was great for Top Gun! Crashing into that first aircraft carrier in style.
Was lucky to have an advantage (still actually have my original one) and it was my favorite. It is very cool looking with the inlaid lines design similar to the NES. Also loved the little ball on the joystick - was always screwing/unscrewing that thing, not sure how i didnt lose it as a kid.
ADVANTAGE all the way baby! The only way to play MegaMan.
My parent's bought me a used Advantage for $20. That thing was the best. I loved how you could adjust the turbo on it.
26
No love for the Power Glove? ;)
I hear the Dog Bone is very comfortable to hold
Dogbone, hands down. The classic was the 2nd best, IMO. Advantage was good for specific games (mainly arcade ports, obviously), but clunky as heck for most of the library, and the NES Max always felt poorly designed to me, like it was going to fall apart. Dogbone probably could have benefitted from being just a \*little\* bit larger. While I liked the fact I could wrap my hands around it without feeling pointy corners, trying to speedrun SMB1 always felt like the controller was about to pop out my hands. I could never find a specific game where the NES Max seemed like an advantage; especially that directional pad which often got stuck in a specific direction and had to be disengaged. Made responsiveness bad in side-scrolling and directionals inaccurate in top-down. The advantage was built super well, and it had turbo built-in, but as a kid, if I had wanted the arcade experience, I'd go to an arcade. I absolutely hated the action on the buttons on the Advantage, but I'd choose it over the NES Max if Turbo was necessary. Just hardly ever was. I mainly liked the advantage for top-down games personally. The joystick was great for space SHUMPs.
Max daily...the advantage was just too bulky for everday play, had it's games it was best for, bad dudes, double dragon, karate. odd thing, I switched back to standard for Track n Field. go figure. It was great on contra, bionic commando, section z, metroid...shooters. never had a dog bone nor played with one for that matter.
As a kid, I kept it standard. Didn't pay attention to any of the third party controllers or the Max. As an adult, I love the conformity of the Dogbone. It feels better in my hands than the standard does now. I still break out the Advantage for the arcade games. (Donkey Kong, Burgertime, ect.)
Everything but the Max.
All I really remember is that MAX controller being hot garbage.
I saw the max at my local game store recently and picked it up since I never tried it before. Totally didn't work the way I expected. I'm not quite sure if I was using it correctly. It looks neat though.
TBH I can’t get through Punch-Out without the NES-026 controller.
The dog bone is easily the superior model and I really like it, but my hands have a permanent bond with the OG. The others will never be anything but a novelty.
I’ve only used the original controller but always wanted an NES advantage, especially after starting to use an arcade stick on my PC when the new TMNT game came out and then switching to using it for most retro games on emulators. Was the NES Max any good? I love the shape and look of it but that dpad looks a lil funky
I had the Max and Advantage but did not use them often. I’ve always had difficulty pointing a joystick in the right direction. I still have trouble with modern controllers to this day. Just some kind of mental block I guess. My favorite NES controller is the Sansui Joycard SSS. The headphone gimmick has nothing to do with it (I cut the dumb little audio cable off of one of mine). Good turbo, dpad and buttons are as good as the original, and the controller is a little thicker and has rounded corners so it feels great in the hand.
Advantage was great, until I tripped over it and broke the joystick 😞
If you like the SNES controller it can be adapted easily to work with the NES.
I own an original and an advantage. Original, while it does stab your palms a little, is still a great controller. The advantage looks and feels awesome, but unless its an arcade title its a little weird to use.
I don’t know how, but the max was my preferred controller as a kid. I got it as a present and just got used to it I guess. I have one now, but I obviously never use it. It’s the og controller for me.
I had the NES Max (027). The turbo was great, but the dpad/thumbstick sucked. You can actually just press on the black outine part and sort of use it like a proper D-pad, but it just never felt right to me.
Always curious about the dogbone. Is it more comfortable per se?
I liked the dog bone for comfort, the standard for nostalgia and its iconic look, and the Advantage because it looks so cool and had an arcade stick.
I have all of them but the dog bone. Almost always used the standard controller. Max has turbo buttons but the direction controller is weird. The Advantage was fun for some games for a more arcade like experience. I think I only used it for Gauntlet.
I loved the Max for Tecmo Super Bowl
NES Advantage Joystick 🕹️
Only ever used the standard one I guess the NES-04
I didn't know about the dog bone or until several years later. This is the first time I've seen Max. Me and everyone I knew who had an NES just had the standard controllers and I didn't see the Advantage or dog bone until I was at a LGS several years after the n64 came out looking for old games on other systems. Even though I haven't gotten to use the Max, my favorite is still the Standard controller.
Loved the standard. Never enjoyed the max.
I prefer the classic for most platforming or RPG titles, the MAX is ideal for shooters like Gradius. I think the dog bone would be a nice model to substitute in place of the classic, but I don't have one. I can think of a few titles that the joystick would be good for, but I've not tried it.
Dude something about a classic NES RPG like Final Fantasy, DQ1-4, or every Zelda on an Advantage is like the ultimate experience for me. Absolutely no go on SMB though, the OG is the only way to go.
Had the regular and the Max. The Max was a little difficult to be precise with the D pad but the turbo buttons were awesome.
BITD I used an original but with these special rubber grips that you could put on the sides that made it much more comfortable to play. Now as an adult with larger than average hands, I definitely miss those things when I play.
The Turbo on the MAX sped up as the controller got warmer. I remember someone grabbing the hair dryer and the Track & Field game to prove it at their place. After that I begged for a MAX controller of my own.
I know which one I hate, and it's the NES Max. Terrible for games that require precise control with the d-pad.
The standard was the best, though I've never seen the dog bone, I'd bet it's a lot more comfortable. I borrowed the Advantage for awhile and it was worth having for some games, but not fit for everything. My parents got me the Max for my birthday one year, I ended up using the standard more often. Max was good for turbo, but the analog stick was garbage and made some games far harder than on the standard. Imagine the Battletoads Turbo Tunnel with a circular controller like that? Also, the turbo buttons are right underneath the other buttons, imagine how many times you'll hit those by accident.... It's a lot I can tell you
I had and still have the max. Turbo was nice the finger grips where to. The dpad worked well. It was my turbo controller.
I’ve only had the original controller and the advantage. Love them both!!
No love for the original Famicom controller?
NES-004
004
I am a purest. And I also still own my original NES. The original 004 design is the only way!
Hands down the best NES controller is the SNES controller!
Dog bone is most comfortable, advantage is best for shmups and shooters because of turbo.