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So why is the GameCube controller so popular?

EustaceDaBum

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I guess. Basically what I'm wondering is why I should get the GameCube controller, and if it would be worth investing in this and the controller adapter. I know for sure that I'll buy it if GC games go to the Virtual Console, but otherwise, I want to know if it's worth it.
 

PlayerXIII

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The triggers are perfect as is the button placement. I don't know how you can press B instead of A and vice-versa - never seen anyone do that before. The A button is big because it is the main button - the two jump buttons on top of it are slanted and perfectly placed so you just need to barely move your finger to do a short hop. The B button is right next to it but not too close (like I said, how the hell do you manage to hit B instead of A xD) and it's placement is equally perfect. The C-Stick is amazing for smash attacks and not too far from the main buttons. The fact it uses the hand you jump and attack with means you can easily use it for aerials without triggering fast-fall and what not as well. It's, put simply, the best controller for Smash. And I'm not a GCC fanboy - I played Brawl with a sideways wiimote.
 

EustaceDaBum

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First of all, I would like to remind you that I said I hit :GCA: instead of :GCB:. It was also my first ever time using the controller, and I had not gotten used to the setup. Because I have not used it since, I have not had the opportunity to try out how well short hops, stick smashes and aerials handle compared to a Classic Controller on the Wii. You give a good case, though. (Regardless of the fact that you cursed. Please don't curse. It doesn't take a man any brains to have that ability.)
 

Eskelsen

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Most people love the GCC because they have been using it for so long, like myself. I think the layout is great for Smash Bros but to be honest I can play with the Classic Controller just as well as I can with the GCC. The main reason I'm excited for the adapter is because we need a wired remote for tournaments, if you were to use the Wii U Pro controller for example, there would be a lot of that wireless interference stuff (for lack of better terms.) Of course if you don't go to tournaments then it doesn't really matter, and it comes down to pure preference.
 

CF711

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I think there are two major reasons why people love the GC controller.

The first being that they have used it for years. Melee came out in '01. People have been using the GC controllers for it since then. That's over a decade of using the same controller for a series of games. The familiarity with it is what appeals to a lot of people.

The second reason being that the controller is laid out well for smash. I've tried playing with a classic controller and it just felt weird. The button placement felt off and the triggers just didn't feel that responsive. The Wii U pro controller would make movements feel weird since after jumping you would have to move your thumb up to do an aerial with the c-stick.
 

EustaceDaBum

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I can understand that. The amount of time put into that controller would sure be problem when it came to the Wii U Pro, and I have to agree that then triggers on the Classic Controller do seem somewhat unresponsive at times. I'd say you have the best reason yet.
 
D

Deleted member 245254

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I know I'm gonna' get flocked around like nobody's business, and that's why I'm asking this:

I learned how to play Super Smash Bros. on an Xbox 360 controller, via my friends emulator. It wasn't the best option to play with as that the right stick wasn't the best distance away. I used the Classic Controller for the Wii, and loved using it. It's a great way to play. But after the announcement of the GameCube Controller adapter, people started talking about how great the GC controller was, and how it was the best controller Nintendo has ever made, and so on...

But I'm wondering: What makes the GameCube Controller so great?

I've used it once before, and the button layout was confusing. Several times in the match I played, I accidentally pressed A instead of B, and occasionally vice versa. I'm not hating on this controller, but I am wondering, as I restate:

What makes the GameCube Controller so great?
I'm going to make this easy for you.

Step 1.

Take every single great thing that you like about the controllers you use to play Smash, the ones you've used enough to the point you feel competent. Recite them all in your mind, real quick.

Step 2.

Replace "Xbox360/Classic Controller" in each and every single one of those thoughts with the word, "GameCube Controller".

Step 3.

Repeat all the reasons you spoke of in step 1, with aforementioned replacement.

You now know the secret to why anyone prefers any control over any other control ever.

Subjectivity and experience.
 

PlayerXIII

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First of all, I would like to remind you that I said I hit :GCA: instead of :GCB:. It was also my first ever time using the controller, and I had not gotten used to the setup. Because I have not used it since, I have not had the opportunity to try out how well short hops, stick smashes and aerials handle compared to a Classic Controller on the Wii. You give a good case, though. (Regardless of the fact that you cursed. Please don't curse. It doesn't take a man any brains to have that ability.)
Hence why I said vice-versa as well. And the "what the hell" expression would translate to something in my language that isn't really cursing so I didn't mean any harm by that. I don't even consider that cursing, really. It's not like I said anything that would be offensive, at least not where I live.
 

Riposte__

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these threads keep popping up so i'll keep saying it.

The second stick is much better place at the bottom and main stick at the top
The shoulder buttons couture to the fingertips so nicely with arch design
The buttons give the most priority to the A button and the rest are spaced and sized perfectly to complement each other,
 

Weeman

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-The A button being huge is perfect for smash since it's the main button, and the placement of the rest compliments it perfectly.

-The second stick being under the buttons is better, at least for smash.

-The control's design is very good, it's very comfortable and has good grip for all kinds of hands. My little cousin can hold it really well, as well as my father.

-Being wired means it's naturally more reliable, due to no input lag.
 

aldelaro5

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Said it and i'll say it again: it's not better.

Why it's great? this isn't a fact but what most people think of (general opinion). The truth about controller is that for instance, you may like the wiiu pro controller better than the gamecube just because of your tastes. I enjoy how the wiiu pro makes me feel like my hands were incorporated into it and forms only a one piece it's very comfortable to hold. I like the GC controller better because of the buttons (and the noise of the stick i like this noise :) ). The trigger fits into the fingers and the size of the main buttons was brilliant in my eyes. The d pad is bad though but I don't use it that much. What i'm trying to sway here is yes I like the gc one the most but it's not better. It has its flaws that other controller won't have like the grip. The gc one has a good grip while the wiiu pro one fits more on my hand than the gc one. There's also the size of your hands… there's so much factor that if a controller is better for you, it may not be for the others.

Although, from a competitive standpoint, this is awesome because people were used to use it and there won't be wireless interference so the integration of the competitive scene should be smooth and that's a great thing.
 

ryuu seika

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The ability to smash attack in any direction, while pointing the stick in another, without moving your thumb away from the jump buttons is something no other controller offers outside of motion controls. This is a fair advantage but, to me atleast, it seems like the only one.
The GC controller is better but not nearly to the point that it obsoletes other options, like the hype would have you believe.
 

HenryZusa

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Well I actually don't want it.
Today at school, I played Melee again with my friends after 5 or more years. I couldn't do anything right because the freaking buttons were so close to each other. I love GCN controllers, but not for smash. It just doesn't work.
I began playing Brawl with GCN controllers, but when I tried Wiichuk holy hell! I instantly knew that was the way smash was suposed to be played. I've been a good player of Smash since then, less than a month ago I won a Brawl tournament while the other finalist played with GCN controllers. And now I play more Project M than brawl, and until now I've had no problems with wavedashing, L-Cancel and all that sh*t competitive players use.
So I'm not buying the adaptor, to tell the truth I felt a little angry when they announced it.
C'mon guys, it's freaking time you get over it!
 

EustaceDaBum

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I myself have never liked the Remote+Nunchuck for Smash Bros.. It's a good substitute when nothing else is around to play with, but other than that, I would rather take the Classic or GC controller.
 

mimgrim

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Well I actually don't want it.
Today at school, I played Melee again with my friends after 5 or more years. I couldn't do anything right because the freaking buttons were so close to each other. I love GCN controllers, but not for smash. It just doesn't work.
I began playing Brawl with GCN controllers, but when I tried Wiichuk holy hell! I instantly knew that was the way smash was suposed to be played. I've been a good player of Smash since then, less than a month ago I won a Brawl tournament while the other finalist played with GCN controllers. And now I play more Project M than brawl, and until now I've had no problems with wavedashing, L-Cancel and all that sh*t competitive players use.
So I'm not buying the adaptor, to tell the truth I felt a little angry when they announced it.
C'mon guys, it's freaking time you get over it!
You should taker your own advice.

You know what they say, practice what you preach.
 

Leonyx

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I think the main reason Gamecube controls should be considered better for competitive smash (at least for this game) is because there is no other wired controller option. Running tournaments with wireless controllers is more of a hassle for multiple reasons.
 

Riposte__

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Because it's the best designed controller. the springs where well built and responsive, The Z button where better placed at the top then they are at the back of the controller, the joystick is the best in responsiveness, and the right side gives priority to the buttons over the second stick making it feel more comfortable to go from bottom pressing to moving the second stick (playing WindWaker HD was a terrible experience) and the buttons themselves give priority to the right buttons, making A the biggest and b smallest with x and y being medium sized and all the buttons well spaced apart that accidental button press are less common.
 

8-peacock-8

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Yeah, that's all fine and dandy. But why do you want to play Smash Bros. with the GC controller?
Because people like it. Simple as that. (Also because it's essentially the arcadestick equivalent for Smash bros)

I can't speak for everyone when it comes to the controller itself though. I'll let someone else do that.
 
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Mechonis

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Strangely I've never had any problems adjusting to controllers. -shrugs- I'm sure it's mainly because of what people have used the most though.
 

Ulevo

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I'll give you a somewhat more objective reason than what's being given to you. Melee was designed with the gamecube controller's layout in mind. Certain actions you perform on another controller will be made easier on the GC controller just because of where the buttons are and their relative distance to your thumb. For example, if you jump with Y like I do, your thumb overlaps the A button while pressing Y so that you can physically do aerial attacks faster, all the while having the B button a very close distance away. The controller is also very comfortable and forming to the hand, and the C-Stick is in a really accessible spot.

Something else worth noting is GC controllers are easy to mod for the L and R triggers. If Smash Wii U does what Brawl did, and omits light shielding from the game, or doesn't have a use for the soft press on the triggers, then you'll want to modify the controller to play it optimally. It's pretty simple to do.
 
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DakotaBonez

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I thought this was gonna be another thread complaining that people should change to new controllers, pleased to see it's just a simple question as to what people who use the controller like about it.

Personally, I think its unfit for fighting games like Tekken and SoulCal because you can't easily press the X and B buttons or the Y and B buttons together like ya could with a diamond shaped button layout, but Smash was built around that. Ya don't need to press Two Buttons together to make an action happen. Analog triggers are still a dumb gimmick, and the next smash doesn't appear to have adjustable shield sizes like in Melee so they're obsolete, and a second z button would've been nice, BUT the large A button is nice because its the button people use the most, and the thumb easily slides over to the X and Y buttons. Its impossible to mistake the buttons for eachother because they each have a unique shape, and once you play with the right stick below the left stick, its hard to adjust to leveled sticks.

The past 3 smash games are playable on the Wii with a gamecube controller, it is essentially the fight stick of the smash bros community, its what many started with and what most of the pros play with.

Most of the hype is probably for the GC adapter providing a means of wiring the controller to cut out the fabled wireless interference you've heard so much about, but I've failed to find a study of a large scale wireless controller tournament and input lag.
 

Pazzo.

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When Smash Bros. got big with the competitive scene, it was with Melee. Melee is played with the GC controller, and the best Smash Bros. players like Melee or have played Melee. They use the GC because it's what they're used to.

So when other people who want to play Smash Bros, they look to the top players, and see them using the GC controller, so in a form of imitation, they use the GC controller.

That's all there is to it. Whatever opinion anyone has of it is because of Melee.
 

EustaceDaBum

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I've only played Melee once in my life, and it was on an emulator. I own a Wii U, and not a Wii compatible with a GCC, so I've never really had the chance to use a GC controller. Someday, I might try it out from my friend so I can make the final verdict regarding my own opinion.
 
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Well I actually don't want it.
Today at school, I played Melee again with my friends after 5 or more years. I couldn't do anything right because the freaking buttons were so close to each other. I love GCN controllers, but not for smash. It just doesn't work.
I began playing Brawl with GCN controllers, but when I tried Wiichuk holy hell! I instantly knew that was the way smash was suposed to be played. I've been a good player of Smash since then, less than a month ago I won a Brawl tournament while the other finalist played with GCN controllers. And now I play more Project M than brawl, and until now I've had no problems with wavedashing, L-Cancel and all that sh*t competitive players use.
So I'm not buying the adaptor, to tell the truth I felt a little angry when they announced it.
C'mon guys, it's freaking time you get over it!
And you should get over cartoons for 7 year old girls.
 

D-idara

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I'm going to make this easy for you.

Step 1.

Take every single great thing that you like about the controllers you use to play Smash, the ones you've used enough to the point you feel competent. Recite them all in your mind, real quick.

Step 2.

Replace "Xbox360/Classic Controller" in each and every single one of those thoughts with the word, "GameCube Controller".

Step 3.

Repeat all the reasons you spoke of in step 1, with aforementioned replacement.

You now know the secret to why anyone prefers any control over any other control ever.

Subjectivity and experience.
Yeah but some people keep saying things like "It's the definitive controller for Smash" or "It's the best one for Smash" like the other controller options are somehow inferior.
 

Ulevo

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Yeah but some people keep saying things like "It's the definitive controller for Smash" or "It's the best one for Smash" like the other controller options are somehow inferior.
There are aspects about the controller that give it an advantage over other controller options. For instance, you can't properly use retreating fair or bair without losing momentum unless you use the C-Stick. It's also very difficult, maybe impossible (not sure) to avoid doing fast fall dairs while descending in the air without the C-Stick. For someone using the Wiimote + Nunchuck, these options are not at their disposal.

More options are typically always better. People will still play what they want to regardless. It doesn't matter how much I prefer controllers over fightsticks, a fightstick will always be the better choice in traditional fighters if I want to play a character like Eddie/Zato-1 from GGAC because using negative edge on a fight stick is just easier and much more accessible. So you need to make the choice of choosing whether or not to play that character, learning how to adapt and play around it, or suffer the consequences and accept that when you play you'll be at a disadvantage.

There are some controller options that are mostly player preference, but there are definitely controller options that are subpar. Looking at you, Wiimote.
 
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Tornado_Man

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It's so popular because it's comfortable, arguably moreso than the Xbox 360 controller, and is the easiest to get accustomed to. The buttons are large, analogs aren't too stiff or too loose, the triggers are easy to push... there's probably a lot more, but those are my reasons for enjoying the GC controller.

And Shrek uses the gamecube controller. Therefore it is amazing :troll:
 

the smash nerd

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The Gamecube controller is good for smash it's comfortable, arguably more so than the Xbox 360 controller, and is the easiest to get accustomed to. The buttons are large, analogs aren't too stiff or too loose, the triggers are easy to push, Therefore it is amazing.
 

D-idara

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There are aspects about the controller that give it an advantage over other controller options. For instance, you can't properly use retreating fair or bair without losing momentum unless you use the C-Stick. It's also very difficult, maybe impossible (not sure) to avoid doing fast fall dairs while descending in the air without the C-Stick. For someone using the Wiimote + Nunchuck, these options are not at their disposal.

More options are typically always better. People will still play what they want to regardless. It doesn't matter how much I prefer controllers over fightsticks, a fightstick will always be the better choice in traditional fighters if I want to play a character like Eddie/Zato-1 from GGAC because using negative edge on a fight stick is just easier and much more accessible. So you need to make the choice of choosing whether or not to play that character, learning how to adapt and play around it, or suffer the consequences and accept that when you play you'll be at a disadvantage.

There are some controller options that are mostly player preference, but there are definitely controller options that are subpar. Looking at you, Wiimote.
Maybe Wiichuck and Wiimote do have some objective disadvantages, but everything the GCN controller can do, the Gamepad, the Classic Pro and the Wii U Pro can do just as well. And no, you don't need that twitchy, ugly little yellow thing to use the second stick properly for Smash.
 
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ChickenCarm

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I have always used the Gamecube controller but I really want to use the pro controller for smash 4. I just feel like I will always play better with the gamecube one since I've been using it for over 10 years for smash
 

EustaceDaBum

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Yesterday is what I consider my first true time playing Super Smash Bros. Melee. My friend didn't have an SD card in his Wii, though, so I guess you could say it was always a new experience. Jigglypuff was the only character we really wanted to take time out of VS in order to unlock. I'm glad we did, too.

Now, onto the controller. The controller was a bit awkward to me still, and the gameplay was unusually different compared to Brawl. I did occasionally press the wrong button when looking for B, but don't worry; it only cost me a stock. :mad: I did enjoy playing it, though.

Now, I'm getting to the good part. while we were playing, I tried some advanced techniques. First, I tried wavedashing. It was incredibly difficult for me to do. I guess it's because I wasn't able to short hop correctly. I was, however able to waveland (I think). I can't dashdance, can't wobble, can't do the space animal slayer on smaller characters, and I can't think of what other things I can't do.

I guess I'll put it this way. It's one thing to think you can do these things after years of playing and practice, and it's another to think you can do it on your first time ever playing the game.
 

Ulevo

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Yesterday is what I consider my first true time playing Super Smash Bros. Melee. My friend didn't have an SD card in his Wii, though, so I guess you could say it was always a new experience. Jigglypuff was the only character we really wanted to take time out of VS in order to unlock. I'm glad we did, too.

Now, onto the controller. The controller was a bit awkward to me still, and the gameplay was unusually different compared to Brawl. I did occasionally press the wrong button when looking for B, but don't worry; it only cost me a stock. :mad: I did enjoy playing it, though.

Now, I'm getting to the good part. while we were playing, I tried some advanced techniques. First, I tried wavedashing. It was incredibly difficult for me to do. I guess it's because I wasn't able to short hop correctly. I was, however able to waveland (I think). I can't dashdance, can't wobble, can't do the space animal slayer on smaller characters, and I can't think of what other things I can't do.

I guess I'll put it this way. It's one thing to think you can do these things after years of playing and practice, and it's another to think you can do it on your first time ever playing the game.
Game theory from one of the games to the other transfers relatively easily. The mechanics do not. Melee goes off of a 0 frame buffer, while Brawl goes off of 10. If you're used to Brawl, it's not so much that you can't do things like dash dancing as it is that you're used to a 10 frame buffer and haven't adjusted yet. You'll be screwing up things like jumping, let alone advanced techs.
 

Ginger Hail

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The Gamecube's controller is used to play what is easily the most played Smash competitively, so all the pros who play Melee are most comfortable with that control setup. It also probably helps that there was a 7-ish year gap between Melee's release and Brawl's, so a lot of people played using the controller and eventually migrated to Brawl using it as well.
 

slicesabre

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End all be all, use what you want. For Some people the Wii-mote might be best for that person, others its the GC controller or the Pro.
 
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