CV Original Controllers vs. Super Action Controllers

[SlowCoder]

As we know, the CV came with its numberpad controllers. They are good, but not excellent. And the weaker of us like to whine about "how bad they really are".

 

Then came the Super Action Controllers. They are very comfortable to hold, and have so much more functionality than the stock controllers. Unfortunately most of the library of games don't appear to be able to handle the full functionality of them. On the positive side, they are very functional. On the negative side they are so functional they border on confusing. But they are amazing pieces of equipment:

- Standard ball-type joystick

- Full numberpad

- 4 button finger triggers

- Single-dimension roller wheel (could have been better had they implemented a full roller ball)

 

It seems to me the CV could have sold much better if they'd packaged the SACs with the CV, especially if more games supported them. So why didn't they do that?

[Yurkie]

As we know, the CV came with its numberpad controllers. They are good, but not excellent. And the weaker of us like to whine about "how bad they really are".

 

Then came the Super Action Controllers. They are very comfortable to hold, and have so much more functionality than the stock controllers. Unfortunately most of the library of games don't appear to be able to handle the full functionality of them. On the positive side, they are very functional. On the negative side they are so functional they border on confusing. But they are amazing pieces of equipment:

- Standard ball-type joystick

- Full numberpad

- 4 button finger triggers

- Single-dimension roller wheel (could have been better had they implemented a full roller ball)

 

It seems to me the CV could have sold much better if they'd packaged the SACs with the CV, especially if more games supported them. So why didn't they do that?

 

I personally hate the Super Action Controllers. I am grateful that very few games require SACs.

[retroillucid]

As we know, the CV came with its numberpad controllers. They are good, but not excellent. And the weaker of us like to whine about "how bad they really are".

 

Then came the Super Action Controllers. They are very comfortable to hold, and have so much more functionality than the stock controllers. Unfortunately most of the library of games don't appear to be able to handle the full functionality of them. On the positive side, they are very functional. On the negative side they are so functional they border on confusing. But they are amazing pieces of equipment:

- Standard ball-type joystick

- Full numberpad

- 4 button finger triggers

- Single-dimension roller wheel (could have been better had they implemented a full roller ball)

 

It seems to me the CV could have sold much better if they'd packaged the SACs with the CV, especially if more games supported them. So why didn't they do that?

 

I personally hate the Super Action Controllers. I am grateful that very few games require SACs.

 

Same here

[tz101]

I don't have Super Action Controllers, but from a collector standpoint would like some. The prices seem unreasonable for controllers I will probably rarely use.

[SlowCoder]

Retroillucid and Yurkie,

May I ask why?

[retroillucid]

Retroillucid and Yurkie,

May I ask why?

 

As for me, its only about design, handling this controller make me sick

 

 

The original controller is far from perfect too, that's why asked 5-11under to make Arcade Controller Kit, ..... ColecoVision is all about Arcade Quality after all

[Murph74]

A very polarizing controller, indeed.

 

For me, it's the #1 home controller of all time. While I can't be certain on timelines, I think the design even inspired the Atari CX43 and a Milton Bradley joystick that was similar. I find it to be very comfortable and intuitive to use (sans the spinner-- if I were designing it, I would have looked at putting the spinner in reach of the thumb on the button hand so you could control the stick and spin at the same time!). Much more so that any other 80's mainstream controller.

 

My guess is multiple reasons on the reasons why it wasn't the pack-in. A) We were just upgraded from the Atari single button stick to the multi-button controllers of the Intellivision and the Colecovision. There was something to be said for easing people into overwhelming numbers of buttons I think. B) The sales margin side. They logically would cost more to make since there were more features on the controller, plus they would have had HUGE packaging to get them in with the console. C) Promised expandability. From the get-go Coleco promised an expandable system, and they delivered fairly quick on that with the Expansion Modules #1 and #2, then the Super Action and Roller Controllers. And D) They were marketed pretty hard as 'sports' controllers, and that was a potentially niche market. I believe Front Line was the first non-sports title for the SAC's, followed by Star Trek and Spy Hunter. (The later two worked with both standard and SA Controllers.)

 

Actually, it occurs to me while writing this, I'm kind of surprised Coleco didn't have a 'smaller' kids controller for the ColecoVision of some sort. But that's a completely different topic!

[Retro Rogue]

I love the super action controllers over the regular ones. Soon as I got those I switched over. I prefer the arcade style ball control, the longer stalk is a little easier to manipulate, and my hand never cramps with it's ergonomic vertical grip style vs. gripping the horizontal "brick" of the regular ones.

[Yurkie]

Retroillucid and Yurkie,

May I ask why?

 

My main dislike comes from the fact that unless I hold my left wrist and arm ridged moving the joystick with my right hand seems to make the controller flop around.

 

Anyone that is not a fan of the standard controller really should install ball knobs from knobsdirect on the joystick. The ball knob makes a world of difference on the standard controller.

[ozma wars]

As we know, the CV came with its numberpad controllers. They are good, but not excellent. And the weaker of us like to whine about "how bad they really are".

 

Then came the Super Action Controllers. They are very comfortable to hold, and have so much more functionality than the stock controllers. Unfortunately most of the library of games don't appear to be able to handle the full functionality of them. On the positive side, they are very functional. On the negative side they are so functional they border on confusing. But they are amazing pieces of equipment:

- Standard ball-type joystick

- Full numberpad

- 4 button finger triggers

- Single-dimension roller wheel (could have been better had they implemented a full roller ball)

 

It seems to me the CV could have sold much better if they'd packaged the SACs with the CV, especially if more games supported them. So why didn't they do that?

 

I personally hate the Super Action Controllers. I am grateful that very few games require SACs.

 

Same here

Same here.

[youki]

I don't like SACs too. too big and i'm not confortable with the handling.

 

I love Coleco standard controller. But my favorites one, was the Atari Proline CX24.(that is close to coleco ones in its shape ) in 80's , I bought one to play decathlon , i still have it and use it!.

I have used it on all machines i had : colecovision, C64, Atari St, Amiga and now PC via Stella adapter.

 

What i don't really like on coleco controller is that the fire button feel too spongy. Except that it would be perfect for me.

[SlowCoder]

I agree the original controllers are so much better with the ball knobs.

 

I have medium/large hands, some I can comfortably hold the SAC for a while. The grip handle on the controller is definitely big, especially with the removable rubber cover on it. Do some of you who don't like it have smaller hands?

[jetset]

They suck. Just like any other controller though a little practice makes all the difference. Problem is there's not really any games that require them that are worth playing.

[Pixelboy]

I'm also in the "don't like the SAC" camp. The two extra fire buttons are pressed using weaker fingers, so that's why I found them uncomfortable. The keypad was also stiffer. The only game I ever enjoyed playing with the SAC was Rocky. Front Line was nice, but I kept wishing I could play with the stock Coleco controller.

[tz101]

Anyone that is not a fan of the standard controller really should install ball knobs from knobsdirect on the joystick. The ball knob makes a world of difference on the standard controller.

 

Or Co-Stickler sticks over the CV directional stubs. They made a world of difference on mine, and now it is much more like an actual arcade stick.

[SlowCoder]

Interesting mix of opinions. Not what i expected. I'd have thought more people would have liked the SACs.

[+5-11under]

Interesting mix of opinions. Not what i expected. I'd have thought more people would have liked the SACs.

I don't really like either, but given a choice, I'd take the SAC.

[ozma wars]

I'm also in the "don't like the SAC" camp. The two extra fire buttons are pressed using weaker fingers, so that's why I found them uncomfortable. The keypad was also stiffer. The only game I ever enjoyed playing with the SAC was Rocky. Front Line was nice, but I kept wishing I could play with the stock Coleco controller.

 

I really appreciate yr. version of DESTRUCTOR a game I always loved and that was not so easy to play because of needed expansion.

If you like ROCKY..why not a joistick version with enhanced/improuved graphics ? Colecovision sports games are terrible but ROCKY is playable and would have still a possibility to emerge if improuved. ( Don't forget UTOPIA )

[patbb]

I love the Super Action Controller. I only use this one now.

I even use it on my PC with a USB adapter to play 1 button games on MAME.

[NIAD]

I always liked to SAC and for that matter, I never had a problem with the original "mushroom" shaped and stubby original hand controller... but all I use now are Yurkie's Ball-Knob converted controllers and occassionally the SAC.

 

As far as packing the SAC with the ColecoVision, it's probably just a matter of them not being completely ready by the time of the ColecoVision's release (08/1982), bacause the SAC works with all the games that don't require the Driving Module or Roller Controller. If they had gone the route of packaging the CV with the SAC, then they could have really cut down the size of the CV console (something similar to DoubleDown's MiniCV Jr. pictured below) and the price point probably would have remained about the same. As was mentioned previously, Coleco made it their mantra that the CV was ecpandable and this was just another in a line of products that they developed and released to satisfy this.

 

BTW, I also thought that the way the SAC was used in Super Action Baseball was just perfect and in fact Super Action Baseball was the only videogame my father has ever played in his life that I know of and he actually got pretty good at it... but could only beat me when I let him.

Edited May 21, 2011 by NIAD

[Christophero Sly]

I think they both suck.

[Mark_Coleco]

I love the SAC.

 

But on a heavily used pair I got back in 1986 the numbers stop work back then, I had to take them apart to clean the contacts, then shortly after the number keys would break off and be impossible back then for me to reattach them. I guess micro switches would be better today.

 

But I played football and baseball all the time, love them, football the most.

Edited May 21, 2011 by Mark_Coleco

[Donny Swanny]

I LOVE the SAC, though I’m still not sure if I hold it correctly.  I hold the grip in my left hand and operate the top with my right.  It’s literally the only way I play, though I do want to try a pack-in one with the knob mod and am excited by the Super Game Pad by Opcode.