ham Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 The 5200 controller works pretty well for Missile Command and Superbreakout, but its non-self centering joystick doesn't do games like Pac man justice. Are there any other games out there that work well with the stock 5200 controller? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari5200dude82 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 The 5200 controller works pretty well for Missile Command and Superbreakout, but its non-self centering joystick doesn't do games like Pac man justice. Are there any other games out there that work well with the stock 5200 controller? defender, countermeasure, space dungeon, and a few others, i can't think of them at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 STAR RAIDERS!!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NE146 Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 It's not the greatest Pacman controller, but it certainly works fine with the original 5200 version of Pacman (and Ms. Pac) unless you lack basic gaming skills. Now Kangaroo on the other hand, and Montezumas Revenge, etc. I don't think it works well for. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ransom Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 All of them. Well, OK, except for the ones that were written with really tight tolerances for the values read off the pots. There are a few third-party games that give me trouble with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter_J64bit Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) Zaxxon is all most Unplayable with the OEM controller, the game not too bad with third-party controllers. That's my $0.02. Edited February 21, 2012 by walter_J64bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BydoEmpire Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 The 5200 version of Pac Man is my favorite home console port. It controls perfectly with the stock 5200 sticks. I've never lost a life because of the controls, which is more than I can say for the 2600 or Inty versions. That said: Star Raiders, Berzerk, Miner 2049er, River Raid, Super Breakout, Qix... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zylon Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I'd add Pole position and Galaxian to the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetset Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 All but a few work well with the stock controller. Gorf and Frogger are the only exceptions I can think of. Everyone complains about PacMan, but when you're playing a long game well into the key levels, I don't care what you say, a stiff immobile 2600 type controller sucks ass. What's lost on the hate for the 5200 stock controllers is that while it did return to center, the coin-op joystick had a degree of play to it whereas the 2600 style controllers have virtually none. There's somewhere around zero systems with a stock controller that is perfectly suitable for every single game. Games that have an almost free-roaming playfield (Centipede, Defender, Missile Command, Zaxxon, Joust, etc.) are perfectly suited for the stock controllers. Games like PacMan, Dig-Dug, and Gyruss that require more precise movement just take some getting used to. Some people refer to this as : "practice". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_ Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Some time I play a 5200 game with the stock controller and I don't do so well..... So, I plug in my masterplay, grab a VCS stick, play the same game and do equally not so well.... The moral of this story? I suck. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 The only games I've really had problems with are: Frogger - when it gets fast, there's no way I can press the stick AND the button and still cross the street. Zaxxon - no auto-fire - those squishy buttons cramp my hands after continually pressing them. And it scrolls too fast anyway so not a stick problem exactly. HERO - the analog nature makes it harder for me to be precise. Kangaroo - I have learned to manage, but I often jump at the wrong time since pressing up makes 'roo jump. Really though, let's not make up revisionist history - ALL of the the early 80's controllers had their problems. To me, 5200 > CV > Intellivision controllers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ransom Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Really though, let's not make up revisionist history - ALL of the the early 80's controllers had their problems. To me, 5200 > CV > Intellivision controllers. No, they were all perfect. La-la-la-la-la-la I can't hear you la-la-la-la-la But seriously, you're right. My observation over the years regarding those controllers in particular (especially the Inty) has been that if the game was made (or at least ported) with the controller in mind, it'll be OK. But when it was just a quickie port that took no consideration of the controller, there's likely to be trouble. The ones that are the worst for me are the games that expect you to mash the Inty's fire button repeatedly and continuously. My old hands just can't take that any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetset Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 You guys hit the nail on the head. I had several friends who owned a 5200, and one (my cousin) who had a CV, and a different cousin that owned the INTV. Not one of my buddies had problems with the 5200 sticks (beyond the fire buttons wearing out, but there was a mom&pop tv repair store that was an ATARI service outlet and they fixed them for $5 bucks a pop). When I played the CV and Intelly it was awkdard for me, but after a few rounds I was fine playing both systems. I've always said that 99% of the angst over the 5200 controllers is from people who have read reviews by people who played the system for all of 10 minutes. And at that, we're talking people who grew up on NES-style pads and hate joystick controllers by nature. Obviously 99% is a stretch, but my point is close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Helmet Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I actually love the feel of the 5200 joystick itself. I can't stand the damn side mounted fire buttons though. Talk about hand cramps. Side mounted fire buttons suck in general though...not just on the 5200. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRTGAMER Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) I prefer the Wicos. As for the OEM 5200 controllers the two twinstick games work well with the Twinstick coupler. Robotron and Space Dungeon. Ball Blazer also works well for the floaty sticks. Edited February 21, 2012 by CRTGAMER Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachbrj Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 Atari 5200 Baseball! Perfect controller for this game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGHMW Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 On 2/20/2012 at 3:13 PM, ham said: The 5200 controller works pretty well for Missile Command and Superbreakout, but its non-self centering joystick doesn't do games like Pac man justice. Are there any other games out there that work well with the stock 5200 controller? Nobody bothered to mention Kaboom! That works as well as Missile Command and Super Breakout do. Also, if you can get used to how sensitive the analog joystick becomes, Gorf is also a pretty good game too with the analog stick even though I myself prefer it to be like the arcade version (digital control). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 11 minutes ago, BIGHMW said: Nobody bothered to mention Kaboom! That works as well as Missile Command and Super Breakout do. I was surprised to find out this is true after playing Kaboom in a 5200 HSC a while back. I have no problems adjusting to using a analog stick compared to a paddle for Kaboom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legeek Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 I really like 5200 Choplifter with the original controller. With analog, I have a fighting chance of avoiding the satellites. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ryan Witmer Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 39 minutes ago, Cafeman said: I was surprised to find out this is true after playing Kaboom in a 5200 HSC a while back. I have no problems adjusting to using a analog stick compared to a paddle for Kaboom. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Kaboom plays better with the 5200 joystick than it does with the 2600 paddles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sramirez2008 Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 I think defender plays well with the CX52s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGHMW Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 It does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariLeaf Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 A fairly easy homebrew for an ambitious 5200 programmer would be a port of the tandy color computer game Doubleback, which I believe is loosely based on the arcade game Quantum IIRC. It was created with a non-centering stick in mind and is a tremendously fun and challenging game that would translate well to play on a 5200 with stock controller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phuzaxeman Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 Love the 5200 sticks. Break out and Centipede are great games plus Baseball and Star Raiders that maximize the stock controller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASalvaro Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 back in 1984 when i had the 5200 i actually loved the controllers..it wasn't until the internet that i found out i was supposed to hate them lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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