Avenue or Blaster controller?

[wilykat]

3 button Avenue pad I have has up and died (board cracked) and so I am looking for a replacement controller.  I haven't looked much at Blaster, does it have a switch to remap start or select button to button 3 like Avenue does?

[WoodyXP]

They're both good controllers, if you have small hands you should be alright with either.  If you have big hands you will want to stick with the Ave 3.

[esteban]

I will simply corroborate what others have already said: both controllers are good.

I have both, and I use them all the time.

[Opethian]

ave3 4 lyfe

shuttle controller is more comfortable than ave3/6 or blaster

[PukeSter]

Unless you play any fighting games on PC Engine, then just get an Avenue 3.

You can map the start or select button to the third button, which you can't do on an Avenue 6.

[VenomMacbeth]

What fighting games other than street fighter II actually use a 6-button pad?  I've been looking into a couple Neo Geo fighters on arcade CD but I think those only use two buttons...

[NecroPhile]

What fighting games other than street fighter II actually use a 6-button pad?

Off the top of my head, all of 'em except Godzilla.

I've been looking into a couple Neo Geo fighters on arcade CD but I think those only use two buttons...

Look again. 

[esteban]

What fighting games other than street fighter II actually use a 6-button pad?  I've been looking into a couple Neo Geo fighters on arcade CD but I think those only use two buttons...

https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?topic=764.msg4586#msg4586

[dangdang]

These are pretty rare, but they exist... Neo Geo controller to PC-Engine adapter...

[Groover]

These are pretty rare, but they exist... Neo Geo controller to PC-Engine adapter...

That is pretty dam cool. I was asking a friend about sticks for the PC-engine. I just got my Arcade card and I have Fatal Fury2 and Art of Fighting.

Also any other arcade card games I should look at?

[wilykat]

Neo Geo controller adapter seems easy.  Take a working PCE controller (ugly or busted shell preferred), remove the shell and wire in 15 pin connector to corresponding pad on PCE controller. Tuck in a box.

Neo Geo controller has 4 buttons, either 2 can be left unused, 2 wired to rapid fire option while other 2 are non rapid fire, or steal 3 button Avenue design and map Select and Start to other 2 buttons.

[NecroPhile]

Also any other arcade card games I should look at?

Kabuki Itouryodan is a great, original vs. fighter, and Sapphire is a pretty good shewty (find a booty or just burn one).

[Grandiloquence]

Is the cable longer on the Avenue pad? I have the standard pad that came with my console and the cable is ridiculously short.

[wilykat]

I'll find out.  I have Avenue pad (both the broken one and replacement one) and there's Blaster in the mail I should be able to do side by side comparasion soon.

Avenue is very similar to standard PCE/TG6 control pad, just with an extra button and 2 extra switches.

[Grandiloquence]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[wilykat]

The second controller arrived today so I was able to play with it to verify it works.  For most part they are similar but they do have slight differences.


To show the size of my hand with the Avenue pad.  The pad has the same thickness and depth but is oh about 1/4" (1cm) wider than standard PCE/TG-16 pad.

First the obvious: Blaster is a tad smaller and it seems a bit more comfortable to hold it because of the curved design.


However I felt I prefer the larger Avenue pad instead. I guess Blaster would be fine for those with smaller hands than mine but each to your own opinions.

Second: the switch on Blaster isn't marked, I had to figure it out. With the switch (on the bottom, near my right pinky in the picture) positioned to the left, it sets button 3 to Run. With the switch in the middle, it maps to Select button. The switch in the right side seems to disable it as I don't have a 3 button specific game to test with.


Another difference: the rapid fire.  On Avenue pad, the setting are: single fire, auto fire, and hold.  Hold as it implies, "holds" the button 3 down. It is great for certain games like Gradius to map that button to pause and use the hold feature as gehtto slo mo function.   On Blaster, it has single, slow hold and fast hold.  There is no "press to rapid fire" mode like the second switch on Avenue. I found the slow-hold to be slow and choppy for slo-mo and I have not found any use for it yet.  Fast-hold is about the same speed as Avenue hold (since both runs the same timing from host console) and can also be used for slow motion in games.

[Grandiloquence]

How about those cable lengths friend Wilykat?

[mickcris]

How about those cable lengths friend Wilykat?

if you don't mind a beige cable and you are in the USA, you can get a 6ft extension cable for about $5 from here:
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10215&cs_id=1021501&p_id=534&seq=1&format=2

[Gentlegamer]

retrogamecave sold PCE and TG-16 black extension cables, but the store has been closed due to a family emergency.

[wilykat]

How about those cable lengths friend Wilykat?

Both are the same as TG-16 pad cable.  All too short!  I already have suitable extension cable, the connector were also used in pre-USB Macintosh so I have a few extension cables.

[DragonmasterDan]

I have both of these controllers as well. Overall I do prefer the avenue 3 as it's a bit more comfortable and a tad bigger. The Blaster is certainly a nice pad though and I like the cross style d-pad on it.