Intellivision controllers are a pain

[+grips03]

You could use NTT Data, Famicom Network, or that Commodore controller (game pads with built in keypad)

[CatPix]

Well are they the same?

Keypad need an encoding chip, it's not send "wire by wire" like Atari joysticks (else you'd need quite the thick cable).

The problem being that different pads usually use their own encoding signal method.

[Guest LiqMat]

All my Atari 2600 neighborhood friends would complain about the disc, but once they got used to it they soon realized it was a far superior system. The keypad with overlays was very innovative for the time and gave games much deeper gameplay. From a purely aesthetic point of view I think the gold disc has that total early 80s look which I love. Talking about aesthetics, the Sears Super Video Arcade is still my favorite model. It just has that perfect early 80s look to it IMO.

[HunterZero]

I always really liked the disc controller.

 

The number keypad was just OK after getting used to it. I kinda like the bubble top feel.

 

The biggest problem is the side buttons, they are just too small and too stiff for rapid repeated presses. They make games like Nova Blast very difficult, almost impossible to play.

 

I get the feeling that the game designers mostly shared these opinions, as most games use only occasional side button or keypad presses rather than rapid presses. Where rapid shooting is needed, they sometimes came up with ways around it, eg the gave you autofire in Astrosmash.

[SoulBlazer]

As someone who didn't start using the Intelivision (and for that matter, the Colecovision) controllers until after I bought the flashbacks of them in 2014, my thoughts on the Intelivision controller were better then I thought they were going to be. The main drawback I had was that I was coming at them after decades of playing sideways based controllers, starting with the NES and going up to the current system. They fit well in the hands, even if they aren't the most comfortable. Trying to get used to a vertical controller was rough. No matter how I held them, they still cramp my hands after a while of using them (the Colecovision one is worse in that respect). I don't understand the design thought back then. I understand it was early days when everything was brand new, but damn it, a sideways controller is just more comfortable to use!

 

The side buttons are another issue, but not as big a one. Again, I wish they were on the controller FRONT, not on the side. Never been a fan of controllers that did that.

 

Once I got used to the disc, though, I found it really easy to use and control and was moving around with ease. It just felt like a early version of a thumbstick to me, just I'm using my finger as opposed to my thumb.

 

If I'd had one and used one as a kid, I'd probably feel different about it. Just wanted to give my 'old man first time' perspective.

[mr_me]

The design thought on vertical controllers was to be symetrical and equally fair for right handed and left handed people. The reality is both hands are used anyway so people learned to use left-handed controllers like the NES without issue. Well those that started out using Intellivision controllers with their right thumb on the disc might have had issue adjusting to NES style left-handed controllers. Using the disc with your finger rather than thumb is unusual.

 

Edit:

One thing I might add to the controller would be marks on the plastic cover around the disc marking N, NE, E etc. It might help hitting diagonals in snafu. And better side buttons for rapid fire games. Otherwise the ergonomics are good. Having the choice of the two buttons on each side helps compared to colecovision or a7800 where you might have to use both buttons, one on either side.

Edited July 23, 2017 by mr_me

[+adamchevy]

So your telling me that these suck?

[fsuinnc]

I love the controllers.but they are not without drawbacks. I never understood Mattel's decision to hard wire the controllers. It just seems odd (and dumb) to think every game would be best served by this single controller. They had to know that it would not be the best option for driving games, or even pong/breakout type games. For Sea Battle, Space Battle, and even NASL Soccer, I think the controllers are fantastic. but plugging in some paddle controllers or 4/8 way joy sticks for other games would have been nice. I know they did this on the Inty II but it was it too late.

The decision seems even more confusing since the Atari 2600 had already made such great use of different controllers for different games.

[mr_me]

The disc was designed to duplicate the function of the atari driving controller, a 16 point rotary control. There was only one cartridge that used the atari driving controller.

Edited December 23, 2018 by mr_me

[fsuinnc]

The disc was designed to duplicate the function of the atari driving controller, a 16 point rotary control. There was only one cartridge that used the atari driving controller.

 

yes that's true. but there are zero intellivision games that use a driving controller. No games (that I know of the) use the disk as as a steering wheel. One of my fav games was Atari's Indy 500. With the Atari driving controller it would not be possible to go from position 1 to position 5 without hitting positions 2,3 & 4 (unless you spin the wheel the other way). With the disc, you can go from 1 to 5 without hitting the positions between and I think this messes up the steering. At the very least, it means the programmer has to move the "car" through the in-between positions and this means the programmer decides on the speed and this is a problem. Just like pressing left on the disk but knowing that the Paddle will not get to the ball fast enough. pressing harder doesn't hlep. (IMO) This makes games similar to Pong, breakout, Kaboom, Circus, Street Racer, Warlords, etc. much less fun to play on the intellivision. Yes, the games can be fun and it couldbe said that the disc isn't "worse" it just requires the gamer to use a different strategy or something. And that might be satisfactory if the original versions of the games, especially arcade versions, had had these limitations. Personally, I think Astrosmash plays really well with the disk but a paddle option would be nice. I think paddle controllers would also have helped intellivision expand it's library a great deal.

[mr_me]

Intellivision Turbo is the only cartridge that uses the disk as a spinner; and you have to rotate the disk; sliding across it does nothing. I think 16 points is not enough for an effective spinner but there's no reason an intellivision game can't be programmed to use a higher resolution spinner. I agree that cartridges like brickout, paddle party, would be better with a spinner and missile domination, atlantis would be better with a trackball. However, unless the controller came bundled with the console, programmers will be hesitant to use it because of the potential of lost sales.

[fsuinnc]

I agree with you totally. If they had made the controllers plug-in rather then hard wired then controllers could be included with games like Space Raiders and Indy 500 (and Star Trek maybe?). Overall I think most games make good use of the controllers. Back in the day, the sports games were my favorites and the inty controller was (is) awesome for those.