Do all SNES/NES USB gamepads suck?

[Leonaru]

I would like to purchase a SNES (or maybe NES) USB gamepad for my PC. I checked Amazon and some other pages and read the reviews.

1. There are quite a lot of controllers, but none seem to mimic the originals well. Is it sooo hard to redo stuff like rubber Start button etc.?

2. Smooth controls are almost absent. Always at least one button seems to be broken.

3. Short life time. I read a lot of good reviews, but I have the feeling that many of them were written shortly after the purchase when the controllers still worked. Everybody who used the controller for weeks or month seems to have broken one.

Can anybody help? Can anybody recommend a halfway authentic and long living controller.

[InVerse]

It sounds to me like what you want is RetroUSB (http://retrousb.com/). You have two options, either an actual NES (or SNES) controller with the connector converted to a USB plug or else an adapter that lets you plug your own console controller into USB.

I haven't used one myself, though I keep thinking I'll buy an NES converter, but I've heard good things about them from a few people.

[Reaper man]

I use a playstation controller and a PSX to USB Converter. Works great.

[schmocke]

I use a playstation controller and a PSX to USB Converter. Works great.

Me too - there´s nothing better for Retro-Gaming. I got this one (http://www.mayflash.com/pc/pc013/pc013-1.htm) a long time ago. The latest actual PC Game it works with is Street Fighter 4 - newer games require 360 Controllers, unfortunately.

[InVerse]

I use a wireless 360 controller for PC gaming, primarily NES emulation. The PSX controller is the #1 reason I hated Sony consoles and have never owned one. I actually prefer the original Xbox controller over the 360, though I think the Dreamcast controller may have been my favorite.

[schmocke]

I have two 360 wired controllers for my PC too, but I hate their shitty D-Pads. Since newer games instist of those pads, I had no choice. Beside the D-Pad I like them.

[InVerse]

I have the Walmart exclusive Dragon controller which has an improved D-Pad over the original 360 controller. There are also 3rd party controllers that have NES style D-Pads (a + shaped hole, not rounded.) I generally don't use the D-Pad, though. I have the NES D-Pad mapped to the analog stick in my emulators.

[Leonaru]

Thank you, I think I'll give one of the adapters a try.