# Best games to play on a computer with a console-style controller **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 30, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694 "2006-05-30T02:42:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/1 "2006-05-30T02:42:45Z")
I just bought a USB controller today that looks a lot like a PS2 controller. Can you guys please recommend me some good games to play with it? The cheaper the better, and multi-player is also a plus. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![KJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b2d939/32.png) [@KJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KJ)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/2 "2006-05-30T03:12:39Z")
You could always try [Super Squirrel](http://komojo.googlepages.com/squirrel.htm), a game I helped make two years ago. It should support your controller. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/3 "2006-05-30T05:12:22Z")
Emulation, especially Metal Slug for NEO-GEO. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/4 "2006-05-30T05:36:17Z")
> [@awldune](#): > > Emulation, especially Metal Slug for NEO-GEO. Eh, those games are novel for maybe a short time, but I spent SO MANY hours playing those 2-D scrollers and fighters growing up that it’s just hard for me to get excited about them any more. Metal Slug in particular we had in a Pizza Shop that I worked in throughout high school and college, so that one is definitely out of the question. I doubt I’ve put solid hours into more than 10 or 12 video games since about 1999 or so, so anything between then and now is ideal. ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/5 "2006-05-30T06:16:29Z")
How about [Cave Story](http://agtp.romhack.net/doukutsu.html), a neat little Metroid-esque action-adventure. (Despite the site’s name, Cave Story is a freeware pc game and is not a rom rip of any console game.) ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/6 "2006-05-30T11:25:44Z")
Computer-console gaming is all about getting Nestopia, ZSNES, etc and emulating older systems, but with pretty new 2xSAI video filtering ---
**Author:** ![metonymic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@metonymic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/metonymic)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/7 "2006-05-30T14:29:21Z")
you could try [N](http://www.harveycartel.org/metanet/downloads.html)… It’s freeware, and is a whole lot more fun using a controller. ---
**Author:** ![metonymic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@metonymic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/metonymic)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/8 "2006-05-30T14:36:49Z")
whoops, I meant to add that I know the people who made N (they live right here in Toronto!), which is part of the reason I recommended it. (The other part is that it’s an f’n addictive game. ;)) ---
**Author:** ![Capa84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8edcca/32.png) [@Capa84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capa84)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/9 "2006-05-30T23:31:06Z")
Go get all the SNES,Genesis, NES, NEOGEO emulators. Download all the ROMS to the games you currently “own” for those systems. Play to your heart’s content ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/10 "2006-05-31T06:16:55Z")
When I bought a nifty little USB adapter that lets you plug a real Playstation 2 computer into your computer, I tried MAME and GTA San Andreas. Both worked well. There really aren’t a lot of popular PC games that benefit from a console-style controller. My conclusion was consoles have their job (action/arcade games) and computers have theirs (RTS, strategy, first-person shooters.) ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/11 "2006-05-31T06:18:21Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > When I bought a nifty little USB adapter that lets you plug a real Playstation 2 computer into your computer, I tried MAME and GTA San Andreas. Both worked well. There really aren’t a lot of popular PC games that benefit from a console-style controller. My conclusion was consoles have their job (action/arcade games) and computers have theirs (RTS, strategy, first-person shooters.) That first sentence should of course read “Playstation 2 CONTROLLER”… ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/12 "2006-05-31T06:51:05Z")
Prince of Persia 1,2,3 (especially 1 and 3) Metal Gear Solid 2 (It is still SO good. You must play it) Final Fantasy XI (if you’re into MMORPGS and like the FF series and have lots of free time) ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/13 "2006-05-31T09:07:29Z")
GTA is infinitly better to drive with a ps controler, I found a few missions that needed the mouse but for the most part the game was a blast with a joystick vrs mouse. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/14 "2006-05-31T13:22:32Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > GTA is infinitly better to drive with a ps controler, I found a few missions that needed the mouse but for the most part the game was a blast with a joystick vrs mouse. I could kick your butt using the arrow keys and control for the handbrake. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2006, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/15 "2006-05-31T13:53:50Z")
> [@Gozu](#): > > Prince of Persia 1,2,3 (especially 1 and 3) The Two Thrones? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/16 "2006-06-09T00:55:21Z")
Could I play Dungeon Siege, Dungeon Siege 2, or any similar games with the controller? ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2006, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/17 "2006-06-09T13:02:17Z")
I second Cave Story, it’s diabolically hard in the later stages and so easier with a controller. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-games-to-play-on-a-computer-with-a-console-style-controller/358694/18 "2006-06-10T05:50:10Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Could I play Dungeon Siege, Dungeon Siege 2, or any similar games with the controller? Does anyone know the answer to this? Thanks for all the responses so far!