# Recommend me a cheap game control pad for a PC.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-cheap-game-control-pad-for-a-pc/333691>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 2, 2005, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-cheap-game-control-pad-for-a-pc/333691 "2005-12-02T04:45:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-cheap-game-control-pad-for-a-pc/333691/1 "2005-12-02T04:45:34Z")

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I’m not much of a video gamer anymore, but I’d really love to get a cheap control pad to allow me to play Nintendo (NES) and Super Nintendo (SNES) emulators on my computer. Before anyone jumps on me, I own both systems and a lot of the old games, and they just happen to be in storage back at my parents’ house. I’m just revisiting old favorites in a more convenient format, so mods, please don’t close this thread on me. Can anyone recommend a really cheap SNES-style control pad I could get, that would beat playing Bionic Commando and Super Metroid with awkward button combinations on my keyboard? I figure USB would be the most obvious thing, since I have a five-year-old Dell PC that might be on its last legs. I really don’t want to spend more than $15 on something.

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**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-cheap-game-control-pad-for-a-pc/333691/2 "2005-12-02T05:01:22Z")

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Well, a quick glace at Amazon turns [this up](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00030AX3Q/qid=1133499440/sr=8-5/ref=pd_bbs_5/104-1226308-9593533?n=507846&s=electronics&v=glance). Looks about perfect for your needs.

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**Author:** ![St\_Ides](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@St\_Ides](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St_Ides)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-cheap-game-control-pad-for-a-pc/333691/3 "2005-12-03T01:30:44Z")

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You couyld always get something like [this](http://www.lik-sang.com/news.php?artc=3339).

It’ll let you use your old SNES controllers on your computer via USB.

Looks like it cost about $20 USD

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**Author:** ![St\_Ides](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@St\_Ides](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St_Ides)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-cheap-game-control-pad-for-a-pc/333691/4 "2005-12-03T01:32:47Z")

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Bah. Hit post too soon.

It’s on eBay for cheaper, less than $15, as per your cheapness requirement.

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**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-cheap-game-control-pad-for-a-pc/333691/5 "2005-12-03T02:58:28Z")

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Thank you both, but it looks like that $10 thingee might be just perfect.