What is the significance of the triangle, square, circle and cross on the playstation pad?
I have a vague sense that these shapes are symbolic but am not sure of their meaning in Japanese culture.
My WAG is that they are used because they are language and/or alphabet independant. Imagine if the symbols were in Japanese or Chinese, the directions would read:
“Press (chicken foot looking symbol) to jump”
It’s MUCH easier for anyone to remember a standard geometric symbol than any character from an alphabet you are not familiar with.
MC$E
PS I didn’t mean to offend anyone of Asisan heritage, I apologize if I did.
Doh! Asian Heritage…
Ok but the other buttons ARE language dependant: start, select, R1, R2, L1, L2.
Also Nintendo’s and Sega’s pads are language dependant.
Well they used up all the basic shapes already. A hexagram or parallelogram button would probably be confused with the square button in poorly printed manuals, or during games like parappa the rapper where you have to press buttons corresponding to screen images. A pentagram button might not be well received, and neither would the nazi symbol (I forgot the real name).
My guess was that they just wanted to be different. Language dependency probably wasn’t the issue, because they make different hardware and games for different geographical reason, so they could have japanese symbols on the controller in japan if they wanted.
That should be geographical regions.
Maybe just to be different? When the PS1 came out, everyone else was just using letters.
I still refer to the buttons by how they were on the Super NES pad.
c_goat: The name you want is `swastika,’ and it has been in use for millions of years before the Nazis in many cultures worldwide (from Celtic Europeans to ancient Asians to Amerinds) but would be badly-received here for the exact reason you mentioned.
http://www.manwoman.net/swastika/ – People trying to culturally rehabilitate the swastika in the Western world.