# Sony PSP - Horrible controls

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sony-psp-horrible-controls/296152>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 25, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sony-psp-horrible-controls/296152 "2005-03-25T04:16:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Carnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carnick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnick)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sony-psp-horrible-controls/296152/1 "2005-03-25T04:16:07Z")

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Anyone get one of these things today? It’s technologically marvelous, but I’m really disappointed by the controls. The analog stick is this tiny little nub that only slides and doesn’t pivot. It’s really awkward and uncomfortable to use, and the games require it. Anyone else think so?

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**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sony-psp-horrible-controls/296152/2 "2005-03-25T06:02:02Z")

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I haven’t played it beyond a brief demo at E3 last year, so I didn’t have a lot of time to adjust, but I do agree that it most certainly no replacement for a control stick.

I’ve heard similar complaints from others, it seems like it’d be difficult to make precise movements with that thing.

However, I do think that for 3D platformers, it’s a better solution than the DS’s touchscreen emulation of a control stick. But, when the DS isn’t using the touchscreen to mimick a joystick, it truely shines as a control method.

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**Author:** ![Carnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carnick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnick)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sony-psp-horrible-controls/296152/3 "2005-03-25T06:58:15Z")

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> [@Duderdude2](#):
>
> I haven’t played it beyond a brief demo at E3 last year, so I didn’t have a lot of time to adjust, but I do agree that it most certainly no replacement for a control stick.
> 
> I’ve heard similar complaints from others, it seems like it’d be difficult to make precise movements with that thing.
> 
> However, I do think that for 3D platformers, it’s a better solution than the DS’s touchscreen emulation of a control stick. But, when the DS isn’t using the touchscreen to mimick a joystick, it truely shines as a control method.

I think the DS’s touch screen with the “thumb strap” in use is much better than the PSP’s dinky little analog pad. At least you can be accurate with it. They’re both far from perfect though. Why couldn’t either of them just use a normal analog pad?