Difference between revisions of "Control Pad (Saturn)"

Latest revision as of 08:27, 16 November 2024

Control Pad

Manufacturer: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.

Distributor: Tec Toy (BR), Samsung (KR)

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP	1994-11-22^[1]	¥4,8004,800	HSS-0101
JP (White)	1996	¥4,8004,800	HSS-0101-S
JP (Cool Pad)	1997-06-20^[1]	¥2,5002,500	HSS-0162
JP (V-Saturn grey)	199x		RG-CP5
JP (V-Saturn coloured)	199x		RG-CP6
JP (HiSaturn)	199x		HSS-0118
US	1995-05-11	$34.9934.99^[2]	MK-80100
US (Arcade Control Pad grey)	1996		MK-80114
US (Arcade Control Pad black)	1996	$24.9924.99^[2]	MK-80116
EU	1995-07-08		MK-80301
EU (JP-style)	1996		MK-80313
UK (JP-style)	1996	£19.9919.99^[3]	MK-80313
BR	1995-08-30^[4]	R$40.0040.00
KR (Samsung model)	1995-11-10		SATURN-0001
KR (Sega model)	1997-09		HSS-0101

The Sega Saturn Control Pad, later known simply as the Controller in North America, is primary method of user input for the Sega Saturn. It is an evolution of the Six Button Control Pad for the Sega Mega Drive and was originally seen in 1994 along with the Saturn console.

Hardware

It has a circular D-Pad, a START button, and six face buttons; , , , , and . New to the Saturn is the addition of two shoulder buttons, and , which replace the Mega Drive's "mode" button to bring the total number of buttons to nine. Like the Mega Drive Control Pad(s), it is ergonomically designed for maximum comfort.

The Saturn controller debuted in Japan in 1994 and remained largely unchanged throughout the lifespan of the console. In North America and Europe however, a different, much bulkier controller was released to supposedly accommodate for the "bigger hands" of western consumers. This "MK-80100" control pad is functionally identical to its Japanese cousin, but is slightly larger and has a peculiar concave D-Pad, not seen in a Sega console since. This particular model is often regarded to be worse than the Japanese variant, and was replaced entirely during the summer of 1996, cutting costs as the console was redesigned.

The Control Pad saw an "upgrade" in the form of the 3D Control Pad, which featured an analogue thumbstick. Its design is similar to the XE-1AP, a 1989 analogue thumbstick controller released for the Sega Mega Drive exclusively in Japan.

Media/transport control buttons

In addition to giving more control options for games, , , , and double up as "media control" (or "transport control") buttons:

: Repeat
: Stop
: Start/pause
: Previous track
: Next track

This was intended for the console's CD player, to save the user from navigating extra menus, however the layout was adopted by some games (at least in part), typically those with replay functions or video players:

High Velocity: Mountain Racing Challenge

Versions

There are many slightly different colour variations of the controller, mostly to match the colour of the console. Japan initially received grey pads, but eventually saw white and clear varieties as well as those designed for V-Saturns and HiSaturns. The transparent "Cool Pad" was sold in Japan for one month, between 20 June 1997 and 19 July 1997^[1]. In the rest of the world (bar Brazil), only black controllers were released. It should also be noted that all versions of the Control Pad (Saturn) are Region Free and can be used on any Saturn console.

US/EU model (MK-80100/MK-80301)
US gray model (MK-80114)
US/EU model (MK-80116/MK-80313)
JP gray model (HSS-0101)
JP white model (HSS-0101)
JP Skeleton model (HSS-0101)
JP V-Saturn model (RG-CP5)
JP V-Saturn model (RG-CP6)
JP Hi-Saturn model (HSS-0118)
KR Samsung model (SATURN-0001)
KR Sega model (HSS-0101)
BR white/pink model
BR white/pink model
BR black model

Magazine articles

Main article: Control Pad (Saturn)/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Cool Pad JP TV advert

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

Computer & Video Games (UK)

100

^[3]

	100
Based on 1 review

Control Pad (Saturn)

Saturn, JP (Grey)
Cover

Saturn, JP (White)
Cover

Saturn, JP (Cool Pad)
Cover

Saturn, JP (V-Saturn, RG-CP5)
Cover

Saturn, JP (V-Saturn, RG-CP6)
Cover

Saturn, JP (HiSaturn)
Cover

Saturn, US (MK-80100)
Cover

Saturn, US (MK-80114)
Cover

Saturn, US (MK-80116)
Cover

Saturn, EU (MK-80301)
Cover

Saturn, EU (MK-80313)
Cover

Saturn, BR
Cover

Saturn, KR (Samsung Saturn)
Cover

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/ss/pad.html (Wayback Machine: 2013-02-10 00:47)
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Sega FY 1997 Brand Review, page 10
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Computer & Video Games, "December 1997" (UK; 1997-11-12), page 67
↑ Ação Games, "Setembro 1995" (BR; 1995-09-16), page 10

Sega Saturn
Topics	Technical Specifications (Hardware Comparison) \| History (Development \| Release \| Decline and legacy) \| List of games (A-M) \| List of games (N-Z) \| Magazine articles \| Promotional material \| Merchandise
Hardware	Japan \| North America \| Western Europe \| Eastern Europe \| South America \| Asia \| South Korea \| Australasia \| Africa HiSaturn Navi \| SunSeibu SGX \| Sega Titan Video
Add-ons	Backup Memory (third-party) \| Sega PriFun \| Video CD Card (third-party) \| Extended RAM Cartridge (third-party) \| Twin Advanced ROM System
Controllers	Control Pad \| Control Pad (Australia) \| 3D Control Pad \| Arcade Racer \| Infrared Control Pad \| Mission Stick \| Shuttle Mouse \| Twin Stick \| Virtua Gun \| Virtua Stick \| Virtua Stick Pro
Online Services/Add-ons	NetLink Internet Modem (NetLink Keyboard \| NetLink Keyboard Adapter \| NetLink Mouse) \| Saturn Modem (Floppy Drive \| Keyboard)
Connector Cables	21 Pin RGB Cable \| Monaural AV Cable \| RF Unit \| Stereo AV Cable \| S-Video Cable \| Taisen Cable
Development Hardware	Programming Box \| Sound Box \| E7000 \| CartDev \| SNASM2 \| Address Checker \| PSY-Q Development System \| MIRAGE Universal CD Emulator
Misc. Hardware	6Player \| SBom Multitap‎ \| Saturn region converter cartridges \| Action Replay \| Pro Action Replay \| Action Replay Plus \| X-Terminator (Version 3) \| S-S Promoter \| Other cartridges

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20130210004739.2Fhttp:.2F.2Fsega.jp.2Ffb.2Fsegahard.2Fss.2Fpad.html-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/ss/pad.html (Wayback Machine: 2013-02-10 00:47)

[:File:SegaFY1997BrandReview_US.pdf_p10-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Sega FY 1997 Brand Review, page 10

[:File:CVG_UK_193.pdf_p67-3] 3.0 ^3.1 Computer & Video Games, "December 1997" (UK; 1997-11-12), page 67

[:File:AcaoGames_BR_091.pdf_p10-4] Ação Games, "Setembro 1995" (BR; 1995-09-16), page 10

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 | accessoryprogramscreen=
 | title=Control Pad
-| maker=[[Sega]]
+| maker=[[Sega Enterprises, Ltd.]]
+| distributor={{company|[[Tec Toy]]|region=BR}}, {{company|[[Samsung]]|region=KR}}
 | official=yes
 | madefor=[[Sega Saturn]]
@@ Line 26: / Line 27: @@
 | sat_date_us=1995-05-11
+| sat_rrp_us=34.99{{fileref|SegaFY1997BrandReview US.pdf|page=10}}
 | sat_code_us=MK-80100
-| sat_date_us_1=1996
+| sat_date_us_Arcade Control Pad grey=1996
-| sat_code_us_1=MK-80114
+| sat_code_us_Arcade Control Pad grey=MK-80114
-| sat_type_us_1=Arcade Control Pad grey
+| sat_date_us_Arcade Control Pad black=1996
-| sat_date_us_2=1996
+| sat_rrp_us_Arcade Control Pad black=24.99{{fileref|SegaFY1997BrandReview US.pdf|page=10}}
-| sat_code_us_2=MK-80116
+| sat_code_us_Arcade Control Pad black=MK-80116
-| sat_type_us_2=Arcade Control Pad black
 | sat_date_eu=1995-07-08
@@ Line 62: / Line 63: @@
 The Saturn controller debuted in Japan in 1994 and remained largely unchanged throughout the lifespan of the console. In North America and Europe however, a different, much bulkier controller was released to supposedly accommodate for the "bigger hands" of western consumers. This "MK-80100" control pad is functionally identical to its Japanese cousin, but is slightly larger and has a peculiar concave D-Pad, not seen in a [[Sega]] console since. This particular model is often regarded to be worse than the Japanese variant, and was replaced entirely during the summer of 1996, cutting costs as the console was redesigned.
-The Control Pad saw an "upgrade" in the form of the [[3D Control Pad]], built as a response to the [[Nintendo 64|Nintendo 64's]] analogue joystick.
+The Control Pad saw an "upgrade" in the form of the [[3D Control Pad]], which featured an analogue thumbstick. Its design is similar to the [[XE-1AP]], a 1989 analogue thumbstick controller released for the [[Sega Mega Drive]] exclusively in Japan.
+===Media/transport control buttons===
+In addition to giving more control options for games, {{X}}, {{Y}}, {{Z}}, {{L}} and {{R}} double up as "media control" (or "transport control") buttons:
+*{{X}}: Repeat
+*{{Y}}: Stop
+*{{Z}}: Start/pause
+*{{L}}: Previous track
+*{{R}}: Next track
+This was intended for the console's CD player, to save the user from navigating extra menus, however the layout was adopted by some games (at least in part), typically those with replay functions or video players:
+{{multicol|
+*''[[High Velocity: Mountain Racing Challenge]]''
+}}
 ==Versions==