Difference between revisions of "Control Pad (Saturn)"

Revision as of 20:49, 16 July 2017

Control Pad

Manufacturer: Sega

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP	1994-11-22	¥4,8004,800	HSS-0101
JP (White)	1996	¥4,8004,800	HSS-0101-S
JP (Cool Pad)	1997-06-20 — 1997-07-19	¥2,5002,500	HSS-0162
US	1995-05-11		MK-80100
US (JP-style)	1996		MK-80116
EU	1995-07-08		MK-80301
EU (JP-style)	1996		MK-80313
BR	1995-08-30^[2]	R$40.0040.00

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.

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. In the rest of the world (bar Brazil), only black controllers were released.

The Control Pad saw an "upgrade" in the form of the 3D Control Pad, built as a response to the Nintendo 64's analogue joystick.

Differences in Control Pads

There were two primary versions of the Japanese controller though externally they look the same and were both numbered HSS-0101. However, internally they are completely different. Saturn controllers have a "plus-sign" shaped piece of plastic inside the controller under the D-pad. The pad is raised above this and that's what gives the pad the "rocker" feel as opposed to the mushy feel of a Nintendo 64 or PlayStation controller.

First version. Easily breakable within hours of play. This plastic piece *is* plastic, and has ridges in it in such a way that it adds to its fragility. This version has a tan circuit board, and the primary chip on it is a regular "through-hole" IC with the markings sanded off. The board doesn't even say "Sega" on it, if I didn't know better I'd think it was a counterfeit (since one came with the system and the other was a separate controller it's near impossible, besides it still has the official plug that says Sega on it etc.).
Second version. Durable. Plastic piece is now nylon, and no longer has ridges. Circuit board is now green, says "Sega" on it, and uses surface mount chip. With some minor changes all controllers were still like this until the end.

The gray Japanese controllers that Toys R Us sold were the second version, so it must have been changed relatively quickly. The switches for L/R are different on the two versions too, as they were softer on the first version. Parts between the two versions for the most part are not interchangeable, most of the plastic parts have been altered in one (non-obvious) way or another.

Magazine articles

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

Gallery

US/EU model (80100/MK-80301)
US/EU model (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

Promotional material

Cool Pad JP TV advert

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

Computer & Video Games (UK)

100

^[1]

	100
Based on 1 review

Control Pad (Saturn)

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, 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, BR
Cover

Saturn, KR (Samsung Saturn)
Cover

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 File:CVG UK 193.pdf, page 67 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 193.pdf_p67" defined multiple times with different content
↑ File:AcaoGames BR 091.pdf, 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

[:File:CVG_UK_193.pdf_p67-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 File:CVG UK 193.pdf, page 67 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 193.pdf_p67" defined multiple times with different content

[:File:AcaoGames_BR_091.pdf_p10-2] File:AcaoGames BR 091.pdf, page 10

[2]

[1]

@@ Line 56: / Line 56: @@
 ==Gallery==
 <gallery>
-File:Saturnpad2.jpg|US/EU model (80100)
+File:Saturnpad2.jpg|US/EU model (80100/MK-80301)
-File:SaturnPad.jpg|US/EU model (80116)
+File:SaturnPad.jpg|US/EU model (80116/MK-80313)
-File:Saturn HSS-0101-1.png|JP model (grey)
+File:Saturn HSS-0101-1.png|JP gray model (HSS-0101)
-File:Saturn HSS-0101-2.png|JP model (white)
+File:Saturn HSS-0101-2.png|JP white model (HSS-0101)
-File:Saturn HSS-0162.jpg|JP model (Coolpad)
+File:Saturn HSS-0162.jpg|JP Skeleton model (HSS-0101)
 File:Saturn RG-CP5.jpg|JP V-Saturn model (RG-CP5)
 File:Saturn RG-CP6.jpg|JP V-Saturn model (RG-CP6)
-File:Saturn HSS-0118.jpg|JP Hi-Saturn model
+File:Saturn HSS-0118.jpg|JP Hi-Saturn model (HSS-0118)
 File:ControlPad Saturn KR.jpg|KR Samsung model (SATURN-0001)
 File:Control_Pad_Saturn_HSS-0101_KR.jpg|KR Sega model (HSS-0101)
-File:ControlPad Saturn TecToyWhite.jpg|BR model (white/pink)
+File:ControlPad Saturn TecToyWhite.jpg|BR white/pink model
-File:ControlPad Saturn TecToyWhite Alt.jpg|BR model (white/pink)
+File:ControlPad Saturn TecToyWhite Alt.jpg|BR white/pink model
-File:ControlPad Saturn TecToyBlack.jpg|BR model (black)
+File:ControlPad Saturn TecToyBlack.jpg|BR black model
 </gallery>