Good Wireless PC Gamepad?

So I'm looking to get some old-school gaming going on on my PC. I've tried the whole glovepie/wii controller setup but it seems really buggy and works intermittently on my system. I'm looking for a gamepad that has a good d-pad first and foremost. Something like a ps2/3 controller but for PC that is wireless. Anyone here have any suggestions??

You can use a Dualshock 3 and install a program like Xpadder to configure it.

You could get a bluetooth dongle and use a PS3 controller. Motionjoy will emulate it as an Xbox 360 controller, if you want it to work natively with games that support xbox 360 gamepads.

Also, just use an xbox 360 controller. There's even an old school, Genesis style option available.

360 or PS3 controller. You'll need a bluetooth adapter for the PS3 controller or a wireless receiver for the 360 controller.

I didn't realize that PS3 would work with bluetooth! Will give it a shot later today with that motioninjoy mentioned. THANKS!

Or maybe not. Looks like some fellow GBers have had some serious problems with motionjoy's drivers.

@n1Nj4d00m said:

Or maybe not. Looks like some fellow GBers have had some serious problems with motionjoy's drivers.

You can just test it out with the PS3 controller's usb cord.

Most of the time, Motioninjoy does work; sometimes, though, it's a real bitch to get anything out of. Try it out, it has the added advantage of being able to emulate a 360 controller.

@believer258: I've heard though that it will basically disable any other bluetooth devices you have connected (like my keyboard and mouse). Is that accurate?

I'd suggest a 360 controller with the wireless gaming receiver. Configuration is a lot easier and modern games support them without any rebinding/menu exploration.

@n1Nj4d00m said:

@believer258: I've heard though that it will basically disable any other bluetooth devices you have connected (like my keyboard and mouse). Is that accurate?

On that, I have no clue. I've only ever used Motioninjoy with a USB cord and I have no bluetooth devices.

@n1Nj4d00m said:

@believer258: I've heard though that it will basically disable any other bluetooth devices you have connected (like my keyboard and mouse). Is that accurate?

Yeah, don't use motioninjoy. It can mess up your computer and can be impossible to get rid of, I tried everything but in the end I had to reformat.

@gike987 said:

@n1Nj4d00m said:

@believer258: I've heard though that it will basically disable any other bluetooth devices you have connected (like my keyboard and mouse). Is that accurate?

Yeah, don't use motioninjoy. It can mess up your computer and can be impossible to get rid of, I tried everything but in the end I had to reformat.

What? Never heard of that problem.

If you're willing to spend money, just get a 360 controller and a wireless dongle for it. No chance of driver issues that way since the 360 controller works like a charm.

@Zidd said:

I'd suggest a 360 controller with the wireless gaming receiver. Configuration is a lot easier and modern games support them without any rebinding/menu exploration.

Looks like I might be forced to go this route, even though I hate the xbox d-pad. Looks like all the wireless gaming receivers available right now are not produced by microsoft anymore. Ah, the wonders of chinese manufacturing.

360 controller the best controller. Most games default to those buttons and stick sensitivity which is different for the PS3 sticks

PS3 controller is too outdated IMO

@gike987 said:

@n1Nj4d00m said:

@believer258: I've heard though that it will basically disable any other bluetooth devices you have connected (like my keyboard and mouse). Is that accurate?

Yeah, don't use motioninjoy. It can mess up your computer and can be impossible to get rid of, I tried everything but in the end I had to reformat.

That makes this decision a lot easier. Thanks for your input.

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Xbox-Wireless-Controller-Windows/dp/B004QRKWKQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

So this is the standard Xbox 360 controller for windows. Any idea if it will double as a controller for my 360 as well, or is it only compatible with the wireless receiver included?

@n1Nj4d00m: It will work with your 360, as well.

@n1Nj4d00m: You will also be able to use that to sync other xbox 360 wireless stuff like the wireless headset and racing wheel. the wired headset port is also supported but its really quiet.

@believer258 said:

@gike987 said:

@n1Nj4d00m said:

@believer258: I've heard though that it will basically disable any other bluetooth devices you have connected (like my keyboard and mouse). Is that accurate?

Yeah, don't use motioninjoy. It can mess up your computer and can be impossible to get rid of, I tried everything but in the end I had to reformat.

What? Never heard of that problem.

If you're willing to spend money, just get a 360 controller and a wireless dongle for it. No chance of driver issues that way since the 360 controller works like a charm.

Here is a thread I found on Neogaf. The drivers can override other peripherals and it can sometimes fail to uninstall, In the worst case making it pretty much impossible to remove. Motioninjoy is probably fine if you never plan to use anything else than a PS3 controller, but otherwise I wouldn't installing it.

The logitech F710 is pretty decent if you prefer that stick layout to x360 (no big D-pad advantage though, like a PS3 gets you).

I use it as my main PC gamepad. It is not as good as the x360 for shooters but I prefer it for platforming.

I guess that settles it. Looks like I'll be able to do 2-player stuff with that wireless dongle as well. Thanks everyone!

@n1Nj4d00m: You can also buy a Mad Catz fight pad. It's a Sega Genesis style, wired 360 controller. No wireless receiver required.

http://www.amazon.com/Mad-Catz-Street-Fighter-Tekken-FightPad/dp/B006ZTHGCU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351451297&sr=8-1&keywords=fightpad

Edit: Didn't see the wireless PC part, my bad.

Okay, so.. get a wireless adapter for a 360 controller from amazon http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Wireless-Gaming-Receiver-Windows/dp/B000HZFCT2

Or just go and pickup a wired 360 controller and plug it in. No setup required.

The 360 gamepad is, in my opinion, the ultimate gamepad.

@Azteck said:

The 360 gamepad is, in my opinion, the ultimate gamepad.

Seriously. And most PC gamepads just try to emulate the 360 layout. Why not just go with what works?

For a while, I really wanted a wireless controller too. But after just buying a simple wired USB 360 controller and using it for quite some time, it's really just so much less of a hassle (or at least, appears to be), despite the obvious shortcomings of the cord. My PC and TV are in the same room, though, so spatially it works out for me.

I use motion joy with 2 ps3 controllers over Bluetooth, I also have a wireless reciever for a 360 controller both work just as good never had any problems, although at least with ps3 gamepads I don't need to find spare battery's

Picked up a wireless 360 pad for windows last night. Connecting it was super easy and it is recognized by the emulators im using now too. The d-pad is not the best for those old school titles, it seems to switch between down and left/right too easily for my tastes, but i'm sure I'll get used to it.

Thanks everyone!

@n1Nj4d00m said:

The d-pad is not the best for those old school titles, it seems to switch between down and left/right too easily for my tastes, but i'm sure I'll get used to it.

If you get really fed up with that like I did, you can use xpadder or a similar program to map the same functionality to WASD or the arrow keys on your keyboard. Not the best solution, I'll grant you, but it made menus a whole hell of a lot easier for me.

360 controller with a wireless receiver. Many game work automatically with it.

@Ravenlight said:

@n1Nj4d00m said:

The d-pad is not the best for those old school titles, it seems to switch between down and left/right too easily for my tastes, but i'm sure I'll get used to it.

If you get really fed up with that like I did, you can use xpadder or a similar program to map the same functionality to WASD or the arrow keys on your keyboard. Not the best solution, I'll grant you, but it made menus a whole hell of a lot easier for me.

So you are using the controller but the button presses are mapped to the keyboard? Is that how you're set up? Then you map the WASD keys in your software?

@n1Nj4d00m:

Yeah, I used xpadder (software) to make WASD emulate the D-Pad inputs and just used the controller for everything else.