Am I wrong in thinking this game is almost unplayable with anything other than an arcade stick? I'm on the last fight in story mode which is brutal and unfun but mostly because my moves never seem to come out the way I input them. Teleport almost always ends up as a jump, lightning almost always ends up as a front punch. Is this controller horrible garbage or am I a fat thumbed idiot who sucks at games?

I play with the normal 360 controller. I'm fine with the d-pad with MK.

I use the 360 controller and the d-pad is terrible, but I figured it out eventually. I would think the PS3 controller would be easy to use because it only has four inputs.

Both the PS3 and Xbox 360 D-pads are pieces of crap. Arcade stick and maybe that new 360 D-Pad might work. I just shelled out for a nice pad.

It works just fine for me. If you only play fighting games on a stick, then I can see the transition taking some time. But unlike SSF4, MK was designed for use on a pad as well as a stick, so it's just you. 

A lot of top level players actually prefer the PS3 controller over their custom arcade sticks. The game was never in arcades so it was designed with pads in mind as the primary input device. If you are having that much trouble, there is either something wrong with your's, or you are misunderstanding something about how the game works.

On the 360 I prefer to use one of the newer 360 controllers with the adjustable d-pads. Those things are perfect for MK.

I know what you mean. When I began to play MK a lot, I noticed that the d-pad isn't made with four separate inputs. If you press one of the directions, you can see the others depressing/shifting as well. You just have to be a little forceful and be careful about dragging your thumbs in a certain direction. Once you become consciously aware of your technique, it gets easier.

Best way to play is with a d-pad. Make sure you are using hard directions and not rolling(like a fireball in SF). You literally want to be pressing down and then left or whatever and not rolling your thumb over diagonals. 

@Atramentous said:

Best way to play is with a d-pad. Make sure you are using hard directions and not rolling(like a fireball in SF). You literally want to be pressing down and then left or whatever and not rolling your thumb over diagonals.

I would disagree with that statement. Sliding across the directions is faster than tapping and, since the game only registers cardinal inputs, is just as accurate.

As far as pad vs. stick is concerned, it really depends on the player. Personally I use stick for games like SFIII, SSFIV, BB:CS and KoF12 and pad for games like MvC3, SC:IV and MK9. But (shameless plug) as you can see by viewing the Whiskey Media FGC YouTube channel, very high levels of execution are possible with a Sixaxis controller.

Best way to play is with a Arcade stick! i Have 3
PS3 controller is worse by far...Same controller for the last 10years:( Sony are so unoriginal
The New Rotating D pad 360 controller is great.

Actually this one of the few fighting games I feel not at  a disadvantage for not having a pad.

Personally wouldn't have it any other way than on a PS3 controller. D-Pad and buttons are what I want from a fighter.

There's definitely nothing wrong with the controller.

Use the D-Pad on the ps3 controller it works perfect for me... you can buy MK 2 on psn now....