From what i have heard the D-pad on the 360 controller really isnt that good for this game. I have SFVI and i play that using the analog stick. Is playing with the analog stick alright for this game? Or will i have to deal with the D-pad.

If you can play SF4 with the stick, you shouldn't have much of a problem here because basic execution is easier, but I've been doing fine using the d-pad. It's not that bad.

I much prefer the 360's D-Pad to its analog stick. In my experience, it feels every bit as precise as it needs to be. 

I didn't think anyone played fighting games with analog sticks.

Not a fan of the stick in MK, but the pad works just fine for me.

As others have already mentioned, the standard D-pad works just fine, great even.

I play with the analogue stick and manage just find.  All of the attacks are fairly simple to pull off, none of them require diagonal inputs or anything like that, so the 360 controller isn't a problem at all here.

Try and get a 360 pad with the improved D-pad, or just acquire a Street Fighter IV Mad Catz pad, Alternatively, a Razer Onza, which is awesome btw.

Analogue is fine better that broken D-pad anyways

" Try and get a 360 pad with the improved D-pad, or just acquire a Street Fighter IV Mad Catz pad, Alternatively, a Razer Onza, which is awesome btw. "

the analog stick is not the best way to play this game, in my opinion. unlike street fighter, which uses quarter circles, half circles, 360's and charges, this game uses "down, back" or "back, forward' (no charge) and "forward, forward" type inputs. they can be a lot harder to do on an analog stick than on a d-pad. i bought the playstation version of the game specifically so i could use that controller, because i know there is no way i could ever do that on an xbox controller.

Going from playing the PS3 demo a bunch with strictly the dpad and then doing the same on 360, I found that the 360's dpad is less than perfect for the game.

The d-pad works better than the analog stick 95% of the time. the other 5% is for easy "quarter" turns for specials.

" Theres no way to play MK9 successfully with the 360s default dpad. The 360's default dpad is a flawed design that is pretty much useless for any game. However, if you pick up one of these  http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0041HROGG/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=485327511&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000B6MLTQ&pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_r=0QBETDZYG7M55CD35MQSYou'll be in absolute heaven. It's basically the single best dpad for a fighting game ever. It controls even better than the TE fightstick for MK imo. "

I cannot play fighting games with the xbox d-pad "disc" thing. I use analog and that works perfectly fine for me. The only issue is the fatalities; I have to use the d-pad for those. The way I do it is a translate the arrow directions in to a smooth motion, like in street fighter. So for example, down then right is just quarter circle forward and it works just fine. 

If I'm honest, for this game I haven't had too much trouble with the D-Pad, but with street fighter I just find it unusable!

Works just fine for me.  I'm not nearly hardcore enough to get a stick. 

" @Contro said:

" Try and get a 360 pad with the improved D-pad, or just acquire a Street Fighter IV Mad Catz pad, Alternatively, a Razer Onza, which is awesome btw. "

My Onza was janky as hell. Most may be fine, but I don't trust the QA on those any more so I returned it and bought the transforming d-pad controller. Much happier with that. "

As others have stated, 360 d-pad is fine in MK because it is merely pure horizontal or vertical commands whereas in games like SF, the d-pad falls short because it requires quarter spins and shit like that. I have been perfectly fine with the d-pad but I will admit I feel there is a little bit of inaccuracy that eventually happens playing with the dpad. I'll eventually grab a Razor Onza though to mend this issue.

Its been pissing me off while playing mortal kombat, i choose to blame the d pad because its easier then excepting the truth that i just suck

i've been using the morphing controller with no issues.

The 360 D-pad is just fine, I used it up until, well, today. I used the 30 Amazon dollars I got for buying Portal and MK to buy one of those cool Silver controllers, and it's pretty great. It's my favorite controller type, with a rad color scheme, and totally adequate D-Pad.

If you play street fighter with a stick you can play this with a stick, many of my friends play with a stick because they are predominantly tekken and soul calibur players.

i have the new silver control with the rotating d-pad and it's been quite useful.  i do find myself switching back and forth between the d-pad and the stick depending of the complexity of the move i'm trying to do.

The d-pad is workable, but me and my buddy occasionally started jumping around while trying to do a simple fatality.

So I tried my SFIV fightpad today and went 6-0 against him.  So that's my evidence that the d-pad is a valid excuse.

Tried using the D-Pad a few times... never again will I go back to it.

I use the analog stick for street fighter too and I had to switch to the d-pad for this game. Usually I hate the d-pad, but I think MK is easier with it. I had the feeling it picks up some weird inputs, when I used the analog stick.
Also you don't have to hold a direction, you just need to tap it, unlike street fighter, where you have to have your finger on the stick the whole time(to block, to charge or doing the motions). The d-pad still is shitty, but it's bearable in this game I guess.

Been using the standard xbox d-pad controller and it's fine when you're not stressed out but when you're in the heat of battle with sweaty palms it's far too easy to rock up instead of back, etc and it makes doing special attacks under stress very hard.

 I think the standard D-pad is garbage. Sometimes it takes up to 5 attempts to pull off a move. I'm clearly hitting the right buttons but you have to be so precise that it often registers the wrong thing. I think I'll have to bite the bullet and get the new controller to see if that helps.

I have always had problems with my controllers on my xbox.  my analog sticks drift and the dpad is clunky.  I have been debating purchasing this new controller with the morphing dpad but Im not big on the color scheme (I want colored buttons) and the price.  Anyone know if they plan on coming out with morphing controllers with a different color scheme?  I dont know if I want to wait any longer.  I have stopped playing this game debating to switch to using my arcade stick or pick up a new controller.

I've been playing this with the standard 360 controller d-pad and doing well, but I think I'm going to mod my spare fight stick to make it more MK-friendly. In it's current configuration, I can't seem to get the hang of it, whereas it feels great in Street Fighter and similar fighting games.

Need Opinions Please....

I found a Street Fighter Controller pad at a local GS for $30.  Trying to decide between this and the new controller with the Mighty Morphing D-Pad.  I could always use a new controller with analog sticks that dont drift but I have always wanted to pick up one of these SF 6 button controllers.  I really need something to play MK with, so I guess my real question is which has the better D-pad?????

" The d-pad works better than the analog stick 95% of the time. the other 5% is for easy "quarter" turns for specials. "

I was having trouble with the old 360 controller. It wasn't terrible, but it was frustrating at times. I picked up the new silver controller, and have had much greater success with that. I haven't tried a fight stick, but my buddy picked up the tournament edition one, and is really enjoying it. He's a big SFIV fan, and he plays that with a stick too.

The thing about SF4 is that a lot of the inputs are quarter circles, which work just fine with analog sticks.. Not that those arn't in the game, but there are also a lot of  forward+forward and forward+back inputs in this game that can be tricky with an analog stick. If you can play SS4 with the analog stick, then you should be fine, but it's it not a straight 1:1 thing. 

I play using the analog stick, and have no issues. You might need to get use to it, i think the 360 analog stick is really sensitive.

Get a hitbox and be beast.

PS3 dpad is superior to either 360 controller, though in casual play either is suitable. Even then, it's hard enough to play something like raiden with lots of moves that hit opposite directions (up-down, left-right) on either pad. When you're trying to link decent sized combos, fighting your controller is the last thing you want to do.

well I ended up getting the controller with the new morphing dpad and it is so much better.  Perfect for Mortal Kombat.