Retro-BitRetro-Bit Official Sega Genesis Controller 6-Button Arcade Pad for Sega Genesis - Original Port (Black)

Why did you pick this product vs others?:IVE heard about the issues with these but I don’t beat my controllers up like most folks, it works great. Loving it.

Nice controllers

As advertised.

I was really excited when press copies were mailed out and initial reports stated that it felt like the real deal. This was most important to me because if this was going to be branded as OEM as possible it needed to feel legit in my hands. Now that I own and and took the time to break it down, screw by screw, I am satisfied with the product. The controller is of the same level of plastic quality as the original. Now lets compare it to my original OG '93 model...- The D-pad is very similar to touch and feel (it's black, original was a dark gray). All 4 directions click/mash better than on the old, but that may be due to age and milage differences on the pads. Also the '93 controller rotates in a 360 degree radius in a more "rounded" motion tilting in each point of turn like an arcade joystick... the new D-pad tilts more like your typical d-pad. (This does not inhibit input in any way)- the 6 buttons mostly felt good. The XYZ buttons were on point for sponginess and "clickiness." However the ABC buttons felt off; I'll explain. A button felt like it had too short of a range to mash, B button felt sticky, and C button felt perfect. When I deconstructed it and put in the '93 membrane and resembled it again those 3 buttons felt fine. Putting the new membrane in the old controller felt fine as well. So It has to be the new buttons... or just my ABC buttons.- START and MODE are fine as well. MODE is a louder "click" and the button appears to sit more flush with the controller shape than the OG '93 controller, which is a hair bit raised up. OG START button was more mushy while the new one is more stiff like XYZ buttons. It's a plastic button, a more clicky mash feels correct. Mushy is for silicone buttons, like those found on nintendo controllers.- The cord is was one of the biggest surprise I discovered. It came wrapped and tied with a wire tie and, to my surprise, when I undid the tie it stretched itself out. No need to slide my hands down the cord and stretch out the bends. It is a silicone/rubber cord that has that aged loose feel. It's not a cheap, hard, stiff plastic cord... no, this is a premium feeling cord. And here's the best part... the tip is the official SEGA male/female connector. Logo and all. The '93 controller's cord has a more smooth, shiny, plastic feel and is a bit stiff even in its old age. The new controller is more matte black and flaccid.I recommend this if you've recently gotten into sega genesis, thanks to stores like gamestop selling retro gaming, or if you are a retro gamer worried about 25yr old controllers being beaten and bruised and just want something that looks new and works like new. I'm the type who loves "used, 1 owner" and "adult owned" and this feels more like "never been opened in 25yrs". Buy it, see for yourself.

If you get a good one, these are amazing. Nearly identical to the original versions. Even the plastic casing is high quality.Pros:-Everything down to the plastic is high quality.-Nearly identical to the original 6-button controller in both feel and game play.-Responsive buttons and d-pad.-Can be used with the 8bitdo Megadrive mod kits. Though the squeeze for the micro USB cable will be tight.Cons:The d-pad design is different than the originals. It's a 2 piece design that uses the distance from the top of the pad to the board to create a similar rolling effect. It's not as good as the original, though its still absolutely better than most 3rd party Genesis d-pads.-There seems to be issues with the d-pads on the black version.It's probably not going to bother most people, But it is worth noting so that people who care can check their controllers for this issue. I've ordered 4 of these, 3 black and 1 blue and have noticed all the d-pads on the black version were different. 1 just wouldn't sit right. Upon opening, I noticed it was just molded uneven. I thought it might have been an issue with 1 which is why I ordered 2 more. But they all have the issue. If I had to guess I'd say that it was a mistake in manufacturing and they just decided it wasn't a big enough deal to fix it. It's a small difference, but the fact that there is any difference is disappointing. I'm not sure if the blue has a similar issue but the one I received was perfect.This didn't make me dislike the controllers or change my excitement for all the upcoming retro-bit sega/n64 controllers. It should also be noted that I notice EVERYTHING. If you care about stuff like this I would order the blue or wait a while to order because most likely there will be versions in the future that don't have this problem. Honestly I'm surprised no one has noticed this with all the hype around them.

As described, thank you.