Joysticks: left or right?

[aeberbach]

A quick poll just because I am interested... back in the day arcade games usually had the joystick placed for the left hand while you hit the buttons with your right. Amiga/home sticks were the opposite, held in your left hand with the stick in the right hand and thumb on the button.

Or was it just me that was holding it wrong?

How did you do it?

Thinking about this because I have a nice Sanwa "silent" arcade stick and some Happ/Suzo buttons to layout in some kind of desktop case.

[Jope]

I believe arcade machines had it set up for stick on the left to make it more difficult for players at first.

I play arcade cabinets with stick in the left hand, but computer games with stick in the right hand. I'm right handed.

[kremiso]

Originally Posted by Jope

I believe arcade machines had it set up for stick on the left to make it more difficult for players at first.

i think mostly to let reach to play also left-handed, as i am.
Impossible for me use the stick with the right hand, i remember one friend having a c64 joystick at time, with one single fire button placed to the left of the stick... tried several times, nothing good

btw i'll wait for other left-handed opinions

[dreadnought]

The theory about canny arcade operators making life more difficult for players seems attractive, but I don't really believe it. After all, you have the d-pad on the left on NES (and every other console since) and they had no such incentive.

Yes, the joysticks were mostly played right-handed but I think it also depends on the design. The arcade-like lollipop style small ones can be handled easily with the left, but I need my right hand for the cumbersome flight-stick style. I've always hated the latter though, might have something to do with that.

[Foebane]

My experience of joysticks, on both Atari 800XL and Amiga 500, was usually of the sort with the base suckered onto a large thin hardback book like a comic annual, and I would use my left hand (as I am) to move it, and the other hand to hold the base steady or to press any keys as required.

As for arcade machines, I think I managed OK, I managed to beat the only fighting game I've ever completed (Marvel Super Heroes) with their controls that may have favoured me, I can't remember, so long ago.

But I have managed to adapt to the fancy handheld sticks that were notoriously right-handed, like the Konix Speedking, which I thought was possibly the best stick I ever used, even though I had to use my right hand. I also had the Cheetah Bug, but it wasn't as good, as I think it was too small.

[Jope]

Yeah, no facts about that, only a belief. I'm ambidextrous enough that I can play with either hand on the stick.

[Superman]

Being right handed I always use my right hand to operate the stick and left hand to hold and press the fire buttons. I have always liked the look of this particular joystick but the fact that the joystick is left handed only has always put me off and I wondered if it could be used upside down by the flick of a switch.

https://www.commodore-info.com/joyst...28f/en/desktop

Its one of the main reasons I have stuck to using Cruiser or Competition Pro joysticks on my Amigas.

[phx]

Hmm.. I think I'm ambidextrous. Although I have a small preference for writing with left and playing football with right.

I didn't play on arcade machines a lot, but I would always prefer to hold the joystick in both hands than having it firmly seated anywhere. I put it into the left hand and keep it stable with some pressure from the right hand. I control the stick with the right hand while using the left thumb for the fire button.

[Predseda]

Anyone ever heard about joysticks that have the fire buttons on the stick, not on the base? Try them, you could find them comfortable, no matter which handed you are

[LocalH]

Some right-handed people would play arcade games with their arms crossed, right hand on stick and left hand on button(s).

[jPV]

Originally Posted by dreadnought

After all, you have the d-pad on the left on NES (and every other console since) and they had no such incentive.

I have two reasons why I just don't cope with these d-pad or pads generally... one because it's so inaccurate in quick moves compared to a proper joystcik, and second because they're left handed. I just play much better if I use my right thumb for those d-pads too... so the best is a d-pad controller that can be swapped upside down.. or otherwise I just have to try to find a position with my arms that I can play them crossed :P

I also would think that joystick for left hand on arcade machines were to make players play worse and spend more coins, but unfortunately this inherited to home consoles too. And that's why I never became a console player/user

Nowadays when I occasionally play on Playstations, I always try to change config so that important moves are made with the rightmost analog stick rather than leftmost... works much better for me as a right-handed person.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by LocalH

Some right-handed people would play arcade games with their arms crossed, right hand on stick and left hand on button(s).

Yeah I've seen that, but nuts

I'm right handed and have played sooooo many arcade games back in the day.

I'm used to the joystick on the left and buttons on the right

[manossg]

Originally Posted by jPV

I have two reasons why I just don't cope with these d-pad or pads generally... one because it's so inaccurate in quick moves compared to a proper joystcik, and second because they're left handed.

That. And diagonals, if I may add.

Although bitd I somehow managed to get used to the arcade left-hand joystick, the joysticks I prefer and use are all right handed.

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by Predseda

Anyone ever heard about joysticks that have the fire buttons on the stick, not on the base? Try them, you could find them comfortable, no matter which handed you are

Heard of them? I've USED several, back in the day. They were always the best, and as a result you could play one-handed, as I described before.

EDIT: Come to think of it, I think the "classic" Atari 2600 joystick with the top-left button and the stiff stick out of a red and black design is easily the WORST joystick I've ever seen! It didn't even have any base suckers, for God's sake!

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by jPV

I have two reasons why I just don't cope with these d-pad or pads generally... one because it's so inaccurate in quick moves compared to a proper joystcik, and second because they're left handed. I just play much better if I use my right thumb for those d-pads too... so the best is a d-pad controller that can be swapped upside down.. or otherwise I just have to try to find a position with my arms that I can play them crossed :P

I also would think that joystick for left hand on arcade machines were to make players play worse and spend more coins, but unfortunately this inherited to home consoles too. And that's why I never became a console player/user

Nowadays when I occasionally play on Playstations, I always try to change config so that important moves are made with the rightmost analog stick rather than leftmost... works much better for me as a right-handed person.

What about the PC keyboard + mouse combo, where the keyboard is always on the left and the mouse on the right? I suppose it's not really a problem, since all but one person I've met who used a PC did so this way. The one person I did meet who insisted on moving the PC mouse to the left of the keyboard before using caused problems for the rest of us who had to move it back later!

Also, this thread is the first time I've EVER heard of players CROSSING THEIR ARMS to play the way they want. Sounds really impractical to me, and almost painful, too!

[Retro-Nerd]

I'm right handed and always played Arcade games with the left hand. As long as the stick is mounted on something, like on the Arcade cabinet or a modern joyboard, it's no problem at all. Joysticks you hold in your hand though is different. Holding with the left left hand, playing with right.

[aeberbach]

Originally Posted by Foebane

Heard of them? I've USED several, back in the day. They were always the best, and as a result you could play one-handed, as I described before.

Back in the day I took a Wico base and modified it to put a Quickshot fighter stick handle on, complete with rapid fire. luckily the Wico shaft was almost exactly the same size as the plastic shaft coming from the base of the Quickshot. I thought it was the ultimate! There are an old Wico and Quickshot sticks in the junk drawer waiting for this mod.

This time I think I’m going to make the stick more like a modern fight stick, with buttons on the left.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd

I'm right handed and always played Arcade games with the left hand. As long as the stick is mounted on something, like on the Arcade cabinet or a modern joyboard, it's no problem at all. Joysticks you hold in your hand though is different. Holding with the left left hand, playing with right.

I guess I'm in the same category Retro

[Retroplay]

Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd

I'm right handed and always played Arcade games with the left hand. As long as the stick is mounted on something, like on the Arcade cabinet or a modern joyboard, it's no problem at all. Joysticks you hold in your hand though is different. Holding with the left left hand, playing with right.

This, as in exactly this.

[Foebane]

There is another factor I noticed, too: leaf switches vs micro switches

In my experience, leaf switches are silent but less reliable, but micro switches tend to be as noisy as hell. Back in my bedroom in the family home, it wasn't such a problem, but I would think the endless clacking noises would cause complaints from any housemates I might have.