Microsoft Sidewinder Freestyle Pro
Gravis Gamepad Pro (Popular among DOS-based console emulation then for GrIP and bridged connector for 2 pads on 1 gameport)
STD InterAct/3dfx Hammerhead FX
Logitech Wingman Rumblepad
Saitek P120 Action Pad

Be aware that some vintage PC pads may possibly not hold up in tactileness (InterAct) or are dangerous to use (Gravis) over 25 years of time!

leileilol wrote on 2026-05-09, 17:23:

Microsoft Sidewinder Freestyle Pro Gravis Gamepad Pro (Popular among DOS-based console emulation then for GrIP and bridged conne […]
Show full quote

Microsoft Sidewinder Freestyle Pro
Gravis Gamepad Pro (Popular among DOS-based console emulation then for GrIP and bridged connector for 2 pads on 1 gameport)
STD InterAct/3dfx Hammerhead FX
Logitech Wingman Rumblepad
Saitek P120 Action Pad

Be aware that some vintage PC pads may possibly not hold up in tactileness (InterAct) or are dangerous to use (Gravis) over 25 years of time!

Wow. Thanks for list. That’s quite a few to look into. 😃

How do you mean, exactly, by not holding up in tactileness or are dangerous after 25 years?

Growing up I used the Gravis Gamepad Pro, Suncom SFX and Suncom F-15E Talon.

The Suncom gamepads and joysticks were nice because they keyboard passthrough, so you could use them with games that didn't officially support joysticks.

Just grab a Logitech F310. It's new and works fine on old systems, with some fiddling in the old Logitech software. It's period accurate, because the Logitech predecessor from that period uses the same dang design and you can't tell them apart unless you look closely and just know one from the other.

RetroGamer4Ever wrote on 2026-05-09, 18:03:

Just grab a Logitech F310. It's new and works fine on old systems, with some fiddling in the old Logitech software. It's period accurate, because the Logitech predecessor from that period uses the same dang design and you can't tell them apart unless you look closely and just know one from the other.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

Y’know, I did have a controller similar to that at one point. I’ve no idea what happened to it. Though it didn’t have the right four buttons with Xbox 360 colours.

leileilol wrote on 2026-05-09, 17:23:

Microsoft Sidewinder Freestyle Pro Gravis Gamepad Pro (Popular among DOS-based console emulation then for GrIP and bridged conne […]
Show full quote

Microsoft Sidewinder Freestyle Pro
Gravis Gamepad Pro (Popular among DOS-based console emulation then for GrIP and bridged connector for 2 pads on 1 gameport)
STD InterAct/3dfx Hammerhead FX
Logitech Wingman Rumblepad
Saitek P120 Action Pad

Be aware that some vintage PC pads may possibly not hold up in tactileness (InterAct) or are dangerous to use (Gravis) over 25 years of time!

With the Gravis Gamepad, is the Gravis Eliminator Gamepad Pro a good choice? And as well as DOS, are they good with Windows games, too?

I use an Xbox one Bluetooth wireless controller (not sure which one but it is an really nice neon green colour 😁) with a USB4VC, was expensive but it is so nice to have a good Bluetooth controller that works with all of my retro machines!

The Interact MakoPad is the best DOS / Win9x pad I've found, it's one of the few that give you a working stick in DOS. Also still easy to find on eBay, often brand new.

badmojo wrote on 2026-05-10, 07:12:

The Interact MakoPad is the best DOS / Win9x pad I've found, it's one of the few that give you a working stick in DOS. Also still easy to find on eBay, often brand new.

Thanks. I think we have a winner! I do like an analog stick. 😄 And bonus points for being compatible with 98 and DOS.

The snag, I’ve realised, is that it needs a game port, which I overlooked. And my sound card’s is taken up for the sound canvases. Though I’m guessing there are adapter cards…? Or adapter plugs?

The pad from Interact seems to have different names, maybe regionally. The one here is labeled "PC Powerpad Pro SV-234" and looks the same.

no that's a completely different pad. Hammerhead had two analogs.

The Interact Makopad was meant.

I will admit, a lot of those retro pads sure do have weird shape designs 🤣. Some of them look like boomerangs. 🤣

The Logitech Wingman Rumblepad looks alright, too. Though from what I'm seeing online, that's fairly modern...? Or is there any earlier version?

RetroGamer4Ever wrote on 2026-05-09, 18:03:

Just grab a Logitech F310. It's new and works fine on old systems, with some fiddling in the old Logitech software. It's period accurate, because the Logitech predecessor from that period uses the same dang design and you can't tell them apart unless you look closely and just know one from the other.

I swear I still had this controller, but I can't remember what happened to it or if I threw it away. More fool me. So in the meantime I thought I'd try getting my 'copy' of an Xbox 360 controller to work. Not having any luck so far though. I've installed NUSB36E and I grabbed Omake's controller driver, but I can't get it to work. Double clicking on the executable doesn't do anything, though it appears in the Task Manager, and if I try to reinstall the drivers via Device Manager, pointing it to the .inf files just tells me it couldn't find the right drivers. And doing it manually through Add New Hardware appears to do something, but the controller still doesn't work.

I should point out it's a wireless one, so that could well be why. ^^;

Wireless XBOX 360 controllers require a usb receiver...

Yeah, I'll probably just get a wired controller just to avoid potential issues. In the meantime, I've ordered another Logitech F310 as I'm actually annoyed I don't remember what I did with my old one 🤣.

Okay, I got the Logitech F310 today, and it works straight out of the box once Windows configures it. Easy to set up, too. 😀 Only snag I have, and I'm not sure if there's any tool out there that would fix the issue, is related to the deadzone...? So if I try and walk/run in a direction and then try and turn mid-run, the character stops.

I'm using a QuickShot QS-6218

I don't have a reference, this is the only period correct controller I ever tried, but it does it's job and not difficult to set up.

Few years ago I got NOS Thrustmaster Rage 3D and although it looks little bit weird, it is probably my favourite gamepad of the era due to the dual use digital/analog d-pad:
https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Controller: … tmaster_Rage_3D

It is most often this controller I plug in when I want a controller and analog is really good for certain type of games.