The Dual Analog Controller |
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| Manufacturer | Sony Computer Entertainment |
|---|---|
| Generation | Fifth generation era |
| Retail availability | April 25, 1997 |
| Discontinued | Mid-1998 |
| Connectivity | PlayStation Port |
The PlayStation Dual Analog Controller (SCPH-1150 in Japan, SCPH-1180 in the United States and SCPH-1180e in Europe) was Sony's first attempt at a handheld analog controller for the PlayStation, and the predecessor to the DualShock. Their first official analog controller was the PlayStation Analog Joystick (SCPH-1110).
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The Dual Analog Controller was first displayed under glass at the PlayStation Expo 96-97 which was held from November 1 to November 4, 1996. It was released in Japan in April 1997, coincident with the Japanese releases of analog-capable titles Tobal 2 and Bushido Blade.[1] It was advertised as allowing for more precise and fluid control of the games' fighters, with the rumble feature contributing to a more realistic experience.
Before its release in the United States, Sony decided that vibration feedback would be removed from the European and American versions of the controller. According to a Sony spokeperson, "We evaluated all the features and decided, for manufacturing reasons, that what was most important to gamers was the analog feature."[2]
It was released in the United States on August 27, 1997; and in Europe in later 1997 with little promotion. A few months later, the first DualShock controller was released in Japan on November 20, 1997.
Namco had already released an analog controller for PlayStation called NeGcon. Sony's Dual Analog Controller's analog mode was not compatible with the NeGcon-compatible games such as Wipeout and Ridge Racer. However, Need for Speed II, Gran Turismo, and Gran Turismo 2 feature compatibility with both NeGcon and Dual Analog control schemes.
Fans of a smaller form factor, Japanese gamers complained that the very long hand grips made the controller too large to be held properly and the lack of a rumble feature in the U.S. and European models are the most commonly cited reasons that Sony decided to end production of this controller and redesign it. This redesign eventually became the DualShock.
The Dual Analog controller was discontinued in all three markets in 1998 to be replaced by the DualShock, although some gamers still regard it as the better controller, mostly due to its longer hand grips and ridged shoulder buttons. Furthermore, its rarity has made it highly sought after among collectors.
If a game was compatible with the Dual Analog controller, the player would be able to press the "Analog" button located between the two analog sticks to activate the analog mode. This was indicated by a red LED. If a game was not analog-compatible, and was switched to analog mode, it simply wouldn't register any button presses or, in some cases, the PlayStation would consider the controller to be detached.
The ability to emulate Sony's own FlightStick by pressing the "Analog" button a second time to reveal a green LED (this was commonly referred to as "flightstick mode") provided a less expensive alternative to the FlightStick Analog Joystick and retailed for an average of $35 compared to the Flightstick's retail price of $70.
MechWarrior 2, Ace Combat 2, Descent Maximum, and Colony Wars were among the short list of flightstick compatible games.
The Dual Analog controller features several aspects that remain exclusive to it, and were scrapped or redesigned for the release of the DualShock controller.
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