Gravis GamePad
The Gravis GamePad is a video game controller created by Advanced Gravis Computer Technology and released in 1991. It has an 8-way D-pad, 4 buttons is a diamond configuration, an optional joystick attachment which screws into the D-pad, a switch to make the gamepad left-handed, and a switch to use four buttons or two buttons and two turbo buttons. It was originally made for PC-compatible computers, but additional versions were made for the Amiga, Atari ST, and Macintosh, and the design was re-purposed for the CDI 910. The choice of color for the buttons appears to be based on the Super Famicom Controller only with the red and green buttons swapped. A later design was made called the Gravis GamePad Pro.
The PC version has a male DA-15 connector while the Mac, Amiga, and Atari ST versions have a DE-9 female connector.
The original PC release included a shareware copy of Commander Keen: Marooned on Mars while a later PC release included a shareware copy of Commander Keen IV: Secret of the Oracle, slightly modified to make better use of the Gravis GamePad.
For several years, Wikipedia used a cartoon drawing of the Gravis GamePad as its video game portal icon before replacing it with a more generic image.
Personal
I bought the PC version of this gamepad at Babbages around 1992, and my version came with Secret of the Oracle on 3.5" floppy disk, but I no longer have either. I guess my GamePad broke at some point (probably by me throwing it), because I have a memory of going to the store to buy a replacement GamePad (and being upsold to the Gravis GamePad Pro).
I used to own a Gravis GamePad, but no longer do. At some point I must have broke it and thrown it out or lost it.
Review
Good
- This was one of the first PC gamepads made to support four buttons; most PC controllers of the time only had two.
- For the few games specifically designed to work with the gamepad, like the included copy of Secret of the Oracle, it's vastly superior to the traditional two-button joystick, or, shudder, the keyboard.
- The ability to switch to a left-handed gamepad was a very cool feature, though, I don't know if left-handed people actually use it.
- The turbo switch is really nice, although it only works in two-button mode.
Bad
- The D-pad is not as tight as I would like. You often find your character moving at an angle when you're trying to move in a straight path.
- The original IBM joystick standard only supported two buttons. Because of this, games had to be programmed specifically to take advantage of buttons 3 and 4. But, even a year after the gamepad's release, only about a dozen games done so, and none of the 3,000 or so previously games could. This made the additional buttons useful only in their turbo capacity.
- The detachable joystick is awkward to use, so it's usually left off. Unfortunately, this leaves an open hole in the D-pad which is uncomfortable on your thumb.
Ugly
- While no one individual flaw ruins the device, all its minor flaws make it a pretty bad product.
Media
Download
- Download (Info) - 3.5" driver disks, version 2.1. Includes Secret of the Oracle shareware.
- Download (Info) - The Gravis Game CD - Includes drivers, manual, and game demos.
Games
This is a table of games that are important to me which have direct support for the Gravis PC GamePad. For a more complete list, see MobyGames.
Game | Notes |
---|---|
Commander Keen IV: Secret of the Oracle | id released a special version. |
Jazz Jackrabbit | |
Spear of Destiny | |
Terminal Velocity | |
Wolfenstein 3D |