When the Dreamcast launched, I was fully invested in Sega's ecosystem. Sure, I'd flirted with the PS1 and N64, but the Saturn—with its generous selection of 2D fighting games from Capcom and SNK—was my go-to system at that point. It was hopeful, then, that Sega's next system would continue this tradition, and the arrival of titles like Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Street Fighter III, Capcom vs. SNK 2, King of Fighters '99 and many, many more affirmed that.
There was one big problem—the standard Dreamcast controller was terrible for fighting games, at least compared to the legendary Saturn six-button pad.
There was a solution; Sega released an official arcade stick alongside Dreamcast, and I quickly snapped one up. It was great, but not always as convenient as a joypad; I'm also one of those weird people who prefer using a D-pad to a stick when playing fighting games.
I tried various third-party Dreamcast controllers in those early years in the quest to find the perfect option for one-on-one brawlers (the Quantum FighterPad had a great D-pad and a six-button layout, but I was ultimately unimpressed), and none of them scratched the itch—until, that is, ASCII released its Pad FT (Fighting Type) controller at the close of 1999.
Exclusive to Japan, the Pad FT was clearly modelled on the Saturn controller, right down to the "rolling" D-pad and six-button layout. Apart from your VMU sticking rather awkwardly out of the top of the pad, it was pretty successful; while not quite up to the standard of the Saturn controller (the D-pad feels a little loose, in my opinion, and it's common to find units today which have totally floppy pads—oo-er), it was leagues ahead of the competition and finally gave me the tool I needed to really enjoy the vast array of 2D fighters on Dreamcast.
When the profitable Capcom vs. SNK collaboration began, ASCII re-released the Pad FT in different variants, allowing fans to pick a side: black and yellow for Capcom and blue and grey for SNK. Later, the company would release a version of the Pad FT for the PlayStation 2, an indication of just how popular the controller was. Alas, none of these variants ever made it out of Japan, making the Pad FT an import-only option for Western players.
You can understand, then, why I was personally so excited when Retro Fighters announced its D6 controller for Dreamcast in 2024. This wireless pad was clearly modelled after the Pad FT and looked certain to fill a hole that had been present in my life ever since I sold my previous ASCII pad. Unfortunately, the decision to use a microswitched D-pad renders the D6 a poor second to the Pad FT, at least in my opinion.
Today, the Pad FT sells for high amounts online, and finding one in good condition is harder than you might think. It may not have dethroned the sublime Saturn pad when it comes to fighting games (I recently picked up an adapter which allows Saturn pads to be connected to the Dreamcast, which made me very happy indeed), but I still have a soft spot for ASCII's effort; for a few glorious years, it was my weapon of choice when it came to enjoying fighting game bliss on Sega's last home console.