Mode button: useless button, or MOST useless button?

[Timstuff]

Seriously, what good is this button? I know it supposedly switches the controller between 3 button mode and 6 button mode, but I have certainly never gotten it to work. As far as I can tell from every 6 button controller I have ever used, the button does absolutely nothing at all. Second to that though, why would you want to switch between 6 and 3 button mode? In a 3 button game, it's useless since you can only use A, B, and C anyway, and even in a 6 button game it's still useless. Why would anyone actually want to play Street Fighter 2 or Mortal Kombat in 3 button mode IF THEY HAVE A RUDDY 6 BUTTON PAD?

People bash the select button on other systems for not being useful, but at least it actually does stuff when you push it in most games these days. Even on the NES, in Metroid I could use to to activate my missile launcher, which is essential to playing the game. What about the mode button though? It does nothing no matter how many times you press it, and even if the button did actually work, it's designed purpose is one that no-one in their right mind would want to use anyway. Personally, I chock the Mode button's existance up to Sega not wanting to be "out-buttoned" by the Super Nintendo. "See? The model 2 Genesis controller has just as many buttons as the Super Nintendo controller! Who cares if one of them doesn't actually do anything?"

So, the mode button: useless button, or MOST useless button? I would have to say the latter.

[TmEE]

It switches the mode only on power up, or when you plug in the controller.

The button CAN be used for anything, you have a status bit for it just like for any other button... I guess why it sees so little use is that the button uses a not that good microswitch(at least my pirate ones do....) so repeated use will wear it out really fast.
Afterburner on 32X does use Mode in-game. I use it in my game aswell.

[havok666]

You need it to play Forgotten Worlds!

YOU CANNOT STOP ME WITH PARAMECIUM ALONE!

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/demon6666/paramecium.png

[vintagegamecrazy]

I never understood what it was there for either, what is it used for in Afterburner and Forgotten Worlds.

[17daysolderthannes]

its used in Shadow Squadron to switch between in ship and behind the ship views.

There are a few reasons why it exists (in order of prominence):

1) to make it compatible with Golden Axe II and 2 or 3 other games that lose their shit if you try to play them with a 6 button controller in 6 button mode

2) in the off chance you want to switch it to 3 button mode, christ knows why anyone would want to do that

3) to be an extra button (that was hardly ever used, which I think is dumb)

To switch to 3 button mode, you hold down the mode button, THEN power on, THEN release it after the game boots (I hold to the title screen but after the TMSS screen is probably far enough). The authentic 6-button controller's tact switches are fine and are actually pretty nice. Personally I think it would've been cool to use as a trigger for Doom. The mode button is just like so many other wasted opportunities from Sega, they had so much at their finger tips and always gave up on it right before it was ready to shine.

[Iron Lizard]

It also works in Metal Head to switch views as I recall.

[Rusty Venture]

I've heard that if you hold the button down for 5 minutes, two hot women will show up at your door and make out in front of you.

Hold it longer and they do more.

[bohokii]

decap attack is hard to get to work right i push that mode button even with the surface an it only works abotu half the time

i cant remember which game but i remember one game that had it in the test line up so you can test mode presses

[Iron Lizard]

I heard it had something to do with the self destruct feature.

[Dirt Ball Gamer]

I wish more games implemented it. It would be a good button for holding down to lock on to enemies like sokyugurentai

[johnnyb]

Anyone else find that they constantly push it while they wait for screens to load, I have never actually thought about what it`s use is, I just push it because it`s there.

[Iron Lizard]

Yes. I know the feeling.

[Smii]

Its primary function is actually so you can hear that Japanese lady on the MCD Games Cans say "mode button" in that cute way when you press it :p

[17daysolderthannes]

Anyone else find that they constantly push it while they wait for screens to load, I have never actually thought about what it`s use is, I just push it because it`s there.

yes...yes...yes...one of the reasons I wish it wasn't there. I have the same disorder when it comes to clicking PS1/2/3 dual shock joysticks (why the fuck did they have to make them buttons!?!?).

[johnnyb]

yes...yes...yes...one of the reasons I wish it wasn't there. I have the same disorder when it comes to clicking PS1/2/3 dual shock joysticks (why the fuck did they have to make them buttons!?!?).

Lol, I too also click the dual bloody joysticks on PS, it must annoy the crap out of someone sitting next to me, they make quite a noise!

[Slave]

I've found some random uses for it. A basic attack in ClayFighter (same as c button), being able to select a song in the sound test Comix Zone, and Williams Arcade Classics allows you to switch in-game with an onscreen indicator.

[Joe Redifer]

To clarify what Tmee said, the MODE button does not toggle back and forth between 6 and 3 button mode. The 6-button controller is always in 6 button mode UNLESS you hold down mode when you turn the power on or connect the controller to the system. Then it acts just like a 3 button controller. Decapattack will work fine if you power up holding the MODE button. Same with Forgotten Worlds (which is unplayable without using the MODE button on a 6-button controller... instant Game Over!) There is also some EA shooter or something that used the MODE for some sort of action button.

Anyway the MODE button is great on a REAL Sega 6-button controller (very durable). I just wish there were a left one in addition to the right one for true shoulder button action.

[Timstuff]

yes...yes...yes...one of the reasons I wish it wasn't there. I have the same disorder when it comes to clicking PS1/2/3 dual shock joysticks (why the fuck did they have to make them buttons!?!?).

I have the same problem with the dual shock sticks, and I also have this problem with the shoulder buttons on Gamecube since they have a click. Whenever there was a loading screen in a GCN game, I would press the shoulder buttons. Now I find myself doing it on my Dualshock 3 and Sixaxis controllers with the L2 and R2 buttons, even though there's no clicking. :p

[Slave]

I just remembered that Fatal Fury 2 uses it for taunting.

[j_factor]

Decapattack will work fine if you power up holding the MODE button.

However, this doesn't seem to be the case with the Nomad. What's up with that? This is the only game I've played that has Nomad-specific control problems.

[saxman]

I don't see what the fuss over it is. They included it in case the 6-button controller broke compatibility with a game somehow. Any game that makes use of it regularly is a bonus. I found it very useful in DOOM on 32X (although it's use wasn't documented in the manual -- I found it by fooling around with it; this was back before it's use was printed on internet sites.) And I'm sure it was used in a couple other games. But it serves a reasonable purpose. The fact that it's rarely used is because game developers didn't bother with it. But I wouldn't take a 6-button controller that didn't have it personally!

[The Sports Guy]

Anyone else find that they constantly push it while they wait for screens to load, I have never actually thought about what it`s use is, I just push it because it`s there.

I do, almost all of the time.

[A Black Falcon]

Battlecorps (Sega CD) uses it too, as a modifier for weapon select... X, Y, and Z select three of the six weapons, M+X, M+Y, and M+Z select the other three. C also switches between the six weapons one by one, but obviously you only want to use that method if you only have a three button controller... it's great to have instant access to all six weapons, it's important to be able to do that. It's one of the best uses for the M button I've seen...

But yeah, I agree that it would have been even better paired with a second shoulder button. The Sega 6-button controller is one of my favorite controllers ever as it is, but with a pair of shoulder buttons (probably preferably 'flat' ones like the M button, I love the shape of the Sega 6-button controller as it is...) it'd probably be even better, if by just a little bit. But it's so good as it is that that doesn't bother me much. I only wish that more games had used it... I know a lot did, but even so there were more that would have benefited that didn't always use it. And even among the games that did only a very, very few titles used M.

[ceibant]

I used to think the MODE button was useless until I read this thread. Now I can play Golden Axe 2, Decap Attack, and other games without changing controllers!! YES!!

[awshidahak]

If I remember correctly, Star Wars for 32X used the mode button to switch views.

[Chilly Willy]

In Wolf32X, the MODE button brings up the automap.

[Phantar]

In "Dragon - The Bruce Lee Story" you press Mode + C to switch to different fighting stances (when your Chi-Bar is full, you can use the nunchucks).

[Zebbe]

You use the Mode button in many 32X games and also in The Lost Vikings.

[gamegenie]

you never used the cheat codes in Doom 32X ?