Editing Gamepad (section)

== Features ==
[[File:Xbox360 controller white back.jpg|thumb|Shoulder buttons ("bumpers") and triggers on an [[Xbox 360]] controller]]
Some common additions to the standard pad include shoulder buttons (also called "bumpers") and triggers placed along the edges of the pad (shoulder buttons are usually digital, i.e. merely on/off; while triggers are usually [[Analog device|analog]]); centrally placed ''start'', ''select'', and ''home'' buttons{{what|date=February 2024}}, and an internal motor to provide [[Haptic technology#Video games|force feedback]].  Analog triggers, like that of the [[GameCube controller]], are pressure-sensitive and games can read in the amount of pressure applied to one to control the intensity of a certain action, such as how forceful water is to be sprayed in ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]''.{{fact|date=January 2022}}

There are programmable joysticks that can emulate [[Keyboard technology|keyboard]] input. Generally they have been made to circumvent the lack of joystick support in some computer games, e.g. the [[Belkin]] [[Nostromo SpeedPad n52]]. There are several programs that emulate keyboard and mouse input with a gamepad such as the [[Free and open-source software|free and open-source]] [[cross-platform]] software antimicro,<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Schaaf|first=Tobiasa|title=Gamestation Turbo|url=https://magazine.odroid.com/wp-content/uploads/ODROID-Magazine-201407.pdf|magazine=ODROID Magazine|issue=7|date=July 2014|page=17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326041358/https://magazine.odroid.com/wp-content/uploads/ODROID-Magazine-201407.pdf|archive-date=March 26, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/AntiMicro/antimicro/releases|title=Graphical program used to map keyboard keys and mouse controls to a gamepad|author=Ryochan7|website=[[GitHub]] |access-date=July 6, 2016}}</ref> Enjoy2,<ref>{{citation|url=http://nongraphical.com/2013/05/enjoy2-v12-released-control-games-with-your-gamepad-on-osx/|title=Enjoy2 v1.2 released: control games with your gamepad on OSX|author=Yifeng Huang|date=May 6, 2013|access-date=May 19, 2017}}</ref> or proprietary commercial solutions such as JoyToKey, Xpadder, and Pinnacle Game Profiler.{{citation needed|date=July 2016}}

One common issue with modern game controllers is stick drift, where the analog stick registers movement even when not being touched. This problem can affect gameplay accuracy and responsiveness. To diagnose stick drift, various online stick drift tester tools are available, allowing users to visualize stick movement and detect irregular inputs. These tools, often web-based, help determine whether recalibration, cleaning, or hardware repair is necessary.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gamepad Tester |url=https://www.hlplanet.com/gamepad-tester/ |website=HL Planet |access-date=3 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Gamepad Tester |url=https://hardwaretester.com/gamepad |website=Hardware Tester |access-date=3 March 2025}}</ref> Some platforms, like Steam, also include built-in calibration settings to mitigate minor drift issues.