The MODE Button

Episode 377 - There's some confusion and even misinformation out there about the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive's 6 button controller and it's MODE button. Why is it there? What does it do? answer these exciting questions in this not-quite-exciting video!
0:00 - Games that have issues with the 6 button controller.
7:09 - Games that use the MODE button
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[@dysphunc]

Rock'n Roll Racing uses the MODE button - your vehicles make sharper turns when you hold it!

[@Nandru85]

Oooh that's a very good one!!

[@Walczyk]

Whoa cool

[@HolgerNestmann]

So a bit like the SNES version. Very cool. Oh man I miss games like these

[@CobraBlade]

Beat me to it

[@LeeONardo]

Was wondering if someone would mention that.

[@Dac_vak]

A surprise Game Sack episode? What a great way to start July! Thanks Joe!

[@careyunknown3449]

It's sunday....where's the surprise?

[@ScottWozniak]

@@careyunknown3449 GameSack usually uploads episodes every OTHER week. There was an episode LAST week, so a new video just one week later is somewhat of a surprise.

[@putridscene]

These episodes are getting more and more into the most miniscule subjects and it is wonderful.

[@beauleidig8670]

Indeed. Ever since Joe ran out of Space Harrier ports to review he's had to get more creative with his video topics.

[@four-play]

I actually beat Golden Axe 2 in 6 button mode years ago. I only had a 6 button controller and had no idea you could fix it by holding down the MODE button until now. It was weird to play that way, but you get used to it eventually.

[@chrisjones6868]

Good job 👍

[@4BlueHero]

My family had the 6 button Sega Genesis controller and I don’t ever remember figuring out what the mode button was for. I thank Game Sack for helping me learn what it was for after all these years! 🤯

[@GeomancerHT]

I was always sure that Mode was the weird way Sega was calling his "Select" button haha, never bothered to read the controllers or the console manual back then.

[@jasonvoorhees5640]

@@GeomancerHT incel

[@GeomancerHT]

@@jasonvoorhees5640 your brain power is so small that you only reply in single words?

[@ukyo6195]

Read the ducking manual

[@MoonOvIce]

​@@jasonvoorhees5640Wut?

[@Chicomite]

Get ready for speed runs of Golden Axe II, the "6-Button Challenge." If they're not already doing it. I love these niche videos, definitely for nerds like us watching.

[@themadmadcow1036]

After Burner III for the Sega CD also supports using the Mode button to switch between the in-cockpit and behind views, but you have to enable it in the options menu first.

[@AAArrrtvvv]

"MiG-29 Fighter Pilot" uses the MODE button for checking out the pilot's notepad

[@hitmangfx7162]

This video taught me something really interesting...Hulk Hogan is in the Genesis version of Royal Rumble! He is missing in the SNES version (which is what I had back in the day)

[@thedaily30]

🎶 Genesis DOES! You can’t be Hulk on Nintendo, Genesis DOES! 🎶 😂

[@o-datsingh7296]

​@@thedaily30hell fukn yeaaaaaahh

[@MarcoZ1ITA1]

Yeah that's kind of weird given that he was already at WCW at the time I'm pretty sure. Wonder how they got away with that one!

[@bananonymouslastname5693]

There are a few oddball roster differences between the SNES and Genesis versions. Genesis has Hogan, IRS, Papa Shango, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and Rick Martel. SNES has The Million Dollar Man, Mr Perfect, Ric Flair, Yokozuna, and Tatanka. The rest (Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, The Undertaker, Razor Ramon, Randy Savage, Crush, and Lex Luger) are on both. It's a shame they didn't have Ted Dibiase and IRS on the same version so we could have some Money, Inc tag team action. At least you can do the Mega Powers on the Genesis version.

[@Walkeranz]

This settles the console wars debate forever more. Genesis Does!

[@MIKandJEAN]

Urban Strike, has an option for 6 buttons however this causes in-game cut-scene screens to auto skip, (acting as if you have pressed the Start Button when you haven't). You can hold the mode button just before the cut-scene pops up to stop this, or set your 6 button pad to use 3 button. Using 6 buttons, X becomes Chopper Strafe if held.

[@Nandru85]

In International Superstar Soccer Deluxe, mode button acts as a modifier, you hold it and press any of the 6 face buttons to select a team strategy, that you must set up before any match

[@sf2zero]

I have just said that on other commentary. I thought I was the only here who knew it, but I'm wrong. Lol

[@nastybedazzler]

I love bonus Game Sack episodes.

[@KevenLC]

I owned a 6 buttons controller... almost 30 years ago now and I had no idea what's the use of the mode button.

[@roboyle]

Scrolled through some of the comments to see if Xeno Crisis got a mention - the Mode button allows you to drop any special weapon aquired. Otherwise pressing the fiur directional butttons simultaneously will do the same thing.

[@innocenthedgehog8367]

Not sure if someone's already mentioned it, but Shinobi 3 has a code utilising the mode button which activates six-button mode, and this makes the game a lot smoother to play

[@Supersayainpikmin]

I love weirdly niche topics like this.

[@UnclePhil73]

I was thinking at first this was a parody episode like the joke Joe and Dave did once where they described what the Select Button does in every game in existence. 😂

[@JackMaverik]

Can't wait for a full Library breakdown of the start button.

[@AlfaTrion]

My fav chapter will be the "pause music and sounds"

[@nay10]

Game Sack MODE engaged

[@RabiesTheBeagle]

Tripple mod booster counter activatated...... Game Sack mode queried. Game Sack is wanting. "GameSack mode" is inferior.....

[@AlisonFaria]

Man, you just saved my personal nostalgia with this video since I've been trying to play Forgotten Worlds via Emulator for a while now and every single time ended up with a GAME OVER screen 😅This video is a PUBLIC SERVICE to the whole Sega community! Thanks again 🙏

[@Raijinald]

In Dragonball Z. Holding the mode button while moving will make the player character dash forward/backward easily without the need to double tap the left/right dpad.

[@joshj88]

There are actually some games on the Sega CD that have trouble with a six button. Both wheel of fortune and Jeopardy prevent you from progressing past certain entry screens if the connected controller is in 6 button mode. You have to hold the mode button for both the CD logo AND the in game title sequence until the game name shows up or the C button will refuse to work.

[@mattwo7]

13:27 "And Sinistar!" Sinistar: "Beware, I live!"

[@Fonzermish]

The only game I was aware of using the mode button was MK3 or maybe only UMK3, it's been a while. In it you transform into Milena while using Shang Tsung by pressing mode.

[@nomadicmonkey3186]

Dude keeps upping himself every time I think Game Sack has peaked with their post-credit skits😂😂😂

[@Tomsonic41]

I had a 6-button joystick with a mechanical switch that let you choose 6 or 3 button modes (although it did have a Mode button as well). I also heard there were certain games, such as Jordan vs Bird, that did not work at all with 6-button controllers even if the Mode button was used!

[@Burning_Typhoon]

Maximum Carnage and Separation Anxiety both let you cycle through your assist characters with the mode button. Without it, you had to lightly tap the pause button on the 3-button controller to cycle. A hard press on the 3-button controller will pause the game, IIRC... Why it's not related to the mode button itself, the two games make use of the 6-button controller by separating some of the actions onto those different buttons.... IIRC... Again, once I played a with a 6-button in that game for the first time, there was no going back.

[@brianwalker7771]

On the subject of the mode button MOST of the games listed as incompatible with the Sega Genesis Nomad are easily fixed by activating 3button mode. X-men you still need to use the level select cheat if you want to play the last level since it's issue is a lack of a reset button rather than 6 button mode.

[@AlphaSteam2]

What does the "power" button on the console do though? THAT's the real question we should be asking

[@nicksokolowski7709]

It just turns off the system, short and simple

[@gwishart]

It raises the number of bits to the power of times you press the. button. For example if you press Power three times, you get a 16³ = 4096 bit console.

[@weeblbob233]

I'm amazed that you determine whether its poop or a cookie by eating it. Quality work.

[@philberto78]

I'm not sure if Joe actually contemplated it being a cookie 🤮

[@Chaos89P]

I was expecting Greendog to appear, not a literal turd.

[@davidscottheath]

I'd love to see you do a video on SNES games that support Dolby Surround. Would be great to get a comprehensive and accurate list!

[@HydraSpectre1138]

Same with PS1 games. There are also PS2 games with Dolby Digital 5.1 support. And even Dolby Digital Surround EX 6.1. And also QSound in general.

[@JaredConnell]

I literally just watched ashens video about the genesis and he was talking about the controller and the mode button and I realized I had never used it and didn't know what it was for. Now I do! Thanks Joe!

[@TheFLOMAN76]

Joe comes along and saves my night. Love me some SACK!! Game...! That is. 😉

[@ScottWozniak]

I remember having these issues with Golden Axe II and Ms. Pac-Man back in 1995 on my Sega Nomad. This was before most people had online access. One of the magazines (I believe it was GamePro) printed the tip for the MODE button startup fix. 🕹

[@Not-Great-at-Gaming]

I have most of these games but never realized the twitchy menu issues were related to six button controllers.

[@alousypeach]

Love that these are always uploaded as soon as I’m done work

[@SoftOtaku]

Far from "running out of ideas," this is a fantastic idea! MORE!

[@lilwyvern4]

I'm sort of amazed that six-button setups weren't more common. They're perfect for fighters, and pads don't get crowded. Guess Playstation would have to think of two more shapes though, and trapezoid and octagon buttons don't exactly lend themselves to easy discussion.

[@Burning_Typhoon]

You can get 6-button playstation controllers, but if Sony were to officially do 6-button coontrollers, the entire shape would have to change too.

[@beauleidig8670]

I honestly think it has more to do with companies starting to incorporate ergonomics into controller designs, which is much easier to do when the over all shape is symmetrical. That's also around the same time that the quad shoulder buttons came on the scene, which meant you could assign the two extra buttons up top to have the same functions as the extra face buttons had. Plus, as you stated, they are great for fighting games, however they don't benefit other types of games as much. All of these things together may have been what lead to the six buttons going extinct.

[@todesziege]

I always missed the two extra buttons on modern controllers.

[@rufusray]

Lets do it, this is an awesome idea for a video.... i love that i regularly learn something i didnt know watching this channel, not simply a rehashing of the same tired content that every retro game channel covers, thanks brother.

[@thereviewsbrothers3854]

100% agree, and it’s why Game Sack is my favourite gaming channel 🎉

[@joezep]

I am not 100% sure if it's just my Everdrive being weird or the six button controller but I noticed the menu for The Terminator on Sega CD seemed to be kind of twitchy, or wouldn't let me move my cursor left/right sometimes. I never thought to try the mode button to switch it yet, but I'll have to double check. Fun episode, learned a few things thanks for it. Edit: Oops, forgot I made this comment but I can confirm using my 3 button controller or the mode button on my 6 button fixes the menu issues with this game. Overall gameplay felt fine without this fix, just a twitchy menu if you want to mess with the difficulty/sound test.

[@shinkazama3959]

Never matters how you play After Burner 2, that game is STILL that good!

[@ewrooney]

In Eternal Champion: Challengers from the Dark Side for Sega CD the six button controllers mode button is used for the special codes to unlock all the secret characters in the game. To my knowledge there are no alternates codes for the three button pads.

[@RedSoul001]

This is a topic that I am wholly unknowledgeable in. I've never understood why some games just would not work with a 6 button controller and which games had these issues so this is a very welcome video. Thanks for filling my brain with more blast processing power Joe!

[@nostalgiainjection8867]

In boogerman the mode button makes him say BOOGER! great video.

[@Godsgood111]

Forgotten worlds music to jump things off? Salute to the sack on this proud American holiday!

[@Dac_vak]

Lol I didn’t expect that ending of the skit I’m dead 😂

[@JS_2099]

Would love to see an episode on the Lynx’s Option 2 button!

[@bangerbangerbro]

I guess but I think a fair few Lynx games use option 2 unlike the mode button which seemingly does nothing, and option 2 is on all Lynxes. Actually come to think of it, option 2 might not be used that much. I think steel talons uses it. Does desert strike?

[@greenroom1988]

Running out of ideas? These super specific episodes are my favorite. I learned a lot today. Thanks!

[@trzy]

I'd like to see Game Sack episodes covering each individual button of the 6-button controller, including *all* games that make use of them. Left, Right, Up, Down, Start, Mode, A, B, C, X, Y, and the oft-overlooked Z.

[@kicksex]

I don’t think you’re running out of ideas. This video proves it! It’s a random topic but you really did it justice!

[@nicolasjonasson4820]

I wonder the technical reason for these menu issues...is it that all the buttons get multiplexed before sending data to the console, and the speed for this has to be increased when more buttons is used?

[@RadioTails]

It's to do with the number of cycles when checking the buttons on the controller. 3 Button Connected - Cycles 2 Times 6 Button Connected - Cycles 8 Times What a lot of games do is check if a 6 button controller is connected, and only cycle twice if this is the case. For whatever reason, cycles 3-4, and 5-6 are mostly repeats of checking the main buttons that a 3 button controller has. So some games that don't have the 6 button check in place would see pressing DOWN once as know you have pressed the button 3 times, hence why the menu cursor moves way to fast. Google "reading 6 button mega drive controller" and check the first two results if you want a better description, along with a table that shows the button inputs it checks. :)

[@GameCubeGalaxy]

This was an awesome topic for an episode. My brother and I had those 6-button controllers, and never understood what the Mode button did. Seeing all the games that used it, it made sense why we never got use out of it lol. Excellent episode as always!

[@Kastigatr]

Funny how the initial song used is from the first stage of the Capcom shoot-em-up, Forgotten Worlds. I remember trying to play it with the six button genesis pad and getting an instant game over

[@AquaHedgehog]

About the A and B buttons in Phantom 2040 - You can change what those do from the inventory screen when you press Start. Also the Z button is a handy shortcut for your grapple beam. 🤓

[@robintst]

Honestly didn't know about the Mode button's other functions in some games, I never owned the official 6-button pad. I had a Propad6 from Performance, had built-in turbo macroing and L and R buttons that did nothing, they were just button caps and the rubber domes underneath but there was no circuitry wired to them. They used the same plastic mold for Saturn controllers to save money, heh.

[@HagarDHorrible]

Love your videos. Your production and scripting is top notch. Best video game videos on youtube in my opinion. Thanks.

[@squeter]

sou de são paulo Brasil! e adoro esse canal! ja assisti todos os videos aqui e do canal de som do gamesack ! minha aula de games e de ingles semanal! muito obrigado pelo conteudo ! ótimo trabalho Joe!

[@Thalesperes]

Legal ver mais fãs BR do GameSack 😄 SP aqui tb, mas sou do Grande ABC

[@squeter]

@@Thalesperes que massa! abc representando ! muita chuva em são bernardo ! apesar que hj só ta frio kkkkkkkk

[@Thalesperes]

@@squeter vc é de são bernardo tambem? que coincidência kkkkk

[@squeter]

@@Thalesperes sou mano! moro na são pedro

[@KingOfApoc]

Loadstar: Legend of Tully Bodine for Sega CD: If you press the Mode button on the main menu , Mort says "SEGA!"

[@OctoberRaven]

if you ever run out of topics you can always bring back Playing With Sacks. starting with Greendoooooog

[@mattwo7]

1:53 Oh! That's a baseball!

[@jaymaryfred]

Best intro theme music award goes to 'Game Sack' ...hands down!

[@jbmaru]

I had no idea, as I don't have most of these games and just use a 3-button controller with Golden Axe II! Thanks for the explanation!

[@RsiX_soundsUK]

Wow .. i never once found a use for that button. However that pad was so cool , felt great in hands and the directions / buttons felt perfect

[@user-em3tm7rk6e]

Short note: In Japanese version of Beast Wrestler - Beast Warriors, 6-button controller works normally.

[@MIKandJEAN]

Dungeon Master 2, you can bind some of the game functions like directions or characters ect to the X,Y,Z buttons while holding the mode button over what you wish to bind.

[@Your_Degenerate]

That Sinistar scream gets me every time. I wish I had seen those games growing up like the Impossible Mission as well. The voice sample I remember the most was from Altered Beast. It was pretty awesome to hear voices in games.

[@welcometoGARYVILLE]

There’s a good hack released for Shinobi 3 that enables the 6-button mode. The mode IS in the game regular, it’s just you need to mess around with some settings to unlock it. Check it out Joe, I was hoping it would be included!

[@JJKoester]

I had the 6-button controller growing up and always wondered what that button was for. This was a great episode. Thanks for making it!

[@Rocketknightgeek]

One you missed was Cosmic Carnage on 32x where mode was used for a cheat that changed the title to the original Cyber Brawl where the guard characters were humans.

[@bunnybreaker]

I bought a 3rd party 6 button controller for Mortal Kombat 1 back in the day. Never got the mode button to do anything in any game ever. Thanks for enlightening me.

[@Yipper64]

1:45 something weirdly sensual about these two buff dragons looking into eachothers eyes for an extended period of time with whatever grapple attack that is.

[@IOwnMyWiiULEGIT]

I totally love the Sega enthusiast niche content here, especially the challenge to play Golden Axe II in 6 button mode. Next, thank you for mentioning Williams Arcade- I had no idea it existed! Thank you for the deep coverage!

[@startedtech]

I only just learned about the mode button from the Ashens video today (i've never used a 6 button pad), but now a full video on the mode button! Love it.

[@JR-gl1nx]

So I could have played Decap Attack all along 😢

[@rngtango810]

Vectorman 2's Taxi Mode cheat "ULAZYBUM" and Slow Mo cheat "ALAZYDAY" are the only two cheats that require a six button controller. Activiating Taxi Mode is the only instance where the Mode button is needed.

[@NostalgiaRetrogamer]

Running out of ideas? Man i wait every single episode. You sir are an artist.

[@mynameisyrmom9073]

I had the 6 button for a couple decades, never knew what that button did till today. Thanks Joe.

[@catsaregovernmentspies]

5:55 "since I don't have any friends and certainly not three of them..." lol 😅😂

[@SailorPalutena]

I'm glad you mentioned Sunsetriders. I remember having this "problem" back then and I thought the cartridge was defective, not allowing me to play co-op.

[@JohnnyProctor9]

This is SUPER useful, thanks! Also Beast Wrestler is AWESOME!!! 😆

[@CatFood81]

Never thought you could pull off a sequel for "Games That Use The Reset Button".

[@Nintendo85]

Beyond Oasis is my second favorite game of all time and i had no idea the MODE button did anything. Thanks joe!

[@ninjasec]

Running out of ideas is a real challenge, however I think you have done well to create the content you have all these years

[@dameTHEname]

Crazy how after all these years I still have the 6 button controller and 5 of these games presented in this video and they still work.

[@rezqiano]

Heineken! Damnit Joe now I can't unheard that

[@nickp7186]

The 6 button Genesis controller is my all time favorite.

[@Matichuu]

It reminds me of that "Let's make a youtube show" episode where Joe tries to review every single game that uses the select button lol

[@travisbrown6598]

Nice video and learned about how the mode button works on Batman Forever which yes, I have it on Genesis. You know on Phantom 2040, you can use the grapple with the 6 buttons controller

[@user-sl9ts4dn8s]

Shinobi iii has an awesome secret 6 button control mode, and it uses the mode button to switch ninjitsu powers without having to go in the pause menu.

[@JoolsGuitar]

I never figured how to pull the nunchuks out in the Bruce Lee game. You see, Joe, this isn't a useless episode. Great job as always

[@JAMJR84]

If I recall correctly, Pigskin Footbrawl also had issues with the 6 button controller in 6 button mode. I think it also messed up the d-pad. The only time I tried it with a 6 button controller was with two players, so I don't know if that is what the issue was or not.

[@CasanovaUnlimited]

That ending sketch would have been perfect for a Dave Cameo, especially if the was given a Gordon Ramsay microphone.

[@TPRErik]

I immediately thought of Forgotten Worlds with this new video. The music at the start of the video agrees with me.

[@ElricSowrd]

Yeah, Shadow Squadron does look amazing for a Genesis game. (12:02) I have an idea: With an episode like this, maybe you can cover PS1 games that make good use of the Playstation Analog Joystick, Analog and DUAL SHOCK Controllers. ...And probably Flight games on both PS1 and PS2.

[@FusionArmorX]

On Star Wars Arcade, a 6-button controller also allows you to fire Proton Torpedos _and_ pause the game. With only 3-button controllers, you fire Protons by hitting B+C at the same time, and Start changes your view.

[@bradfordd01]

Never thought twice about the mode 6-button controller causing issues with games. You've opened my eyes lol.

[@VRHyoumaru]

Really wish I knew where Joe gets his awesome Sega-themed shirts. Several times I've tried buying ones I found online and they last maybe two washes before tearing apart.

[@forrestredd2706]

That's his secret... He just doesn't wash them.

[@juiceala]

Back in the day my sister and I beat Golden Axe 2 in 2P mode, I used a 6 buttons controller while she used a 3 button controller, I wish I knew about the Mode button trick back then, instead I used the X Y Z Mode to control my character, lol. I remember Archery in Olympic Gold had the same situation with the 6 button controller and I had to just get used to that.

[@DarkPuIse]

Nightmare Circus uses the MODE button to activate its "Tweaker" by holding MODE and tapping Start (assuming you have the Tweaker enabled in the game options). It lets you change all sorts of stuff about the game, from player stats to enemies, and there's even more options available in it if you've beaten the game or input some special passwords. Game is pretty frustrating and non-obvious, but the soundtrack is SUPERB. I know there's a video of someone beating it on KZbin; I'd never seen it beaten until then (I, myself, failed to beat it while it was on Sega Channel - which is how I encountered it). It used to have annotations to explain all that they were doing, but of course, that got in the way of KZbin's money on mobile devices, so they all had to go...

[@cardfightersclash]

Casually Mode Buttons his way past Snatcher on Sega CD 😩 😆

[@JustinLeeper]

I loved the Sega Six-Button, but never knew how to make Mode work. Very informative video!