A precursor to the standard D-pad was used by the Intellivision console, which was released by Mattel Electronics in 1980. The Intellivision's unique controller featured the first alternative to a joystick on a home console, a circular pad that allowed for 16 directions of movement by pressing it with the thumb.
In 1981, the first true cross type directional button layout was invented, featured on Entex's short lived "Select A Game" cartridge based handheld system. It featured non-connected raised left, right, up and down buttons aligned to the left of a row of action buttons. (Basically if you dum sheeps can't understand, this is the first up, down, left, right d-pad. The only thing Nintendo did was just made it into a complete cross. But it performed the same exact function. Just read below.)
In 1982, Nintendo's Gunpei Yokoi updated this idea, connecting the points of the cross shaped button layout into the familiar modern design for their Donkey Kong handheld game. The design proved to be popular for subsequent Game & Watch titles, although the previously introduced non-connected D-pad style was still utilized on various later Game & Watch titles, including the Super Mario Brothers handheld game. This particular design was patented.
So now sheeps, what have we learned today? We have learned that Nintendo did not invent the d-pad. They only made it better. We also know that nintendo did not invent the analog control, they only made it better. So the very thing you despise about Sony which is copying and improving products, well guess what Nintendo did it first. TSHBO!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-pad
puertorock_papi
joystick does not = a analog stick nub 
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