Personally I found the old xbox controller perfect. Fitted like ...errr a glove?

Small controllers like the Playstation require more contortion of the hands thus creating fatigue and cramps. The large natural open grip of the Xbox controllers made them comfortable to use for long periods. I still use them on my PC with a USB cable mod.

The D-Pad rotates 90 degrees in order to change the configuration to raise the plus or lower it. It rotates back and forth. 1/2 reporting once again from INQ.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz6aTTKE6hE&feature=player_embedded

If you rotate a D-Pad 90 degress...it will be oriented exactly the same as it was before you rotated it 90 degrees! D-Pads are radially symmetrical in 90 degree increments.