Just found my old DMC3 Special Edition retail copy, bought it years ago and lost it when moving to a new apartment without having a play of it.

Anyway, I'm wondering how should I play it - a keyboard or a shitty controller? I mean, the obvious choice would be the controller, but this controller is real shitty...

Controller. Definitely controller.

PC version? If so, damn, not good. PS2 version emulated runs better.

In what terms, performance? The PC versions got all kinds of goodies...

Having trouble setting up the controller, though, need some third party programs to fix that weird switched analog stick issue and those third party things are really just fucking with me.

The PC version of DMC3 is widely considered a bad port, unoptimized and just not well made, considering that DMC4 runs better on the same hardware (then again, DMC4's lead platform was the PC, it was later ported to the consoles, even if they were published before). Really, really bad performance on low settings.
The goodies on the DMC3 port are on the PS2 version of DMC3 Special Edition. It is a VERY VERY good game, but honestly it runs better emulated.


Edit: Use Xpadder for control issues.

The external gamepad config utility included with the latest patch lets me setup my directinput pad just fine. Stay away from the keyboard input as its totally inadequate (unlike say Darksiders 1).

DMC3 PC v1.0 runs okay on my 8 year old Celeron Mobility laptop with intel 915 integrated graphics.

Got the controller working the right way, see no problems in performance yet. Died on the first mini boss (the teleporting Scythe dude). Thumb already hurts.

have mercy on me

That mini boss was the hardest boss in the game for me. Once I learned the game well enough to defeat him, all other obstacles were but a temporary setback.

I must have lost 30 times to him on the default difficulty. XD

I'd recommend getting the PS2 manual off of replacementdocs so you know what buttons the in game instructions are talking about when they describe moves.

Got the wench the second time, normal encounters scare me more. Get dive slashed by those red guys unexpectedly, drains ma hp pretty quick.

The control seem to be fully understandable, which I wasn't expect it. No need for that manual thing yet!