What Are Your All-Time Favorite Console Controllers?

[poofyhairguy]

So a lot of what defines a console is the controller. What are your all time favorite console controllers (yes 3rd party ones count)? My list you go like this:

1. SN ProPad:

My all-time favorite D-Pad of the SNES combined with Turbo and a see through case. What's not to love?

2. PS3 Sixaxis:

(We have all seen pics or real things)

This is basically Sony's best work but made bluetooth. Second best D-pad ever. Now that my PS3 died they have a great second life as bluetooth controllers for my tablet and Linux HTPC. The tilt stuff is dumb but whatever.

3. Datel Wii Retro Wireless Controller:

Basically the Wii's classic controller unchained, Nintendo went after them and made them discontinue this amazing product. I have a tablet I won't update past Android 4.1 so it continues to work with this controller.

4. Tekken 6 Arcade Stick Controller Xbox 360:

A wireless arcade stick based on my favorite fighting series. Part of the reason this is here is to represent how much I love the 360 USB adaptor.

5. The Dreamcast Controller:

The best console failure ever had a pretty innovative controller. Definitely the best official Sega D-Pad I have found (I like Dpads if you can't tell).

What are your all-time favorite controllers?

 

[American Gunner]

Dual shock 3 is your second best controller of all time?

 

[Rakehellion]

PS3 controller. Despite what nerds tell you, I like it way better than the Xbox controller.

And the Dreamcast stick was way underrated.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Dual shock 3 is your second best controller of all time?

Easily.

-Awesome D-Pad

-I was familiar with its shape day one as its an evolution of the PS1 controller

-As a non-proprietary bluetooth device it works on far more than the PS3

-Its buttons are where I expect them to be (looking at you Gamecube controller)

The only thing a normal 360 controller is good for is its USB adaptor. The D pad on the Xbox controller is a crime to humanity, and the stick can be broken too easily.

 

[American Gunner]

I couldn't stand the sticks. Way too loose and your thumbs could slip off because of the design. Same issue as the L2/R2 buttons. Now the Dual shock 4 is easily one of the best controllers I have ever used, outside of the pointless light bar and weak battery.

 

[cmdrdredd]

1) ASCII Pad for SNES. Most ergonomic controller when using L and R available for that console.

2) Gamecube Controller. It just felt right even with the odd button layout. It was comfortable to use for long periods and many games made good use of the analog L and R buttons.

3) Xbox 360 controller. A refined version of the original Xbox S Controller that just happened to work with PC and made it one of my most used ever.

4) This one was tough but I'd have to give it to the MadCatz TE Fightstick. It brought about a new appreciation for fighting games when it launched in time for Street Fighter 4. Using all the same parts found in arcade machines. Finally you could get authentic arcade fighting action at home without building it yourself. Easy modification helped boost a niche business for sure.

5) I will have to say the Dualshock 4 controller because it simply feels great to me and isn't a huge deviation from the tried and true design Sony has used since 1996. It has enough refinement in the right areas. It is IMO a tribute to Sony using feedback from developers and gamers to make appropriate changes to their design. It's more ergonomic, has better analog sticks, better triggers, & better button spacing. They did a great job IMO. It ranks up with the Gamecube controller for me in terms of comfort for long gaming sessions.

 

[sweenish]

I couldn't stand the sticks. Way too loose and your thumbs could slip off because of the design. Same issue as the L2/R2 buttons. Now the Dual shock 4 is easily one of the best controllers I have ever used, outside of the pointless light bar and weak battery.

The DS4 is quite cozy.

The fact that the PS3 controllers apparently didn't want your fingers resting in them made it a bit lousy. Familiarity means nothing, as I believe the stick placement to have been flawed from the start. Bluetooth is fine and dandy, but no official support outside of the PS3 meant third party, hacky drivers.

I admit to being part of the boomerang hate-train, but these days I kind of wish I could have tried it out beforehand.

Xbox One demos at stores still don't have controllers out. I immensely enjoy the 360 controller in spite of the d-pad. Official drivers for Windows and DirectInput for games have made controller use on a PC a breeze. Plus the batteries always seemed to last longer than in the DS3.

For d-pad, that award goes to the SNES controller.

All my opinion.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Sure, it is all just opinion.

I guess I don't have the same issues with the Sixaxis. I mean, it is not the best controller design ever, but it is "good enough" in every way and excellent enough in the Dpad to count.

It is like the NES controller. This week I have been playing the crap out of SMB3, so much my hands hurt from the edges of that NES controller. But until I got the real thing in my hands, I couldn't get a single white mushroom house. Sometimes the mind/body likes a little pain if its familiar pain.

If it wasn't for the connectivity options (I don't have hacky driver issues, it connects rock solid to my Ubuntu HTPC and my rooted Galaxy S4 with the right apps), the Sixaxis would lose a spot or two. But it is just SOOO useful for outside of the PS3. And I find the battery is sufficient.

I mean, I don't hate the Xbox controller. I would rather play my Gamecube games with the 360 controller (so I do just that). Its just that for me, non-native console use always means emulators which means old games which means I need a rock solid dpad. I was so hopeful when they redesigned the Dpad for the silver model but they may have made it worse. It is like the guys who made terrible dpads for Sega left for MS right before the Dreamcast launched or something.

I have never seen or held a DS4. If it ends up being as hackible as the Sixaxis then it might end up on top of the list.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I have never seen or held a DS4. If it ends up being as hackible as the Sixaxis then it might end up on top of the list.

Dunno what you mean by hackable but it has drivers for Windows that emulate an Xbox 360 controller for any game or app that can use it complete with working rumble and even the touchpad works to move your mouse cursor. So it has a good start on working outside the PS4 already.

http://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-DS4-To-XInput-Wrapper

 

[Majcric]

@ Poofyhairguy

I have the Genesis version of the pro-pad(your first Photo). But as far as Favorite controller none of the retro's they're too flat. I'm going with the PS4 followed by the Xboxone.

If it has to be a retro pick the NES controller for its simplicity.

 

[tential]

Xbox 360 obviously made the BEST controller to have extra been made so far. Dunno about Xbox One.

The sleeper pick for me is the PSP. It was surprisingly easy for me to get used to using that controller. I got VERY good at Tekken5 Dark Resurrection.

 

[exdeath]

Tough. I'd have to say SNES and 360. DS4 is in the running but I don't have enough hours on it to rightfully include it without bias.

I throw some mean shoryukens on the SNES dpad like it was just pressing one button with turbo. Have never had a dpad quite as good since.

Never liked how you held half the n64 controller and GameCube button layout was wonky and non orthogonal and asymmetrical.

DS3 is fine being that I only PS3 for single player and exclusive but 360 def nicer for extended FPS play (FO3/BL).

Though even the 360 has left my hands cramped and injured from 48+ hour non stop sessions so really doesn't matter with the way I binge play.

 

[Drako]

People that like the PS3 controller must have really short thumbs or something. :biggrin:

The PS4 controller is leaps and bounds better.

 

[mmntech]

Despite it's crappy D-Pad, I still think the Xbox 360 controller was the best of all time. Too bad the wired ones are getting harder to find. Don't want to change batteries when I'm sitting at my desk. Haven't tried out the Xbone one yet. Is it any better or worse?

 

[futurefields]

 

[cmdrdredd]

Despite it's crappy D-Pad, I still think the Xbox 360 controller was the best of all time. Too bad the wired ones are getting harder to find. Don't want to change batteries when I'm sitting at my desk. Haven't tried out the Xbone one yet. Is it any better or worse?

I think it's worse. Mostly because it doesn't feel as solid, the analog sticks are too tall IMO, and the LB/RB buttons feel cheap. It's perfectly usable and I am used to how it functions/feels but I don't like it as much.

 

[mmntech]

I think it's worse. Mostly because it doesn't feel as solid, the analog sticks are too tall IMO, and the LB/RB buttons feel cheap. It's perfectly usable and I am used to how it functions/feels but I don't like it as much.

I guess Microsoft doesn't understand the meaning of "if it ain't broke..."

 

[cmdrdredd]

I guess Microsoft doesn't understand the meaning of "if it ain't broke..."

*shrug* I saw a lot of hate toward it initially but it died off. I think at first it was because people were comparing it to the DS4 and reacting to the changes that made Sony's controller better than the previous one but the XB1 controller didn't have that same initial wow factor when you use it. I do think the face buttons have an improved feel though.

 

[poofyhairguy]

People that like the PS3 controller must have really short thumbs or something.

Why? The Dpad is in the perfect place. :Colbert:

 

[gorcorps]

I can't think of 5 that stood out

#1 is definitely the 360 controller though, because it's comfortable AND has served multi duty as the perfect PC game pad.

Ps4 controller is quite a bit better than the ps3 one. Ps3 felt cheap and had terrible triggers. I'd even put the ps2 dual shock before ps3.

 

[purbeast0]

i came here to put the SNES ascii controller and i'm glad to see someone already listed that.

the te2 on xbox1 is the best joystick i've ever use hands down (other than making your own custom one, which i also own but i now like the te2 better than it).

360 is up there as well.

i also loved the n64 controller. it worked perfectly for many games and i loved how you had a separate grip for the dpad and analog. i like that better than having to have one in the "wrong" spot on all of the controllers now a days.

the dual shock was also amazing when it first came out. playstation controllers have just been building off of it. the ps4 controller is very nice and fixes many problems with the ps3 controller.

but let's not kid ourselves... the best controller out there is the jaguar controller.

 

[Tweak155]

So sounds like I'll be the weirdo when I say N64? I thought it was awkward at first but when I got used to it, it made complete sense to me and I became really comfortable with it.

I liked the ascii controller too, but I think #2 is the X360 controller.

It probably helps I played N64 the most out of any console if I had to guess.

 

[Oyeve]

Atari 2600 controller. Worked on my 2600, 400, 800XL and never broke. I still have the original pair from 1978.

 

[poofyhairguy]

So sounds like I'll be the weirdo when I say N64?

I don't think so, I thought someone would. The N64 remote had a lot of innovation (reintroduced analogue, rumble, etc.) and Goldeneye was the first Halo-ish multiplayer experience on a console.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Atari 2600 controller. Worked on my 2600, 400, 800XL and never broke. I still have the original pair from 1978.

Iconic controller that still represents gaming to this day. I would love a good pair for proper emulation.