What is the best videogame controller?

[xDragonWarrior]

I have used my fair share of videogame controllers and In my opinion it's between the Nes,SNES,Virtual Boy(It's really nice with the grips on the controller handle and it's concaved d-pads) Saturn,PS2, and GameCube(I don't know why some people hate it) controllers.So what do you believe to be the best or top videogame controllers?

Edited January 6, 2014 by xDragonWarrior

[Gabriel]

My favorites, in no particular order:

 

For golden age games = Atari CX-40

For modern games = Sony PS2 controller

For light gun games = Namco Guncon

For fighting games = ASCII Fighter Stick SG-6 for Genesis, or Fighter Stick SN for SNES

For trackball games = Atari 5200 trackball controller.

[Ransom]

Among pack-in controllers? The PS4 DualShock controller, no contest.

[Punisher5.0]

Duke FTW!

[famicommander]

1. Wii Classic Controller Pro or Wii U Pro Controller (the only major difference is the placement of the sticks+ click sticks and analog triggers on the latter)

 

Great ergonomics, great tactile response from the buttons, dual analog, good d-pad, four face buttons, four shoulder buttons.

 

2. SEGA Saturn controller

 

Incredible d-pad, great stock controller for fighters due to six face buttons, good shoulder buttons. Only drawback is no analog sticks unless you go for the 3D controller.

 

3. Gamecube controller

 

Perfect ergonomics. It just feels amazing in the hands. I just wish the d-pad were bigger and it had four shoulder buttons instead of three.

 

4. SNES controller

 

Simple, comfortable, capable. A classic design with no major drawbacks considering its era.

 

5. SEGA Genesis 6-button controller

 

Again, a great d-pad with great ergonomics and nice, responsive buttons.

 

 

Sony and Microsoft are absolutely awful at d-pad design. The only device either of them has ever put out with a great d-pad is Sony's PS Vita, and unfortunately the rest of that device's controls (analog sticks especially) leave much to be desired.

 

If you want to include specialty controllers, here are some of my favorites:

 

Hori Real Arcade Pro V3-SA arcade stick for PS3/PC

Atari 5200 and Colecovision trackballs

SEGA's official Saturn racing wheel

Horipad EX2 Turbo for Xbox 360

SEGA Saturn 3D controller

SEGA's Dreamcast lightgun (to this day I fire up House of the Dead 2 and play two player mode by myself with two lightguns)

Nintendo Wii Remote with Motionplus (I know it's the stock controller but I consider the Classic Controller superior for many types of games; the Remote is unrivaled for games like Fishing Resort, Red Steel 2, Wario Ware, etc though)

[JadeETC]

Why is the NES Max not on this list?

[+Gemintronic]

It pretty much stops at the PS3 controller for me. It's barely an improvement on the original PSX controller - but that's OK. The L3 and R3 buttons (depress the analogue sticks) are retarded. That's the only complaint I can find.

 

Right now I'm using a PSX to Genesis joystick converter on my 2600 and couldn't be happier.

[cimerians]

I used an Atari 2600 controller for over a decade mainly because after the Atari I soon bought a C64 and used it on there as well.

Not just the Atari model but Wico, Suncom etc. In fact I still use it on emulation.

 

The SNES gamepad, Playstation Dualshock, and Xbox 360 controller are my other favorites.

[darthkur]

[Bill Loguidice]

For pack-ins, I'd say overall it's the Xbox One controller, followed closely by the Xbox 360 controller (the PS4's is also greatly improved, but still not quite there for me). There were several I enjoyed over the years, though, including the original Atari VCS joystick. Certainly my favorite Atari-style joystick back then (and even now) is the Epyx 500XJ. I loved the micro-switches.

 

With all that said, post-Crash, there have been only been a handful of pack-in controller duds.

[Hatta]

[oldjd]

No love for the 5200 joystick?

[Jess Ragan]

The poll should have went as follows:

 

Saturn controller

Saturn controller

Saturn controller

Saturn controller...

[CatPix]

I will never understand Sega fans on that controller... It's light, feels like made is Shitna, buttons floats around and... I never figured out if there were really shoulders buttons or just "decorations" at the shoulders?

The Dreamcast controller on the other hand (ha!) is near perfect and innovative.

 

I don't understand why there is the NES, SMS and Turbografx controllers (as they are about the same layout wise) and not the Channel F and Astrocade controllers.

Both those are 1000 times greater that this cheap arcade stick wannabe VCS controller. The 7800 "Europad" is missing too but it's a great replacement for the VCS stick.

 

So my choices would go as this :

Pre crash : Bally Astrocade

8 bits : NES

16 bits : SNES

32/64 bits : Virtual Boy/Playstation (yeah. The VB controller would have been awesome for the n64 if adding the analog stick. Awesome grip and natural shoulders buttons placement)

128 bits : Dreamcast

HD gen : Xbox360 for the comfort and classic controls, Wii for the innovation and some greatly made games using the move detection.

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

THIS!

[adamchevy]

I think this gets my vote

[Hyperboy]

My favorite!!

[xDragonWarrior]

Why is the NES Max not on this list?

because the list was originally just for pack ins.On a second note non pack ins like te Max and Advantage will be allowed.

[Rhomaios]

Variations should have been included. Model 1 Saturn controllers aren't anywhere near as good as model 2. I highly prefer the NES, but SNES and Saturn model 2 both work fine for me.

 

What was not in there and should have been is the Neo Geo Pocket Color stick. My god that thing is perfect for a handheld.

[+pboland]

I voted for Dreamcast, but I'm probably a little odd as my favorite was actually the Atari Jag controller. I know, must people hated it, but for what ever reason it just fit right for me.

[BigO]

[Reaperman]

Of what was up there, Saturn was the obvious choice for me. Excellent overall shape and button placement. Stellar D-pad.

Game systems afterwards should have stopped trying and just licensed the 2nd gen saturn controller's design.

 

Nice to see some love for the old 500xj too. I probably spent more time using one than any other controller. Mostly because they never broke. Short throw stick with lots of feedback, and microswitches everywhere. ...why if it weren't for the crippling pain (which you do get used to) it would certainly be my favorite controller of all time.

[108 Stars]

The Dual Shock line for me.

[Seob]

I vote Odyssey 2. Why isn't it on the list?

[GameGirl420]

I voted for the Dreamcast controller. I remember being totally impressed with it when the Dreamcast first came out. I still think it's neat that you can play little LCD games on it.

 

My second choice would be the Wireless Atari 2600 controllers.