Systems with best and worst controls?

[shadow460]

What system, new or old, do you think has the best stock controllers? How about the worst? (If you answer Atari 5200 for that last question, add in your opinion for the second worst, too.)

 

With that answered, which third party controls do you think are best and worst?

 

As for the best, it's a toss up between an Atari CX-40 and a Sony Dual Analog.

My worst are Atari 5200 joysticks (sorry, guys) and Nintendo 64 controllers. Well, N64 stock controls are a mixed bag. They are the most responsive controls for that system, and the best for playing its games, but they are fragile as glass!

 

My favorite third party controller, beyond a shadow of a doubt, it the Namco NegCon, otherwise known as the Twist Pad or Wipeout controller. It had analog X, Y, and Z axes in a handheld pad. They weren't in a joystick, either.

 

My least favorite third party controller goes to any third party N64 pad. Nintendo built the only pads I think were worth anything for that system. Swapping the optical stuff for pots in third party pads was disaster. The only exception to this rule is the Ultra Racer 64.

Also, I hated the Cobra Gun. Its calibration could change in the middle of a game!

 

All that said, I own a couple of Nintendo brand N64 controllers, two Stunners (with Virtua Cop 2), a Twin Stick, two ProLaugh joysticks, and several other controllers for my various systems.

 

By the way, I actually kind of like the ProLine 7800 sticks. They aren't much to write home about, but they are functional, and they don't give me too many problems.

Edited July 24, 2005 by shadow460

[bergbros2]

5200 Controllers by far. The most misguided controller of all the stock controllers. I think the second worse are the 2600. Not responsive, not comfortable, only one fire button. Breaks easily especially after the most painful game of all time Activision Decathalon.

 

The best? I really like the Sony PS2 controllers with its four button thumb buttons and analog stick. I love NBA Street series and these controllers are the best for this game.

 

I loved the 2600 paddle controllers and they work great with the great Atari 2600 games Kaboom, Spider Fighter, Super Breakout.

 

I am a Dreamcast Fanboy so I got to put in a plug for their really cool accessories. The Twin Sticks for Virtua -On? The Samba Maracas? The guns for House of the Dead and Confidential Mission? And the Fishing Controller for the Bass Fishing series with rumble pack. Their stock controllers aren't bad either. They feel comfortable to me. It just didn't have the six button which is a must for the mess of fighting games on the system.

[spacecadet]

Best all-around controller has to be the Saturn 3D pad. Extremely comfortable, still the best d-pad ever made, great 6-button layout, and just an all-around good feel.

 

For arcade-style controllers, probably all of Sega's "real" first-party arcade sticks - the original Saturn Virtua Stick, the Dreamcast arcade stick, the new PC version of the Virtua Stick, the Virtua Fighter Stick for PS2, etc. All of these are basically the same thing and they're all exactly like real Japanese arcade machines.

 

For best third-party controller I'd nominate the MadCatz Microcon - especially the Xbox version, which is even smaller than the Controller S. For arcade sticks, I'd go with any Hori arcade stick (almost all of them are excellent), or the original Interact Alloy Arcade Stick for the Dreamcast (the Shadowblade for PS2 looks the same other than the color, but the buttons feel completely different). Of course, there's also stuff like the X-Arcade that's even better, but I'm sort of trying to limit myself to mass-produced, cheap stuff that you could buy at Best Buy or whatever.

 

As for the worst controller, gotta be a tie between the 5200 and Coleco Vision pads. The 5200 controllers break easily but the CV controllers break your hands easily. Massive cramps from using those things when I was younger.

[shadow460]

Spacecadet, did you ever try out a Saturn Twin Stick?

 

The only reason I didn't make it my best choice is that it's designed for two games only, although it can be used in any game that uses a standard Saturn pad.

 

My trouble with the NiGHTS pad is that the anaog "stick" acutally jitters a lot when used in place of the Arcade Racer. It's more like the Gyruss arcade machine--you use it to pinpoint direction, not analog position. It's an awesome pad, though.

 

I also forgot about the Sony Dual Analog pad. I added that to my list of #1's. It's like a Dual Shock 2 without the vibration and with indented sticks, plus it's about twice the size of a DS2.

 

@ bergbros: You know where I can get an adapter for my Saturn Twin Stick to make it run on a DC with Virtual On 2?

Edited July 24, 2005 by shadow460

[SteveW]

Worst stock controllers: Atari 5200, NES gamepads for sheer cramp inducing pain, N64.

 

Best stock controllers: Atari CX40, Sega Dreamcast.

 

Worst 3rd party controllers: Virtually all N64 pads, several makes of cheap PS1 gamepads

 

Best 3rd party controllers: most Dreamcast compatible gamepads.

[JB]

Best stock controllers...

SNES pads, Genesis pads.

 

Worst stock...

2600 sticks, Playstation pads.

[spacecadet]

Spacecadet, did you ever try out a Saturn Twin Stick?

 

Yeah, but like you say, it's too specialized. It's the only way to play Virtual On properly, though (the PS2 dual shock pad is ok, but the Saturn and DC standard pads were no substitute with only a single stick). But I can't nominate it for "best controller" because it doesn't really work well with many games... if I was going to nominate something like the Twin Sticks, I'd have to consider stuff like the Steel Battalion controller too, which is just getting ridiculous.

 

I actually don't own a set of Twin Sticks but I wish I did. Last time I was in Japan you could buy them new for 1500 yen; I just couldn't carry them back with me at that point, I'd bought too much already. I'll pick one up eventually...

Edited July 24, 2005 by spacecadet

[Albert]

My least favorite first-party controllers are the Atari 5200, ColecoVision, and Intellivision controllers. Amusingly, all three of these have keypads, although that's obviously not the weak element with these controllers. I never had a problem with the N64 controller and actually like it quite a bit. The 7800 controllers would follow quickly on this list as they are uncomfortable for me to use after a few minutes. I also don't like the original Xbox controllers.

 

Favorite controllers? That's tough. Unless a controller grinds me the wrong way, I'll generally get used to it and then it becomes second nature. Vectrex, Genesis, NES, SNES, N64, GameCube, PS1, PS2, Dreamcast. I really like the feel of the Jaguar controllers and can play Tempest 2000 for hours with them.

 

..Al

[Jess Ragan]

The ColecoVision gets my vote for having one of the worst stock controllers ever made. The Playstation gets a split vote between worst and best... for 3D games, the Dual Shock controller is brilliantly designed, with two analog sticks placed parallel to one another, but that seperated cross is hell when you're playing 2D titles. I almost never play Darkstalkers on my PSP for that reason.

 

This will sound a little odd, but I actually dig the Astrocade controller. It looks like a pistol handle, but two hundred years of handgun technology had made that design both effective and comfortable to hold. The thumbstick on the top feels slightly flimsy, but is EXTREMELY responsive for an early game controller. Most joysticks for early game systems feel stiff and unreliable, but this one is always on target (er, no pun intended). I also like the fact that it doubles as a dial... like the touchscreen on the Nintendo DS, it's a great feature that was rarely used to its full potential.

 

The Vectrex joystick is pretty cool too, in that it just had to have influenced the design of the NES game pad. It's got the same number of buttons, and the same horizontal alignment for them. The joystick, like the one in the Astrocade controller, was much more responsive than the average game controller from the early 1980's, although it too felt less sturdy.

 

JR

[gameguy73]

I can't believe noone has said anything about the Intellivision controllers as the worst. Most people will tell you the disk is what sucked but nope it was the "action" buttons on the side. They would kill you fingers after only a short while. The Intellivision II's buttons were actually worse then the original. I loved my Intellivision but wondered what cruel mind came up with these controllers from hell.

 

As for the best, I've always liked the PS2 dual shock 2 controllers.

[Malc74]

Definitely the Intellivision is the worst IMO - it's the closest thing to a system-killing controller I've ever come across and I rarely play my Intellivision games because of it. I also (oh, the shame!) really, really hate the CX-40, partly because even though I'm right handed I prefer to control the joystick with my left hand, which means all sorts of acrobatics to push the fire button with my right. Yes, I'm one of the poor suckers who prefers the prolines!

 

Best joystick/pad? I was always a keyboard man myself in the old home computing days. When it comes to consoles I always preferred the Megadrive/Genesis pad to the SNES, the PS1 pad to the N64 and the XBox pad to the Gamecube. I don't think I have an overall favourite - if they do the job they're supposed to with causing too much pain to my hands then I'm happy.

[+Omegamatrix]

For the best stock controllers: PSX 1&2 dual shock contollers, and NES dogbone controllers (they were stock with the toploaders).

 

Worst stock contollers I would have to say Colecovision. I've never used a 5200 controller, but I remember playing my Colecovison for hours and having my hands ache the whole time. It was too much fun to quit playing though so you just put up with it.

[Dones]

I never had a problem with the N64 controller and actually like it quite a bit. 

You know I always wonder why people are quick to criticize the N64 pad so harshly. I am actually quite comfortable with it, and find it to be excellent for emulation purposes.

 

For the best stock controllers: PSX 1&2 dual shock contollers, and NES dogbone controllers (they were stock with the toploaders).

Those dogbone controllers are excellent and feel very comfortable.

[SteveW]

I've critisized the N64's controllers because of the awkward design. And having the Z button on the bottom was a truly idiotic design idea. But then, I stayed away from Nintendo hardware until the GameCube, so I didn't buy an N64 and have to get used to the controller in it's time.

 

Some people like the N64 controller, some don't. Then again, some people love the 5200 controller. Go figure.

[Luigi301]

I have a 3rd-party N64 pad that's held up better than all my real Nintendo ones.

[TuzenTCA]

Best Stock Controller:

 

PS2, I love this controller, Sega's Model 2 Controller for the Saturn, also their Big Dreamcast grandfather Controller, I swear it had to be where the Dreamcast controller came from. I also like The N64 controllers, I can switch from center to left grip easily. It looked like crap, but in the heat of a game, no one really looks at a controller with design issues, unless it uncomfortably which it is not.

 

Worst Stock Controller:

 

I have played the 5200, but I don't dabble in all that, I hate the Gamecube, and dislike the NES, yet it was made for play with that system. I don't really like the 7800 Pro-Lines, They always slide out of my hands during play, and I had to retrofit them with some grip tape. I also don't care for the original XBOX controller, I have large hands, but it causes my hands to sweat a lot due to the enormous surface area and the fact that you have to keep your fingers reached out at all times.

 

I pretty much hate all third party controllers, because they get dropped and that damned macro button is stuck forever and the buttons end up loosing their functionality. I just don't like controllers that change button placement, in the Genesis controllers were often larger and I didn't like that, in newer systems they move the buttons ever so slightly and that causes you to miss buttons when you need them the most.

[Emehr]

I generally dislike any controller that has action buttons on the side. I'm lookin' directly at INTV, Colecovision, 5200 and 7800 controllers when I say this. Extra points off if the side button is made of squishy rubber.

 

I like the PS1/PS2 controller EXCEPT for that D-pad with the pointless divisions between up, down, left, and right. Pulling off combo moves in a game like Symphony of the Night is next to impossible with those. Put a SNES or Gen 6 button D-pad on that controller and it'd be just right.

 

The Z button on the Gamecube controller is awkwardly positioned and the D-pad is way too small. Playing emulated NES games with that controller is annoying: HUGE action button, tiny D-Pad. Too unbalanced.

 

Beyond that I can use just about any other controller out there. No complaints. I really like the stock Gen 6 button and SNES pads. Very nice! And for 2600/7800 gaming it doesn't get much better than any flavor of Sega stock controllers: 3 button, 6 button, or the Sega Arcade Stick.

 

- Jason

[BassGuitari]

Best: CX-40, Odyssey 2 Joystick, Tac-2

 

Worst: Intellivision

 

Somewhere in Between: Atari 5200, Channel F

[shadow460]

No one has mentioned the Arcadia 2001 controls. What elevated them above INTV was that the action buttons were usually duplicated somewhere on the keypad.

 

I criticize Nintendo for the durability (or lack thereof) in their N64 pads. Add a Memory Pak, though, and don't drop the thing, then you have the most accurate and responsive pad compared to nearly any system.

 

As for the Channel F stick, it was okayish and somewhat cool looking. My daddy kept all his Imagic proofs of purchase and got one in the mail, but I think it finally wore out. On the other hand, he had half a dozen CX-40's laying around.

 

There's just something the CX-40 shares in common with the old, wore out sneakers. I can't pick out what it is, there's just something about them I like.

The Timberland sneakers I'm wearing right now are five years old and have traveled the tarmac of many theme parks. They are dirty, smelly, coming apart in a place or two (they have no holes in them yet), and the insoles are plumb all wore out, but this is my favorite set of shoes.

[J.Max]

Worst: 5200 Stock controls, Colecovision, Intellivision. The Panasonoc 3DO controller is also really bad, and might have helped kill that systems.

 

Best: PS2, Xbox Controller-S, SNES

[nester]

Well, I'm not big enough of an authority to say what is the worst, but the Jaguar controller is definately the ugliest. I think that's one of the main things that kept me from getting one back in the day.

 

I'm still not a huge fan of the duel shock controllers because they have never felt comfortable in my tiny hands. N64 controllers weren't too bad, but they always kinda felt like they were specifically designed to play Mario 64. They've really grown on me though.

 

P.S. I'm suprized that nobody's said channel f yet. The most phallic controllers in history.

[spacecadet]

I criticize Nintendo for the durability (or lack thereof) in their N64 pads.  Add a Memory Pak, though, and don't drop the thing, then you have the most accurate and responsive pad compared to nearly any system.

897626[/snapback]

 

Well, I dunno about that, but the big problem I have with the N64 controller is ergonomics. It's too big, too heavy, and it requires you to literally move the positioning of your hands and re-grip it to use the analog stick. This makes games that require the use of both very difficult. And the stick itself will rip your thumb to shreds if you use it long enough (I had the same issue with the DC pad thumbstick). The d-pad is no picnic either.

 

Then, of course, there's the Z button.

 

I'd put the N64 controller near the bottom of my controller rankings. If not for the original Xbox controller, I'd easily put it dead last among modern first-party controllers.

 

What the heck, I've got some time to kill so I'll just put a ranking list together for all the systems I've played. This isn't complete, just a list of first-party controllers for systems I've actually played (not necessarily the pack-in controllers, but any general-purpose controllers made for a system by its original manufacturer):

 

1. Sega Saturn 3D pad

2. Sega arcade sticks other than the US (and later Japanese) Saturn model

3. GameCube Wavebird

4. GameCube stock pad

5. Neo Geo AES original model joystick

6. Sony Dual Shock 2

7. MS Xbox "Controller S"

8. Sega Saturn pad (2nd version) - some people like this pad best of all, but I gotta put it at #8 because it has no analog controls and it's not as good of a "digital" controller as any real arcade stick. It is the best digital-only gamepad I've used, though.

9. Sega Genesis 6 button controller - basically the exact same pad as the Saturn pad in a slightly different plastic mold.

10. Sega Genesis stock (3 button) controller, original version.

11. Super NES stock pad - some may not agree with my putting the stock Genny pad over the SNES pad, but if you use both long enough I think the Genny pad definitely wins out with its snappier, bigger buttons and its more responsive d-pad.

12. Sega Dreamcast stock controller

13. Jaguar stock controller

14. Original PSX digital gamepad

15. N64 stock controller

16. 1977 Atari VCS joystick (the one with the springs)

17. NEC Turbo Grafx 16 stock pad

18. Atari 2800/Sears Video Arcade II controller

19. Atari 7800 joystick (I have not tried the European gamepad)

20. Nintendo NES stock pad

21. Sega Saturn stock pad (1st version)

22. MS Xbox stock controller (original "canned ham" version)

23. Intellivision controller

24. Coleco Vision controller

25. Atari 5200 controller

 

I think in general, Sega has the most distinguished record of first-party controllers, but they've had a few duds too. I'm actually kinda surprised to see that Atari has probably the worst overall record, in my eyes.

 

A lot of manufacturers have also done some great one-off controllers, a few of which have already been mentioned... in my experience almost any of these made by Sega (the Twin Sticks, any light gun, the Samba De Amigo maracas, etc.) and even most made by other manufacturers (the Nintendo bongos) have been awesome. But I wouldn't put them in the list because they're not really general-purpose controllers. (Though if you want an evening worth of entertainment, try to play all your other Dreamcast games with the maracas. It does work!)

Edited July 24, 2005 by spacecadet

[Gabriel]

Best: Atari 2600 stock stick

 

Worst: N64 pad and Colecovision controller (tie)

 

I don't have any idea why people say the 5200 controller is bad. It's easily better than the original X-Box controller, original NES pad, GameCube pad, Intellivision controller, and many others.

[ATARIeric]

For older systems ive owned id say the cx40s are the worst "im left handed"

 

 

My sega genesis controllers were the best followed by the ps1 controller

 

Thank god we can use the sega controllers with the atari systems or I probably wouldnt be playing with my 130xe at all

Edited July 24, 2005 by ATARIeric

[spacecadet]

I don't have any idea why people say the 5200 controller is bad.

 

Because you couldn't use one for more than a couple of minutes before it broke.

 

I kinda like the 5200 controllers but if you were around at the time, you knew why they sucked. There's nothing worse than getting your brand new, expensive system home and a month later having to go out and buy a replacement set of controllers.

 

Plus, as someone else said, any controller with side-mounted fire buttons is crap. Thank god the industry moved away from this design.