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[Lernaean]

This ruined everything.

It funneled a massive disloyal, casual audience into the market, which Sony and Microsoft chased in the form of Kinect and PS Move. Once the fad was over, all of those millions of potential customers packed their bags and moved on to their iPads, leaving Sony to abandon the PS Move, and Microsoft with a device whose market was falling apart.

On top of that, it basically ensured that third parties wouldn't want shit to do with Nintendo for the longest gaming generation on record when they realized that people were just buying Wiis to flail their arms around like idiots in Wii Sports. It also contributed to the death of a large majority of their IP library because they couldn't figure out how the fuck to make their IPs work properly with that piece of shit controller. Nintendo also forced their development dollars into this stupid shitstick instead of developing a proper system for a connected, HD age.

The Wiimote ruined everything.

Not a popular opinion tbh, and i personally wouldn't want to play the likes of Sin and Punishment, or Pikmin without motion controls, but that said, i agree completely.
The Wiimote is an excellent controller that should have been an optional controller for certain games. Forcing motion controls was a nightmare, and it led us to all the problems you mentioned.

 

[BriGuy]

Here's my top 20 ranking of console controllers, best to worst, or at least the ones I can remember using:

1. Dualshock 4
2. Xbox360 pad (wired)
3. Xbox360 pad
4. Xbox type S pad
5. Wii U Pro controller
6. Xbox One controller
7. Dualshock 3
8. Dualshock 1-2
9. Gamecube controller
10. SNES controller
11. Wii U game pad
12. Xbox "Duke" controller
13. Wii pro controller
14. N64 pad
15. PSone controller (original)
16. Sega Saturn controller
17. Sega Genesis controller
18. Wii remote +numbchuck
19. NES pad
20. Dreamcast controller

 

[JMTHEFOX]

Best: Xbox 360(Original, S, for windows) controller, Xbox One controller, Wavebird Controller, Dualshock 3
Worst: Jaguar
Most Asthetically Pleasing: Dualshock 4, Wii U Pro Controller, Moga Pro/Rebel/Power Series

 

[Grief.exe]

I swear, every generation has a controller I like best. They just continue improving and iterating on the design.

I almost gave the nod to the GC controller during that particular generation, but the shear ergonomics of the Duke for my huge hands wins out. The XBO controller looks excellent this generation as well, just prefer the wireless of the DS4 for PC and PS3.

 

[DaleinCalgary]

Best DS4
Worst Intellivison controller

 

[BeforeU]

Xbox One, and those trigger and just the built quality overall of the controller and analog sticks are top notch. DS4 is next up, I would say better than 360.

1). Xbox ONe
2). DS4
3). Xbox 360

 

[Aeqvitas]

Worst?

That spongy d-pad still gives me night terrors. (Gravis was like the first party of PC controllers for their time)

I remember owning that exact pad. It was the only way I could play hundreds of hours of Tony Hawk 2 on my horrible machines computer when I was a kid.

If I remember it also had a joystick that you could screw into the dpad. It did not make it better :/

 

[Coda]

In my opinion the Wii U Pro is the best traditional controller on the market for Nintendo and action games. Those digital triggers are gonna be magic once Bayonetta 2 comes out.

Overall it just feels beautiful in the hands, has a light feel while not feeling completely cheap. Also its battery life is godlike.

As far as strictly 2D games go I really enjoy my Sega Saturn pad.

This is the one I have.

Also I recently picked up a mint green (Symphonic Green) Gamecube controller and I've been playing Metal Gear Rising: Revengence on Steam with it using an Xbox 360 controller emulator. This is my oddball controller I use when I'm feeling it. Also I got it for Smash Bros when they announced the Wii U Gamecube Adapter.

These three controllers are my current weapons of choice at the moment.

 

[omegashockwave]

Best: DS4. It's comfortable and every button and stick has the right amount of resistance

Most comfortable: GameCube. It fits the contours of my hands perfectly

Nicest looking: Xbox 360.

Worst: Wii remote. No matter how you hold it, you can only every use like five buttons. Also, it sucks even more when you're left handed. You either hold the remote in your right hand and awkwardly swing it since it's not in your dominant hand. Or you hold it in your left hand and use the nunchuck in your right, so you have to awkwardly use the stick with your right thumb.

Ugliest: pretty much every Sega controller.

 

[valkillmore]

Best: DS4. It's comfortable and every button and stick has the right amount of resistance

Most comfortable: GameCube. It fits the contours of my hands perfectly

Nicest looking: Xbox 360.

Worst: Wii remote. No matter how you hold it, you can only every use like five buttons. Also, it sucks even more when you're left handed. You either hold the remote in your right hand and awkwardly swing it since it's not in your dominant hand. Or you hold it in your left hand and use the nunchuck in your right, so you have to awkwardly use the stick with your right thumb.

Ugliest: pretty much every Sega controller.

The Wii remote wasn't even a decent virtual console controller for NES games. Small d pad, too thin, felt way too small in my hands. had to use a classic controller whenever playing VC games.

My current favorite is the DS4 controller. Id like to play my X360 more, as I love the controller, but I can't find mine. lol

Also, I absolutely LOVED the N64 controller. Felt perfect to me.

 

[Zaku]

This was my favourite controller, bar none:

The funny part is my hands are ridiculously proportioned: I've got the palms of a basketball player yet my middle finger is just 2/3rds of the length of my palm, with my thumb being half. I was disappointed when the OG Xbox switched to the slimmer controller design.

 

[YoodlePro]

Best: The Ds4. I love it it's just so good.

Worst: Anything that has asymmetrical thumbsticks. They are the bane of my existence.

I would actually switch from Sony to Microsoft if the DS5 would have asymmetrical sticks and Microsofts next controller had symmetrical

Did I mention how much I HATE asymmetrical sticks?

Spoiler

I hate them

 

[ironcreed]

The Xbox One controller is the best I have ever used. Playing with it just has a feel of liquid smooth precision.

 

[Hyperborean]

Best : Xbox 360

Worst: Dual Shock 3. Bad sticks, redundant triggers, bad ergonomics. If you think this is the best controller, all your opinions should be questioned.

And people who say the N64 is bad are mad.

 

[Bolts-n-Rays1109]

The DS4 is a huge improvement from the DS3, but the XB1 controller is the best controller I've ever used. If my thumbs didn't hit each other so often on the DS4, then it might be my favorite controller.

 

[Salty Hippo]

Surprised at people liking the og Xbox controller. I hated even the S one. Everytime I go back to play a classic Xbox game I get my hands sored as hell.

 

[Yort]

I'm a fan of Nintendo controllers in general. I liked the Gamecube controller a lot, the Wiimote is great, really the N64 controller is their only misstep.

I bought a Wii U pro controller and I absolutely love it. I've played maybe 10 minutes with it on the Wii U, but I bought the Mayflash PC adapter and it's great. It's so nice being able to play PC games with a nice D-pad, the 360 controller is fine for everything else but the D-pad is terrible. I find it more comfortable for Dark Souls as well since the 360 bumpers aren't great.

I've never been a fan of the Dualshock. It works fine but I don't like the feel of the sticks or the D-pad. I don't like how a lot of games map R1 to what would be on the trigger on an Xbox or Nintendo controller.

I've only held the Xbone and PS4 controllers at demo kiosks in Futureshop, so I can't really judge those. I switched to PC for all my multiplats in 2010, so I can't see getting a next gen console for awhile. I'll probably break down and get a PS4 for Bloodborne sometime after getting into the Souls games this summer.

 

[VanWinkle]

Best: DualShock 4
Worst: Jaguar controller
Best looking: Xbox One controller

 

[TheAdmiester]

Best and best looking: Xbox One.

Worst: Just about anything with symmetrical and/or convex sticks. That means everything before the DS4 from Sony, and basically everything Nintendo has made.

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

DS4 and Xbox One controllers are what you want. The Wii U gamepad should also probably be mentioned because you could emulate DS/3DS/Mobile games.

Wii mote is by far my most hated, it ruined almost an entire library of games for me. (Last Story and Xenoblade dont use motion controls thankfully).

 

[Baleoce]

Wii Classic Controller Pro for comfort

Saturn pad for fighters / 2D games / dpad

Wii U Pro Controller gets my nod for this gen of controllers. I love pretty much everything about it.

The most aesthetically pleasing to me, is probably a gamecube controller. It's also very comfortable in the hand, although the controller does have its downsides.

 

[Snakeyes]

Best overall for 3D games: Xbox One

Best overall for 2D games: Sega Saturn
Runner-up: Super Famicom

Best ergonomics: Gamecube

Most aesthetically pleasing: Wii U Pro, Xbox One

Best D-pad: PS Vita, Sega Saturn

Best analog sticks: left Gamecube stick, Xbox One

Best face buttons: Super Famicom

Best shoulder buttons: Sega Saturn, Xbox One

Best triggers: Xbox One, Gamecube

Worst: DualShock 3

 

[Astro Racer]

I'm shocked to see so much love for the DS4.

It has the battery life of a Sega Game Gear.

 

[RoninChaos]

Best: Wii U Pro Controller

Almost perfect, besides the lack of analog triggers. Absolutely amazing battery life.
Worst: Apple Bandai Pippin controller

Just look at this shit.
Most Aesthetically Pleasing: White Xbone Controller

Pure bliss.

When does this come out?!

 

[Leafhopper]

The Gamecube has the best Analog stick I ever used. Xbox 360 and Xbox One being really damn good too. Never was a fan of the PS analog sticks.

I don't care about the touchpad and the Xbox One's D-pad I think is better. So XB1 > DS4 for me.

 

[Pifje]

The DualShock 4 is no where near as good as people say it is. My buddy had the same reaction when we got our hands on it the first time. It even looks quite ugly, as well. Xbox 360 still remains the most comfortable controller there is. Xbox One's controller probably continues that heritage, I haven't tried one yet, though.

 

[Dicer]

Best:

Wiimote/chuck combo
Saturn Pad
Wavebird
Wiiu CC PRO

Worst:
Pippin
CD-i
Atari 5200


Shockingly, as ugly as the Jaguar pad is it's not terribly uncomfortable.

 

[GeoMarine]

Best: Dualshock 4.

Worst: PS3 Prototype Banana.

 

[CaseyTappy]

Best is the 360 controller .

Worst :

I always hated the Colecovision controller .

 

[Dr.brain64]

Wavebird / Gamecube
PS3
PS4
WiiUpro
Wiipro (2nd rev.)

In that order.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Rare cases of 3rd party pads that I prefer to the originals:

Asciipad for SNES. I don't know if this counts because it was actually licensed by Nintendo, at least in Japan. ASCII manufactured them though.

Analog Sindou Pad and Sindou Pad 2 for PS1/PS2 by Hori. Better D-pad than Dualshocks and on the level of handheld comfort as GCN controllers. Great pad.

 

[jblank83]

Best: Wii U Pro
Worst: Intellivision
Best Looking:

Honorable mention for both best and most aesthetically pleasing:

Wiimote + Nunchuck

It dared to be different. It sacrificed many buttons for motion controls. Say what you will about the Wii, but last gen it really did a lot to set itself apart from its competitors and create its own experience. And the key component in that was this. It has an elegant simplicity to it, and has a very "clean" design. I love its translucent A button. It also felt really nice to hold.

It really was good, for what it was (no second stick, limited buttons, etc). I was disappointed we never got a wireless nunchuck.

 

[Salty Hippo]

I'm shocked to see so much love for the DS4.

It has the battery life of a Sega Game Gear.

Yep, I didn't even consider choosing it for that fact alone. I don't know what Sony was thinking.

 

[Earl_Grey]

Anyone who owned a dreamcast should recognize

While I don't care for the right stick position, the PS4 pad is sheer bliss for anything that isn't a shooter. It's replaced my Saturn pad for 2D games.

 

[KillGore]

white ds4 is perfection

Best controller I've ever held

 

[RodanCeros]

Worst: PS3 Prototype Banana.

This is indeed a terrible concept. Someone, somewhere, wanted to follow the DS2 with that monstrosity...

 

[VanWinkle]

The DualShock 4 is no where near as good as people say it is. My buddy had the same reaction when we got our hands on it the first time. It even looks quite ugly, as well. Xbox 360 still remains the most comfortable controller there is. Xbox One's controller probably continues that heritage, I haven't tried one yet, though.

How is it not as good as people say it is? We've used the controller for almost a year now. I think we're qualified to say what the best controller to us is.

Just because you don't personally like it doesn't mean it's nowhere near as good as people say it is.

 

[Fbh]

One more Vote for Dualshock 4.

Looks great and feels great. And the abbility to connect any headphone to it is awesome.

Only thing it needs is better battery life

 

[efyu_lemonardo]

This is indeed a terrible concept. Someone, somewhere, wanted to follow the DS2 with that monstrosity...

we never got to try it. Maybe it was comfortable.

 

[jackissocool]

I still haven't played a single game where the touchpad was used in any meaningful way aside from pressing it is, which is essentially the same as the back button on the xbox controller.

I'd say the two thing holding back the DS4 from being the best is the questionable build quality and battery life.

Killzone used it really well to control your robot buddy in single player.

 

[pixlexic]

snes>nes>saturn (japan)>360>xbone>ps3>ps4

just something about the thumbsticks on the ds4 that is really off putting to me. maybe because I played mainly on my ps3 last gen?

worst I have ever used is this thing right here.

 

[88random]

DS4 is great, but I'm sad that Sony removed pressure sensitive face buttons, they were awesome for Gran Turismo. That edges out DS2/DS3 as my favourite controller ever

Classic design and until 360 pad it was probably the most recognisable game controller ever.

N64 gamepad was bad but it looked awesome to me. Dreamcast's also.

 

[Owlowiscious]

Sit down and relax in a chair. Now name a controller you can use without changing where your arms are positioned. Only one official controller can do that. Wii + Nunchuck.

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

The star raiders controller was pretty bad too.

 

[Daingurse]

Aesthetics really don't matter to me in a controller. The only thing that does is ergonomics, so the DS4 and 360 pad get it done for me. The Xbox Controller S, Gamecube, and Dreamcast controller also melded to my hands well. Dreamcast had a serious face button issue though . . .

 

[forest]

Is it bad that I fucking love the N64 controller?

Maybe it stems from the SNES being my first console but I've found that all of my favorite controllers are from Nintendo. If I had to rank them from best to worse it'd be:

GC>N64>SNES>NES>WiiU>Wii

 

[Leyasu]

X1 is my favourite.

It was the 360 controller however with the X1 they fixed everything that was wrong and then made it better. It's more comfortable, has a usable DPAD, brilliant triggers and the sticks are amazing. Aesthetically it's gorgeous as well. I also have never had an issue with the bumpers, they work fine for me.

100% agree

 

[GreatestHits]

Actually can I change my vote for most aesthetically pleasing to the GameCube Resident Evil 4 Chainsaw Controller?

We're approaching holy grail levels here

Now here's what I want:

And OP, I forgive you for bashing the N64 controller. I really do

 

[ChronotriggerJM]

Man o' man there have been some truly awful controllers.

My preference is pretty strange though.

I thought the Gamecube controller was simply awful. I thought the triggers were way too difficult to press, I hated that the buttons were all weird shaped, the d-pad was horrid, someone stuck a nipple on it, and it only had one z button. Way too weird for me.

The Dreamcast controller basically guaranteed you'd get arthritis.

The Xbox 360's is the reason I don't have a thumbprint anymore with it's absolutely abrasive buttons.

I actually liked the N64 controller at the time, but man that analog stick failed on every controller.

The only controllers that don't give me issues are the Dualshocks, but I'm not sure I'd even consider those fantastic. I thought the dualshock 2 and 4 are great, but the 3rd was absolutely awful with those triggers lol.

And maybe I don't remember it very well, but everything before the dualshock was terrible in terms of control. The SNES and NES in particular were TERRIBLE controllers, back in the days where ergonomics weren't even a consideration.

 

[GreatestHits]

I thought the Gamecube controller was simply awful. I thought the triggers were way too difficult to press, I hated that the buttons were all weird shaped, the d-pad was horrid, someone stuck a nipple on it, and it only had one z button. Way too weird for me

The quirkiness was The Secret Sauce

It is also the only controller that was proven to withstand the pressure of two elephants standing on it at one time, it was the only controller ever witnessed to make it out of a meatgrinder unscathed (save for a few scratches), and it is also the only controller compatible with super smash brothers