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[revolverjgw]

The DS4 is immaculate... just a damn shame my right trigger sounds like a fucking quacking duck. I don't use it often, but when I do it's a treat to hold that thing in my hands.

The Gamecube controller is a joke, with it's microscopic d-pad, nipple for a stick, unclickable sticks, 3 shoulder buttons instead of 4 for no goddamn reason, no select button... were they just trying to be weird and different for the sake of it?

 

[Candescence]

I'm actually shocked that there isn't a 'design your dream controller' thread. It would really be an interesting discussion on what kinds of features one could implement into a controller.

Anyhow...

Best Controller (thus far): Wii U Gamepad, hands down. Aside from the lack of analog triggers, it's nearly perfect. Gamecube comes in close second.

Worst Controller: DS3. It didn't take much for me to decide that the ergonomics were an abomination. I mean, geez.

Controller design I'm looking forward to: Steam Controller. Mouse-level analog precision, buttons on the grip (fucking genius)... The only thing it's missing is a touch screen for off-tv play.

 

[Daouzin]

I think it is awkward and ugly and part of the trend that started with the 64 of Nintendo making shit different for the sake of making shit different, with it negatively impacting all but a few first party games.

Yeah, your language suggests its more about Nintendo than the controller itself. The controller wasn't that different at the time and I agree the N64 controller was a monster, but the GC controller is still great despite your issues with Nintendo's mind set.

If the GameCube controller came out for the first time today, you'd have a point, but it came out AFTER the N64 one and pretty much met the trend of the time half way.

 

[unholyrevenger72]

1. Dualshock 2
+No Triggers
+Convex
+ Neutral Shoulder Button design
-Stiff sticks
2. Dualshock 3
+Convex
+ Light Sticks
- Triggers
3. 360 Controller
-Stiff Sticks
-Primary Shoulder button is under secondary
-Triggers

*Don't Have a PS4 or Bone yet

As far as ergonomics most 6th through 8th gen controllers have perfectly fine ergonomics. I'm not an idiot who holds the controller wrong then blames the controller.

 

[strobogo]

Yeah, your language suggests its more about Nintendo than the controller itself. The controller wasn't that different at the time and I agree the N64 controller was a monster, but the GC controller is still great despite your issues with Nintendo's mind set.

If the GameCube controller came out for the first time today, you'd have a point, but it came out AFTER the N64 one and pretty much met the trend of the time half way.

I have no issues with Nintendo. I had a 64, GC, and Wii. I think their controllers were terrible after SNES and were trying to be weird and different to stand out, even if the weird controls meant many games would take a hit. I rarely even play games anymore. I think I've played all of 2 games that came out this year. There are people on GAF that don't give a shit about individual companies, who don't know who the CEOs are, who don't know individual developers, and don't care about any of the drama that Gaming Side brings.

Some of my favorite games were on the N64. The controller still sucked for all but about 10 games and the GC continued that trend. The Wii then took it to a whole new level. That's not an attack on Nintendo. If you think that is someone posting about an agenda about a company, I don't know what to tell you. I didn't like the Genesis controller, but I had a Genesis and liked a lot of games on it. I don't hate the Sega mind set. I hate the controller. Just like with post SNES Nintendo.

 

[Daouzin]

If you think that is someone posting about an agenda about a company, I don't know what to tell you.

Yeah, I didn't think that, your language was just very strong about a controller.

I think you're crazy. GameCube controller was pretty conventional by my standards and super awesome. So I don't know what to say other than, you crazy.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

I think it is awkward and ugly and part of the trend that started with the 64 of Nintendo making shit different for the sake of making shit different, with it negatively impacting all but a few first party games.

It came out in 2001, and it moved from the N64 controller which was very experimental to a form factor that mirrored what we'd have on the other platforms. It's really only missing two "main" buttons - "left z" and "select". I suppose you could count the clicky sticks too, but those really had not seen significant use at all prior to later on and in the subsequent generation. There's not much shockingly innovative about it, although the asymmetrical face buttons are something I actually liked. They weren't "making shit different for the sake of it", there were no major industry standards for controllers at the time. The DS2 had only come out a year earlier, and the Dreamcast had only left the market months earlier.

 

[Chinbo37]

Is the White XBONE controller available separately?

I was hoping to pick it up for my PC.

 

[Ivan]

Snes controller was the first one that felt completely PERFECT to me. The way you hold it, your fingers rest on shoulder buttons (wow!) and keep it stable, main four buttons in a diamond formation - so much better than anything before, perfect d-pad, beautiful design. It outclassed everthing from that period and I could't get enough of it.

I really liked sega consoles too, but snes controller was just something else.

PS1 controller was a logical step forward for me, perfection again.

And dualshock (1, 2 and 3) after that, of course.

I have to say that I have love/hate relationship with DS4. My hands still hurt after some time of gaming, so it's not ergonomically what i expected. And I feel it's designed primarly for FPS and that it's much worse for other genres that require using all buttons at the same time, especially L1/L2 and R1/R2 combinations. I find the angles really bad and buttons hard to reach while holding the controller tighltly as intended.

On the other side, I really like new sticks and triggers.

Some dualchock "classic" with a shape of ds3 and sticks and trigers of ds4 would be my perfect controller.

I really like the looks of xone controller, too. So beautiful.

I don't like DS4 design at all, too. It lost it's iconic "default gamepad" look it had for two decades. Now it looks like a Frankenstein of different ideas and the result is not pleasing for me.

From certain angle it can pass, but simple look at it screams that it's ugly. It makes me really sad, because I was mostly playstation/pc gamer over the years.


One more from my earlier gaming days, I wanted this SO BAD to play on my Amiga 500 (and little did i know).


QuickJoy Megastar.

It looked awesome, but it was so fucking stiff that it made most of the games unplayable. One of the biggest disappointments of my life .

But still, just one look at it brings back lovely amiga memories.


This was my perfect amiga controller and one of my all time favourites.

 

[Candescence]

Also, this thread has gotten me thinking about what we could really do if the Sixsense STEM technology (seriously, costs as much as a bloody console, and the Razer Hydra, the earlier version of the tech, is no longer being made) was, well, actually affordable:

While the button placements aren't necessarily ideal, and the controller lacks a d-pad, it's probably the most viable controller out there for motion controls and VR, and it provides precise aiming while also enabling analog input, and all sorts of possibilities for VR control, especially if additional STEM units are used. If the damn thing weren't so expensive, I'd get the STEM, but it's bloody expensive, which is the main barrier to entry.

Add an additional button(s) to the grip, and perhaps a variant with a d-pad, and you might have a winner.

 

[YoodlePro]

If the 360's pad had swapped the left analog placement, put in the Vita's D-pad, and widened/flattened the face buttons, it would have been the most fantastic piece of work on the planet. Man someone needs to hodgepodge that controller for me lol.

That would probably make the universe explode!

Perfection. The mecca of gaming controllers.

 

[HighResTomato]

GOAT for sentimental reasons.

Spoiler

PGR2/Halo2

 

[TommyTosser]

The only beef i have with the DS controllers are the placement of analog sticks.

Since using the XB pad a hell of a lot i prefer to have the left stick where it is.

 

[Cyborg]

DS4 feels amazing

 

[ChronotriggerJM]

The only beef i have with the DS controllers are the placement of analog sticks.

Since using the XB pad a hell of a lot i prefer to have the left stick where it is.

It's got more to do with ergonomics of the controller guiding your thumbs to correct posture than the placement. Microsoft really nailed the ergonomics for the sticks, but fell short with bumper placement.

DS4 really is a well planned controller. I just wish it went that next ergonomic step that I feel Microsoft excels at. The DS4 isn't bad by any metric on that front mind you.

 

[DaSorcerer7]

The best: Wii U gamepad. Love the options the second screen provides for both gaming and non gaming scenarios.

 

[Android18a]

I loved the Gamecube's keyboard-controller by Hori, I used the heck out of that on Phantasy Star Online.

All the great buttons of the regular cube controller, but your arms were at a more natural position without being crunched up in front of you like most controllers.

This is also why I love the Wii Remote + Nunchuck - your arms can take a very natural position as long as you're not waggling around like a maniac.

I always thought the way we hold controllers was uncomfortable, both arms bent inwards around a small gizmo. I'd quite like a dual-nunchuck type controller for the current gen systems. Although that might not work so well on the next-gen consoles, since the PS4 has a touch pad I think.

 

[Slayer-33]

Holy shit, the XBO controller looks even better
than I remember. God damn.

It has aged into perfection

 

[The Lamonster]

Is the White XBONE controller available separately?

I was hoping to pick it up for my PC.

Nope. Not yet at least.

When the white PS4 showed up on Amazon, the separate white DS4 showed up soon after. With the white X1, it's been up for a while but no white controller is listed yet. It's a shame, but it doesn't really bother me as I do all my local multiplayer on Wii U or PS4. X1 is basically going to be my Halo box.

 

[Chill Penguin]

For me i think the best are:

1. Xbone controller
2. 360 controller
3. Dualshock 4

Anything prior to the 360 controller i'm not really a fan of. They were serviceable at the time, but in retrospect there are some egregious ergonomic errors. Controllers have mostly gotten exponentially better over the years.

 

[Chinbo37]

For me i think the best are:

1. Xbone controller
2. 360 controller
3. Dualshock 4

Anything prior to the 360 controller i'm not really a fan of. They were serviceable at the time, but in retrospect there are some egregious ergonomic errors. Controllers have mostly gotten exponentially better over the years.

come on tho, SNES controller and Saturn controller were GOAT non analog controllers...

 

[Rich!]

PS1 dual analog is far superior to the dual shock.

Those longer handles are great

 

[TRI Mike]

This generation has done a great job with the controllers but I still think the 360 one is the best.

 

[ilikeserial]

My fingers tend to slip on the dualshock 4 thumb sticks. i think they should have gone with a rougher texture like previous dualshock controllers. 360 controller=best

 

[Krejlooc]

This was my perfect amiga controller and one of my all time favourites.

This is the exact one I had. I loved that blue and chrome design.