What is the best controller you’ve ever used? Period.

Which Company Created The GOAT Controller?

  • Nintendo

    Votes: 31 14.2%
  • PlayStation

    Votes: 87 39.9%
  • Xbox

    Votes: 69 31.7%
  • Third Party

    Votes: 19 8.7%
  • Other

    Votes: 12 5.5%

  • Total voters
    218
Nintendo-GameCube-Controller-Styles-May-Vary



Idk if it's the best i've used but i still love the gamecube controller to this day.
 
Always used Xbox controllers on PC. Layely I've been using the Xbox One controller and I'd say it's very nice, even if this the second one because the first one broke after a few years of use. Still love it, mainly because of being able to use external batteries and the audio jack.

Special mention to the GC controller. It might have a shit d-pad but fuck me if the controller isn't the most comfortable thing ever.
 
The Switch 2 Pro controller has become my fav. controller ever. Whatever plastic and finish they're using on it just makes it so nice to hold and the movement of the joysticks is so quiet and smooth. And unlike most premium controllers with back buttons it's battery life is actually great.

The grip buttons are far and away the best placement for back buttons as well and since they're mapped as "game specific" means I don't have to deal with switching profiles.

It caught me a bit off-guard because I was just expecting a slightly better Pro controller but this is far and away the best controller I've ever used.
 
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I still like the DUALSHOCK 4.

I had one with a satin Sony Sports Yellow / PS2 Slim Box Yellow shell and darker buttons, replaced sticks with hall effect and added extremerate metal stick holders/domes which I polished into chrome with micromesh and magnetic replacement thumbsticks, both with a nice textured, concave rubber tip and the right one with a heavily extended stick. Added a bigger battery and then the back button attachment. Once I got a PS5 I still used the custom DS4 for MW'19.

The DualSense still feels a bit odd to me, the mid section-underside of the handgrips is too bulky and rubs against the inner part of my knuckle on my ring and middle fingers making it sore. I much prefered how the DS4 indented more there.
 
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Nothing beats the comfort and flexibility of the wiimote and nunchuk for me.

I'm also partial to the Sega saturn japanese pad, original PS1 pad, mostly for survival horror and rhythm games, the N64, Wii U and virtual boy controllers.
 
Xbox Elite Series 2 (Expensive) > PS5 Base Controller (bad battery life) > 8BitDo Ultimate 2 (Too small for regular hands) > Xbox Series Base controller (loud clicky dpad)
 
GameCube is the controller I'm most nostalgic for, but my GOAT controller has been, is, and will continue to be Xbox Elite Series 2.

The asymmetrical sticks. The comfortable triggers. The four perfectly-placed back paddles. It perfects the Series controller which improves the One controller which improves over the 360's. The battery is astounding and I like the customization they offer all around (stick tightness, LED color control, trigger stops, swappable parts). No gimmicks.

Nintendo's recent Pro offerings are comfortable but they don't edge out Xbox's. Sony's are too heavy, the batteries suck, and the added haptics/trigger behavior are things I don't miss when playing other platforms. I like 8bitdo and my Flydigi Vader 3 Pro is fine, but they lack a certain tightness on the sticks.
 
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For 2D games, Genesis 6 button pad is the best. I still use one for 2D plane fighting games.

For everything else I would say Dualsense, but, im already on my 3rd one in 3 years due to stick drift. Ergonomics wise it's great though.
 
I went xbox as the xbox 360 controller was so good, the xbox one contoller was trash. I have no idea about the series.

Gamecube is an honorable mention. I want to like the switch pro more (1 and 2) but no analog triggers takes them out.

I have an 8bitdo for pc but it has stick drift even though it has hall effect.
 
I'm too used to PlayStation layout.

Unpopular pick: DualShock 3.
It fits perfect in my hands, it may be a little fragile but it's light, it still has a design similar to DS1/2 and with a small light indicator.

When i hold it, it just feels right. It's like Vita vs PSP. When i hold the PSP, the buttons, the D-pad, it just feels better.
 
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The Duke from the original Xbox, followed (closely) by the Xbox 360 controller. That one was one of the best ever made, for a great many reasons, durability and sticks quality chief among them.
 
Been using 360/XBO for close to 20 years now. It's pretty good. I like Switch Pro Controllers too.

Japanese Saturn gets special mention for having the best d-pad.
NeoGeo Pocket Color click-y control stick was cool too.
 
Probably the dualsense.
I like the ergonomics, I like the analog sticks and Dpad, the haptic feedback is awesome and the adaptive triggers are pretty cool too.

If it had some back buttons and like 2 or 3X the battery life I'd be perfect for me.
 
FLYDIGI Vader 4 Pro is my current jam. Xbox Elite Series 2 is right up there, however the new Switch 2 Pro Controller is bad ass and feels absolutely amazing, so it's on its way to being my favorite.
 
PlayStation.

DualSense and also the VR Sense controllers are amazing.

Using a controller without haptics and adaptive triggers feels significantly worse.
 
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