The best....controller?

[Lee]

For every console there's a games controller, over the past 25 years they have really developed. The first major non joystick based ones were for the NES and the Master System, both had a D pad and two action buttons (plus start/select).

Then we went onto the Genesis which had three buttons and a D pad, but there was something nice about it in that it had arms coming off on a curve. The SNES brought us Shoulder buttons and went to four buttons.

Then we had the PSX which just felt really nice, then the N64 came and brought us analogue and rumble pack. Playstation changed their pads and we had two anologue sticks for the PS2, the Dreamcast was big and bulky where the X-Box had to be resized in Japan. We also had the GC pad and the Wii remote. So which pad is your favourite?

For me it's a remote I hated at first but now it's second nature: The GC pad. It is a nice size and the comfort of the L,R and Z buttons work well, the D-pad is nicely located as well as the buttons and C stick. By far my favourote pad.

I also think the PS2 pad is pretty good, it's the same basica formula that pads try and emulate, the two anaologue sticks, the four shoulder buttons, four action buttons and the D-pad. A nice evolution from the features that were seen on earlier Nintendo pads.

Bottom of the list is the DreamCast pad for me, whilst I feel teh memory card thing was a nice gimmick there's one thing I fail to understand. Why in the blue hell was the wire at the bottom and not the top? That's just silly man.

 

[X]

For shame Lee! You forgot the GREATEST video game controller of all time...

Spoiler

Just kidding, obviously the worst fucking controller ever. Trying to play that thing was like trying to solve algebra algorithms with a blindfold on. It worked well enough for Alien vs. Predator though, and that was the only game I ever really cared about for the Jaguar.

I'd probably have to go with the PS2 controller, to me it perfected comfort and ease. Playing it just feels natural, it conforms perfectly to your hands, all the buttons are in comfortable positions, just an absolutely perfect controller. It's the reason why I still haven't gotten any XBox systems, I'm too used to the PS2 controller.

 

[NSL]

I saw the thread title and automatically said out loud "SNES". But, then I saw the pic of the Genesis controller, and it reminded me just how awesome that controller was.

The Sega controller was great for the games that came along for it, and it was easy to adjust to 3 buttons from NES's customary 2. Likewise, the SNES controller just felt right, and was amazing for sports games. The 4 buttons were set just right, and the shoulder buttons made me wonder why we didn't have them earlier.

I think I'm going to go play some Madden '95 now...

 

[Paradox]

You missed the original xbox controller. That was a fun controller to get use to. Now I love the genesis controller, it's was one of the best controllers to come out it was easy to get it and fun to play on. My favorite is the 360. It's very simple, and fun to play on... So I'll go with that one.

 

[Slyfox's Bitch]

I'm going with the N64 controller, all the way. I don't think I'm being biased, I might be, but I just loved the controlling on the N64. I didn't find a single solid game that had any control malfunctions or lack of comfort. Not only was it original, and looked totally awesome, it was easy to use even with all the buttons. A close second would be any of the playstation controllers, which were almost as bit as magnificent, if not just as. Also the vibration function was put to more than single uses.

 

[The Doctor]

It's easy for me: The PlayStation 2. The controller felt natural, was compact and lightweight, and was pretty much the closest thing to a perfect controller I've seen. I still use a version of it today when playing emulated games, and it feels extremely natural, even for Nintendo 64 games. When a controller can work for multiple systems, you've got something special.

 

[Phoenix]

I think for me, I would have to opt for the N64 controller followed by the PS2.

N64 for me, was the ultimate controller that was made for anyone, you had about 3 different ways to hold it and neither felt alienated or uncomfortable, all the buttons were within good reach of each other and you can pick up one up easily and go. Mustn't forget the good old Shadows cheat trick

Playstation 2 is a very close second because as many said, it was comfortable and easy to use, it's how a controller should work. From each button being only a finger away, you never felt your hands were being abused and as a person who started on the D-Pad first on it, while it felt weird switching eventually to analogue, you just got on with it like riding a bicycle, you never forget.

Those two are definitely the best controllers out there for comfort and playability.

 

[Dexter]

I'll go with the PS3 controller. It's essentially exactly like the PS2, but it's wireless which I really like, it has a button that turns on the console remotely, and it supports motion sensitive controls. I hesitate to even mention the motion sensitive controls since that tends to be a touchy subject, but when done well (as in Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, and InFamous), it's a good thing.

 

[Leafy]

I've played many consoles and I'm going to pick the 360 controller. It feels natural in my hand and works very well in FPS. I've never tried the PS3 but if it's the same as the PS2 it comes a close second. I for one never liked the N64 for the overload of buttons.

 

[Kashagi]

A Keyboard and mouse....

But in all honesty, as much as I love so many of the classic controllers, Playstation and 360 simply have the most comfortable controllers I have ever had the pleasure to use, never have I had an uncomfortable moment in a game because of the controller, they are just prime examples of the perfect controller.

 

[Rip]

Absolutely keyboard and mouse.

But for the sake of being on topic, I'd say realistically most of them are a tie (honestly never had comfort issues and I have big hands) with the ps3 edging out first place... it's wireless.... can't more comfy than that.

 

[ABMorales787]

N64 for me. It looks so huge and disfigured, yet when you grab it, you could spend hours playing nonstop (which I did). The button where always close. And it had more than one way to grab it. The cable way really flexible and the Rumble pack was so huge, it actually made my hands shake. In second I'll go with the arcade style NES controller. I loved playing Double Dragon with it.