Favourite Controllers

[Happenstance]

I see a lot of praise for the Gamecube controller on here so I was interested to see what people's favourite controllers were. It doesnt necessarily have to be the best controller but your personal favourites.

 

One of my favourite controllers would have to be the Competition Pro Mega Drive controller. Probably a bad one to go back to now but I loved it when I had my Mega Drive

 

 

I've got a lot of good memories with the NES controller as well.

 

 

And then honourable mentions for more modern controllers would probably go to the Gamecube and 360 pads.

[Happenstance]

I see a lot of praise for the Gamecube controller on here so I was interested to see what people's favourite controllers were. It doesnt necessarily have to be the best controller but your personal favourites.

 

One of my favourite controllers would have to be the Competition Pro Mega Drive controller. Probably a bad one to go back to now but I loved it when I had my Mega Drive

 

 

I've got a lot of good memories with the NES controller as well.

 

 

And then honourable mentions for more modern controllers would probably go to the Gamecube and 360 pads.

[Hero-of-Time]

 

The GOAT

[Hero-of-Time]

 

The GOAT

[S.C.G]

SG ProPad

 

 

Sega Saturn 3D Controller

 

 

Sega Dreamcast Arcade Stick

 

 

Hori N64 pad

 

 

Nintendo Wavebird

 

 

Wii Super NES Classic Controller

 

 

Xbox 360 Fightpad

 

 

Dualshock 4

 

 

No reasons given, these are just the control pads I actually enjoy using.

 

Most of them are great pads and should be self-explantory...

 

...One or two of them are purely my strange preference.

[S.C.G]

SG ProPad

 

 

Sega Saturn 3D Controller

 

 

Sega Dreamcast Arcade Stick

 

 

Hori N64 pad

 

 

Nintendo Wavebird

 

 

Wii Super NES Classic Controller

 

 

Xbox 360 Fightpad

 

 

Dualshock 4

 

 

No reasons given, these are just the control pads I actually enjoy using.

 

Most of them are great pads and should be self-explantory...

 

...One or two of them are purely my strange preference.

[Goafer]

My favourite for being pure, unfiltered shit:

 

 

 

My favourite for sheer awesomeness (and because I can smugly say I got one for a fraction of it's value):

 

[Goafer]

My favourite for being pure, unfiltered shit:

 

 

 

My favourite for sheer awesomeness (and because I can smugly say I got one for a fraction of it's value):

 

[Hogge]

My overall favorite, in terms of comfort, button layout and build quality is... the wired Xbox 360 controller.

 

 

In terms of looks, the Sega Saturn controller:

I wish they could make controllers like this nowadays. Matte all over, except for a small, glossy face plate for contrast. Perhaps even made from metal. Are you listening, Nintendo?

[Hogge]

My overall favorite, in terms of comfort, button layout and build quality is... the wired Xbox 360 controller.

 

 

In terms of looks, the Sega Saturn controller:

I wish they could make controllers like this nowadays. Matte all over, except for a small, glossy face plate for contrast. Perhaps even made from metal. Are you listening, Nintendo?

[Rummy]

Gotta second your sentiments very much @Happenstance but with a little twist for this bad boy...

 

 

Loved it so much as a kid playing the ol' SNES. Whilst I liked the N64 and Gamecube controllers, I think since I've found a favourable-ness in the 360 pad but more so I'm really enjoying the PS4 pad these days. I think it may be my new favourite.

[Rummy]

Gotta second your sentiments very much @Happenstance but with a little twist for this bad boy...

 

 

Loved it so much as a kid playing the ol' SNES. Whilst I liked the N64 and Gamecube controllers, I think since I've found a favourable-ness in the 360 pad but more so I'm really enjoying the PS4 pad these days. I think it may be my new favourite.

[Shorty]

I had a controller this shape (though not this exact model) that EB gave me as a pre-order bonus with Perfect Dark. I kinda liked it!

The GOAT

Thanks for the nostalgia. Not for the controller but for what it used to be like downloading images on a 56k connection :p

[Shorty]

I had a controller this shape (though not this exact model) that EB gave me as a pre-order bonus with Perfect Dark. I kinda liked it!

The GOAT

Thanks for the nostalgia. Not for the controller but for what it used to be like downloading images on a 56k connection :p

[Guy]

It's probably the Xbox 360 controller, that thing was perfection - especially the later models with the improved d-pad. The Bone pad is okay but those shoulder bumpers are awful.

 

GameCube is also way up there in terms of comfort and was perfect for all Nintendo's games, but it's just too noisy. Used to wake people up when I'd play late at home.

[Guy]

It's probably the Xbox 360 controller, that thing was perfection - especially the later models with the improved d-pad. The Bone pad is okay but those shoulder bumpers are awful.

 

GameCube is also way up there in terms of comfort and was perfect for all Nintendo's games, but it's just too noisy. Used to wake people up when I'd play late at home.

[nekunando]

I wrote this a couple of years ago in the What's the best Nintendo Controller ever made? thread

 

RUMBLE I almost always use my white GC controller with Wave Race: Blue Storm because I miss the feeling of the waves when the rumble isn't there

 

As for the vote, I actually haven't cast mine yet because I can't really decide due to there being so many factors to consider!

 

For the console at the time, the SNES controller ticked every box, but I do find now that when I play Super Soccer with my brother, our left thumbs get pretty sore only a few moments after using the D-Pad. That may be largely down to the intense Super Soccer rivalry, even to this day

 

The N64 controller, however, is the one that I expected to come in and select straight away as the greatest controller of all time! It still feels brilliant to me with such a unique and revolutionary design, one that I was blown away by back in 1997. Even now, newcomers to the controller always hold it wrong and try the reach across from the left prong to get to the analogue stick in the middle. Idiots

 

That analogue stick, though, is probably one of the only things I can fault the N64 controller for When it is great condition, it feels really good! Years of gameplay, however, can leave it a loose, unresponsive mess. Unless they start releasing new and improved versions of these controllers for potential future VC use, you're going to be hard pushed to find one in decent condition in a few years time

 

The GC controller felt like an excellent upgrade at the time, improving almost every aspect of what had went before it whilst introducing those analogue shoulder buttons. The D-Pad wasn't seen to be important at the time, but there were certain times where you would be cursing how small it was.

 

After that came the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, probably one of the most impressive control setups of all time and one that is so unfairly ridiculed for its 'waggle'. The versatility of that particular combination paved the way for some amazing experiences on Wii and something that I would have been happy to have been the main controller on the Wii U, despite the lack of buttons making more traditional games difficult, if not impossible, in some cases. The ability to point at the screen can't be overlooked, though, as that really is one of the best features of the Wii Remote.

 

The only other controller that I really find myself considering, even a little, is the Wii U Pro Controller. It is almost without doubt the 'sexiest' controller I have ever seen and definitely very comfortable to hold. The placement and feel of the analogue sticks feels perfect and the buttons feel great. Apart from the lack of triggers, which I'm not that bothered about, my only real niggle is the Y and B buttons being slightly out of reach. X and A feel perfectly placed, but it can be a bit of a stretch for my tiny hands to comfortably press Y and B.

 

With a few tweaks, I actually feel like the Wii U Pro Controller would be my favourite. As it is, though, it is behind the N64, GC and Wii Remote & Nunchuk in my rankings. As I can't really decide an outright winner, I'll probably have to declare the N64 controller my favourite 'traditional' pad with the Wii Remote & Nunchuk being equally awesome, but in a completely different way : peace:

 

I still feel pretty much the same : peace:

 

I do quite like the XBOX 360 controller too, for the most part, but I don't like concave analogue sticks at all I always fear Nintendo will put one on their next controller!

[nekunando]

I wrote this a couple of years ago in the What's the best Nintendo Controller ever made? thread

 

RUMBLE I almost always use my white GC controller with Wave Race: Blue Storm because I miss the feeling of the waves when the rumble isn't there

 

As for the vote, I actually haven't cast mine yet because I can't really decide due to there being so many factors to consider!

 

For the console at the time, the SNES controller ticked every box, but I do find now that when I play Super Soccer with my brother, our left thumbs get pretty sore only a few moments after using the D-Pad. That may be largely down to the intense Super Soccer rivalry, even to this day

 

The N64 controller, however, is the one that I expected to come in and select straight away as the greatest controller of all time! It still feels brilliant to me with such a unique and revolutionary design, one that I was blown away by back in 1997. Even now, newcomers to the controller always hold it wrong and try the reach across from the left prong to get to the analogue stick in the middle. Idiots

 

That analogue stick, though, is probably one of the only things I can fault the N64 controller for When it is great condition, it feels really good! Years of gameplay, however, can leave it a loose, unresponsive mess. Unless they start releasing new and improved versions of these controllers for potential future VC use, you're going to be hard pushed to find one in decent condition in a few years time

 

The GC controller felt like an excellent upgrade at the time, improving almost every aspect of what had went before it whilst introducing those analogue shoulder buttons. The D-Pad wasn't seen to be important at the time, but there were certain times where you would be cursing how small it was.

 

After that came the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, probably one of the most impressive control setups of all time and one that is so unfairly ridiculed for its 'waggle'. The versatility of that particular combination paved the way for some amazing experiences on Wii and something that I would have been happy to have been the main controller on the Wii U, despite the lack of buttons making more traditional games difficult, if not impossible, in some cases. The ability to point at the screen can't be overlooked, though, as that really is one of the best features of the Wii Remote.

 

The only other controller that I really find myself considering, even a little, is the Wii U Pro Controller. It is almost without doubt the 'sexiest' controller I have ever seen and definitely very comfortable to hold. The placement and feel of the analogue sticks feels perfect and the buttons feel great. Apart from the lack of triggers, which I'm not that bothered about, my only real niggle is the Y and B buttons being slightly out of reach. X and A feel perfectly placed, but it can be a bit of a stretch for my tiny hands to comfortably press Y and B.

 

With a few tweaks, I actually feel like the Wii U Pro Controller would be my favourite. As it is, though, it is behind the N64, GC and Wii Remote & Nunchuk in my rankings. As I can't really decide an outright winner, I'll probably have to declare the N64 controller my favourite 'traditional' pad with the Wii Remote & Nunchuk being equally awesome, but in a completely different way : peace:

 

I still feel pretty much the same : peace:

 

I do quite like the XBOX 360 controller too, for the most part, but I don't like concave analogue sticks at all I always fear Nintendo will put one on their next controller!