What's your favorite game controller/joystick of all time?

[MrEsturk]

I've been looking into setting up a tablet as an all-in-one retro console and mulling over what controllers I would use for it. So I figured it would make for a fun topic. Which video game controller/joystick do you consider to be your favorite of all time? Or if you can't pick one, which controllers are your favorite for different purposes?

 

Its an odd choice I admit but after weighing all the benefits I've decided my favorite is the non-dualshock PS1 controller. The SNES controller came so close, I love it so much. But those 2 extra buttons the original PS1 pad has just pushes it over the edge. There are just enough games I plan to emulate on my tablet that those two extra buttons make all the difference that the PS1 pad wins.

 

So why not the dualshock version instead? Well any game that relies on analog controls I'd just assume use a keyboard and mouse instead. And I couldn't care less about whether my controller vibrates during certain events. Thus the analog parts just get in the way and are just one more thing that might break (I recently had the dualshock controller I was using for Soul Calibur 6 break and get stuck moving right permanently. Bought a PS1 controller with no analogs as a replacement: will never have to worry about that glitch happening to the replacement controller as it lacks the parts to get broken to begin with ?).

[Molokkx]

That's tough... being a 90s kid myself, I tried almost all of them (except for the controllers of the consoles I 'skipped' or couldn't afford).

 

I won't mention all of them obviously, but the 'best ones' - for me - would be:

 

#1 SNES (obviously the absolute best controller ever made for the entire 16-bit era, this is not an opinion; it's fact)

 

#2 PS1 DualShock (I loved, and started to play my PS1 with the original like most at the time, but the DS version grew on me quickly; overall it lost nothing from the original design and only added on top of it; for me it was a no-brainer, and I used the joysticks for Gran Turismo 2, I believe, or a few other racing games as well, and possibly a few FPSes too).

 

#3 XBOX One (genuinely a very good controller, overall)

 

Very close fourth would probably be the N64's controller, or if not maybe the original ('fatty') XBOX controller (yes... yes, the big one). I actually hated the smaller redesigned one they released later on. Mostly due to the new placement of the black and white buttons, because the original ('fat') controller had two "rows" of buttons much like an arcade setup (for fighting games) and similar to the Sega Genesis' 6 buttons controller (but at a different angle on the fat XBOX controller). I'm a sucker for rows of buttons like that on controllers that mimic the 'age of arcade-style button placement'. Another example is a third party controller that I absolutely adore due to that sort of design: the MadCatz Street Fighter controller (no joystick, but with two shoulder buttons SNES-style, with a superb D-Pad and two rows of three buttons, absolutely perfect for fighting games).

 

Anyway, overall though I'd probably go with the N64 controller (above the fat XBOX's). However, my (only) complaint about the N64 controller was of course about the joystick. It degraded fast over time (its 'build quality' just wasn't good really), and there was that weird white "powder" that would start to show up at the bottom of the joystick 'pit' and accumulate (if not cleaned) over time (it did that for all three of my N64 controllers that I can recall), and as more and more of that stuff showed up the less and less the joystick would be responsive, would gradually become less 'sensitive' and would require more movement to operate (like it would gain more 'dead zone' over time). However, the actual physical shape of the controller (the '3 branches' design was pure genius to be honest) and the placement (and size) of buttons, and the quality of its D-Pad was amazing. It was a superb controller for Fighting and Racing games (and Z button for acceleration was fantastic, never happened again since in the industry since there's never been another controller out there that I know of with a button 'under').

 

There's other controllers that could be considered 'good', too. The Wii U Pro controller was pretty good, the GameCube controller was a bit weird at first glance but oh man was it one of the most comfortable controllers I can think of (fantastic for long play sessions). And more recently, the Switch Pro Controller seems pretty good (never tried it myself but looking at pictures it does seem good; still similar enough to the Wii U Pro design, which was good).

 

But... yeah, my top three: SNES / PS1 DualShock / XBOX One

[MadMansGun]

N64

[winny257]

only mouse and keyboard, I am and stay until to my death a PC Player. 

[Lexi SubZero]

I really like Dual Shock 4 for it's features - the touchpad and built in speaker and their implementation in games. On the ergonomic side...XB360/XB1 controllers are better fitting in my hands and the switched position of D-Pad and left analog stick also feels better.

[Sylandras]

For me. Playstation controllers always hurt my hand, even if its only been 5 minutes of using it. 

 

Nintendo controllers are a bit better, but not that great still

 

Xbox controllers for me are the most comfortable and I can use the controller for hours without my hands getting sore. I use an xbox one controller for a lot of my games on the PC.

[FauxFurry]

For me, it is either the Dreamcast analog controller (or at least the Mad Catz variants of it with rubberized grips.) or the Xbox One controller. I would say the original Xbox controller but the Xbox One's wireless functions just barely put it above its more comfortable to hold forebear.

[landess]

I was surprised I found an image....

 

Used this for my Commodore64 - very comfortable.

 

[MrEsturk]

6 hours ago, landess said:

I was surprised I found an image....

 

Used this for my Commodore64 - very comfortable.

 

As far as unusual controllers go I actually enjoyed using this infamous thing as a child:

 

Granted I never wasted my time with that goofy red disk in the middle. I directly used the ring as a d-pad.

[landess]

1 hour ago, Alkpaz said:

I did use the larger The Edge Joystick instead.

Never seen this but I can easily see the merits: My 'Man-Hands" tend to cramp after extended use of controllers nowadays. In the defense of those whom have no problem, I can easily equate it to playing any musical instrument. It takes time for the body to adjust to the muscle memory and 'strain' associated with specific positioning required to be effective.

[Ernest Lemmingway]

Since I literally wore out the tendon that holds my right thumb in its joint playing video games, it's painful for me to use boxy controllers or those that are overly large. And since I was a PlayStation player before I switched strictly to PC, I find those most comfortable. I tried Razer's Widow controller, based on the XBOX 360 style, but two things forced me to quit. The first is that it was actually uncomfortable for me to use because of the triggers; my fingers don't work as well because of the repair surgery on my wrist. The second is that Win 10 does not like to play well with controllers it recognizes as belonging to XBOX; the right analog stick is notoriously insensitive and Windows severely limits the recognized range of motion for the same. I tried playing RE7 and I could barely look up or down or turn with it.

 

I pop in a PS4 controller and things are as smooth as butter. So it wins whenever I play games that are easier with a controller, like the Ys series and likely RE 2 Remake in January.

 

The old Sega Master System controller was a simple block but I was still a kid last time I used it. The Genesis controller was painful, but there is a touch-pad controller I got for it that took some time to learn but is rounded and easier to use. The Saturn controller was just too large and round. The Dreamcast controller was pretty good, as was the Gamecube controller.

[SleepyJim]

I still remember getting one of these for my ZX Spectrum:

 

 

Ah, memories...

 

Also loved the N64 controller.

[ToJKa]

TAC-2 was the shit for C64: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TAC-2 ?

 

In modern times, the XBone controller is the best i've used. It fits perfectly in my hands, is just heavy enough, and works with Windows without drama. Also it's so sturdy construction that it can take considerable amount of abuse and keep working ?

 

Least favorite are the old NES controllers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nintendo-Entertainment-System-NES-Controller-FL.jpg

I don't understand how anyone thought that torture device was a good idea.

[FauxFurry]

7 hours ago, ToJKa said:

TAC-2 was the shit for C64: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TAC-2 ?

 

In modern times, the XBone controller is the best i've used. It fits perfectly in my hands, is just heavy enough, and works with Windows without drama. Also it's so sturdy construction that it can take considerable amount of abuse and keep working ?

 

Least favorite are the old NES controllers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nintendo-Entertainment-System-NES-Controller-FL.jpg

I don't understand how anyone thought that torture device was a good idea.

NES controllers were great conditioning tools for one's fingers. It only took a month or so for the triangular bruises to fade from one's fingertips and for the calluses to form.

No writing utensil or art tool will be too rough to handle after that.

[landess]

8 hours ago, ToJKa said:

TAC-2 was the shit for C64

I also had that one, as well as a trackball, and almost as many others which failed or broke over time as I've had Mouse replacements for computers in my life.

[nobodx]

Best one is (imho) the xbox one-controller

I even paid 120eur for an additional one + wireless adapter to use them on my pc as well