Over the years a lot of different types of consoles have came out,
and we have seen quite a lot of different controller designs as well;
however not all of them were well received. Anyway today I just wanted
to talk about some of the newest video game controllers, and talk about
the ones I liked the best. Please keep in mind that I will only be
covering the NES era on up. I will flat out say this right now, before
the NES (and even during that era) there were a LOT of bad controller
designs, so I'm not even going to bother going over them.
So anyway, let's get started.
NES MAX Controller:
Now everyone knows about the standard rectangle NES controller, but really, that wasn't the one you wanted; you wanted a NES MAX! Although the NES MAX controller was just one of the many alternate controllers you could get for the NES (including arcade sticks, the power glove, that dumb board thing, etc) this one was actually good (and the one I used growing up). The controller had grips on the side, it had turbo buttons you could hold (so you didn't have to mash A and B like many games required), and it also had a D-Pad design a lot like today's Circle Pad. It was a really nice controller, and I spent a lot of time using it.
Standard (US) SNES Controller:
Although it isn't as colorful as the Japanese controller (or the extra controllers you could buy here in the US), I actually liked the standard SNES controller a lot better. It fit nicely in your hands, and the Y and X buttons were indented so your thumb would rest nicely on the button. While the Japanese controller is basically the same, the X and Y buttons didn't have that indent. Either way it was a nice controller, and it got things done.
Sega Genesis Controller:
Really I was never too big of a fan of the Genesis controller, but it did work. I mean it felt fine in your hands and everything, but the button placement of the three big buttons (and 6 big buttons in the newer controllers) just always felt strange to me. It was also strange when you came across Genesis games that used all there buttons to do the same thing (Sonic).
Playstation Controller:
Now this is one we should all know; the Playstation controller. Although the original controller didn't have the analog sticks in the center, most people don't even remember that one. This is the same controller design Sony has been using for years, and because of that I'm going to be skipping over the PS2 controller. Baically though, this one felt good in your hands, it had pressure sensitive buttons, L1, L2, R1, R2, and L3 and R3 buttons, and it also had a D-pad.
N64 Controller:
Still today, the N64 controller is one of the most unique looking controllers. I remember when I first saw the thing I thought you had to hold it on the ends, and then reach over to the analog stick with your thumb. Really not sure why I thought that, but when I finally got one myself, I learned that you could hold onto the center. Although this controller did take a bit of getting used to, the analog stick was nice (although looking back on it now I'm not a fan of the grooves which keep it from rotating 360 degrees cleanly), having an L, R, and a Z button was nice, and the C buttons helped out quite a bit as well (especially for games like Zelda). I also liked how this controller had attachments, such as the rumble pak and mic. I wasn't a fan of the "super pad" version though, which was fatter and had bigger buttons...
Dream Cast Controller:
This controller is one of my favorite controllers of all time, and I'm sure a lot of people will agree with me; even if they don't know it yet. You see, this controller was based on the revision of the Sega Saturn controller, it featured pressure sensitive triggers, and established a button placement which would be used for years to come. Although many people may not know it, but this controller is basically the precursor to the Xbox and Xbox 360 controller. The DC actually was supported by Microsoft (their logo can actually be found on the console itself), and the original Xbox and Xbox 360 were spiritual successors to it. The systems shared a lot of the same features (such as its the online connection), and they also got a lot of the same support from 3rd party companies.
With that being said, this controller is basically responsible for that 360 controller a lot of people have come to know and love. Also it made use of the VMU to provide extra information as you played games!
Nintendo GameCube Wave Bird:
Although it was a bit bigger than the basic controller, the GCN's Wave Bird controller was amazing. First of all, the GCN controller itself was one of the best controllers out there. The A button took center stage with the B button close by, and the X and Y buttons were placed in a position for easy access. It had pressure sensitive triggers, a Z button, and it also had a right analog stick (or C Stick) to replace the C buttons on the N64 controller. There wasn't a select button or anything, but that really wasn't needed.
As for the Wave Bird version, there is one reason it was better than the others... It was wireless! You just plugged a box into the controller port, set the channel to your controller's channel, and you were good to go! Playing without wires was actually a MAJOR step forward, and a lot of people today just don't realize it.
Xbox Controller:
The Xbox Controller... Yeah... I hated it! I mean it wasn't too bad, but the thing was huge, the buttons were placed in funny locations, the white and black buttons felt out of place, and it just felt flat out bulky. They did fix it though! Later on they released a smaller version (as seen on the right, which I had to shrink down to fit it in the image) which was actually a lot more like the DC controller/more like the 360 controller. Button placement was fixed, and it just felt better holding it in your hands.
Xbox 360 Controller:
Easily one of the best controllers ever made. The analog sticks move in full 360 degrees without hitting any bumps, the L and R buttons are pressure sensitive, it has LB and RB buttons, the face button placement is spot on, the start and select buttons are in a good place (with the Xbox button in between), and it also has a D-Pad (which I'm not too big of a fan of since it rolls, but it's still nice to have). The controller is also wireless, and it is built to last! This controller is so well liked, a lot of 3rd party companies have actually recreated it to be used with other systems (such as the PS3 and even the Wii).
Playstation 3 Controller:
Although I already commented on the PS1/2 controller, here's the one for the PS3! Although it is still basically the same controller, there are three differences. The controller is wireless (which makes it lighter), the L2 and R2 buttons were replaced with pressure sensitive triggers, and they added a PS button to take you back to the XMB. It also features some motion control. Overall it is still a great controller, and it still works just like it should! No need to fix something that isn't broken.
Wii Remote:
The Wii Remote is one of the most unique controllers, and it was fully based around Motion Control. Both the Wii Remote and Nun Chuk fit nicely in your hands, and they both could be used in a lot of different unique ways. Really the only issue with this controller was the placement of the 1 and 2 buttons, which required you to reach down to hit, but other than that everything was spot on.
Wii Classic Controller:
This was a controller I didn't like at first. Although it was designed to be a lot like the SNES controller (they actually released an SNES version later on that was a complete replica of it), some things about it felt off. The analog sticks felt strange, its smaller size felt strange, it's rounded back felt strange, and its triggers felt a little bit strange; however as time went on, I did warm up to it. I guess it just took a few hundred hours of Monster Hunter Tri... Since then they have released an updated version though, which was a lot more like the GCN controller with grips to hold onto.
Wii U Game Pad:
This one also took a lot of getting used to. If you haven't held this thing in your hands yet, go pick up two Xbox 360 or PS3 controllers, hold one with one had, and the other with another, and that's how holding one of these feels. Your hands are far apart, and you have to reach over to hit the face buttons, but other than that it is pretty nice. Once you get used to it you'll find that the touch and motion controls built in work great, the buttons are really nice, and that it does rest nicely in your hands. Really I was kind of shocked that it wasn't heavier than it is. So yeah, takes a lot of getting used to, but it is really nice once you do.
Pro Controller:
The Wii U Pro Controller was made for the normal gamer. As you can tell, the Pro Controller is basically an Xbox 360 controller with the buttons switched around, and without the battery pack in the back to get in the way of your fingers. This controller is amazing, and I'd recommend using it for most Wii U games that support it; however it doesn't have pressure sensitive triggers. That might be an issue for racing games in the future.
Well anyway, that's it for today guys! Now, what are your favorite controllers?
So anyway, let's get started.
NES MAX Controller:
Now everyone knows about the standard rectangle NES controller, but really, that wasn't the one you wanted; you wanted a NES MAX! Although the NES MAX controller was just one of the many alternate controllers you could get for the NES (including arcade sticks, the power glove, that dumb board thing, etc) this one was actually good (and the one I used growing up). The controller had grips on the side, it had turbo buttons you could hold (so you didn't have to mash A and B like many games required), and it also had a D-Pad design a lot like today's Circle Pad. It was a really nice controller, and I spent a lot of time using it.
Standard (US) SNES Controller:
Although it isn't as colorful as the Japanese controller (or the extra controllers you could buy here in the US), I actually liked the standard SNES controller a lot better. It fit nicely in your hands, and the Y and X buttons were indented so your thumb would rest nicely on the button. While the Japanese controller is basically the same, the X and Y buttons didn't have that indent. Either way it was a nice controller, and it got things done.
Sega Genesis Controller:
Really I was never too big of a fan of the Genesis controller, but it did work. I mean it felt fine in your hands and everything, but the button placement of the three big buttons (and 6 big buttons in the newer controllers) just always felt strange to me. It was also strange when you came across Genesis games that used all there buttons to do the same thing (Sonic).
Playstation Controller:
Now this is one we should all know; the Playstation controller. Although the original controller didn't have the analog sticks in the center, most people don't even remember that one. This is the same controller design Sony has been using for years, and because of that I'm going to be skipping over the PS2 controller. Baically though, this one felt good in your hands, it had pressure sensitive buttons, L1, L2, R1, R2, and L3 and R3 buttons, and it also had a D-pad.
N64 Controller:
Still today, the N64 controller is one of the most unique looking controllers. I remember when I first saw the thing I thought you had to hold it on the ends, and then reach over to the analog stick with your thumb. Really not sure why I thought that, but when I finally got one myself, I learned that you could hold onto the center. Although this controller did take a bit of getting used to, the analog stick was nice (although looking back on it now I'm not a fan of the grooves which keep it from rotating 360 degrees cleanly), having an L, R, and a Z button was nice, and the C buttons helped out quite a bit as well (especially for games like Zelda). I also liked how this controller had attachments, such as the rumble pak and mic. I wasn't a fan of the "super pad" version though, which was fatter and had bigger buttons...
Dream Cast Controller:
This controller is one of my favorite controllers of all time, and I'm sure a lot of people will agree with me; even if they don't know it yet. You see, this controller was based on the revision of the Sega Saturn controller, it featured pressure sensitive triggers, and established a button placement which would be used for years to come. Although many people may not know it, but this controller is basically the precursor to the Xbox and Xbox 360 controller. The DC actually was supported by Microsoft (their logo can actually be found on the console itself), and the original Xbox and Xbox 360 were spiritual successors to it. The systems shared a lot of the same features (such as its the online connection), and they also got a lot of the same support from 3rd party companies.
With that being said, this controller is basically responsible for that 360 controller a lot of people have come to know and love. Also it made use of the VMU to provide extra information as you played games!
Nintendo GameCube Wave Bird:
Although it was a bit bigger than the basic controller, the GCN's Wave Bird controller was amazing. First of all, the GCN controller itself was one of the best controllers out there. The A button took center stage with the B button close by, and the X and Y buttons were placed in a position for easy access. It had pressure sensitive triggers, a Z button, and it also had a right analog stick (or C Stick) to replace the C buttons on the N64 controller. There wasn't a select button or anything, but that really wasn't needed.
As for the Wave Bird version, there is one reason it was better than the others... It was wireless! You just plugged a box into the controller port, set the channel to your controller's channel, and you were good to go! Playing without wires was actually a MAJOR step forward, and a lot of people today just don't realize it.
Xbox Controller:
The Xbox Controller... Yeah... I hated it! I mean it wasn't too bad, but the thing was huge, the buttons were placed in funny locations, the white and black buttons felt out of place, and it just felt flat out bulky. They did fix it though! Later on they released a smaller version (as seen on the right, which I had to shrink down to fit it in the image) which was actually a lot more like the DC controller/more like the 360 controller. Button placement was fixed, and it just felt better holding it in your hands.
Xbox 360 Controller:
Easily one of the best controllers ever made. The analog sticks move in full 360 degrees without hitting any bumps, the L and R buttons are pressure sensitive, it has LB and RB buttons, the face button placement is spot on, the start and select buttons are in a good place (with the Xbox button in between), and it also has a D-Pad (which I'm not too big of a fan of since it rolls, but it's still nice to have). The controller is also wireless, and it is built to last! This controller is so well liked, a lot of 3rd party companies have actually recreated it to be used with other systems (such as the PS3 and even the Wii).
Playstation 3 Controller:
Although I already commented on the PS1/2 controller, here's the one for the PS3! Although it is still basically the same controller, there are three differences. The controller is wireless (which makes it lighter), the L2 and R2 buttons were replaced with pressure sensitive triggers, and they added a PS button to take you back to the XMB. It also features some motion control. Overall it is still a great controller, and it still works just like it should! No need to fix something that isn't broken.
Wii Remote:
The Wii Remote is one of the most unique controllers, and it was fully based around Motion Control. Both the Wii Remote and Nun Chuk fit nicely in your hands, and they both could be used in a lot of different unique ways. Really the only issue with this controller was the placement of the 1 and 2 buttons, which required you to reach down to hit, but other than that everything was spot on.
Wii Classic Controller:
This was a controller I didn't like at first. Although it was designed to be a lot like the SNES controller (they actually released an SNES version later on that was a complete replica of it), some things about it felt off. The analog sticks felt strange, its smaller size felt strange, it's rounded back felt strange, and its triggers felt a little bit strange; however as time went on, I did warm up to it. I guess it just took a few hundred hours of Monster Hunter Tri... Since then they have released an updated version though, which was a lot more like the GCN controller with grips to hold onto.
Wii U Game Pad:
This one also took a lot of getting used to. If you haven't held this thing in your hands yet, go pick up two Xbox 360 or PS3 controllers, hold one with one had, and the other with another, and that's how holding one of these feels. Your hands are far apart, and you have to reach over to hit the face buttons, but other than that it is pretty nice. Once you get used to it you'll find that the touch and motion controls built in work great, the buttons are really nice, and that it does rest nicely in your hands. Really I was kind of shocked that it wasn't heavier than it is. So yeah, takes a lot of getting used to, but it is really nice once you do.
Pro Controller:
The Wii U Pro Controller was made for the normal gamer. As you can tell, the Pro Controller is basically an Xbox 360 controller with the buttons switched around, and without the battery pack in the back to get in the way of your fingers. This controller is amazing, and I'd recommend using it for most Wii U games that support it; however it doesn't have pressure sensitive triggers. That might be an issue for racing games in the future.
Well anyway, that's it for today guys! Now, what are your favorite controllers?
