The best controller of all time

[Garlic Junior 136]

Which is it?

[Rulkster 47]

Snes IMO but that may just be pure nostalgia goggles

[Mera'din 307]

I'm sure it's purely from 20+ years of use at this point, but the Playstation controller for me. The design has remained relatively unchanged over the years and I prefer it over everything else by this point. Even bought an adapter so I can use a PS3/4 controller for my Switch.

[dr. b 492]

The PS Vita

[Vic Boss 612]

I've heard gamers more hardcore than I say that XBox Elite controllers are the hands-down best ones.

 

I think the SNES controller figured out 2D gaming just right, the 360 controller felt good for 3D gaming. The Dual Shock is the best of both worlds and I also think it benefits from just not changing too much for 20 years, so you only had to make slight adjustments with each new console whereas going from something like N64 to Gamecube to Wii was some wild bullshit.

 

Gun to my head, Dual Shock.

[Galeigh 308]

honestly, probably the 360 controller.

[MT 917]

2D - SNES

3D - Probably Dualshock. Maybe 360 pad if you like their stick placement better.

[Psycho666Soldier 283]

Dualshock all day.  That and the SNES controller are perfect, specifically SNES for its era.  I've never been a fan of Xbox controllers and hate their d-pads.  I guess the Xbone controller is fine, but never used it myself.

 

But for me, Dualshock wins just for the longevity and it's ease of use for multiple styles of games.

[webhead 519]

Dual shock and it generally keeps getting better with each iteration.  Sticks got pushed a little further apart for the PS4 which was appreciated.  

[MDSup3rDup3 12]

I trained my hand positioning from the Gamecube & X360 controller and now that I have a PS4, I find my hands reverting to joystick where the arrows are (I still use the arrows for on screen keyboards). Still, the Dualshock feels the best in my hands, mostly because the X360 was a little bulky. But I also still refer to PS4 buttons in my head as ABXY, so take this with a grain of salt.

[webhead 519]

I actually hate the lettered buttons now because Microsoft reversed what Nintendo did and I always get fucking confused swapping between them.

 

Fucking Microsoft.

[Revolver 27]

Wavebird 

PS family of controllers

Keyboard and mouse

[webhead 519]

5 hours ago, Revolver said:

Keyboard and mouse

 

Well keyboard and mouse goes without saying.

[Vic Boss 612]

14 hours ago, webhead said:

I actually hate the lettered buttons now because Microsoft reversed what Nintendo did and I always get fucking confused swapping between them.

The big three all have X buttons and they're all in different locations

[Rulkster 47]

13 hours ago, Vic Boss said:

The big three all have X buttons and they're all in different locations

I would argue that one is called a cross and the other 2 are X

[Tassifox 418]

Spoiler

Sorry this topic made me think of this FB post a friend shared. Had to.

[Garlic Junior 136]

On 8/2/2020 at 10:42 PM, webhead said:

Dual shock and it generally keeps getting better with each iteration.  Sticks got pushed a little further apart for the PS4 which was appreciated.  

Having taken speedrunning semi seriously this year, I can categorically say the PS4 controller SUCKS.

 

The hard plastic under the R2 and L2 dig into your skin.

 

The "thumb roll" between square and X is so badly spaced.

 

I will give the d-pad and analogue sticks a pass, but no, it is not a good controller imo.

[dr. b 492]

So what do you find best for speedrunning?

 

( Tell me it's a PS Vita )

[Hornet 114]

Namco GunCon lol

[Peeve 21]

The best controller for me is the Nintendo 64 controller.

 

The variety of ways you can use it is what makes it the Primo Controller.

[Galeigh 308]

3 hours ago, Peeve said:

The best controller for me is the Nintendo 64 controller.

 

The variety of ways you can use it is what makes it the Primo Controller.

How? it was so god damn awkward to use. Probably one of the worst controllers that wasn't motion controlled.

[webhead 519]

Genuinely fucking hate the n64 controller.  You are fucking crazy lol.

[Peeve 21]

Well I have big hands and loved the variety of ways I could use it. I held it one way for Goldeneye and another for Ocarina of Time.

 

And I did say the Best Controller for Me.

 

Addendum: Since I am quite a bit older than most of you, I first played this an adult.  So my handsize would have been bigger anyway. 

[webhead 519]

It's true you are an old man but I still wouldn't use it now haha.  To each their own ofc.

[Peeve 21]

I would use it for my Xbox

[Galeigh 308]

Oh I would pay to see you try to use a controller with only one stick on a console designed for a 2 stick controller 

[Garlic Junior 136]

I genuinely don't understand the hate for the N64 controller. Were you guys trying to use it with your feet or something? It worked fine and the Z button is still infinitely better than most shoulder buttons.

[Galeigh 308]

the Z button was like the only thing that worked well on that controller. C-buttons were ass, L was a pain in the ass, and the directional pad was pretty much unusable in most games as the thumb-stick was usually the primary mode of interaction with a N64 title.

 

There is a reason controllers today ape the shit out of the dual shock design as best they can without straight up copying it.

[Peeve 21]

I had 7 different N64 controllers (Red, blue, green, black, yellow, white, orange)

 

I have never had more than 3 for any other console.

 

My 2nd favorite controller was for the Intellivision.

[MT 917]

4 hours ago, Galeigh said:

the Z button was like the only thing that worked well on that controller. C-buttons were ass, L was a pain in the ass, and the directional pad was pretty much unusable in most games as the thumb-stick was usually the primary mode of interaction with a N64 title.

The only way L was a pain in the ass is if you were trying to use it while holding the middle prong, which barely any games required you to do. The d-pad was quite good, especially for fighting games. C-buttons, while a little small, weren't all that bad either.

[MT 917]

9 hours ago, Peeve said:

My 2nd favorite controller was for the Intellivision.

You're on your own on this one.

[Peeve 21]

That's fair.

 

I thought a numberpad on a controller was such a cool thing & it always sticks out in my mind, when I talk video game game controllers.

 

Maybe I love it, because I was 5-7 years old and fascinated by it.

[webhead 519]

On 10/27/2020 at 3:37 AM, Garlic Junior said:

I genuinely don't understand the hate for the N64 controller. Were you guys trying to use it with your feet or something? It worked fine and the Z button is still infinitely better than most shoulder buttons.

It worked fine and then we got infinitely better controllers.  It's garbage by comparison, especially without nostalgia goggles.

[Peeve 21]

My least favorite controller is the Dual Shock, due to thumb knocking.

[MT 917]

The N64 controller was just fine, but it definitely wasn't anything amazing. Also, give it credit for bringing analog sticks and rumble to console gaming.

[Psycho666Soldier 283]

N64 controller was perfectly fine.  Never understood the hate for it.

[Galeigh 308]

Even for the time the 64 controller was the lesser version. During the shift to 3d camera control plagued pretty much all games, but was exacerbated by the N64 controllers lack of a second stick. God damn those fucking c buttons, may they burn in hell. 

[MT 917]

Show me on the controller where it hurt you

 

[Galeigh 308]

Its impossible to control the camera with any accuracy. That has been the bane of just about any game on the N64.

 

It was passable for the time, but hindsight has not been kind to the design. 

[MT 917]

I'd say that's more on the developers still figuring out how games in true 3d worked than the controller itself.  

[Galeigh 308]

Well yeah, but that controller made it harder than necessary.

[Garlic Junior 136]

On 10/29/2020 at 4:57 AM, Galeigh said:

Well yeah, but that controller made it harder than necessary.

I.... uh.....

Game designed with using buttons to move camera, but you want a controller without buttons therefore unable to move the camera?

The Dualshock style design might have a lot more functionality crammed together, but it is crammed together. I can use it for hours, sure, but damn does it do a number on your thumbs (especially the still god awful little 'hoods' at the shoulder buttons).

[webhead 519]

I feel like you're holding the controller really fucking wrong if you still have that issue with a DS4.  I don't know what to say there.  DS2 and DS3 were definitely a bit close for comfort but I'm not really getting it for the DS4.  I definitely held that thing for hours on end when I played Spider-Man and yeah there's a bit of hand cramping but I get that with any controller.  Didn't seem any better or worse.

[dr. b 492]

Everybody's hands are different

[webhead 519]

Of course but I've not heard people complain about the sticks being too close since the DS3.  It's odd to me.  I thought the DS4 finally got that perfect.  Also I've been grumpy the last few days so if it shows there sorry lol.

[Peeve 21]

Hand cramp from a controller is something I never experienced.

 

I got it sometimes golfing.

 

We need to start talking bad controllers.

[Garlic Junior 136]

I wasn't saying the STICKS were too close together, just everything in general

[webhead 519]

5 minutes ago, Garlic Junior said:

I wasn't saying the STICKS were too close together, just everything in general

Well that makes more sense though I'm not entirely sure what you mean.  Aren't most of the controllers pretty similar at this point?  You talking buttons too close or like shoulder vs button?  I'm curious now what you mean.

 

Also if it's any consolation I think the PS5 controller got a bit bigger too.

[MT 917]

It's a tiny bit bigger than a DS4, and a touch heftier.

[Garlic Junior 136]

1 hour ago, webhead said:

Well that makes more sense though I'm not entirely sure what you mean.  Aren't most of the controllers pretty similar at this point?  You talking buttons too close or like shoulder vs button?  I'm curious now what you mean.

 

Also if it's any consolation I think the PS5 controller got a bit bigger too.

Well like I said originally, the kind of "hoods" on the shoulder buttons dig into my skin, and the games I play used a lot of Square to X movement which digs into my thumb. I also primarily use the D-pad at the moment as opposed to games using the sticks so that probably accounts for why I find it uncomfortable vs the 99% of gamers who play stick games I suppose.