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I looked for an existing thread and found nothing, surprisingly.

Of all the game controllers out there in existence, which one is your favorite? What's the most comfortable and accessible for you?


Atari
NES
SNES
N64
Gamecube
Wii remote/nunchuck/classic controller
Playstation/Dual Shock/Sixaxis
Xbox
Xbox 360
Sega Master system
Genesis
Dreamcast
Turbo Grafx 16
Third party controller
Hand held
something else


Personally, the best controller I've ever used is the Gamecube controller. It just melds to every contour of my hands and feels very comfortable to me. It may only have 3 trigger buttons as opposed to Playstation's four, but then again I never had a need for four trigger butons on a GC game. Even Super Smash Bros. Melee worked perfectly with only 3. My only grpire is that the cord seemed too damn short and I had to buy an extension so I could comfortably play on my couch from afar.

A close second is the Playstation Dual Shock analog controller. I guess since I'm a PS3/PS2 owner, it would only seem natural to name it.

How about you guys?

Keyboard+mouse.

PS3 controller cuz I grew up with a PS1/PS2

Mad Catz Street Fighter IV PS3 controller, feels nice when playing fighters, mine has Ken on it.

NES, love it's compact design and simplicity.

Keyboard and Mouse is good.
Any of my old Amiga joysticks.
Playstation controller (dual shock).
X360 controller.

Never could get a feel for the gamecube ones, tbh.

Well, no controller can really beat the versatility and customization of a keyboard and mouse. But that's cheating a bit in this thread.

The Playstation really figured it out first. XBox basically copied them because they realized they lost the initial controller wars. People can talk about ingenuity, simplicity, etc. but the PS controller and eventual copies have found the most intuitive way to get as much as possible onto the controller without flooding it with buttons or making any particularly awkward.

I didn't mind and/or enjoyed the N64 controller, Genesis, Gamecube. But I'd be lying if I said they're superior.

The last console I owned was PS1. I really liked its controller, so there ye go.

Dualshock, for reasons already stated by Digi & Scythe.

The Xbox 360 controller is the best console controller I've ever used. And, for the record, as far as shooters are concerned, the 360 controller blows the PS3 controller out of the water. It's a proven fact that the positioning of your thumbs is just better so far as precise aiming and the like. It's too easy to overcompensate with a PS controller.

Definitely the 360 controller. The way it's shaped, it's just plain comfortable to hold.

I've actually always found the PS controllers a bit crap.

I'm fairly comfortable with the 360 or PS controller for the most part. I prefer the 360 controller for shooters, but the PS controller is far superior for fighting games. The 360 controller is a complete piece of trash there.

Arcade sticks are supposedly the best for fighters, but meh.

PS controller. The 360 controller hurts a couple of my fingers by having them pushed up agianst the battery pack.

I prefer the 360 controller, followed by the GameCube and then PS controllers.

Originally posted by Impediment
I looked for an existing thread and found nothing, surprisingly.

Of all the game controllers out there in existence, which one is your favorite? What's the most comfortable and accessible for you?


Atari
NES
SNES
N64
Gamecube
Wii remote/nunchuck/classic controller
Playstation/Dual Shock/Sixaxis
Xbox
Xbox 360
Sega Master system
Genesis
Dreamcast
Turbo Grafx 16
Third party controller
Hand held
something else


Personally, the best controller I've ever used is the Gamecube controller. It just melds to every contour of my hands and feels very comfortable to me. It may only have 3 trigger buttons as opposed to Playstation's four, but then again I never had a need for four trigger butons on a GC game. Even Super Smash Bros. Melee worked perfectly with only 3. My only grpire is that the cord seemed too damn short and I had to buy an extension so I could comfortably play on my couch from afar.

A close second is the Playstation Dual Shock analog controller. I guess since I'm a PS3/PS2 owner, it would only seem natural to name it.

How about you guys?

I gotta agree with this. Although when it works, Wii remote in left-hang/nunchuck in right hand is pretty sweet too.

Xbox 360 controller by a significant margin. The layout is pretty much perfect.

Dem stix! Preferably MC's or Hori's. And not the cheap ones.

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/7097/img8799j.jpg

That's right! A stick made of f**kin-gold.

That stick is missing one, key button.

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/5328/imagescagsa3rg.jpg

^
Hey! A Hit Box Stick! lol

360 or playstation

Even though I WANT to say the dualshock, and I do like it, I believe the xbox 360 controller is better. I just enjoy playstation more, And even though the original xbox controller was garbage, they knew they couldn't do that twice.

Originally posted by cool_ghost
Even though I WANT to say the dualshock, and I do like it, I believe the xbox 360 controller is better. I just enjoy playstation more, And even though the original xbox controller was garbage, they knew they couldn't do that twice.

They didn't even do it for an entire console generation. The controllers for original XBox changed even before the 360 came out. Like I said, copying the PS controller, which got it right. 360 might be a bit more sleek, but that's a personal choice thing...for all practical purposes, the controllers are the same now.

Dualshock is the best controller.

360 is my favorite, and it rocks for shooters, but the Dualshock gets the nod for being original.

1st. Dual Shock 2... perfect combination of the SNES pad and analog control

2nd. Snes: Best D-pad ever

3rd. Xbox 360... though it's biggest problem is the D-pad: Uncomfortable, imprecise and just plain sucky. Mostly good for shooters


Worst: Xbox fat controller and Wiimote (held horizontally)

... though the N64 controller was bad with it's oddly shape and breakable stick, it worked great for certain games

Originally posted by Digi
They didn't even do it for an entire console generation. The controllers for original XBox changed even before the 360 came out. Like I said, copying the PS controller, which got it right. 360 might be a bit more sleek, but that's a personal choice thing...for all practical purposes, the controllers are the same now.

True

All the best, most comfortable controllers I've held today are the ones most clearly influenced by the Dualshock. Hell, even Nintendo took a clear influence in it when making the Classic Controller Pro, and I for one don't know how they got by without it before. Sony made a smart choice not taking a chance with that boomerang thing back in the unveiling. I got myself a Power A PS3 controller, which is basically a controller modelled mainly after the 360. Works good for plenty of games, but most of the PS3's hardcore exclusives just plain felt more natural with the Dualshock. I'd also say the D-Pad is better on the Dualshock for most fighting games--mainly the 2D/2.5D ones, especially Mortal Kombat 2011 (you could move sideways with the analogue stick and the character will jump ).

Originally posted by Digi
They didn't even do it for an entire console generation. The controllers for original XBox changed even before the 360 came out. Like I said, copying the PS controller, which got it right. 360 might be a bit more sleek, but that's a personal choice thing...for all practical purposes, the controllers are the same now.

I know they didn't, but the second controller they came out with wasn't my favorite either. And releasing such a bad controller from the start is still a big fail, imo.

The reason I think the 360 controller is better (but as sdj said, not the d-pad, i believe the d-pad is better on the dualshock) is not becuase it looks more "sleek", but because it conforms better to your hand, and the analog sticks feel much more precise and well placed than on the dual shock. Whether they copied the dualshock or not is not really important, and I would still stick to playstation since I Like the system better anyways.

Probably the SNES, not so much the official original ones because they are quite small for my hands now (and the start button is bust, I have to stick a pair of scissors in to activate it!) but I got a SNProPad ages ago because my original one is flawed and this one is good. It's bigger than the original so it fits into my hands better and it has the auto-fire/disable button feature which I don't have any cause to use but can't complain.

Second is the PS2 controllers with the analog sticks (any kind). It's a good controller for anything really although it can't deal with FPS games better than a mouse, obviously.

Third would be the N64, excellent with the simpler FPS games because of the trigger and analog stick and fine with flying games, a bit awkward with 3rd person games but terrible with fighting games.

Some of the other controllers I've only used briefly so I couldn't comment on those.

I think the best is 360 and mouse and keyboard.

It feels the most comfortable in my hand. It works best for most genres and is the best for shooters on consoles.

Mouse and keyboard may not work for platformers, fighters and such but are essential for shooters and RTS.

Originally posted by S_D_J
1st. Dual Shock 2... perfect combination of the SNES pad and analog control

2nd. Snes: Best D-pad ever

3rd. Xbox 360... though it's biggest problem is the D-pad: Uncomfortable, imprecise and just plain sucky. Mostly good for shooters


Worst: Xbox fat controller and Wiimote (held horizontally)

... though the N64 controller was bad with it's oddly shape and breakable stick, it worked great for certain games



True

Agree 100%

Xbox 360 by far.

PS controllers have been shit so far. Looks like they might have changed it a little bit for the 4, perhaps they finally realized that people with hands are supposed to hold them not tentacle beasts from some far off planet.

Originally posted by Bardock42
Xbox 360 by far.

PS controllers have been shit so far. Looks like they might have changed it a little bit for the 4, perhaps they finally realized that people with hands are supposed to hold them not tentacle beasts from some far off planet. I see you don't play fighting games.

Originally posted by NemeBro
I see you don't play fighting games.

I play fighting games. I don't work fighting games.

Clearly you do not, if you believe the 360 controller is better in all regards.

Originally posted by NemeBro
Clearly you do not, if you believe the 360 controller is better in all regards.

I don't think I said that. For example if I wanted to torture and gravely injure someone's hands I'd make them hold a PS3 controller, it is clearly the better tool in that regard.

But they're playing Street Fighter, the PS3 controller feels like smooth silk and a rimjob in their hands.

Okay, so to reiterate. The Xbox 360 controller is my favorite controller, by far.

360's controller has a terrible d-pad and overly stiff, overly convex face buttons.


Good sticks and great triggers though.

No one's said Gamecube? You all suck. Most comfortable controller I've ever held. Crazy durable, too.
Keyboard/mouse takes slot 2 for me.
Wii U is surprisingly comfortable, would tie the gamepad with PS3's controller for comfort, the HD screen is ****ing great for multiplayer split screen though so giving the Wii U the nod.
Xbox 360 controller loses points from me because two of the trigger buttons actually work as a single axis stick, making them a bit obtuse to work with if you bind the wrong things to them.

Power glove...

Honestly it's a tie between ps2 and xbox360.

...The gamecube controller was terrible. Nearly as bad as the N64 controller.

Wat.
Originally posted by CosmicComet
...The gamecube controller was terrible. Nearly as bad as the N64 controller.
Wat. How? It was super comfy, super durable, and the buttons were not only all located conveniently, they were responsive and of, imho, perfect size. I was sad when it turned out the Wii U wouldn't be GC compatible, and the 'pro' controller isn't as comfy.

I liked how they made the important buttons bigger, but the layout was pretty weird on the GC

Originally posted by CosmicComet
...The gamecube controller was terrible. Nearly as bad as the N64 controller.

Agreed.

For me it's an easy give to Playstation. That thing is just perfect. The 360 adds some groove for extra comfort and if you're into grippons then the 360 is made for you. The tried and true, however, doesn't need anything fancy. The dualshock is aces. The Snes is a pad that was kind of to good to be true...,it had SO many BUTTONS! and it wasn't confusing. for having so many more buttons and even some on the shoulder it surprised me that it took no time to get used to it. I would also give the Saturn a nod because that controller just made you want to play some shit whilst you were holding it. I remember the first time i held that controller. I was excited as hell to see what i could play with that thing lol

Snes
nes
Dual shock
Saturn
360