Poll: What has been the best Console Controller (best layout, comfortable, easiest to use etc)

[SLy AsymMetrY]

The 360 pad just feels so right. It fits so well. Particularly the sticks, which have just the right amount of sensitivity/resistance, making you feel like you're always completely in control.

 

[Frank_Sinatra_]

#xbox 360- forms to your hands and makes you feel sexy. works well with all games. except the d-pad is shit.

Works well with all games, with a shit d-pad? The 360 controller is horrible for RTS, and fighting. (Then again all consoles are horrible for RTS.) Makes you feel sexy?
Man I have a 360 and I don't think I'm sexy while I play it, I think; "Why did I buy this?"

#ps3- feels so unnatural to use in fps's. is it only me or does everyone elses thumbs bump each other when using this crap. except the d-pad works well.

Its just you placing your hands wrong on the controller. Quick lesson on how to hold a PS3 controller:
1.) Grasp the controller lightly.
2.) Your thumb tips go on the center of the joysticks, not the center of your thumbs go on the center of the joysticks.
If you follow those basic steps your thumbs will never touch each other. (I have big hands too.)
The PS3 controller never felt unnatural for FPS's and Im a huge connoisseur for FPS games.

For me the winner goes to the Dual Shock controller design, reasons are as follows.
1.) We are not just talking about the PS3 Dual Shock, we are talking about the Dual Shock design.
2.) Dual Shock has been around for 10+ years and has never really needed a change in design. The only changes were adding joysticks, and giving them six-axis. (If I am wrong please correct me.)

It seems that the majority of people are voicing their opinions on what they use for a primary gaming system.

 

[DrHoboPHD]

If they made it a bit bigger than the gamecube controller would be my pick.

 

[Cheesebob]

Despite what people say about the 360, its controller is brilliant

 

[robinkom]

Honestly, there are several really good controllers, it just depends on the age of the system and the intended software. I'll make a quick run down by company, at the very least each hardware company a BEST controller out of all of their own designs. Obviously, its based on my own experiences and opinions but I'll try to be a little objective.



SEGA:
----
Master System Controller: Responsive buttons, HORRIBLE Directional Pad. Looks like a chocolate candy bar.
Genesis 3-button: Most comfortable and sturdy. Responsive ABC buttons, great D-pad design.
Genesis 6-button: Poorly made; they seemed to break and get dirtier a lot easier.
Saturn Controller (1st): Terrible D-Pad. Oddly-shaped face buttons. Shoulder buttons were 'clicky' mouse buttons.
Saturn Controller (2nd): Better D-Pad, Good Genesis-like face buttons. Now the Shoulder buttons are an odd shape and still 'clicky.'
Dreamcast controller: Really great! Analog stick lacked appropriate thumb gripping but still sturdy and well-made. Could have used 2 more face buttons.

Winner: Genesis 3-Button
Second Place: Dreamcast Controller



NINTENDO:
--------
NES Pad: One of the all-time more popular. Simple, solid design with responsive controls.
NES Advantage: Fantastic Arcade stick. Weighs a little much.
NES Maxx: Horrible D-pad. 360 degree rotating disc just feels unnecessary for such simple games.
SNES Pad: Great! One of the best ever.
N64 Controller: Not bad at all. Analog Stick is prone to breaking under more aggressive gamers. A little early for man's evolution into having a third hand.
Gamecube Controller: Good design. Essentially a PS2 controller with different button layout and no "L1" button. Very solid if you don't break the Analog stick. D-Pad is a little small.
Wii Controller: Innovative function, not so great in the wrong developer's hands. Can be used in a multitude of ways.

Winner: SNES Pad.
Second Place: Gamecube Controller



MICROSOFT:
---------
Xbox Controller F: The spiritual successor to the Dreamcast Controller. Incredibly large and heavy. Face buttons and D-Pad are stiff and oddly-shaped. Analog Sticks are solid and responsive.
Xbox Controller S: Much smaller and more hand-fitting for non-gargantuan people. Redesigned face buttons are more responsive.
Xbox 360 Controller: Arguably the best of the current generation to some. The spiritual successor to the Controller S.

Winner: 360 Controller
Second Place: Controller S
Personal Favorite: Controller F (It fit my hands the best.)



SONY:
----
PSX Controller: The first iteration, a successor to the SNES Pad. Solid and ergonomic.
PSX Dual Shock: Dual Analog sticks are solid and responsive. Same nice design.
PS2 Dual Shuck 2: Improved design with touch-sensitive buttons.
PS3 Sixaxis: I don't own a PS3 so I can't comment much on it. I have heard mixed reactions.
PS3 Dual Shock 3: According to some, should have been the pack-in controller from the start.

Winner: PS2 Dual Shock 2
Second Place: Up to you...



ATARI:
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2600 VCS Joystick: One of the more recognized controllers ever. Near-impossible to break.
5200 Controller: 360-degree analog stick does no recenter itself. Heralded as one of the WORST controllers ever made.
7800 Controller: Don't remember much about it. Was probably more akin to the 2600 joystick.
Jaguar Controller: Simple face button layout. Keypad seems about 10 years out of date as an inclusion.

Winner: 2600 VCS Joystick
Second Place: 7800 Controller (Since I KNOW the other 2 suck, process of elimination.)



Panasonic 3D0:
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Just an honorable mention for one simple feature... Though it was arip off of the Genesis Controller, its one neat function was each subsequent player's controller port being on the back of the previous player's controller. In theory it would have allowed infinite players to join in.




As for the poll though... I voted 'Other' because the Commodore 64 Joystick wasn't listed.

 

[robinkom]

I actually think the Virtual Boy controller was the best controller I've had the pleasure to use.

I'm not even sure how I feel about that.

I'm not sure how I feel about that either and I've used a Virtual Boy too... Actually, I'm kind of scared. Lock your doors, "THEY" may come for us in the night. Should you escape, I'll meet you on the eastern mountain peak to light the warning fires.

 

[robinkom]

#orginal xbox- was like playing games with a dinner plate.
#gamecube- button placement was horrible. -c- that yellow joy stick thing...WTF is that worthless crap
#xbox 360- forms to your hands and makes you feel sexy. works well with all games. except the d-pad is shit.
#ps3- feels so unnatural to use in fps's. is it only me or does everyone elses thumbs bump each other when using this crap. except the d-pad works well.
#wii- makes you look like an idiot when playing with it. wins for innovation. you cant really classify this with the other controllers though because its more of and instrument. ex: such as the duck hunt gun for nes.

The Winner is....360 obviously

Xbox: Well, if you have large hands like some of us, the original fat Xbox controller was incredibly confortable.

Xbox 360: The D-pad is fine. Maybe yours just needs cleaning or is broken.

PS3: No comment, don't own one.

Wii: If you're worried about looking like an idiot, then you must take yourself too seriously... or must not have any friends. The Wii is one of the funniest things to play with friends over... sober or not. XD (Then again, if the alcohol starts to flow heavy, we break out the SEGA Saturn and see who can get through Virtua Cop the farthest while hammered, hahaha!)

 

[d4rkxy13x]

Colecovision! Nah, just kiddin'. 360 feels natural and instead of feeling flimsy it feels solid.

 

[deathninja]

Gamecube, easily the most comfortable pad for me, was just the right shape to support my wrist when I busted it up too.

 

[DragunovHUN]

Wireless x360 controller. The wired ones are too light without the weight of the battery pack. Not to mention the presence of the wire...

 

[Hamster at Dawn]

#xbox 360- forms to your hands and makes you feel sexy. works well with all games. except the d-pad is shit.

The d-pad is only shit if you try to use it for movement, which no games do. I think the d-pad is well suited for switching weapons and giving commands. I do agree that the 360 controller is the best though, they knew what they were doing when they built that.

 

[barryween]

I really like the 360. it just feels... natural.

I second that. I own a PS3 but my little brother had the 360 for about a year before I bought it and I must say the 360 controller is just so ergonomically sound. The original XBox controller was... awful to say the least. But the 360 controller just seems like it's made to sit in your hands. Aside from that the button layout is straight forward, nothing seems like it's been crammed in just for the sake of that-FPS-that-might-one-day-need-it. Coming a close second is the Gamecube controller.

Playstation controllers are good but adhere too readily to the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' way of thinking. Plus they're a bit on the small side. Everyone's hand sizes are different. I suppose like everyone's idea of ergonomically sound is aswell.

EDIT: Oh yeah, ever thrown a 360 controller at your TV/wall/friend? It doesn't break so easily... Sony you need to make your controllers a bit more robust.

Cant say I have tried that. Also, I think the PS3 is too small compared to PS2 controller.

 

[dekkarax]

I like the good ol' dual shock, comfortable and sturdy.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

I'll start at the other end, damn , I owned a Jaguar, and about 80% of that damn controller was unnecessary, who decided we needed a calculator nailed to the bottom of it? Tempest 3000 was epic tho, and the only reason to hold one of those things.

I'll still have to place my bets on the PS2/3 one, and the 360. I use a 360 pad when I'm playing ports on the PC (don't own a 360) and its just a damn fine pad!

Anyone know if the wireless 360 pad runs on the PC or do you have to buy a PC specific 360 pad?

 

[IsoNeko]

I'd say the 360. It's a little more ergonomic that the Dual Shock Models, The wii has a Stick and Grabber. The Gamecube had extra buttons in difficult places (For me at least) The Xbox Original was hueg, the SNES wasn't ergonomic at all, the N64 had a third gripper and a awkwardly placed analog stick, the Genesis only had 3 buttons that weren't directional and pause. And any further back, and I'd have been a sperm cell. (Didn't play the Dreamcast)

 

[I3uster]

The wii is the only controller with shoulder freedom, so gogo

 

[spiritslayr]

it really depends on the size of your hands, currently i think the 360's controller is best but when I was younger I thought the xbox controller S was better as it was smaller.

 

[Irridium]

EDIT: Oh yeah, ever thrown a 360 controller at your TV/wall/friend? It doesn't break so easily... Sony you need to make your controllers a bit more robust.

its kind of strange actually, the 360 controller is sturdy, yet the console is fragile, the PS3 controller is fragile yet the console is sturdy.


but back on topic, Mine would have to be a keyboard/mouse. Mainly because I can customize the controles to whatever I desire.

The PS3 and 360 controllers are pretty similar to me, the only real differance is the size of the trigger buttons and the positioning of the D-pad and left anologue stick.

 

[zoozilla]

I really love the 360 controller - the way it's molded and the way the buttons are laid out just make a lot of sense.

That being said, I am not a controller expert or anything - it would be interesting to know if there are some "controller enthusiasts" who go to huge lengths to get the best controllers possible.