27 replies to this topic

[Koh]

Just thought we could discuss our differing experiences with the evolution of controllers as we held them.

 

My worst experience was of course the N64 controller.  There was no comfortable way to hold the damn thing.  If you held it like a PS1 controller, you couldn't reach the analog stick with your thumb, but if you held if from the middle, then the d-pad and L button was out of the question.  How in the world did this design get finalized?

 

The XBox Controller took some getting used to, mainly because of how bulky it is.  I still don't understand why a controller needs to be that bulky; there's no better example of a controller size and design than a PS1/PS2 controller.

Edited by Koh, 23 February 2014 - 07:16 PM.

[The Satellite]

I don't remember having too much trouble with any controller I've ever used besides the bulky Xbox controller and any Sony controller. I just hate Sony's controller designs, the worst of which being the PS3, whose poor excuses for "triggers" hurt my fingers. The best controllers, in my opinion, are Gamecube's, Xbox 360's, and, call me crazy, the Wii U GamePad.

[anikom15]

Most N64 games didn't need L and the dpad. The ones that did didn't need the Z button or analog stick.

The SNES controller is the best controller ever made, followed by the Gamecube's. The Playstation controllers annoy me because they're so shoddily made. The Wii U's controller is very comfortable. Probably the best design since the Gamecube.

I have to give props to the NES controller for being incredibly light and durable. The XBox controllers need to die in a hole.

[kurt91]

How on earth did you have so much trouble with the Nintendo 64 controller? Yes, I admit that the only way to design a game around the controller resulted in a large waste of space, but most games either had you use the D-Pad or Analog Stick, never both. If the stick was used, the Z button was used as a replacement for the L button. I admit that I didn't have a very large N-64 library, but I've never had a problem with any of the games I've ever played with it.

 

Now, my favorite controller would have to be my PS2 controller. It's a third-party one, but it lights up (slowly changing color in a pattern as you play) and has rather hefty rumble components in it, providing a comfortable amount of weight to the thing. Also, there's a vertical difference between the L1/R1 and the L2/R2 buttons, with the lower buttons contoured to better fit your fingers.

 

A close second would be my old PC controller, which still had the contoured and repositioned L2/R2 buttons, but there was a lack of weight to the thing, and no rumble feature. It was comfortable to use, but provided no feedback and felt as though it would break easily when used. My cat ate through the cord, and I have to use a new controller I had gotten a while ago that has more weight and rumble feedback, but no contoured/repositioned buttons. However, the L2/R2 buttons are analog, so they can sense how far they're being pressed. Unfortunately, they don't work well with Joy2Key or emulators because they're recognized as a third control stick, so you can't press both at the same time.

[Moonbread]

I want one of these (and an N64, too):

 

 

It's supposed to basically be what the N64 controller shoulda been.

 

Honestly, Nintendo has always had really well designed controllers.  Not a fan of the XBox controllers, although I was okay with the Playstation controllers.

[Dawnlight]

My worst and probably the most overrated controller I ever used was this thing...

 

Don't be intrigued by its looks. The analog sticks are too stiff and the buttons feel extremely cheap. When comparing this to the Wii U Pro Controller, the Wii U Pro controller is a much better experience than this. This controller doesn't even feel like the Pro Controller. It's nowhere near as comfortable. Avoid this controller like the plague. It's not worth it. Mine broke after the MINI-usb port fell off.....yeah .

 

 

The 360 controller with the transforming D-pad is the controller for me followed by the PlayStation Dualshock Controller.

[Moonbread]

Yeah, Dawnlight, I've heard that that 3rd party Wii U controller is really fuckin' terrible and doesn't even actually work as a Wii U Pro Controller.  It should be burned at the stake, for getting my hopes up by looking like an SNES controller.

[thepsynergist]

Best Controller for me: Gamecube (SNES close second)

Worst: N64.  That control stick was way too rigid, and it was impossible to clean because of how the spring is placed.

[Fuzzy]

Some of my best and also worst gaming experiences have come from this shard of plastic junk controller:

 

 

It was used with the SNES, and it's the first pieces of technology I'm aware of to use a touch screen/pad for gaming.  It was great to use this for fighting games instead of killing your thumbs trying to roll them over a D-pad for combos.  Besides things you would want a fluid D-pad for, though, it was awful.  Playing a sports game?  Good luck running in the same direction for more than a second.  Platformers?  You can hardly time your runs to stop yourself from going off the edge!

 

Overall, I'd describe this thing as extraordinarily frustrating to try and use at first, and then a little rewarding when you eventually get used to it (which takes ages).

[Ventus]

I want one of these (and an N64, too):
 

 
It's supposed to basically be what the N64 controller shoulda been.
 
Honestly, Nintendo has always had really well designed controllers.  Not a fan of the XBox controllers, although I was okay with the Playstation controllers.

I have one of those controller, its pretty damn good... A shame that I have to repair the analog stick before it can be used ever again...
I really put a lot of use into the controller so at least it was worth the 1$ price tag.
---
 
Best experience: (PlayStation) Analog Controller, I loved the design and all that goodness and pretty much everything about it was good.
 
Worst experience: (Atari Jaguar), pretty much I can say that its the worst thing I've ever even held. The image shows how much of a turd it was.

Click me

[Koh]

How on earth did you have so much trouble with the Nintendo 64 controller? Yes, I admit that the only way to design a game around the controller resulted in a large waste of space, but most games either had you use the D-Pad or Analog Stick, never both. If the stick was used, the Z button was used as a replacement for the L button. I admit that I didn't have a very large N-64 library, but I've never had a problem with any of the games I've ever played with it.

 

I think this goes back to the original question of "Why would you design a controller like this anyway?"  If only half of it is ever going to be used at a time, why not simplify the design?  It'd be like if you had an SNES controller, but playing games that only ever used as many buttons as an NES controller; there's no need for all of those extra buttons.  Holding this thing was never comfortable for me, even when holding it from the middle.

[Shane]

Gamecube Controller, by far. Maybe it's also the reason why I enjoyed most of its games too. Wii U Pro Controller is also amazing too.

 

Also I like the Wii U Pro SNES-esque Controller. I have one, and a little brother that likes to break my stuff a lot of the time, and it never broke. And it's not like Nintendo to make stuff that's breakable.....

[strike]

GameCube is the best to me. It feels so natural.

 

-Strike

[Orithan]

Yeah, Dawnlight, I've heard that that 3rd party Wii U controller is really f*****' terrible and doesn't even actually work as a Wii U Pro Controller.  It should be burned at the stake, for getting my hopes up by looking like an SNES controller.

 

I can attest to this one. Wanting a Wii-U Controller Pro to play Pikmin 3 multiplayer, I picked this one up at first because it was cheaper. But when I got into the game to play it, I discovered that it registers as a Wii-Remote and didn't work at all like the Wii-U controller pro regardless of settings I put it on. Neverless, I returned it the next day and got a proper Wii-U controller pro for $20 more. What a complete rip-off.

 

Speaking of which, I find the Wii-U Controller Pro to be very overrated and the gamepad underrated. The pro controller felt clunky and unresponsive compared to the gamepad and a lot of other controllers, especially at first when I had trouble pressing the buttons down whereas the sheer utility of and comfortable feel of the gamepad wins over any controller hands down. The Gamecube is the only one that comes close to the gamepad for me.

[Gouanaco]

IMO i love the Xbox the controller. The triggers are so useful and use-able, with no slipping off or pressing the wrong trigger.

 

The thumb sticks are the exact position i like them to be in. I hate how the play station controller has the 2 sticks in the middle, my thumbs always... ALWAYS! hit into each other if i decide to travel right while looking left. 

 

However the ps4 controller apparently has wider sticks. THANK GOD XP

 

So i personally like the xbox controller better and never had much experience with others. Maybe that kind of explains it