Favorite Gaming Controllers

Controllers play a very vital and pivotal role in video games. They are virtually the way we communicate with our favorite game destinations. Controllers have evolved dramatically since the invention of them on the Magnavox Odyssey back in 1972. So, which is your favorite video game controller? The shoulder button pioneer SNES controller? The dual-shock PlayStation controller? How about getting down with your bad self on a dance pad? Are you old school and play with joysticks and the mouse and keyboard? Let us know by ranking your favorite input devices in this list to show how in control you really are.

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  • 7 years ago
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    I'm surprised to see that Wii U Gamepad so high, I personally couldn't stand the thing, whenever I play on the Wii U I have to use the Pro Controller.
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    • Silent Gamer
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      Silent Gamer
      Editing … Not as bad as the Wii-motes (or whatever they are called) but still pretty terrible!
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    • Splatterhouse 5
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      Splatterhouse 5
      Editing … I didn't mind the WiiU Gamepad nearly as much as I thought I would, and actually quite enjoy it. However, I was quite surprised in how much I'd enjoy the WiiU Pro Controller - Very comfortable, and packs a helluva charge. What surprises me is how high the Gamecube controller is on the list. It's "ok", but my memories of it always instantly jump towards its tiny d-pad, forgettable z-button, lifeless c-stick, and different for different's sake button layout. It seems to be THE Smash Bros. controller, but I've never liked Smash Bros., so maybe that has something to do with it.
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  • 7 years ago
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    Not to sound like a controller junkie (again), but that Nintendo Switch controller shape. @_@
    Dreamcast all over again, I guess?
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    • Splatterhouse 5
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      Splatterhouse 5
      Editing … Yeah, I'm not crazy about the Switch joy cons (with grip) in a similar way that I wasn't crazy about the Dreamcast controller. However, the Switch Pro controller feels like a dream in my hands. Hehe...the Switch and WiiU Pro Controllers are so nice that I wish I used them more often - I just simply game much more often on PS and XB.
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  • 7 years ago
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    I still can't believe that I ranked the Wiimote higher than a lot of these controllers. Lol. I'd normally say that it sucked, but then Capcom released Zack and Wiki. And Nintendo released Sin and Punishment 2. And then there were the point-and-click games and...hunh.

    For some reason I just love sitting back and waving a TV remote. Lol.
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  • 7 years ago
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    Sorry, I just fixed the list. DualShock 2 ftw. :P
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    • DJ_JJSlider
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      DJ_JJSlider
      Editing … Aw, somebody hates me. The Xbox 360 controller is back to #1 now. I failed. Lol.
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  • 7 years ago
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    Noooooo! D: The Xbox 360 Controller outranked the DualShock 2. D: D: D: NOOOOO!
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    • Rich .
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      Rich .
      Editing … D-pad aside the 360 pad's a way way better controller than the Dualshock 2. It's a lot more ergonomic for adult sized hands, it has triggers instead of just second shoulder buttons and it's wireless.
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    • Rich .
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      Rich .
      Editing … I'm not sure why the Dualshock 2 deserves any credit to be honest, it's just a rereleased Dualshock 1 with some different paint.
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    • Sudertum
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      Sudertum
      Editing … 360 Controller >any other Controller >dualshock 2
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    • Husky Wing
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      Husky Wing
      Editing … Ooohhh, that's why I'm not big on the 360 pad. I don't have adult-sized hands.
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    • IceTheRetroKid
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      IceTheRetroKid
      Editing … Good, lol. Dualshock 2 is good, but you can't just say it's a great controller just because the system is legendary.
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    • Nodley
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      Nodley
      Editing … The 360 pad fits my hands perfectly.
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    • Rich .
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      Rich .
      Editing … While we're on the topic, the original PS1 controller (the one with no analogue sticks that everyone stopped using when the dualshock came out) is your second favourite controller @Waluigifan !? That's a really weird choice.
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    • LizardTaro
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      LizardTaro
      Editing … "That's a really weird choice" *in your opinion. I just happen to have a different one. Crazy, huh? Anyways, since you want me to explain it so bad: I used to play games with the original PS1 controller when I was younger and I liked it.
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    • Nodley
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      Nodley
      Editing … You should play a bit with the 360 pad. I'd been on Sony since 1995, and didn't get my hands on one until about 2009. Within a few hours I loved them, so much better natural feel to them, they just lay in your hands in the perfect position.
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    • Rich .
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      Rich .
      Editing … Well, yeah. Calling something weird is only ever an opinion, that goes without saying. It just seems odd to me that it has fans. Not having analogue sticks was a pretty major flaw once gaming went 3d, Sony obviously realised that, they didn't even wait for a new console to release a better controller.
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  • 7 years ago
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    Keyboard and Mouse in the top ten ..... Ewwwwwwwww
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    • Husky Wing
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      Husky Wing
      Editing … Some people like accuracy and total control, ya know?
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    • Aramonde
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      Aramonde
      Editing … My main issue is with the keyboard. The time i've played WASD it my hand hurts after 5 minutes. More like arthritis and mouse.
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    • Husky Wing
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      Husky Wing
      Editing … What sort of keyboard do you have? This sounds like it would have to be a rather old one.
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    • Aramonde
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      Aramonde
      Editing … I played on a friends Alienware laptop a few times.
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    • chemical
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      chemical
      Editing … Keyboard and mouse supremacy.
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    • Rich .
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      Rich .
      Editing … A mouse is a decent alternative to a right stick but even gaming keyboards are designed for typing first with gaming as an afterthought and it shows. WASD is a mediocre way to control movement (only 8 directions, no altering how hard you press to adjust your speed) and there are ten times more buttons than most games need.
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    • Doubleagent
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      Doubleagent
      Editing … No one uses WASD on it's own, movement is used in combination with the mouse. For most games I use almost entirely mouselook + Mouse Button 4 for movement with WASD as a side.
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    • Rich .
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      Rich .
      Editing … Yeah and the left stick often gets used in combination with the right stick working the camera in pretty much the same way. My point about WASD being mediocre compared to an analogue stick or even a good d-pad still stands. It's only 8 directional and you can't vary how hard you're pressing to control movement speed. That's why I use a 360 pad for most PC games.
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    • Ulty
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      Ulty
      Editing … Nothing beats a good ol' controller.
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    • Rich .
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      Rich .
      Editing … I can see mouse and keyboard getting to the top of this list but only because every PC gamer's going to rank the same thing whereas the "controllers are better" vote's split between 8 generations worth of controllers.
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  • 7 years ago
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    Dumb question, but... what's the difference between the DualShock 3 and the Sixaxis?
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    • Rich .
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      Rich .
      Editing … The sixaxis doesn't rumble/vibrate so they couldn't call it a dualshock.
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  • 7 years ago
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    @Pape Badiane
    DualList
    Wii U Listpad
    Steam Conlister
    Keyboard & List (kb & List)
    Atari Joylist
    Power List/List Glove
    FragFX Fraglist
    Microsoft SideLister
    NES Lister
    Listaxis
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  • 7 years ago
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    The 360 controller at number two. You people must have not played games that require a d-pad. One of the worst d-pads ever.
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    • Magus
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      Magus
      Editing … I usually use a 360 controller when playing Steam or old emulated games and don't really recall ever being frustrated with its control pad. I've had way worse experiences with (admittedly non-official) PS2 controllers and offhand I'd probably say the 360 pad was a bit better than the PS3 pad. However, the only controller-intensive games I play a lot of are platformers and action-adventures. So if the 360 pad monumentally fails at some routine actions you do in, like, fighting games or whatever, I wouldn't know.
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    • StealthRUSH
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      StealthRUSH
      Editing … I went though 3 controllers in one year from playing #Street Fighter IV using d-pad extensively.
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    • Odyssey RPG
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      Odyssey RPG
      Editing … Which is why I think the Xbox One controller is better, it has the best Dpad of any controller I've used personally.
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    • Rich .
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      Rich .
      Editing … Yeah, the 360 d-pad's awful but everything else about it's miles ahead of anything else that was around at the time. It was the first controller I used where the ergonomics actually felt designed for adult hands.
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    • DJ_JJSlider
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      DJ_JJSlider
      Editing … Rrrgh...stupid D-pad. Honestly, if that Xbox 360 D-pad didn't suck a$$, I'd call it the one of the best. Thanks to that stupid design, I had to buy a separate fighting game controller. And then Microsoft released that revised Xbox One controller, just to piss me off. Nice going, you a$$#0l3$...well anyway.
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  • 7 years ago
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    Pape, you should let people rate/review the controllers too on individual pages, that would be nice.
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