Best Controllers of all time

Validates your opinion saying the PS3 controller ahead of the 360 controller.

.... Can't even have a good discussion.

The best is Dual Shock 1-4, Sixaxis, and Wii U Pro (to date the only truly modern controller) since they are symmetrical. Xbox controllers are a joke. Classic Controller pro (from the first Wii) might be good too if not for the fact that the casing around the sticks isn't round.

No i dont think 99% of gamers do care ... If you choose a console over the other for slightly different controller feeling then what can i say ... you are one of a kind.

Controllers add nothing more to play a game. Games gameplay is all that matters and how responsive is the GAME to controls , aka controller. Games should be the defining factor what console to choose at all times. Thats what i think.

My favorites:

1. Saturn (model 2) controller
2. Genesis 3 & 6 button controllers
3. Xbox Duke controller
4. 360 controller
5. GCN controller

@AzatiS: It certainly matters now if 90 percent of 3rd party games are multi plats. I cannot go back to playing COD on Xbox or Playstation after using the Wii U Pro Controller. The layout is perfect, I don't feel like I need to stretch my thumb down to move the analog stick.

The only that it's not, is no pressure sensitive triggers.

Wii U Pro controller.

Again , ive tried all controllers by now ... I dont get all the fuss which is better . Every single one works for me so i dont get it really ? Do you have super big hands or whats the case ?

If you like it more , fine , im not against that. But im against the logic of buying a console considering its controller...thats ...funny....

There are some good controllers that have their pros and cons and some that are just plain bad.

@AzatiS: While I agree that in the end it doesn't really matter that not all controllers are the same, I don't understand how you think that gamers can't have a preference from one controller the another...and if they do somehow they're odd.

I've been gaming since NES and have gamed on every single console from NES till now (through owning them and friends). I've used all kinds of controllers growing up, surely I should have no preference when I look back at a system to think "man that controller was awesome to use" or "man that controller had some annoying features"? Believe it or not controllers DO add to the experience of a game. For example, the 360 d-pad was terrible, so all fighting games I played for it suffered. Again, for fighting games I preferred the Sega Saturn controller over the PS1 controller, for that generation because of the 6-button layout vs. 4-button layout (also because Saturn has some arcade perfect ports). Did it stop me from playing on the respective system? No.

Also, I remember people saying if the PS3 controller had the same layout as the 360 controller it would've made FPS on PS3 more enjoyable. Did it stop them from playing the game? No. Did it impact their experience? Yes.

I play any system that has games I want to play. I still perfer certain controllers over others.

I definitely care a lot about controllers. It won't stop me from buying a console, but it is the most important factor in determining which console I buy my multiplat games on and considering that the vast majority of games are multiplats, it determines which console I invest the most into.

I have bought about 95% of my multiplat games for the past three generations on Xbox consoles primarily because they have the best controllers and therefore I constantly play on Xbox, whereas I stick to buying nothing but PlayStation exclusive games for my PlayStation consoles every generation because I hate using their controllers and therefore my PlayStation consoles often go many months gathering dust until they have another great exclusive, all because of their controllers.

My top favorite controllers:

1. Xbox 360
2. Gamecube Wavebird
3. Dreamcast

If you having 2 exactly same platforms with exactly same exclusives ( which should be the number 1 deciding factor to own a console in my opinion ) and the exact same quality on multiplatforms ... Then yes you can say controller would matter. But that is not happening nor ever will.

But , damn .... Favoring X1s controller for example when 95% of multis playing way worse than PS4 ? Are you crazy ? Controllers differences are NOT that big anymore to be a system seller. All controllers in the market as we speak the last 2-3 gens are solid and i dont care at all if i play my favorite game with X1 or PS4 or SNES controller. Or even a cheap PC one as long as game is awesome...

Play on Xbox ..because of controller ...the worse version of multis for example and let others play the best versions of same games ... and all this because of the controller ? Like they have any significant difference to make the overall experience any different... Come on now.

Of the controllers I've used:

• N64
• Xbox OG
• GameCube
• Xbox 360
• PS3
• Xbox One
• PS4

My favorites are the:

• Xbox One
• Xbox 360
• PS4

While you might think that all controllers are solid and the differences don't matter, as you can see from myself and the other people that have replied to your comment, not everybody feels the same like you tried to say. I definitely don't agree with you that all controllers over the last 2-3 gens have been solid. I think the PlayStation 3 controller was terrible in every way possible and would make my hands cramp up and hurt if I used it for longer than about 30 minutes. The DS4 is a much needed improvement in ergonomics, but I still hate the unnatural analog stick position.

You are wrong about controllers not being an important factor to some people. As a matter of fact, the controller is half of the reason why I buy and favor Xbox consoles (the other half being Xbox Live). I've never been a big fan of Xbox exclusives. I think Halo sucks and I don't think Microsoft has anything as great as God of War or Uncharted or Mario in their library, but I buy Xbox consoles, so I can play multiplats (which is 75% of the games I buy) on Xbox Live and with my favorite controller. If Sony had Xbox Live and the Xbox controller, I would have no big reason to also buy Xbox consoles. Controller is very important to me.

@AzatiS:

I'm happy that you're not against people like me that prefer a controller over the other. Because I'm not against people like you that can't handle/understand other people's opinion or maybe you need to have the last say to feel like you've accomplished something. I don't know if you'll reply or not but if you do...congratulations in advance on having the last say? I'm moving on after this reply.

So what have we learned from your response?
- You said the exact same thing I said except tried to make yourself sound smart. You didn't say anything new.
- You disregarded a FACT that the xbox 360 controller has an awful d-pad, which has been pretty outspoken within the gaming community. An issue that Microsoft themselves have tried to fix for the Xbox 360 by introducting the controller with the swivel d-pad that elevates it off the controller and ONCE AGAIN on the Xbox One claiming over 40 improvements and millions they've spent on research and prototyping for the new controller.
- You countered my example with a game WIDELY known for using a d-pad and 2 buttons...as if any controller could not handle that game?
- You stated "For fighting games i bought a MADCATZ fightstick. IF you are serious about fighting games non pad is good as non pad is good for serious First person shooting games. ( Keyboard / Mouse destroys literally any pad )." which are TWO examples of controller preference over another. I agree with your quote and it shows your preference of controls for those two genre of games over other controllers...

So here we go full circle:
1) I buy consoles based on games I want to play NOT the controller.
2) Over my gaming lifetime and counting there are controllers that I have favored over others.

Game systems I've played:
NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, PS1, Sega Saturn, 3DO, N64, Sega Dreamcast, PS2, GameCube, Original Xbox, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS4, Wii U, Xbox One

Game systems I've owned:
NES, Sega Genesis, PS1, Sega Saturn, 3DO, N64, PS2, Original Xbox, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS4

Game systems I currently own and STILL play:
Sega Genesis, PS2, Sega Saturn, 3DO, N64, Xbox 360, PS4

Here is a link so you can see all the controllers introduced so far:
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/evolution-of-home-video-game-consoles-1967-2011/
Note: Not all controllers are shown but a good chunk of them. Also, I see you've been a Gamespot member since 2004, so I'm assuming you already know of all of the different variations of controllers that have been introduced, linked this just in case.

Also, since you brought up the SNES controller. I'll share my favorite Sega Genesis controller with you since they're from the same era. The wireless 6-button Sega Genesis controller. Size is comparable to the 3-button controller. Biggier than the standard 6-button controller, doesn't cramp my hands. Also, of course, because it's wireless and I prefer it's d-pad over the standard 6-button controller. I own multiple variations of controllers throughout all my game systems owned. Video below shows different variations of OFFICIAL SEGA brand controllers, but specifically the wireless controller.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubgAKns75kc

After using the Xbone controller i can safely say that PS4>>>>Xbone as far as comfort goes. Xbone has horrible bumper buttons. I find the layout of the buttons on the wiiu pro controller just a little awkward, but its still pretty good.