Best:

Gamecube

Worst:

Virtual Boy

The 360 controller is naturally great, but my favorite of all time was the N64 controller.

The size of it is not an issue for me but the offset analog sticks is annoying and the D-Pad is probably the worst of any controller I used.

It's funny since the lack of offset is one of the main reasons I dislike the Playstation controllers (it's hugely uncomfortable, especially for FPS games... and, among other things, I also dislike the analog sticks in general on the controller and those triggers were a disaster in design). The D-Pad on the original 360 pad was pretty bad but oddly never bothered me, I think the newer version w/ the twist D-Pad works fine.

Like I said, too big.

The twist D-Pad is a slight improvement, but still sucks for fighting games.

Major Nelson had Albert Penello, one of the original Xbox hardware guys, on his podcast a few months ago, and he talked a little bit about the history of the Duke and the Akebono/Controller S. He started at MS a year before launch, and the first thing he did was ask to see the hardware. He noted that the controller was big, and was told "all you need to know is, it's done."

He does mention that all of the testing and focus groups MS did on the Duke showed that people preferred it to the Dual Shock 2.

And one of the first things he did at MS was to start working on getting the Controller S done. He makes it sound as if he had started at MS just a few months earlier, the Duke probably never would have shipped.

Pretty interesting listen if you like that sort of thing. His interview starts around 26 minutes in.

http://majornelson.com/cast/2011/11/...xbox-turns-10/

The Duke was my favorite actually. Still the only controller that fit perfectly in my hands. The "S" always caused my hands to cramp after an hour or so of playing. I don't know if there's that big of a difference between the "S" and the 360 controller, or I just got used to it, but thankfully I don't have that problem anymore.

The wavebird if you are thinking of it only in the context of the games made specifically for gamecube. It felt great and had a great button layout with being able to roll your thumb from the A to the other 3 face buttons smoothly.

If I had to choose a single controller for any given game, I would pick the 360 controller (w/ control freak extensions on the thumb sticks). It is nearly as comfortable as the wavebird and has a real second stick.

How is this even an argument?

Best: 360 worst Atari Jaguar. The one that I thought was and still is the most original controller ideas was the Atari Lynx. They had it designed for both left and right handed people. Really cool feature I wish more controllers would use.

I loved the 360 controller, but I no longer have a 360. The PS3 controller is fine. Don't have a problem with it at all.

+1

The 360 controller is definitely among the best. If you're looking for perfection, this is it; and I used to be a keyboard & mouse guy. I still need to pick up one of the grey ones, but I've never seen it locally below $65 CAD. I had no idea that people were experiencing issues with it, though.

Like others here, I really don't like the Sony DualShock controllers. It was fine when the PS1 was released (both with and without the analog sticks), but not anymore. It feels too light (ie: cheap), awkward in my hands, and severely dated.

Kinect?



The Intellivision was even bad for its day:

I miss my Intellivision II.

It took me a while to get used to my 360 controllers but I'm starting to like them almost as much as my PS3 controllers. I absolutely hated the Duke. It wasn't just the size. It felt like something that wasn't designed to be held for extended periods of time.

As someone who played a lot of Intellvision. It was horrible.

My favorite would probably be the current 360 controller (though I wish it wouldn't flash every 10 seconds when the batteries are half dead). The Wavebird is a very solid controller as well. I am personally not a fan of the Playstation controller, and have not been since PS1.

The best for me is the 360, and the worst was the ColecoVision...moving your guy was like trying to put on a wet T-shirt, frustrating!

My father-in-law is a big Sony fanboy, and he swears (along with his fanboy sons) that the PS3 controller is the best, and the 360 controllers are too big, weirdly designed, run out of batteries too quick, don't dispense vodka, etc.

Oh and they also claim the PS3 is the man system and the 360 is for kids.

The Wavebird was the best damn controller for the longest time. Felt great and was super responsive.

Currently I am hoping the one thing Microsoft doesn't change for the next console is their controller. It has a great feel and weight. I also love the keyboard attachment for it.

I barely use my PS3 for games but each time I do I am forced to use a controller that I simply hate. The previous controllers from Sony were decent but the PS3 controller just feels hollow and far too delicate.

Most uncomfortable? I can still feel the NES controller imprinting its raised serial number into my skin.

Ah, but they can dispense Hot Pockets, at least:



(Everybody's seen this already, right?)

Of the current systems I'll take the DS3. I can't stand the off-set sticks on the 360 controller.

Why do you hate comfort?

There's nothing natural about holding your left thumb at a 90 degree angle while you play.