What Is Your Favorite Controller This Generation?

hiccupleftovers

hiccupleftovers

CAGiversary!
For this generation, as well as last generation, I must go with the PS controller. It just feels to be the most comfortable controller of them all. I enjoy it far more than any of the other first party controllers and 99% of the third party controllers for nearly any type of game. I even prefer it for FPSes over the Xbox one, which most people say they prefer it. It isn't too bad for fighters or 2d fighters either, at least the D-Pad which just trumps all over the GCN and Xbox D-Pads. And the analogs seem to fit for nearly any game, be it RPG or Action/Adeventure. Still this controller has an issue with durability, as it seems to be easy/meant to break. I've already gone through two and though I have dropped them on accident it was not from great heights and onto soft carpet. I also like to think that I keep great care of my equipment and have dropped the GCN and Xbox controllers, by accident, but have yet to go through those two. The only controller that even comes close to comprimising the PS controllers strangle hold over the top spot are some of the Logitech ones, especially the wireless one.

Next in line is the GCN controller. It takes a little getting used to with the button lay out, but once you're over that it is smooth sailing. This controller seems to work with most games well, but the disproportionate size of the D-Pad and odd position and size of the C-stick really hampers it overall. The use of springs for the shoulder buttons also slightly hurts it with the competition. Still a great controller and the only first party controller that can be bought for wireless, has a great battery life, great distance, and just overall has a great sense of durability when compared with the other two. The PS controller almost seems to be meant to break easily. I've already gone through two.

The Xbox controller to me seems to be the controller that had the most potential, but overall is lacking in many departments. It has already seen a redesign from the Duke Controller to the current Controller-S due to gamer fervor over the uncomfortablilty of the Duke. The controller seems to have been designed primarily for use of FPS type games as has been made apparent by the mass of this genre's games on the system. Nonetheless, the controller works well with most games, be it RPG or Action/Adventure. The layout is quite comfortable overall, but many of the buttons are never used. Plastic buttons/glossy buttons/the type of buttons used on the controller should not have been used. They don't help this controller overall, but seem to hinder it. They tend to make your finger tips hurt or get calloused from long periods of gameplay. The D-Pad on this system isn't as bad as the GCN, but is still terrible. Again the glossyness of it hinders it and the position of it, especially for fighters or games that rely on the D-Pad (there aren't many though any more). For a system that so many great fighters on it, this does it hurt it.

So this is my order and sorry for the long description/review, but what's yours?
 
Really it depends on the game. If you just need directional control (most fighters, Tony Hawk) the DS2 is king. If you're trigger dependant (FPS, racing) you want the controller S. Otherwise, the GCN has the best analog stick and (to me) button feel.
 
xbox controller S for me :)

i used to favor the ps2 controller, but after getting an xbox, i just can't go back to the ps2 controller unless i absolutely have to
 
I agree it really all depends on the game. But in general I perfer the GameCube controller. I have never been a fan of the PS2 controller. Just something about it that I never like. I mostly blame the placement of the analog sticks.

1. GameCube
2. Xbox S
3. Xbox Orignal
4. PS2
5. Dreamcast
 
So many GCN controller fans. That is very odd IMHO it is the "playschool my first controller." The A button is to damn big while the B button is to damn small for my big as thumb. I hit the A & B button to many times when I am just trying to hit the B button. GCN has the best analog stick (right) IMO though. I'm not flaming just my opinion.

PS2 controller for me, but it is far from perfect.

The perfect controller for next gen would be a mix of GCN analog & Z buttons, Xbox triggers, PS button layout and the Genesis (6 button) buttons.
 
My favorite if the original XBOX controller, with the GCN controller a close second. I used to favor the PS2 controller, but then the XBOX came out. And, I've never used or even held a Dreamcast controller.
 
[quote name='JebusMcLucifer']My favorite if the original XBOX controller, with the GCN controller a close second. I used to favor the PS2 controller, but then the XBOX came out. And, I've never used or even held a Dreamcast controller.[/QUOTE]

Wow how do you play some of the great games for the system...

Oh wait you havent...

better get a DCast while they are still cheap and aeasy to find games for. Dont miss it.
 
[quote name='spoo']So many GCN controller fans. That is very odd IMHO it is the "playschool my first controller." The A button is to damn big while the B button is to damn small for my big as thumb. I hit the A & B button to many times when I am just trying to hit the B button. GCN has the best analog stick (right) IMO though. I'm not flaming just my opinion.

PS2 controller for me, but it is far from perfect.

The perfect controller for next gen would be a mix of GCN analog & Z buttons, Xbox triggers, PS button layout and the Genesis (6 button) buttons.[/QUOTE]


The one question I have is why do you hit both A and B buttons? could you not figure out that if you hit the b button with the side of your thumb it wouldnt go into the A button?
 
GC controller is by far my favorite for Nintendo games but it feels akward for multi-platform games.

1. XB controller S
2. GC controller
3. XB Duke
4. PS2

I dont care for the PS2 controller because of the strange arangment of the left analog stick and no trigger-like buttons. Duke is ahead of it purely because it is called the Duke.
 
This all kind of depends on what kind of games you prefer playing. I think the Xbox Logitech wireless controller is the best overall for any type of game. I just can't stand playing anything other than 1st party Nintendo games with the GCN controller and the PS2 controller's analog sticks are too low & loose. It amazes me that the GCN controller has close to 50% of the vote right now.
 
[quote name='Snake2715']The one question I have is why do you hit both A and B buttons? could you not figure out that if you hit the b button with the side of your thumb it wouldnt go into the A button?[/QUOTE]

The thing is my GCN never gets played. It gets played for one maybe two games a year. It takes a bunch of adjusting. It doesn't happen all the time but it is frustrating when it does happen. GCN controller is great for games that only use one button :roll:
 
My favorite controller this generation and all generations is my weiner - it is so responsive, intuitive to use and it just feels right in my hands.
 
[quote name='javeryh']My favorite controller this generation and all generations is my weiner - it is so responsive, intuitive to use and it just feels right in my hands.[/QUOTE]
xbox controller-s?
 
Dual Shock 2 hands down. It's different enough to allow for some unique control schemes for games. Katamari Damacy cannot be done well on any other console, as it needs two analog sticks to be able to have that same control. Ape Escape 2, Rise To Honor, Mark of Kri, Rise of the Kasai, and others use the dual sticks well to allow for an interesting new way of controlling the game. The sticks are perfectly set so it's easy to rest my thumbs on them for easy to reach control. The DS2 is able to be an effective controller for many genres, including sports, racing, RPG, action, platformers, and more.

I do really like the S controller and Gamecube controllers a lot, but they have their quirks that just keep them from being perfect. The Gamecube's Z button and the differently positioned buttons compared to the others kind of keep it down for me. It plays great and is nice and sturdy, but doesn't seem to work as well for a few genres as the DS or S Controller do. I love the wavebird, but the lack of rumble disappoints me, but I can see why it was taken off, maybe next time. The S Controller is very similar to the DC controller, with the similar look and feel, though it does some things better. The memory card thing seemed kind of useless and it takes up a lot of space for something that gets more use as a slot for the headset. The awkward postitioning of the start and back buttons irks me as it would be easier to place them near the middle of the controller instead of underneath the stick and d-pad. The black and white kind of irk me, but not really, though them also being somewhat weird as they're not major buttons and the placement is much better than with the Duke's setup.

The latest Logitech wireless PS2 controller is a piece of shit, more fragile than the cheap Nyko controllers I've gotten before. I like my controllers sturdy and the first-party stuff is great, but Logitech has slipped.
 
Well for me, it depends on games, for FPS, I prefer pc set-up (keyboard and mouse. Even on my sexbox and pstoo, I use the "SmartjoyFRAG" for all my FPSes to have both keyboard and mouse to play with).

note: That's why I chose "other"
 
Wavebird aka Gamecube controller. Best controller since the Sega Saturn pad.
It's super comfy (except for that stupid Z button). Button placement looks funny but works well (easy to hit 2 buttons at once).

The Dual Shock analog sticks problems :

1) Analog sticks are an afterthought, not well placed
2) D-pad sucks the big one - hard, tough to use, bad for fighting games (except for Tekken maybe)
3) Analog sticks are too loose and too floppy, give me the Gamecube or N64 analog stick any day.
4) Labels are dumb. X, triangle, square, circle. :(

Xbox problems :
1) white & black buttons are awkward. The best 6 face button placement is oldschool style like Sega Saturn.

Gamecube problems:
1) Dpad sucks for fighting games.
2) Camera stick should have been another analog stick.
3) Needs more shoulder buttons for cross-platform compatibility.
 
Out of the box: Dual shock2
D pad sucks for FIghting? I don't think so. All of my friends can't fight me on Capcom Vs SNk 2 (with me using dual shock 2- using the "d-pad", and them using whatever controller they want
 
[quote name='GreenMonkey']
2) D-pad sucks the big one - hard, tough to use, bad for fighting games (except for Tekken maybe)
4) Labels are dumb. X, triangle, square, circle. :(
[/QUOTE]

The D-Pad is far superior than the Cube's or the Xbox's, and works quite well with VF4. The labels complaint is just stupid nitpicking.

The GC's controller is very comfortable, and the control stick is great. Everything else sucks, though. The C-stick is useless for anything but item selection and camera movement. The D-Pad is barely existant. The Z button sucks, as it has such a different feel than the other buttons, is too small, and is on only one side of the controller. The shoulder buttons are usless for anything outside of racing or flying games. The face buttons are awkwardly designed and proportioned. The start button is too small and too hard to get to.
 
Ick

Go ask in the fighter thread: turbo about what they think of the PS1/PS2 D-pad if you don't believe me, maybe a poll would do the job. It works good for games like Tekken that don't have a lot of fireball/dragon-punch/etc circle motions...but ick. At least the Xbox d-pad is more like a normal d-pad.

There's a reason the d-pad on this controller
255516.jpg


looks more like this:
219506.jpg


rather than the split, stiff d-pad on the PS2:
181971.jpg
 
We should have a CAG gathering and I will play Capcom Vs SNk using ANY character you guys want me to (I would prefer the well balanced guys like Ryu/ken/akuma/ evil ryu/ evil akuma, or just Blanka, E.Honda, benimaru, rock, Haohmaru, Nakururu, or Dan) and win at least 90% of all matches. (without a sorethumb). "IF" you don't believe me.
 
Green monkey, i think you will have problem with The dragon punch / hadouken / or Zangief's pile drive ONLY If you slide your thumb on the d-pad. There is another way I am using without sliding the thumb on the d-pad (that gives me sore-less thumb with such moves in street fighter games). I dont slide my tumbd, I just "roll" my thumb on the d-pad edges (hard to explain, but try to get a plate / or a coin, and try spinning it and watch how the coin/plate spins when it is about to stop. Pay attention on how the outer edge of the coin / plate "roll" on whatever surface you are spinning it on. That is what I mean).
 
PS2, it has analog face buttons, more buttons than any other controller, and most importantly the analog sticks are symetrical.
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']PS2, it has analog face buttons, more buttons than any other controller, and most importantly the analog sticks are symetrical.[/QUOTE]

Well, the Xbox controller has analog face buttons and the same amount of buttons as the PS2 controller. You're certainly entitled to prefer whichever controller you like the best, but the PS2 controller doesn't have more buttons than the Xbox controller (unless, maybe you aren't counting the Xbox triggers as buttons?).
 
Action/Adventure games - GCN

FPS - Xbox S

Those are the only games that I play where the controller plays a big part in it, at least to me.
 
I use the Logitech Wireles controllers for PS2 and Xbox and a Wavebird for the Gamecube. Down with wires!
 
[quote name='Vinny']Wavebird = the greatest controller ever made.[/QUOTE]

Same Here
the battery makes it even better...
 
I'm probably the only one here that thinks this..but I think the first released Xbox controller (aka the Duke) was my most comfortable controller. All the others were just too small.
 
My favorite overall has to be the Japanese Controller S for the Xbox. The buttons have indentations for the letters on them and all the buttons have a slightly stiffer response to them than the American S. The springs on the triggers are also slightly weaker which is nice for games like Burnout 3 where you have to hold them down for extended periods of time. It seems like the 360 controller will be one step better, except for the shoulder buttons, which I generally abhor. I would kill for a third party to make a controller that has 6 face buttons and a decent d-pad, ala the Saturn controller.

The Gamecube controller is a love/hate thing for me. I love the feel of the thumbstick, but I hate the smaller C-stick, and I wish both were clickable. The clickable triggers are a nice touch. It feels small in my hands and the irregular button placement throws me off at times, even after a few years. The Z button is also terribly placed.

The Playstation controllers have never grown on me. I hate the split D-pad, shoulder buttons, looser thumbsticks, and the flat named-for-shapes buttons. It just doesn't do it for me.
 
[quote name='radjago']My favorite overall has to be the Japanese Controller S for the Xbox. The buttons have indentations for the letters on them and all the buttons have a slightly stiffer response to them than the American S. The springs on the triggers are also slightly weaker which is nice for games like Burnout 3 where you have to hold them down for extended periods of time.[/QUOTE]

That's what I use. :cool: I always bring it with me when I play at other people's houses, I don't trust anything less. Though the indentations on the buttons can wear on your fingers if you haven't played in a while (happened to me this weekend). :lol:
 
[quote name='sblymnlcrymnl']That's what I use. :cool: I always bring it with me when I play at other people's houses, I don't trust anything less. Though the indentations on the buttons can wear on your fingers if you haven't played in a while (happened to me this weekend). :lol:[/QUOTE]
True, but they help distinguish each button and give a better grip. It's not any less comfortable than the Dreamcast's buttons.
 
[quote name='radjago']True, but they help distinguish each button and give a better grip. It's not any less comfortable than the Dreamcast's buttons.[/QUOTE]
I'm not sure any buttons could be that uncomfortable. :lol:
 
Well, I don't need to say anything that hasn't already been said. I agree with most of the posters saying that it's all game subjective. I can never play another racing game or FPS with anything less than a controller S. And I really like sports games with the PS2 dualshock... as for the GC controller... eh?
 
Personally I am a big fan of the d-pad on the PS2. Back in the day I thought it was stupid, but it has really grown on me. The thing I love about the "split" design is that you get very precise control. On other d-pads, I tend to push "up" by accident (Dreamcast was the worst in this regard). It does take some getting used to for fighting games that have "rolling" motions though, so I can see where some people are coming from.

It's hard for me to pick a favorite because each controller does certain things better than the other. I like the overall design of the Dual Shock 2. I always thought the d-pad and L stick were perfectly placed, as I always felt comfortable no matter which one I used. I definitely prefer the symmetrically-aligned analog sticks.

However, shoulder buttons are an issue - PS2 and XBOX are like two extremes. On PS2 you have four digital buttons, whereas XBOX gives you two analog triggers. In general I prefer the PS2's shoulder buttons, but for certain games the analog triggers just works better (Burnout 3). IMO the XBOX 360 controller will be the perfect solution, with two buttons and two triggers in the "shoulder" area. This could end up being ideal for like 95% of all games, with only a few odd exceptions (maybe games like SSX that utilize four "trick" buttons or something).

GC's analog stick does feel comfortable, and the button setup (which I originally scoffed at) has grown on me. d-pad is absolutely horrid though... probably the only pad that I've ever found to be physically uncomfortable to use. It is best put to use as a sort of selection device (visors in Metroid Prime), in effect it becomes four extra buttons, but as a primary movement controller it is terrible. GC controller's biggest strength is that it tends to feel EXTREMELY comfortable with the games that were specifically designed for it. It's hard to imagine playing MarioKart or Smash Brothers with anything else!

As far as Dreamcast goes, the controllers felt very comfortable. I like the handlegrips, and I think the buttons felt a lot better than the S, and maybe even better than the PS2. Also the VMU was awesome, I wish someone would rip it off. Having only one analog stick just doesn't cut it, though. Also, the lack of button hurts it a lot. Only four "normal" buttons so you were often forced to use the triggers in inconvenient ways (this was especially problematic for the many fighting games on the system). Also as I mentioned before, the d-pad didn't feel very precise. It felt loose.

So for some games I wouldn't use anything other than the Controller-S or the GC controller, but overall I think I like Dual Shock the best. For the next gen I have a feeling I will love the XBOX 360 controller, but I am curious to see what Sony and Nintendo come up with.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top