Top Ten worst video game controllers

[zektor]

Not to mean to bump an old thread, but something has to be said for some of the controllers on the list here.

First, the Duke controller (in my personal opinion) should not even be listed here. I admit that when I finally got around to getting an Xbox, it came with an S controller. It was not until recently (a few days ago actually) that I came upon a pre-owned Duke at a local Gamestop and purchased it for use with an Xbox to PC adapter I had laying around. Man, this controller just kicks ass. I don;t have huge hands, but nonetheless this controller just feels RIGHT. I played some Robotron in Mame using the analogs and scored higher than I ever have before. The D-Pad is the finest I think I have ever used. The size is great, as when I play my hands never get cramped....which was always an issue with PS2 controllers as well as some others I have used. Yep, this controller should be somewhere in a top 10 BEST list. Don't hate it just because it is big

As for the Jaguar controller being on here as well.....what? I thought this was pretty darn comfortable. I played hours and hours of Tempest 2k using it back in the day, and once again never had to deal with a cramp. Again we are talking about another bug controller here that feels pretty darn good.

Not everyone thinks a controller is better because it is smaller yah know!

[SegaAges]

Having third party controllers on the list kinda short circuits the whole list.

I couldn't agree more.

Plus I know that I can find far worse 3rd party controllers for systems as well.

The Jaguar controller, from my little experience with it, was really not bad. Sure, an Ass load of buttons, but it was not that bad

[vivaeljason]

The Jaguar controller, from my little experience with it, was really not bad. Sure, an Ass load of buttons, but it was not that bad

The problem I had with the Jaguar controller (the original variant, anyway) was that it was just three "action" buttons. I think that the 3 button version was outdated for the time and was only going to cause third-party developers to shy away due to the difficulty in porting things like, for instance, fighting games.

Obviously, that wasn't the only problem with the Jaguar, but the controller didn't help matters.

[bacteria]

I have used a number of controllers on systems, indeed the intellivision one sucks, the button pad wasn't easy to press quickly, the side buttons meant changing your hand position and after a couple of hours your forefinger got a bit black from the dial!

The Jaguar one is too hard to hold to be sensible.

One not listed here - Atari 2600 - cramps your hands quickly and also you need to ram the stick side to side to register movements.

The N64 official controller "the Tri one" was hard to hold properly, if you could.

Third parties do get controllers right sometimes - the MadCatz DreamCast controller is miles better than the official one because the joystick uses regular methods not magnets; and the SuperPad 64 is an excellent N64 controller with its massive but easy to use joystick.

IMO.

[Joshie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NES_Max

This. When I was younger I always was not in favor of this first party controller. For some reason my family thought these were the bee's knees and bought many of them, thus having to force small me to constantly switch controllers, a timesuck when I had limited time to play already before school or bed. Oh NES Max, I will exact my revenge someday.

[MetalFRO]

Not to mean to bump an old thread, but something has to be said for some of the controllers on the list here.

First, the Duke controller (in my personal opinion) should not even be listed here. I admit that when I finally got around to getting an Xbox, it came with an S controller. It was not until recently (a few days ago actually) that I came upon a pre-owned Duke at a local Gamestop and purchased it for use with an Xbox to PC adapter I had laying around. Man, this controller just kicks ass. I don;t have huge hands, but nonetheless this controller just feels RIGHT. I played some Robotron in Mame using the analogs and scored higher than I ever have before. The D-Pad is the finest I think I have ever used. The size is great, as when I play my hands never get cramped....which was always an issue with PS2 controllers as well as some others I have used. Yep, this controller should be somewhere in a top 10 BEST list. Don't hate it just because it is big

As for the Jaguar controller being on here as well.....what? I thought this was pretty darn comfortable. I played hours and hours of Tempest 2k using it back in the day, and once again never had to deal with a cramp. Again we are talking about another bug controller here that feels pretty darn good.

Not everyone thinks a controller is better because it is smaller yah know!

Well said. I quite like the Saturn 3D controller, in part because of its size and shape. I like how it feels in my hands, which is why I get along fine w/ the Dreamcast controller. My favorite overall controller is probably the PSX/PS2 controller, though I admit the size is a bit small in some ways - the layout & usability is high, but for my somewhat large hands, it'd be nice to have a slightly larger version of the stock Sony controller to my hands don't get cramped up like they did after hours of holding on to the original Gameboy

Not sure if it's the "worst ever", but My least favorite controller I've ever owned was a Mad Catz original PSX controller. Not sure if it was just that one or what, but I bought it new and buttons stopped working on it after only 4 months. One of the "mushroom tops" on the analog sticks came off, and it just went downhill from there. After too many rounds of failing miserably at Ninja: Shadow of Darkness (MAN, I still get nightmares about that awful game), I had enough & threw that controller on the ground repeatedly. Thankfully, my wife had the good sense to pick it up & just throw it in the garbage can!

[Mimi Nakamura]

The PlayStation controller has be one of the worst ever. The design of the D-Pad is terrible! Definitely style over function - it simply doesn't work with games that require quick combination inputs e.g Street Fighter Zero 3.

[Richter Belmount]

The PlayStation controller has be one of the worst ever. The design of the D-Pad is terrible! Definitely style over function - it simply doesn't work with games that require quick combination inputs e.g Street Fighter Zero 3.

......psp's worse >_>

[Baloo]

The PlayStation controller has be one of the worst ever. The design of the D-Pad is terrible! Definitely style over function - it simply doesn't work with games that require quick combination inputs e.g Street Fighter Zero 3.

Yeah, that's one game that destroys my thumb when I play it on Playstation. The D-Pad is horrible for fighting games.

[TheCaptain]

I actually really kind of liked the Jaguar's controller, mainly because of the grip along the backside of the controller and the fact that the # and * buttons would reset the console for you if need be, it was kind of a nice touch back in those days. The number pad was a little much, but all In all it never got in my way when I was playing games so I didn't hate it too much, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't understand all the hatred towards the Jaguar's controller. I guess it's a preference thing.

Oh well.

[Emuaust]

Well I like the playstation controller and have never had an issue with 2d fighters, the controller I dislike is the wii remote, for a lot f games ive playd I find it too uncomfortable ie: NSMB Wii

[Zap!]

Although I disagree with the list, it is entertaining. Is there a similar best controllers list?

[BydoEmpire]

Pretty weak list, I don't think I'd have half of those controllers on my "worst 10." The 5200 and Inty controllers are fairly comfortable, and with the exception of a handful of poorly-programmed games on the 5200, completely usable. I don't know what peoples' problem is with the Inty disc. The only problem with that controller is the little side buttons, which make your thumbs sore after a while.

The 7800 Prolines would be my #1 by far - it's incredibly uncomfortable, and cramps my hands after just a few minutes. It's virtually unusable for me. I've tried many times, but it's just bad.

The stock Colecovision controllers are awful as well - it's uncomfortable, and that nubby stick is too stiff. If it weren't for the excellent Super Action joystick controller I'd never play a CV.

I would have the original Xbox controller on my worst list. Not because of the size, but because the action buttons are uncomfortable (too rounded) and the L/R triggers are too stiff, which leads to cramps. The S is much, much better, and both Xbox controllers' rubber-tipped sticks are the best out there. My thumbs slip off the Cube & PS2 sticks.

Intellivision 2 - I like the stock Inty controllers, but the Inty 2 controllers are a pale substitute. The plastic edge where the disc sits is sharp, the side buttons are as bad or worse than the Inty's, and worst of all, the 'membrane' style keypad doesn't have the satisfying click.

Dreamcast - super floaty dpad that constantly fought against you in fighting games, and the odd angle you had to hold your hands led to some cramping. It's not that terrible, but that dpad just kills me.

As for best, that's easier for me:
Epyx 500XJ - wonderful click feel, tight controls, and comfortable.
Gamecube - it felt like butter in your hands - the sticks weren't great, but it felt so good to hold. The triggers have a great feeling as well, with the soft click when fully engaged.
Atari 2600 joystick - classic. Comfortable, accurate, very usable.
Xbox 360 - comfortable, usable... same excellent rubber-tipped sticks from the Xbox controller.
SNES - the perfect fighter and 2D game pad. Good-sized and tight, comfortable Dpad, well-placed buttons... pretty much perfect.

[buzz_n64]

List sucks ass. Xbox fat controller is one of my favorite, if not my favorite controller. Fits my hands perfectly, and thought the new "s" controllers were for children. Too small. The xbox controller to me was an improved dreamcast controller.

Number 1 should be 5200 controllers. I've had horrible expeirences from childhood, dying because of the damn controller. I love the system, but atari messed up big time.

number 2- intellivision, what the hell were they thinking?

3- n64 switch to d pad, switch to analog, and back. thought it was cool at the time, but forget about nastalga, and take it for what it is, a concept that shouldn't have been finalized.

[Valkrazhor]

I've only really played systems from the NES era and beyond. Those remote controller looking controllers do look quite horrible though. All of the 8-Bit and 16-Bit era controllers have been a joy to use for me. The 3D era is when I started having problems. I know I'm in the minority when I say this but personally I can't stand the Nintendo 64 controller. Horrible D-Pad and analog stick placement. Not to mention that its analog stick always felt way to loose and slippery for its own good. Thanks to this controller I haven't been able to fully enjoy much of the Nintendo 64's already small library. The Gamecube controller was a step in the right direction but still felt a bit too gimmicky with its somewhat funky shaped buttons and layout and the D-Pad was in an even worse spot this time around. It fit in my hand nice though, probably because it didn't have three handles... Hah. Plus it had a decent analog stick. I was able to control Zelda: OoT much better on that than I ever was on the Nintendo 64 controller. Still, Nintendo should have kept it simple like the ace Playstation and Dreamcast controllers did.