I love the 360 controller. I'm not a fan the PS3 controller. The only playstation controller I liked was the old PS1 controller without the thumbsticks. And in every PS3 game I've played the sixaxis seemed more like a cheep gimmick than anything else. I despise the Wii controller. It's clunky and the buttons are far too far apart. And as a PC gamer I hate that the y are removing buttons from pads. Pads need MORE buttons, not less. I've got a pinky and ring finger on each hand which could be doing stuff for me.

Best Ever - Playstation 3, which is basically an ergo version of snes with extra triggers, which is basically an ergo version of NES with triggers.

Worst Ever - There are alot but the Atari Jaguar has to be one of THE WORST ever. Nintendo has been fumbleing around trying to make what was the best design from thier earlier games into some frankensteins monster version of sewn together control.

I like the new ps3 controllers. :]
(sixxaxis)

Treblaine:
Worst controls have to go to the PSP, I mean it offers 6th generation games with controls almost identical to the SNES and an impossible analogue nub.

That's a fine point. The generation makes all the difference to a pad just as a pad can make all the difference to a generation.

Janus Vesta:
...as a PC gamer I hate that the y are removing buttons from pads. Pads need MORE buttons, not less. I've got a pinky and ring finger on each hand which could be doing stuff for me.

Would you agree that whatever doubts we have about the effectiveness of the Wii for hardcore gaming Nintendo is succeeding in making it easier for non-gamers to play? I mean, you and I would prefer a button-bristling controller because (I'm guessing your part here) we play games to a highish standard and have done so for years - but your ole' grandpa might well be intimidated by a 360 controller? Pointing at the screen, however, is anyone's game.

360 controller, I like the triggers and shoulder buttons. I'd like the PS controllers a lot more if they had a trigger. Much more satisfying.

I've always liked the playstation's controller so I'm gonna have to say that the dual shock 3 is my favorite/best controller. The weight and feel is so much better than the standard sixaxis. I actually traded 2 of my old sixaxis controllers for a game because I never use em anymore.

Please see this post from before.

jacodemon:
Ok so there's a bunch of gamers here who care about their controllers, that's awesome.

I first started this thread because I want opinions/sources (from actual gamers...) on favoured controllers for a little piece I'm writing about the importance of control to videogames. I'll be looking at why is a pad a favourite? What makes it good? What makes any pad good? Is there a formula for success? Why are bad pads bad?

The idea came out of a series of recent articles I wrote for fun about my own collection of controllers over at at xboxnewsrumoursandspeculation.com (if you click this link it will take you to the first in a series of five articles) and out of that it's turned into a major project.

The cornerstone is to be ergonomics, marketing, technology and relationship between game and controller, combined with what gamers actually feel about various controllers, good or bad.

If anyone is interested in being a source, for which you will be credited, message me or just post on this board. Obviously I'm absolutely never going to use anyone's two cents without their permission, but I'm trying to seed debate all over the place to get the juices flowing.

Dualshock 3. Comfortable, looks nice, and it has the functionality of a remote control... which is nice.

I miss the Dual Shock 2 from the PS2 and REALLY hate the Dual Shock 3 with it's lame trigger buttons.

the gamecube controller is perfect wiimote plus nunchuck or wiimote is ok

n64: annoying as hell
ps2 and 3: good
xbox: annoying

xbox 360: ok

PS3 is my favorite and at the same time my most hated. On the one hand cordless, easy to hold, all buttons are in easy reach, and its like a remote. On the other hand the L2 and R2 button barely need to be touched at all to be considered pressed which is rather aggravating with how I hold a controller.

GameCube. Dual Shock 2 is close.

With the GameCube controller, I know which button I'm pressing from the shape of it, on the PS2 I become a bit confused (That and they can't name the buttons something more easy to remember?!). With analog buttons, a better d-pad and L1 & R1 from the Dual Shock 2 replacing Z, the GameCube would be the unltimate controller.

jacodemon:

Janus Vesta:
...as a PC gamer I hate that the y are removing buttons from pads. Pads need MORE buttons, not less. I've got a pinky and ring finger on each hand which could be doing stuff for me.

Would you agree that whatever doubts we have about the effectiveness of the Wii for hardcore gaming Nintendo is succeeding in making it easier for non-gamers to play? I mean, you and I would prefer a button-bristling controller because (I'm guessing your part here) we play games to a highish standard and have done so for years - but your ole' grandpa might well be intimidated by a 360 controller? Pointing at the screen, however, is anyone's game.

It does bring in new gamers which is good for the industry. And when they move onto more hardcore games they make great cannon fodder. But The Wii controllers are very clunky and inaccurate which will give the newbs a skewed view of games. If Nintendo had released the Wii with the upcoming high 'accuracy',for lack of a better word, then I wouldn't mind as much.

But I suppose you're right. When my non-gamer friends play they always use one stick at a time and only use half of the buttons. If they want to play against me I have to heavily handicap myself. (No shooting, can't kill them unless they see me, no sprinting)

Edit:

Woops, quoted the wrong person, just let me fix that.

I'd say 360 because -aside from the TOTAL PIECE OF SHIT D-PAD- it's essentially an improved Dual Shock 2, which was my previous favorite for its shape and symmetry

I personally thought the n64 was a great controller. I guess it's love or hate.

The best controller hasn't yet been made. When it is made though, it'll have the exact weight of the Dualshock 3 and the design of the 360 controller but without those ugly battery packs for wireless.

I'm saying the Dreamcast controller only because it was the first controller to use right and left triggers. It paved the way for future controllers. And it had a mem card slot for a VMU, in which certain games displayed stats.

360, either wireless or wired; even with the dodgy d-pad, the sticks are responsive, it's comfortable to hold for lengthy periods, and the buttons are easy to reach.

As to folks whinging about other controllers, the absolute worst was the Intellivision brick. That stupid disc pad makes the 360's d-pad seem marvelously accurate and responsive by comparison.

-- Steve

Logitech G15 and Logitech G5. /thread

For me it is a toss up between the PS2 dualshock and the 360. I have to give the PS2 the edge though cuz it does have a better D-pad

I love my rumblepad pro by logitech it's layout is that of the ps2 but i's heavier and slightly more bulky.
I think the sony psX controllers are too small.
Also like the SNES controller a lot.

Ergonomically, I would say the gamecube controllers. However, it felt just a tad bit "cheap" when compared with the PS2 one, which I would rank a very close second.

Hey, I liked the Duke. Probably because I have Mike Phelps hands. :)

I also like the wavebird.

Reaperman Wompa:
New 360 one, ripped off ps2 one with bumper and triggers but i like the size and design more.

I agree. It also reduces the chance of aqquiring RSI.

Controllers are clearly just preference, talk all you want about ergonomics and such but someone out there will still like a trackball more than a 360 controller, or a joystick, or a wii-mote or something, and vice versa.

Dualshock controllers, mostly all of them but currently the DS3 now.

I hate the 360 controller though, the god damn battery pack on the back cramps my fingers so much it hurts.

The 360 controller is my personal favorite.
I grew up with the PS1 and PS2 controllers, and now own a PS3 & a 360.

The 360 controller is smooth, accurate and has a perfect button layout.
I dislike the PS3 controller for it's springy convex triggers and lack of weight.

N64 Blue and DualShock 3. End of.

I would have said the Dualshock controllers for the ps3, but i cant stand those soft shoulder triggers...

So I would have to say the 360. Nothing innovative, but it is easy to use and very comfortable to hold.

I use, prefer, and trust only company-made 1st party controllers. I've literally ran through something like 10 Playstation 2 controllers and two X-Box 360 controllers, but the ones that came with the console lasted for years.

Particularly, one controller I had for the PS2 that I had since I bought the console, affectionetly called "The Veteran" it was busted open, the wire was stripped, the analog sticks lost all the rubber on them, and it still functioned perfectly for about six years. Its retired now, because the shoulder buttons are getting soft.

But give me a MadCatz controller or a Pelican and me (or my brothers) will wear it down in a matter of weeks.

The best controler is the keyboard, if that havent been said yet. >:P On that not, Im off to the restaurant! <3

i've not used the 360 controller from more than, maybe 4 hours in total, but it feels more comfortable to use than the sixaxis PS3 controller that i own... but it did take me a while to get used to it, after R:FoM and HL2 on PS3, then switching to co-op Halo3 on 360... my fingers and thumbs got all confused!

Reaperman Wompa:
New 360 one, ripped off ps2 one with bumper and triggers but i like the size and design more.

Agreed, I owned both previous playstation consoles and I loved the controllers, then I got an xbox 360 and it just seemed more clunky (the good kind of clunky). when I grip a ps2 controller now it's like my hands have gotten bigger, and I can't comfortably sit with that kind of controller for an extended period of time.

EDIT: oh, and the N64 controller was great for GoldenEye "co-op" (2 people using one controller)

every Nintendo controller yay! *remembers n64,gamecube and wii controllers and suddenly comes back to reality*

um... I have to say this ps2 nyko controller

http://images.techtree.com/ttimages/story/iType2-Controller.jpg

I really like the 360 controller. It just...fits.