It doesn’t matter if you’re playing the best game of all-time or one of the worst if you’re holding a terrible controller. These are our gateway into the world of gaming, and depending on how they are designed can completely change how we look at a console. The best NES games wouldn’t have taken off if it weren’t for its controller, and we’ve only been iterating on them since then. Graphics are important, but the best consoles of all-time wouldn’t have succeeded without a great controller. Let’s go back through the ages and pick out the best controllers we’ve ever held.
Atari 2600
We have to hand it to Atari for keeping it simple but functional early on. A lot of competing consoles around now tried to get crazy with controllers, adding things like number pads and spinning dials. This joystick and button is about as limited as you can get for a controller but is more than enough for the type of games that were coming out at the time. It served as a great starting point to build off of.
NES controller
Nintendo basically set the standard for all consoles going forward up until the 3D era with the NES controller. Its D-pad was a revolution that we still use to this day, and the simplicity of the two-button layout was natural without getting too complicated. The form factor is a bit small, and its edges are a little sharp, but is otherwise about as close to perfect as you can get for 2D games.
N64 controller
What is left to say about the three-pronged N64 controller? It worked well enough holding the center and right handles, but that D-pad and left bumper were effectively useless based on the design. The Z button was the first trigger button we’d seen, and that alone gives it major points, but this isn’t a controller we’re eager to pick up again.
Sixaxis
The PS3 generation was easily the biggest stumble Sony ever had, and the launch controller was only part of its woes. Rather than deliver the DualShock 3 like everyone expected, PlayStation shook things up by…removing rumble. The Sixaxis sacrificed any haptics in exchange for clunky and hardly-used motion controls, convex sticks, and mushy trigger buttons that felt terrible for shooters.
Xbox Duke controller
We have no idea what Xbox was thinking launching its first console with a controller as big as the Duke. That size is the controller’s only fatal flaw because its dual thumbstick, triggers, and buttons are all fantastic. The black and white buttons were an odd choice to try and differentiate itself, but it got enough right that it was able to compete with Nintendo and Sony.
GameCube controller
This is what the N64 controller should have looked like from the start. The sticks make sense, there are ample buttons, and the triggers thick and satisfying to pull. It just has a few odd quirks, like the C-stick being a nub and there only being one bumper button, but it holds up well enough that people still use them to this day.
DualShock
The original DualShock might as well be the blueprint for every modern controller. We have two sticks, a D-pad, four face buttons, two triggers, and two bumpers. With the exception of back buttons, there’s not much innovation to be had from here that made any meaningful impact on gaming.
Xbox 360 controller
The 360 edges out the DualShock purely based on refinement. Some people prefer the offset sticks, but there’s no denying that the curved triggers were a clear improvement and the slightly rounded buttons felt great to press. The only flaw is that the D-pad is mushy and imprecise.
DualSense Edge
The latest and best PS5 controller is the high-end DualSense Edge. It has all the functionality of the launch DualSense, such as haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and motion controls, plus programable back paddles and easily swappable parts. It looks and feels like a high-end product, but sadly has a battery life that leaves a lot to be desired.
Xbox Elite controller
After the Duke, Microsoft has only made better and better Xbox controllers, and the pinnacle of them all is the Elite series. Much like the Edge, you can tailor almost every part of this controller to your liking, plus even design its color scheme however you want via the design lab to make it completely personalized. It is comfortable, has all the buttons and paddles you want, and is about as close to perfect as a controller can get within the modern design. It will cost you extra, but it is more than worth the price if you’re a serious gamer.