The 25 Best Video Game Controllers

Arcade Sushi ranks the best video game controllers. Many of the controllers in this list are influencing controllers that are being designed today. So, without further ado, here are the 25 Best Video Game Controllers of all time.

[Qrphe]

2nd gen: Vectrex
3rd gen: NES
4th gen: SNES
5th gen: PS1
6th gen: Xbox
7th gen: PS3

inb4 people argue over controllers as if opinions were facts

[MariaHelFutura]

Anyway, the original Xbox controller sucked horribly, it's not even funny how much of an improvement the 360s controller was.

[Kennytaur]

The S model was awesome, and the best controller of last gen in my opinion.

[Oh_Yeah]

The worst controller of all time is easily the original xbox controller... I mean wtf were they thinking? It's like they only asked the opinion of Shaquille O'Neal.

[mochachino]

I like my PS3 more than my 360 (because of free online) but the 360 controller is far superior to DS3.....

DS3 design is 15 years old after all, ergonomics have developed significantly since the original design.

The PS4 controller, however looks perfect.

[StrongMan]

Nothing beats the Dualshock 3 for me. Both of the thumbs sticks a symmetrical, you know, like both of my thumbs. Reaching up with one thumb while down with the other thumb is extremely uncomfortable to me. Plus the D-Pad is unbeatable on the Dualshock 3.

[stage88]

Pretty much this. Well said.

[TheFirstClassic]

Lol not sure how it could be extremely uncomfortable. Is it extremely uncomfortable on the ds3 when you have one thumb on the left analog stick and the other thumb on the buttons?

[sergons]

Dualshock 3 was made by japan's for japan's. I smashed my against the wall by playing BC2(too many times accidentally pressed the wrong trigger). Its too small for me + analog sticks feels so sluggish.

[kirbyu]

I am still baffled by the design of the N64 controller. The analog stick and D-Pad should have switched spots. Did the D-pad even do anything? I'm glad they went with the design, but it still baffles me.

[xDHAV0K24x]

D pad was great for mortal kombat and killer instinct

[TheFirstClassic]

Favorite console of all time but the controller is whack, not quite sure what they were thinking. I mean, it was made for three hands, honestly. Still it got the job done, and I love it despite how wierd it is.

[maniacmayhem]

The Atari 2600 controller made the top 10?

C'mon now, that is some serious BS. The stick was as stiff as steel pole and I remember as a kid almost breaking the damn thing on some games.

The GC controller is number 1...definitely an opinion piece. In my opinion that has to be the worse controller and only of use for Nintendo's own 1st party games.

[kirbyu]

"In my opinion that has to be the worse controller and only of use for Nintendo's own 1st party games."

How come?

[maniacmayhem]

The d-pad was extremely small and very stiff to use. The button layout for the controller was horrid. One big A button and then an x and y curved around the one big button.

It worked great for Nintendo games, but try playing any fighting game on it (i.e. Bloody Roar and you'll see how much it was flawed.

And why were the buttons positioned the way they were? They had a second analog type for camera control so I don't really see the advantage opf having a huge A button, a smaller B button and then two weird oval like x and y shaped buttons surrounding the A button.

I read the reasons the author gave but again this was greatly used for Nintendo games, not so much for 3rd party games.

[Tito08]

I have to agree with Maniac on this one, the GC controller was very comfortable for the most part, but it wasn't a controller you wouldn't benefit much from unless you play only Nintendo games.

To me it was as if Nintendo were trying too hard to be totally different from the competition, I think that controller benefited Nintendo games mostly. Pretty much everything about that controller, especially the face buttons placement & shape, didn't feel right to me, even the controller shape felt like it should of had four buttons at the top, but it only had 3. I still sense Nintendo trying hard to be different with the Wii U Pro because of having both analogs on top of the d-pad & face buttons, would like to try it one day, but as of now, by looking at it, those analogs doesn't seem very well placed IMHO.

Capcom Vs SNK 2 EO has being Capcom's only fighting game on Gamecube after a whole gen when N64 haven't received any Capcom fighter, when Sat/DC/PS1/PS2/Xbox received more, the EO edition stands for Easy Operation because of the face buttons, & of course Xbox received that same version as well, but that was because of the D-Pad, while the PS2 game didn't have EO mode because the DS2 was very well suited for fighters.

I'm not saying the GC controller wasn't really bad, but it's definitely far from one of the best controllers, & that was a controller which I think didn't benefited 3rd parties with the exception of a few, depending on the game of course, but when it came to multi-platform titles, that controller was out of the picture compared to Sony & Microsoft's(S-controller) offerings.

[TheFirstClassic]

Thought the gc controller was great for everything except shooters, thanks to that c stick. The random Z button was also kind of strange though.

[Kurt Russell]

The random Z button had poor clickyness (technical controller talk) :(

[oof46]

Has anyone tried holding an NES controller after all these years? I did, and maybe it's because I'm older, but my hands were cramping after a few minutes.

The 360 and ps3 are pretty even for me, but I prefer the offset sticks of the 360. Plus, the ps3 L2 and R2 get loose and jiggy too easily for my taste.

[xDHAV0K24x]

Those L2 AND R2 buttons are bulky for no reason. I prefer the triggers on the 360 because they actually resemble guns

[blackbirdi]

i can't understand why people say the game cube controller is the best .... i have one but i was never happy with it

[xDHAV0K24x]

It's definitely one of the best for me. Playing all star baseball felt right with it

[bit-crusherrrr]

While the GC pad is a joy to use with alot games (Zelda, Mario Sunshine, Mario Kart, REmake/4 etc) try playing Capcom VS Snk 2 or MK: Deadly Alliance with it, not so hot.

I think the absence of the Snes advantage and Saturn pad is somewhat of a crime.

I'd have had to include the jaguar pad in there somewhere too, i always used to love the inserts you'd get to put over the number pad for changing weapons in avp or whatever.

[Jek_Porkins]

I like the Xbox 360 controller, especially the one with the transforming D-Pad, I think it's the perfect controller to game with, though the original was terrible for fighting games.

After that I'd say the Duel Shock 2 for the PS2, I spent so much time with that, loved it, hated the trigger for the PS3 version, just awful for shooters and they tend to stick.

[Utalkin2me]

Well there is cons and pros on both sides, in my opinion. I hate the feel of the analog sticks and the placement on the 360, not near as tight as the dualshock. I do like the bottom triggers on the 360 better, but for some reason they feel kind of generic when using them, my springs makes a sound when i squeeze the trigger. Of course we all know the dualshock d-pad is better.

I've personally never have had my triggers stick on PS3 and i have still have my original six-axis controller.

[Jek_Porkins]

The analog sticks feel much better to me on the 360, if I switch playing COD from Xbox to PS3, I have to lower my sensitivity on the PS3 version because the sticks feel spongy to me.

I prefer the Nintendo D-Pad because it's a D-Pad, the PS D-Pad doesn't let you go around for classic moves on Street Fighter/Mortal Kombat, I don't really like any D-Pad but Nintendo's honestly.

[Utalkin2me]

Yeah you have to lower your sens is cause the sticks are tighter and don't have a loose deadzone. I have to up my sens on the 360 too. Normally i play 9 on PS3 and 14 on 360.

[I_LOVE_MYSELF]

The PS controller is the one for me. Is it because I am so used to Dualshock since I have been gaming with it since the PS1 or is it genuinly the best designed? One thing is for sure, though. It stood the test of time.

I also LOVED the Gamecube controller. It fit so nicely in my hands. Gamecube and Dualshock are the 2 for me. The X-box 360 controller is super nice too.

[kirbyu]

Actually, the best controller ever is the Wii U gamepad.

Ok, that's a huge lie, but it isn't bad.

[TXIDarkAvenger]

I have a personal preference for certain games. I like the 360 controller for FPS games, PS3 controller for fighters

[mochachino]

Seeing that as advancements in ergonomics improve with time my list would be very short for all games excepts fighters:

1. 360 controller
2. DS3

However, PS4s controller look perfect.

[SegaGamer]

How was the GameCube controller number 1 ? It looks stupid and feels stupid. The 360 controller can't be beaten in my opinion, i'm still on my original controller, they ain't awkward either, it's almost perfect. I agree about the PS2 controller being number 2. I don't understand how the PS1 controller is so far down the list, it's basically the same as the PS2, it just doesn't have the analog sticks. I wouldn't have had the DS on the list, it's horrible, the touch screen is the reason why i have never got one, i can't see the screen when i am constantly using a stylus.

[turnerdc]

I didn't see an OnLive controller.

http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/...

Absolutely LOVE this controller. Very sturdy build and nice weight! It's like a combination of a Xbox 360 and PS3 controller. Triggers, bumpers, and joysticks (smaller, not as floaty, concave) are like 360 while the joystick placement and directional pad is like PS3. I use it to play OnLive and also all my PC games. I like it better than the PS3 controller and ALMOST as much as the 360 controller.