5 Reasons the Xbox 360 Controller Rocks!

Love it or hate it, Fuchal at NextGG.com takes a look at what makes the Xbox 360's controller so appealing...

[Capt CHAOS]

The keypad add-on is pretty cool too!

[Capt CHAOS]

Might be PS3 fan boys just jealous of lacking rumble.

[plenty a tool]

and i've used a few over the years. just a shame the d-pad isn't of the same quality as the rest of the pad. i just hope microsoft do a sony, and use this pad now for every generation of xbox....imo it's gonna take some beating the 360 pad.

[Gam71]

They should as it means the pc FINALLY has a standard controller.

It works so well on my pc.

[Sexius Maximus]

because it's really all about what you're use to and prefer. I own all three systems, and the 360 controller just fits my hands best. I even keep rumble turned off...I just like the way it feels better, regardless of rumble.

[BattleAxe]

@ Capt Chaos .......PS3 has the Dual Shock 3 of which I own 2. Anyway personally I don't like the Xbox controller, mainly because I don't like the way the triggers feel(both l1, l2, r1, r2) and having the left analogue up where the d-padd should be feels un-natural.

Everytime I go over to a friends place, we play RSV2 or Halo 3 and I just cannot stand the controller or Halo 3 for that matter.

[Lukatoll]

cool article, I love the 360 controller imo it is WAY better than any other dualshock controller

[Lets-Game]

this is opinion again, there been 1000 posts like this, and opinions are NOT NEWS!

[predator]

i must agree, i love the 360 controller, best one for a while

[agentace]

seeing as they made the worst controller ever for the original xbox they new what to do for the next one

[DARK WITNESS]

it was the worst " looking ", but i must say... in my hands it felt the best.

The ps2 controller ( and indeed the ps3 ) tend to give me cramp in my fingures when i play some games.

This is a case of personal choice, but i do prefer the 360 pad to anything else in terms of comfort. sure the d-pad is not the best, but looking at what you normally need it for it does not make much difference. On the flip side i wish one of the analogue sticks on the ps3 was where the d-pad is on that. i would be able to use it much better.

still, its personal choice. anyhow, is this really news ? its just a " 360 pad rocks "... ya, so do apples !

[fjtorres]

...the Duke was just perfect for my hands...
The new one is okay but after 5 or 6 hours my pinkies start to cramp cause the thing is just too small and there's no place for them.

Somebody ought to make a new version of the Duke.
In black only, of course...

[1stKnighT]

I personally liked the original xbox controller. They called it "The Duke" It had longer analog sticks for better aiming. Not to keen on the small analogs.

[LJWooly]

God, I hated the original Xbox controller, it just wasn't an ergonomic design. At least they rectified it with the 360 controller. Although my hands are bent into the shape of the Dualshock, so it's still the best for me, personally :D

[InMyOpinion]

The controller S was better.

[ar]

"3. The body size!"
Good for me that I have small hands then. Small, fragile coder hands. ;)
The DS3 fits perfectly in my hands.

[PoSTedUP]

thank you for keeping your controller the same for 3 generations sony, its perfect : ), its very symmetrical and not out of proportion like most of the controllers i have played with. its fully analogue unlike other controllers. that just makes it more convenient off the bat. wireless out the box, rechargeable out the box, sixaxis, durable (i have stepped on it at least 70 times and still haven't learned my lesson) dropped it. and it still works. its not to big yet not to small. nice and comfortable, suites the majority of gamers.

wow, so this is what it feels like to troll. troll? who the hell made up that term? that sh*t is lame. i read news and speak my mind and opinion on it. if i feel like the ps3 controller is better im gunna let people know. that dosnt mean the 360 controller dosnt rock, 360 controller is better than most controllers out there. peace and happy gaming : )

[Madmax1281980]

i wouldnt go as far as saying that the sixaxis is durable lol ive had my ps3 for a year now and the controller analogue sticks are both loose from call of duty 4 (the left one likes to point upwards and the right one likes to point in the left direction)now for the 360 pad the analogue sticks are much more durable as my bros pad has been thrown kicked and endless sessions of cod4 fifa 08 vegas 1&2 over a year and the controller still works good the only problem being the wee dots on the analogue sticks have worn away making them a wee bit slippy.

@ Postedup. the sprint buton on the 360 pad is pressing the left analogue stick in just as the ps3.

oh and postedup if u want m8 add me to psn djalan1980 might play u at cod4 ;)

[PoSTedUP]

yes, i have one controller with the right analogue stick stuck forward. i wont dare play cod4 with my good controller : ) the ps3 controller its self is durable as in "banging around" durable. unfortunately thats the down side (analogue sticks), but from what i herd the DS3 is better and has different analogue sticks. one question: what button is to sprint on the 360 for cod4?, is it the same as ps3? i dont know thats why im asking.

iight cool, ill add you. mine: StreetVeteran

[aggh im on fire]

Best controller by far and yes i do have a ps3 also. The 360 pad is sublime. It rocks.

[DARK WITNESS]

same boat, totally agree.

[dachiefsman]

same thats. I used to love the dual shock for the ps2/ps3, but after playing with the 360 its got the better feel IMO.

[MaximusPrime]

i love it for half an hour till i realize it is too bulky. Buttons are all over the place.

[PoSTedUP]

i thought it was pretty comfortable at first but so is the ps3 controller. i soon recognized that it was to bulky and out of proportion.

[MaximusPrime]

im, too, glad that sony kept to the original design since PS1. I just love their controller!

[Gam71]

Just too light and no rumble

[gunnerheadboy]

It's called DS3. Ediot.

[zethos56]

The Playstation's original controller didn't have any analog sticks.

[PoSTedUP]

he means the overall shape and size. they did put analogue sticks on the ps1 controller, and that would be just adding to the original. it still is the original design with analogue sticks. but not the ORIGINAL original design.

[InMyOpinion]

I think both controllers(360/DualShock3) excel in different areas. For FPS and racing games I prefer the 360 controller, but for platform and fighting games(especially 2D) I prefer the DualShock3.

Overall the 360 controller fits better in my hands and I think it's better designed ergonomically for 3D games, but that's a strictly personal opinon. ach to his own.

[plenty a tool]

i think the 360 pad tops the dualshock for everything, except for playing pro evolution soccer! for me, that's when the dualshock is the bettep pad!

apart from that, i wouldn't want any other pad over the 360s.

[Spike47]

but I've never liked the xbox controllers. They have always been big and complicated to play with. The PS controllers have always been simple.

I feel that the PS3 controller fits well with every kind of game.

[Gam71]

I agree about the original xbox controller.

God that thing was stupidly huge. I had the smaller version which was a big improvement but still didn't feel right compared to sonys dualshock.

But I have to say the 360 is the perfect weight and size.

I used a ps3 controller once in a shop and it was too small and light.

[maxqubit]

The 360 controller is just amazing.

Play CoD4, play PES2008, play AceCombat6, play GRID, play Vegas2, play GTA4 ... it just fits the bill ... simply amazing.

If PS3 would be playable with 360 controller my interest in (trying a) PS3 would instantly triple

Even going back old-skool to mouse/keyboard pc gaming feels awkward once accustomed to 360 controller

While the 360 hardware itself it a 'piece of RoD'ing crap':) the 360 CONTROLLER is a true piece of art in quality and design

[Captain Tuttle]

Sony's controller is keeping me from making the leap to the PS3. I can't stand the DS3. It needs to be redesigned for how games are played today. Outside of a weak D-Pad the 360 beats the DS3 a hundred fold.

[yamamoto114]

As an owner of all 3 consoles (PS3 being my favorite at the moment), I have to agree. Quite wholeheartedly. The 360 controller remains Microsoft's greatest success in its collection of (usually) unreliable technology.

Not only is the 360 controller reliable and sturdy, it's an ergonomic success, and probably the most comfortable and safe controller on the market (if one considers long-term health impacts from extended controller use), especially compared to the angular design of Sony's controllers.

The short, concave analog sticks have a very small deadzone and are extremely accurate and precise, and accommodate the thumbs well. The DualShock, on the other hand, has large, loose, highly sensitive convex thumbsticks that are far less precise and much harder to handle (though many prefer their symmetrical placement compared to the 360's controller). On the upside for the DualShock's analog sticks, they're much more flickable, making them better for games like Skate that require fast, unsustained analog stick movements. Don't get me started on the Nunchaku though; having those damn divots in each of the 8 compass directions means no one can ever aim EXACTLY where they want to.

Face button placement is spaced almost perfectly; they're always easily accessible, one never has to stretch their fingers in order to reach button, and the rounded buttons are easy to press. However, the DualShock series actually surpasses the 360 controller when it comes to the face buttons, due to their accessibility and their analog value; they actually react to pressure, which is a definite plus and can add several more actions or levels of actions to the gameplay. But the Wiimote is definitely the loser in this field. Everything aside from A and B are placed in ridiculously dumb locations on the controller, such that you have to move your fingers all the way up and down the damn thing just to get to the button you want. Considering the Wii's designed primarily for kids only adds to this fluke in their design; small hands require much, MUCH greater accessibility.

360 triggers are vastly superior to the marshmallow... things on the DualShock though. They're easier to pull, don't require "squeezing", offer a greater range, and are a helluva lot easier to measure the depth of a trigger pull than the DualShock.

The 360 controller's greatest failing, however, is the damn D-Pad. That's just self-explanatory, especially compared to the DualShock's.

There are lots of things both controllers can do to improve upon their own design though, and I hope both companies can learn off the successes and failures of both their designs and those of their competitors. Then someday, we can have le perfect controller. And all will be happy dandy.

[Nevers]

Can't tell you how many times I've gone to night vision instead of calling in that air-strike/helicopter... The only other issue I've had with the 360 controller is when devs make the "start" & "select" buttons intrical aspects of gameplay cuz I end up hitting the "Xbox" button on the fly if I'm in a crazy situation. But that's few and far between.

I'd have to agree that the 360 controller feels the best for me out all the controller I've ever used. It has an appealing roundness to it that's not oversized and lends a nice feeling heft to it. It's doesn't feel like a toy or an empty husk. It's smoother design is far more ergonomic than anything else I've used. The placement of the thumb-stix is strange looking but feels very natural when you start playing. I liked/agreed with your comment on the trigger's range. Thank the maker they switched the xbox's white and black buttons to the bumpers locals for the 360 making them far more accessible.

The "plug n' play" accessories are a must have unless you can swindle batteries from work 8D since you can easily rumble your way out of power in some games when the devs go hog wild and crazy. So that adds a bit to the cost but at least they give you a pretty long cord and the battery life is pretty decent.

[bloomerist]

its a great controller. great weight, great rumble and great triggers.
d-pad is could use some improving though.

[morganfell]

Sorry, I like a controller with a Dpad that actually works. Everyone knows that thing is broken on the 360.

Also, the PS3 controller functions better with a PC than the 360 controller. You can use a USB cable or you can buy a bluetooth receiver and use that. At least it will work. I am one of the untold millions that bought the stupid MS Gaming receiver that also doesn't work. Just go to the Xbox forums and look at the complaints for that worthless device.

[kewlkat007]

but the D-Pad sucks, but I'm not really into the custom stuff, with Gas prices so high, no need.

The PS3's controller is great for fighters and platforms, hack n slashers but for shooters it's fn whack.

[themyk]

i don't know why people are always saying the ps3 pad is WHACK for shooters. for one the ps3 pad usually uses the r1 and L1 buttons for the aim and shoot. which imo makes it easier to pull off faster shots. you don't have to pull the "triggers" all the way down. it's just a quick little push of the button. and don't get me started on that thing the 360 calls a d pad.
i'm also a little compulsive and i like things to look symmetrical. the 360 pad just looks all over the place.

[Marceles]

I agree...I like the 360's controller for alot of reasons. I mean, I don't have a problem with the PS3's analog placement, but I can see why it would be easier for people to play a game on the 360 with the analog sticks being further apart. The 360 really needs to step up its D-Pad game though, because I like playing fighting games...but I can't deal with its D-Pad. I'm not a thumbstick fighting game type, and I've wanted to beat Street Fighter without losing around for the longest so I can get that achievement, but the D-pad can become a hassle. People can say it's not a big deal now, but wait until Street Fighter HD and SF4 comes out...if 360 owners aren't used to using thumbsticks to play 2D fighting games, there's gonna be some complaints.

[Hercules]

just the not 360, if sony would just have used those trigger buttons this the DS3 would be the sh!t..but this is all my opinion..on the 360 controller, i dont like the analog sticks apart, i like them level, that way it gives me quicker access to go to the d-pad...its hard moving your thumb down rather than going up, like i said this is all my opinion

[Time_Is_On_My_Side]

I made a blog about 5 things I don't like about my XBOX 360 and two of the reasons was about the XBOX 360 controller:

2. Controller: Directional-Pad

I don't like playing fighting games using the Microsoft XBOX 360 controller because of the D-Pad can't execute moves properly. The design of the D-Pad is meshed together or better yet it's like the PlayStation Portable analog stick tilting. I discovered this when I purchased the Street Fighter II Hyper Fighting. It was when Virtual Fighter 5 for the XBOX 360 was going to have online so I decided to get the game. No one complains about it much so it must be only be me but I know for sure I won't be getting any fighting games on this console. On the bright side of things the XBOX 360 D-Pad is good with diagonal executions when trying to perform moves.

3. Controller: Built-in/Packaged Rechargeable Battery

This has to be one of the things that kind of annoy you if you don't know ahead of time because I know I would have if my laptop came with disposable batteries (4.5-Volt, D, C, AA, AAA, 9-Volt, SR41/AG3, SR44/AG13). I'm telling you the little things can make the value of an object worth buying. This is something Microsoft can easily change it isn't Rocket Science but, the demand isn't there so why would they?

5 Things I don't like about my XBOX 360 Blog HTML: http://www.gamespot.com/use...

[thewhoopimen]

I personally really like the 360 triggers alot. It feels good and has a nice click to it for shooting. For driving however, I think it feels a tad too thin/small and I actually prefer the PS3's trigger but not by much more. What many of you like about its size, I don't. the handles really dig into my palm and like poster 12, its very hard to reach the face buttons w/o stretching. I get pain from the bulky knobby handles after extended play which I don't from the DS3 even though I find that controller a little smaller than my preference. My personal take on this is that Sony designs for a more worldwide audience (by choosing average hand size of world population) while the 360's design concentrates on the Western market (average caucasian size).

[REbirth]

...don't lOose...

5 Reasons the Xbox 360 cable to connect the tv Rocks!

yeah...the best cable in the world 2!

(and in august article why RRoD is a good thing for 360 oweners:X )

[thehitman]

I think I already seen an artile about why 3rod is good for 360 owners lol...........

Anywayz 360 controllers is by far not the best maybe better than the sixaxis just because of lack of rumble but it has nothing on the DS3. DS3 heavier bigger and has rumble which was the 3 main complaints of the sixaxis. I still cant stand the analog positioning of the 360 controller its annoying and cant get use to the back buttons I always cant find the skinny RB and LB buttons.

[ice_prophecy]

Lol I just realized that I dont use the tip of my thumb to control the DS3....

[STICKzophrenic]

...but I've worn out the left analog stick on two controllers so far. By that, I mean that it 'sticks' a little bit. I noticed it on my first controller playing Madden. On defense, my player would move to the left on his own.

Other than that, I can't complain about it. It fits perfectly in my hands and every button is easily accessible.

[themyk]

"The only draw back is the need to roll my wrists inwards which gives me sore wrists after an hour or so of playing."

am i the only one who sees the irony in that? this guy wrote a whole article on why the 360 pad "rocks" and ended the article with that statement.
so the pad "rocks" as long as you only want to play for an hour at a time. lol

[thehitman]

like reading the ign review of Haze. The singleplayer sux and all these problems with it BUT the multiplayer rox and is good but we still giving it a 4.

[RAM MAGNUMS]

you see it? you will never ever have to use it because if you do, you will fnd out that it doesnt even work. LOL!
See those face buttons? They are not pressure sensitive like the dualshock3! its just buttons.
See those anolog sticks? yeah wierd right? But they are sluggish and dont have a wide range. The dual shock has a much wider circumference in its anolog sticks.
Batteries? Oh yeah it needs batteries. either keep a constant supply of double a batteries or buy a charging kit you have to plug into the wall for almost $40.00 dollars!
ISNT IT FUNNY?!? HA HH A HAHHA HAH AH HAH AHHA HAH
LAUGH WITH ME!!!
It does feel good though and its rumble is good too but what games are you gonna play on it you ask?
Answer: Gears of War 2 and Halo wars! ANyMore? No, Not really. Maybe some retro arcade games but dont use this controller for tetris! The d-pad will mess you up everytime!
Overall this controller is 75% controller with the other 25% needing imagination or has to be ignored!

SHOW ME YOUR RAGE!!!

[Marty8370]

360 Pad is the one of the worse pads ever.

DS3 is the best pad ever.

[BrotherNick]

Yes, I will say statements, but not back them up. Why you have 2 bubbles.

[G1TR4P3D]

DualSuck still sucks LOL and is made for small, asian, girly hands.

[Morgue]

Yawn,zzzzzzzzzz.

Oh what was I saying??? The 360 pad is ok, I don't care for it much but if I want too play the 3 games I own then I have no choice. I'm not going too comment on the PS3 controller since this topic isn't about it.

[Matpan]

Yup... best controller in a loooong time. A keepers for Microsoft if they have learnt a thing about gaming or two ;P. 720 should bare an almost identical design, no need to make any changes!

[tojfs7931]

The directional pad... its HORRENDOUS.