worst controller ever

[Kaiser]

This. I find it hopeless for just about everything, especially games which requires the analog sticks which feel too loose and are in a strange position too close to each other. Then there's the awful d-pad which was made even more useless for the PSP

You suck boy then.... i used it to 1cc mushihime arrange and ibara arrange, i don't find it useless for everything... it's good enough for shmups

[PROMETHEUS]

gg no re

[D]

gg no re

This might be the gayest controller ever but not the worst.
Then again, the bart simpson controller might be even more gay, I mean you are holding him and he's sitting on a stick: oh my god what a bad idea that was
I hope this thread will be kept alive.
What about these:


Can you imagine how crap this must play?

[junkeR]

[CMoon]

Wiimote, because having only a vague and inconsistent relationship between what you do and what happens on screen is "revolutionary" and "fun".

The end of video games as I've known them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YePLMI9pu4

Learn 2 Play

[Shatterhand]

the company who made that Bart Simpson controller also had an ALIENS controller and a TERMINATOR controller, if I remember well.

And on the Atari 2600 VCS you can use a lot of different controllers. The 6-button Mega-Drive one is perfect for it (Any Master System or Mega-Drive controller will work with the Atari 2600. MSX controllers also will work with it).

[stuminator]

No mentions for the Dreamcast controller? I really appreciate that they tried to do something new, but God, what a piece.

I can't stand this thing either. Stiff d-pad, awkward trigger buttons, too big, the cord comes out of the bottom instead of the top, etc. I'm so glad I got an adapter to use my Saturn controller on the DC.

[D]

Stiff d-pad, awkward trigger buttons, too big, the cord comes out of the bottom instead of the top, etc. I'm so glad I got an adapter to use my Saturn controller on the DC.

Be that as it may I think it's the best joypad for racing. After the Negcon offcourse. What's awkward about the trigger buttons?
For d-pad games a Saturn pad is indeed the way to go to experience the dc goodness.

[cody]

Learn 2 Play

On the off chance that wasn't a joke: people can compensate for an amazing amount of noise and poor feedback in control systems. . . I mean, I can ride a bike backwards, doesn't mean its a good idea.

The clip you showed was a pointing game. The wii pointing games are primarily using the IR sensor, which is a lot more accurate than the accelerometers (although still not as good as a mouse). The games that rely heavily on the accelerometers (wii boxing, anyone?) feel like an underwater random number generator.

The 2600 stick may have been uncomfortable as hell, but at least when you pushed the button, you got repeatable results.

[SAM]

Second it, and it really stop me for owning a PS2 till the PS Saturn pad, and the Hori RAP show up

[ktownhero]

Power Glove

[BrianC]

No mentions for the Dreamcast controller? I really appreciate that they tried to do something new, but God, what a piece.

I'm not a big fan of it, but IMO, the worst controllers are those gimmicky ones that try to look cool, but don't work well as a controller. Stuff like the NES Roll 'n Rocker, that NES controller with the huge ball on top that is a hard to use digital stick, not a track ball, those odd shaped controllers with the d-pad in a very awkward place, etc.

[CMoon]

Learn 2 Play

On the off chance that wasn't a joke: people can compensate for an amazing amount of noise and poor feedback in control systems. . . I mean, I can ride a bike backwards, doesn't mean its a good idea.

No, I'm not joking. Blanket statements that grossly overestimate a systems weaknesses isn't cool. Its just outright hating. I'm sure nintendo will continue to improve what their doing, but you won't be there, because video games will have ended for you

RE: Wiiboxing--bad first gen/out-of-the-box game. Let's compare to all the other crap first gen games that came out for every other console. Wheee!

[doctorx0079]

This. I find it hopeless for just about everything, especially games which requires the analog sticks which feel too loose and are in a strange position too close to each other. Then there's the awful d-pad which was made even more useless for the PSP

You suck boy then.... i used it to 1cc mushihime arrange and ibara arrange, i don't find it useless for everything... it's good enough for shmups

This is a good controller. I don't want to conclude that some ppl are whiny babies but I'm leaning in that direction. The DS2 is infinitely superior to the Jaguar controller just to pick one example.

Although I still think it's a little large and heavy.

[ahnslaught]

No mention of the 5200 controller? That piece of junk broke down all the time, plus had the stupid number pad, which is a bad idea for any game controller, period.

[BrianC]

No mention of the 5200 controller? That piece of junk broke down all the time, plus had the stupid number pad, which is a bad idea for any game controller, period.

I agree it sucks, especially since it doesn't center properly. What's even more annoying is that the 5200 uses different ports from the 2600, making the good joysticks for it harder to find. The Atari 400/800 line has many of the same games with the standard 2600 ports where you can use Atari 2600 or Genesis controllers.

I don't know if I agree on the number pad, though. Side buttons with it are a poor design, but it's not what made the controller suck.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

No mention of the 5200 controller? That piece of junk broke down all the time, plus had the stupid number pad, which is a bad idea for any game controller, period.

I agree it sucks, especially since it doesn't center properly. What's even more annoying is that the 5200 uses different ports from the 2600, making the good joysticks for it harder to find. The Atari 400/800 line has many of the same games with the standard 2600 ports where you can use Atari 2600 or Genesis controllers.

I don't know if I agree on the number pad, though. Side buttons with it are a poor design, but it's not what made the controller suck.

If you were to stop and count all the individual buttons that a 5200 SuperSystem controller has, it would be at a whopping 22 seperate buttons...count 'em! ^_~

Atari Corp. did make such cool prototype self-centering 5200 joystick (and even prototype 5200 paddle-type controller as well) but it was never released to the general public. Typical of such prototype controllers that Atari Corp. R&D could come up with back in the early 1980's..... ^_~

[szycag]

I always wondered what those silly number pads were for as a kid. Nobody ever still had the little overlays that I would later see at conventions and stuff. Were they any games that used it in an intuitive way?

[CMoon]

I rather liked some of the intellivision games and their use of the overlays...but that was back in the day (way way back.) I don't think now I'd be terribly forgiving of it; and those buttons weren't particularly sensitive, especially through the overlay. I recall having to really mash those things.

[cody]

RE: Wiiboxing--bad first gen/out-of-the-box game. Let's compare to all the other crap first gen games that came out for every other console. Wheee!

Yes, lets look at first gen titles. Super mario bros - I push the button,the button noticeably depresses, the guy on screen jumps. Every time. 15 years later, tekken tag tournament - I push the button, the button noticeably depresses, the guy on screen punches. Every time.

Wii boxing, wii golf, wii tennis . . . you swing the controller, with little noticeable physical feedback, and something happens (or doesn't) on screen that may be related in some manner to what you're doing, but it isn't exactly crisp. Fun, yeah, maybe. Precision gaming, hell no. Name me one accelerometer based wii game with controls half as precise as launch titles from 20 years ago.

This isn't "hating", any more than it's hating to say that the PS3 software selection is far worse the quality of the hardware, or that the 360 has hardware reliability issues. It's just a fact that the wii accelerometers are not as discrete as traditional arcade and home console controls.

As for the end of video games as I know it, yeah, that's obviously hyperbole, but it is what nintendo is after:

But I think the future is games that are not difficult and yet very fun to play.
--Miyamoto

De-emphasizing the importance of precise (but apparently inaccessible to certain markets) arcade controls in favor of "intuitive" (but sloppier) control schemes is a big part of this strategy.

P.S. - no one has mentioned the saturn analog controller yet? That monstrosity should have been killed before it was allowed to breed and produce the DC controller.

[BrianC]

RE: Wiiboxing--bad first gen/out-of-the-box game. Let's compare to all the other crap first gen games that came out for every other console. Wheee!

Yes, lets look at first gen titles. Super mario bros.

SMB wasn't among the first titles for the system, if you count Famicom. Most of the early Famicom titles were more simplistic games and ports of older arcade games. Most didn't have control issues, but a few of the arcade ports like Donkey Kong (which came out in 1983 in Japan) weren't accurate to the originals. Also, the NES had it's share of unpolished early games like Urban Champion and Ice Climber. It's a bit unfair to use one of the better early games for the system to compare to a not so good game. Also, Tekken Tag? The controls are responsive, but I found some of the moves and the combos to be a bit clunky.

I rather liked some of the intellivision games and their use of the overlays...but that was back in the day (way way back.) I don't think now I'd be terribly forgiving of it; and those buttons weren't particularly sensitive, especially through the overlay. I recall having to really mash those things.

While the controller isn't great, I still play Intellivision. Some of the games for it were quite unique for the time they came out too. I like how it has a voice module. While the Intellivoice only had a handful of games, the games made good use of it.

[Vexorg]

No mentions for the Dreamcast controller? I really appreciate that they tried to do something new, but God, what a piece.

I'll have to agree with this. Those things will destroy your left thumb if you play for long enough.

[Zebra Airforce]

Stuff like the NES Roll 'n Rocker, that NES controller with the huge ball on top that is a hard to use digital stick, not a track ball, those odd shaped controllers with the d-pad in a very awkward place, etc.

Yeah, I hate the Gamecube controller, too.

[PsikyoPshumpPshooterP]

I fucking hate the DC controller, hate it so much it steered me away from the Grade A lgames for the DC.

[PFG 9000]

The Jaguar controller is a funny thing. To look at it, you would think it would be awkward in play. But anybody who's actually used the thing can tell you that it's actually quite comfortable, extremely lightweight, and the keypad is almost never used for action buttons. The keypad is there to enable console versions of games like Syndicate, Theme Park, and Baldies with a logical and comfortable interface. You'll never find yourself needing to jam on the keypad buttons constantly in order to jump or fire or whatever - they serve more as menu commands. The keypad also makes the Jag the only console that can allow direct weapon access in games like Doom, where cycling through your weapons in the heat of the moment (as you must do in every single console port other than the Jag's) means unneccesary destruction of your health and ammo stats.

But people sure love to rip on the controller. I'd like to know how many really have given it a fair chance?

My personal least favorite controller is probably the Gamecube. It took me longer to get that thing down than any other controller, and I still have trouble once in awhile. It's incredibly ergonomic, but I need logic in my controller layouts. I can't afford to learn a new button layout with every console release! The NES set the standard, the Genesis and SNES enhanced it, and the PC Engine, PSX, PS2, PS3, Saturn, Dreamcast, Xbox, and Xbox 360 have mimicked them ever since.

And what's the deal with the N64 controller? Why create a controller with three handholds when the average human being only has two hands?

[Daigohji]

The official pad for the ill-fated Amstrad GX4000 is easily the worst controller I've ever used. It causes cramp way faster than the buttons of a DS Heavy.

[CMoon]

Cody> Really, your arguments are silly. There's a difference between being critical and being one of those console war folks. There's really 3 points to your argument, and they are all trash. I'm going to seriously address them now and then I think I'm done trying to have a reasonable conversation with you:

1) "The wii-mote controls like dog-poo"
Clearly the wii-mote is not perfect. It isn't designed to play shooters on but to offer a different level of interactivity. For games that have been designed with that interface in mind, it seems to work fairly well (Excite Truck is a fairly good example) but I'm sure we'll see something better with the wii2. On the whole those the controller mostly does what I want it to do, but its limitations have to be learned.

1a) "People can compensate for any amount of background noise"
IE it is a new motion sensitive interface that clearly has limitations, people have to learn the limits of what it can sense. This is such a duh statement I can't believe I'm adding it. I feel the wii-mote is 95%+ on when you recognize the limits of the control (not vague and wildly inaccurate). That's not good enough for shmups, but see the summative below.

2) 'Wildly inaccurate results on certain games'
This really depends on the quality of the game doesn't it. Some have made really good use of that controller, some don't. Again, Boxing is well acknowledged as pretty terrible; while golf, bowling and tennis play very nicely. So we have a brand new system that doesn't have a lot of games yet. Any reasonable person who isn't terribly jaded will give it a chance.

3) "End of video games"--apparently hyperbole.
Just because you only play one kind of game doesn't put you in the position to judge for everyone else. Nintendo doesn't make high skill level shmups or something like that, so you need not worry. I'm sure regardless of what Nintendo does, there will still be MGS games for generations to come with ever-better graphics. The fact that the wii has people who have never played video games before playing video games seems like the end of video games to you. To me it sounds like we are protecting our rather narrow paradigm of video games far too much.

Summative: the strength and weakness of the wiimote is that it is only designed for certain kinds of games and it will do well with those kinds of games. If you're down on it for not being what you want it to be, then you might as well whine about every console after the saturn that has stopped making the kind of video game _you want_

[Sonic R]

The Jaguar controller is a funny thing. To look at it, you would think it would be awkward in play…

…But people sure love to rip on the controller. I'd like to know how many really have given it a fair chance?

I have given the Jaguar controller a chance and some good game time and have minimum complaints. You bring up valid points and yes it is true the number pad is usually used as hot keys for what would be tradition menu options. Jaguar controller has 3 action buttons just like the Genesis and is molded to fit the hand to use the buttons and d+pad. It is also VERY light weight. I have no problem throwing down in Tempest 2000 for hours or shooting em up in Raiden or Trevor McFur. Doom, Wolfenstien, and AvP are my favorite FPS games and the Jaguar interface is make them most enjoyable!

[The n00b]

Learn 2 Play

On the off chance that wasn't a joke: people can compensate for an amazing amount of noise and poor feedback in control systems. . . I mean, I can ride a bike backwards, doesn't mean its a good idea.

No, I'm not joking. Blanket statements that grossly overestimate a systems weaknesses isn't cool. Its just outright hating. I'm sure nintendo will continue to improve what their doing, but you won't be there, because video games will have ended for you

RE: Wiiboxing--bad first gen/out-of-the-box game. Let's compare to all the other crap first gen games that came out for every other console. Wheee!

Cmoon aren't you a confirmed nintendo fanboy? So let the guy think what he wants. He doesn't play games because you think they are fun, he plays them for his own entertainment. I personally like the xbox duke controller but you don't see me rushing to its defense here.

Oh yeah and looking at Nintendo's horribly slow release schedule, I think he'll die of old age wondering if the next Nintendo release is two months away or videogames truly have ended for him.

[BrianC]

Stuff like the NES Roll 'n Rocker, that NES controller with the huge ball on top that is a hard to use digital stick, not a track ball, those odd shaped controllers with the d-pad in a very awkward place, etc.

Yeah, I hate the Gamecube controller, too.

Hold on there. I wasn't referring to the Gamecube controller. I like the GameCube controller. It's not perfect, but it's far from the worst. The d-pad on the GCN controller is small, but it at least does diagonals well. I was referring to controllers where the d-pad that isn't on the left side, or even on the top of the controller. I was referring to the controllers with the d-pad in odd places like the bottom, front (not top), back, or side of the joystick and odd controllers like those one handed jobs.