What are the Best Video Game Controllers of all Time?

Written by jackboreham | Published 2021/03/20
Tech Story Tags: slogging | gaming | gaming-fellowship | blogging-fellowship | videogames | nintendo | xbox | playstation

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We have always had a trusted companion in our video game controllers throughout our gaming accomplishments. In this slogging post, we discuss our favourite game controllers. We also talk about third party controllers and how they compare to their officially licensed counterparts.
This Slack discussion by Jack Boreham, Jose Hernandez, Nicolas Ng, Limarc Ambalina and JeffreyHarris-HackerNoon occurred in slogging's official #gaming channel, and has been edited for readability.
Jack BorehamMar 16, 2021, 2:05 PM
What is your favourite game controller? At the moment, mine has to be the ps5 controller. It feels incredible and has next-gen features such as haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. It's a fantastic controller and, in my view, one of the best created.
Jose HernandezMar 17, 2021, 3:12 AM
My favourite would have to be the Xbox One controller. It feels great in your hand, and all the buttons feel responsive. But if I'm thinking nostalgically, I'll say the Nintendo 64 controller. Yes, it's clunky, and yes, it makes my hand hurt, but something is endearing about that strange-looking controller.
Nicolas NgMar 17, 2021, 11:35 AM
I've never had the chance to use a PS5 controller, but I get the sense that it would be way better than anything I've used in the past. That said, my personal favourite would be the Xbox 360 controller simply because I've used it the most by far, and it did everything it needed to
Jack BorehamMar 17, 2021, 11:23 PM
Ahh, these are great picks. I used to spend playing with my 360 controllers as well. It's a great one. I've never actually used an n64 controller. I love the design, though, haha. What about you JeffreyHarris-HackerNoon Limarc Ambalina
Limarc AmbalinaMar 18, 2021, 12:00 AM
You know what, I don't know if this will be a hipster answer, but I'm going to go with the Original Xbox controller. The original and the Duke were both excellent. The Duke was a little bit too fat for my taste. But this one had perfect ergonomics and size.
Limarc AmbalinaMar 18, 2021, 12:03 AM
In terms of VR controllers, I've tried many, and either the Vive or the Oculus Quest 1 controllers are the best I've tried so far. TBH the Oculus quest two controllers feel "off" to me. Maybe they are a tad too small or angle of the grip, and the infra-red light loop at the top is weird and take some getting used to.

Suppose you want to go deeper and talk about controller peripherals. Here is the coolest one I've ever owned. https://hackernoon.com/vr-gun-stocks-essential-guide-to-improve-vr-shooting-experiences-0v2b3zqo. Not only does it make you feel like you're holding an assault rifle. It also has haptic feedback and vibrates when you shoot (if calibrated properly)
JeffreyHarris-HackerNoonMar 18, 2021, 8:59 AM
It's always going to be the N64 controller for me. Marathons on WCW/NWO vs the World, WrestleMania 2000, and WWF No Mercy were the best. I think the N64 controller was the absolute best for those games. Also, I enjoyed learning how to use the analogue control stick for Mario 64. It was beneficial for the learning and discovery process of 3D gameplay.
Jack BorehamMar 18, 2021, 3:47 PM
Limarc Ambalina, wow, that controller looks cool. Although it probably wouldn't improve my COD gameplay. I agree. I think the duke is an excellent controller, although it's weight was a bit off. I remember it being light; I wanted a bit more weight.
Limarc AmbalinaMar 18, 2021, 4:12 PM
What are your views on 3rd-party controllers vs official controllers? Have you ever found a 3rd-party controller that was better than or as good as official controllers?
Jack BorehamMar 18, 2021, 4:16 PM
I have, speaking of the duke. I found an awesome third-party duke with a rubberised grip. It was far better than the official duke. I also think it had LED’s, but I'm not sure. Sometimes the third party controllers are much better. Have you found a third-party controller that's better?
Limarc AmbalinaMar 18, 2021, 4:17 PM
Do you have a link or an image of it?
Jack BorehamMar 18, 2021, 4:37 PM
Limarc AmbalinaMar 18, 2021, 5:45 PM
Yup, I had one of those! Hori is pretty famous in the industry as the best 3rd-party controller manufacturer. I was looking for a wireless ps2 controller when I was trying to play some of my games, and Intec was the best one I could find within my price range.
Jack BorehamMar 19, 2021, 6:49 PM
Wow, I can see my collector's side wanting to purchase some of these. Although, as you mentioned, Limarc Ambalina, it can get expensive.

Written by jackboreham | I'm a journalist and writer. You can check out my work on my website: https://jackboreham.com/
Published by HackerNoon on 2021/03/20