What was the worst controller? - Toss up between the Steam controller and N64 IMO

[Pinochet Was Right]

I just realized

Colecovision controller ---> Atari 5200 controller ---> Sega SG-1000 controller ---> Atari 7800 controller
Sega then realizes these suck shit and come up with actual usable controllers for the Mark III/SMS and then the Genesis, then:
Genesis controllers ---> Saturn controllers
Saturn large controller ---> Duke
Saturn Japanese controller ---> Xbox Japanese controller ---> Xbox 360 controller
Saturn 3D controller ---> Dreamcast ---> Xbox 360 color scheme.
combine the latter two ----> rest of the line

 

[Cloaca Rimjob]

Surprised no-ones threw this bad boy out there yet.

 

[ToroidalBoat]

Despite these shit keyboards, British boomers recall gaming on these pieces of shit fondly.

paging @UselessRubberKeyboard

 

[Takodachi]

People gave the Duke (original Xbox controller) a lot of shit, but I personally enjoyed it. It was perfect for someone with big hands like myself.
Which is why the SNES controller was an absolute fucking nightmare, even as a kid with large hands that shit was painful.

 

[Disheveled Human]

Not sure if this is the best or the worst.

 

[Battlecruiser3000ad]

The "Duke." Really uncomfortable to hold.

The size was perfect tho. I'd love if they made a Duke size bonetroller.

 

[Bastard_Call]

I've always thought the first three PlayStation controllers were pretty awful. I have small womanly hands but even they're far too big to hold that dinky piece of crap.

 

[L50LasPak]

Atari 5200 controller. Look at this shitload of fuck.

The 5200 is probably the winner, because in addition to having a clunky design it was also very fragile, and reportedly could break in as little as 2-3 hours of playtime. I dont think there are any more working examples left even in the hands of collectors; the circuitry is too old and antiquated to repair.

Though I'm remembering something else and remembering how little I liked it when I tried it.

I own this actually. That weird analog thing controls pretty smooth, and the controller is comfortable in the hands of most people. Unfortunately most games for the Saturn don't recognize the analog input at all, so the controller is almost useless for anything that isn't NIGHTS: Into Dreams.

 

[BootlegPopeye]

I just realized

Colecovision controller ---> Atari 5200 controller ---> Sega SG-1000 controller ---> Atari 7800 controller
Sega then realizes these suck shit and come up with actual usable controllers for the Mark III/SMS and then the Genesis, then:

Colecovision controller at least self-centers, and you can mod the stick on it, some people put arcade ball sticks on them. The 7800 controller at least lacks the gay number pad buttons, and there are decent third party controllers for it - I use a Genesis controller with a converter for mine.

The shitty thing about the SMS is that it's just 2 buttons, and you have to get up and go to the system to pause. Plus, the first version of the SMS controller has these awful cords that come out of the side of it.

 

[StevieLasVegas]

From what consoles I have had or played on, gonna go with the N64. Found it comfortable to hold even as a kid, but christ, that button layout is AIDS

 

[Stasi]

People already mentioned the big ones so I'll mentioned one thats considered good. Though the 360 controller is overall solid the d pad is one of the worst I have ever seen on any pad and I honestly can't believe that thing got through testing and made it to the final product. They were lucky it was in an era where most games were using analog sticks because that d pad was disgusting.

Actually, same goes for the switch - what the fuck were they thinking with that clicky piece of shit. Even more shocking than the 360 given the switch's focus on retro games where you actually want a decent d pad.

 

[Un Platano]

Any of these awful old things:

The buttons must have been designed by someone who had never actually played a video game before and was just looking at pictures of controllers. You'd get dpads on the wrong side, dpads that have random actions on them instead of directional inputs and also directional inputs that aren't a dpad and really should be, and a lot of the buttons had horrible bumps on them that dig into your fingers. The controls were just as bad as the games they went along with.

 

[User names must be unique]

At least all the others only figuratively feel like having a hole drilled into your skull.

 

[Pee Cola]

The Competition Pro was fucking shit. Who thought it was a good idea to make a clicky game controller? It was seriously uncomfortable to hold and use, too.

 

[Smaug's Smokey Hole]

Damn Mario party rotating joystick bullshit

Welcome to Blister City!

The Amiga CD32 controller isn't upside down, someone made it like that on purpose.

The colored face buttons are Down, Stop, 312, Truck Nuts and that d-pad really is something else.

 

[Pixy]

People already mentioned the big ones so I'll mentioned one thats considered good. Though the 360 controller is overall solid the d pad is one of the worst I have ever seen on any pad and I honestly can't believe that thing got through testing and made it to the final product. They were lucky it was in an era where most games were using analog sticks because that d pad was disgusting.

Actually, same goes for the switch - what the fuck were they thinking with that clicky piece of shit. Even more shocking than the 360 given the switch's focus on retro games where you actually want a decent d pad.

With the 360, supposedly it was because Nintendo had patented their pretty solid d-pad, which only expired in 2005.

 

[Solid Snek]

Colecovision controller at least self-centers, and you can mod the stick on it, some people put arcade ball sticks on them. The 7800 controller at least lacks the gay number pad buttons, and there are decent third party controllers for it - I use a Genesis controller with a converter for mine.

The shitty thing about the SMS is that it's just 2 buttons, and you have to get up and go to the system to pause. Plus, the first version of the SMS controller has these awful cords that come out of the side of it.

Colecovision wasn't a good controller by any means, but it was perfectly serviceable for the games on that system, and probably would have seemed fine back in 1917 or whenever that console came out.

Was not a fan of the SMS controller, though. Sega always had pretty crap controllers.

Surprised no-ones threw this bad boy out there yet.

View attachment 2154948

The Powerglove wasn't a good controller, but it LOOKS badass. Just wear it on your right arm, disconnect it, and play with a normal controller instead.

 

[Swiss46]

The size was perfect tho. I'd love if they made a Duke size bonetroller.

You're in luck they did

 

[Battlecruiser3000ad]

You're in luck they did
View attachment 2155546

I, uh, actually do have it, but it's not really what I'd want - the two buttons near the each analog throttle they added there are extremely flimsy and unusable so B/W are better to use, and I'd like the other things bonetrollers have. Ax the dumb display as well.
But I understand they wanted to recreate the Duke and not bring the glory of Duke's size to the modern day. Still love it for games where I don't have to use b/w.

 

[Kosher Dill]

I want to give an honorable mention to the Famicom. Fine controllers once the quality issues on the first batch were worked out... but they were hardwired into the system on cords approximately 3 inches long.