Best joypad ever!

Balfa

What is your favourite standard console joypad. I wish a pole would allow proportional representation though , so i could rate my top ten

my faves:

1. Gamecube
build quality unrivalled. delicious analogue stick. feels like happy in my hands.

2. PS2
Definitely the most sensible layout of buttons and sticks. No silly kidney-shaped buttons as above. And pressure sensitive buttons! my gods, why haven't the developers fully realised the sauce! Hands do start to feel the wear after hours of play, though.

3. SNES
Built like a tank. great layout. Never get tired using it. I love it, but it's been surpassed by analogue sticks, unfortunately. Even if many developers still don't fully utilise the stick.

Jammer

i guess im one of the (very) few who like the standard xBox controller. very comfortable to use and doesnt feel cheap. unlike the GC one, it feels like its made of play doh!

Crucifix

PS2 for me. It just works, it works well. My only foible is discomfort in games that involve using both Ls or both Rs, which tires my hand eventually.
And I agree about the pressure sensitive buttons. They were put to good use in MGS 2 and 3 (except for the first few times you're trying to hold up a guard and accidently shoot him in the spine).

The Bollox

its the SNES for me, my first, and best control pad, oh the memories! and as Balfa said, its built like a tank, a close second s the Xbox tho, I dunno what it is, but all the.... stuff on the pad was strategically placed for the utmost comfort and usability

gamer

i think ps2 is the best ,the xbox is good but too heavy and 30percent too big but it has good button layout,some1 should bring out pad like snes with add buttons and analog controll stick 4 the pc.after years playing ps2 games the xbox controller feels too big and heavy.

Headshot

not the small xbox controller but the big one is class

Creamy Goodness

big xbox one is better than the small one.

what were they thinking changing the layout of the black and white buttons

my fav controller is the n64 one

Stephen

I like the small xbox controllers myself. Hate the big ones. PS2 ones are nice as well but the analogue sticks on the PS2 ones tend to make my thumbs sore.

Cake Fiend

I reckon the Dreamcast had the best analogue stick, with the N64 coming in second (bar the fact that it goes dodgy after a couple of years).

I don't like the GC stick at all, it feels too stiff. And I don't like the placement of the PS sticks (although the original non-dual shock analogue pads with the longer 'prongs' were teh win).

evad_lhorg

i dont like the black and wihite buttons on the xbox controller. for comfort id have to say gamecube. originality and amazing for its time, n64. ps2 pad is pants apart from the 4 shoulder buttons. they need to sort out the analog sticks.

abccormac

n64. the big x-box one is horrible, I just can't use it, but the small one is O.K.

Creamy Goodness

the only reason why i like the big xbox controller is that the small ones weren't around when i got my xbox and hence got use to the big one

Linkdude

I prefer the GC myself, I can't really get a grip of PS2 controllers, a bit dodgy sometimes. The N64 has to be the dodgiest in my opinion, bit funny looking. Anyway, GC feels most comfortable when holding it, hands fit around it pefectly, with PS2 not so sure.

I also like the Stylus control on the DS, well really only in SM64. It's really easy.

Third_Echelon

For me anyway it has to be the big xbox controller. I never get any hand cramps *no sniggering down the back*, sore fingers etc from it. Its ergonomically superior to any other controller ever... good button placement and analogue sticks are good quality...

Retr0gamer

1. Gamecube: As long as a game doesn't need 6 face buttons like a cpacom fighting game then this is by far the best controller ever made. Fantastic analogue stick, comfy to use, loads of buttons and great button layout.

2. Saturn: The japanese controller not the terrible first run american ones. By fat the best d-pad controller ever made. 6 face big clunky buttons, excellent d-pad and 2 shoulder buttons meant it was perfect for arcade games and worked very well on 3D games. Lovely to hold and use.

3. MK1 microsoft sidewinder: Nice button layout with 6 face buttons and 2 shoulder buttons. The thing that wins it was the ability to plug 4 together. Made emulation a joy.

Worst:

1. Fat xbox controller: A disgrace. Terrible button placemetnand was far too big for normal hands to reach all the buttons comfortably. S-controller was an improvement but still isn't great to use. Nice bone shattering vibration though.

2. Dual Shock: The PS1 controller was far too small to begin with but adding 2 analogue sticks was ridiculous. Very uncomfortable to use due to the small size.

zAbbo

Xbox Controller S

rainbow kirby

GameCube controller. It just fits my hands so nicely and it's got a great analogue stick.

tman

Gamecube for me too.

after playing metroid prime for 5 hours straight the first day i got my cube, no other joypad felt "right".

d22ontour

I would have went for the cube pad but the z button is in the wrong place so n64 for me pretty much flawless

Draupnir

big xbox controller. man size controller for man hands. anyone who thinks the controller is too big has small hands. the xbox was originally designed for adults. and the controller is the only one ive ever felt had every button placed in an easily accessible way. ms sold out bringing out those small girly pads with their johnny brutal white and black buttons.

on the ps pads, the shoulder buttons are hard to use at the same time as triggers and the x button.

didnt like the n64 pads, always felt there was a bit too much going on.

have to admit ive never used a gamecube one, but i hear good things.

snes and nes had great controllers. didnt like the megadrive ones with the 6 buttons. or was that three?

i say bring back old school joysticks. had two cream ones for my c64 with a red trigger and two red buttons on top of the base. they were classy. flimbo's quest couldnt be played with a modern pad any better!

bush

Id go with gamecube, I liked the 6 button megadrive one too

mayordenis

n64 for me

so much possibilities.

Balfa

Draupnir wrote:

have to admit ive never used a gamecube one, but i hear good things.

You owe it to yourself to find one, and put it in your hands. It fits the hand like no other controller ever made. Mmmm, snuggly goodness.

megadrive ones with the 6 buttons. or was that three?

It first had three (A, B, C, plus start), then they came out with a six-button pad that had an additional X, Y and Z, and a mode button, with a light, and i think the extra buttons could be used as turbo fire buttons in games that didn't support them, or something?
http://www.skjoldhammer.dk/md-mcd-32x.html

i say bring back old school joysticks. had two cream ones for my c64 with a red trigger and two red buttons on top of the base.

I loved my old red & black kempston joystick for the spectrum with four buttons, all of which did the same thing

BloodBath

X-box large. Just a great pad to use when it's configured correctly. Got to love project gothams controls. Those pressure sensitive shoulder buttons work like a charm for easing off accelaration and easing on the brakes.

Second: would have to be the cube.

Third: N64 pad was great for its time but for modern games that require 2 analouges it would be useless.


BloodBath

CyberGhost

hands down playstation 1/2 joypad, everything is under the finger, very comfy, looks great, functions great, is light and pretty small

ps all the way!

The Fitz

for the x-box you have to have like 4 hands, thats to many buttons man!

The Bollox

Joseph Stalin Djugashvili.

its Josef Vissarionovich Stalin, Djugashvili was his original name, he changed it to Stalin "One death is a tragedy, one million is a statistic"

Jazzy

has to be the snes pad for me...
it just felt right playing killer instict with is and doing speed runs through super metroid

1. - Snes
2. - Xbox large
3. - Gamecube

dearg_doom

N64, it's such a clever pad, modular like, so you can control any game in 4 different permutations! Was also great for all ye lefties.

Second for me, on layout alone - it's responsiveness is boll1x, is the Dualshock, handy layout with an analogue at each thumb. I also like the way some games have used the dualanalogue like Fight Night, TgigerWoods, ApeEscape etc...

CyberGhost

Marts wrote:

its Josef Vissarionovich Stalin, Djugashvili was his original name, he changed it to Stalin "One death is a tragedy, one million is a statistic"

Yes Sir I know!

Stalin means a man of steel, well I guess he was, when the Germans captured his son, and asked him to trade his son for one of their generals, he said "how can I trade a foot soldier for a general", and he just replied to them "I have no son"

I like that quote
I guess it's so easy to say it, since you are the "one" and all others are "million" lol

sound_wave

Gamecube for me, it fits so perfectly into your hand, this is followed closely by the Xbox S contoller and then the PS2 controller. I once thought the PS2 controller was the best but once I bought my 'cube I never went back.

Pugsley

From that list the Gamecube, undoubtably.
But my all time favourite, for comfort, ease of use, and raw durability goes to this baby on the Megadrive: http://www.skjoldhammer.dk/md-mcd-32x/md_6button_joypad.jpg
Even after 3 years of hard use going right back to Street Fighter2, Mortal Kombat, etc etc etc, there was never a single problem, the durability of them things was phenomonal.

Retr0gamer

Its a shame the MD 3 button pad was so atrocious. They don't last long either. Took out my MD from the attic 6 months ago and the d-pad on both controllers is knackered.

honru

BEST!
1 - Dreamcast
2 - Saturn
3 - Xbox Controller-S
4 - Super Nintendo
5 - Gamecube

WORST!
1 - Xbox Contoller-F
2 - Playstation Dual Shock
3 - Nintendo 64

Roar

My very first pad was for my Amstrad 464+... nothing special, just a d-pad and two buttons, but your first is always the best ya know?

As for currently, the Gamecube one is by far the most comfortable to use, a sheer joy it is.. althought the ps2 dual shock just gets the nod i think.. the best laid out of all the pads..

steviec

Has to be the Playstation for me. It's the reason why I still buy all the multiplatform games on PS2 even though I'd get quicker loadtimes and better graphics on the other consoles. The pad feels perfect, the buttons are perfect, it's comfortable to use for hours on end, and the analog buttons are oh so important for Gran Turismo.

Gamecube would be second I think, it has the best analog stick of all but the buttons are a huge let down, B and Z are especially atrocious, I don't like the layout of the face buttons at all, but L and R do feel nice.

Third would be difficult to pick, X-Box pads are just horrible, I also hated N64 ones and never got long enough to test Dreamcast and Saturn ones fully. So I think I'd have to go for SNES, it was much better than Megadrive at the time anyway, although I couldn't imagine trying to use a joypad without analog nowadays.

TerrorFirmer

I love the original X-box controller! Hate the new S type, dunno why.

Worst ever - Playstation 2 controller. Ugh. Shíte control for FPS games.

Other good ones - Gamecube, N64, Dreamcast.

sound_wave

Roar wrote:

My very first pad was for my Amstrad 464+... nothing special, just a d-pad and two buttons, but your first is always the best ya know?

Ah the Amstrad 464+, how many hours did I waste on Burnin' Rubber, and my first trials of trying to program basic, ugghh! Good times, good times! The Batman game rocked too!

I was playing Metal Gear Solic 3 there and I jsut can't get used to the PS2 pad anymore, its really annoying me :mad:

Retr0gamer

1 - Xbox Contoller-F

F for Fat i suppose

honru

Honestly, using the Controller-F is like clasping your hands round a bowling ball with little sticks at the end.

Roar

sound_wave wrote:

Ah the Amstrad 464+, how many hours did I waste on Burnin' Rubber, and my first trials of trying to program basic, ugghh! Good times, good times! The Batman game rocked too!

ah yeah burnin rubber... can still hear the theme tune in my head to this very day...

Balfa

Pugsley wrote:

From that list the Gamecube, undoubtably.
But my all time favourite, for comfort, ease of use, and raw durability goes to this baby on the Megadrive

You know that the megadrive is on "that list", right? I hope you voted for it, and not gamecube, because you certainly didn't vote for "other", which is there for the ones that aren't on the list, even if they are. if you know what i... ah, nevermind.

Blub2k4

the quickshot isn't even on the list, although all it needed to make it into a quicksh1t was a few rounds of Daly Thompson. :eek:

Cullilingus

N64 all the way, the only controller, aside from keyboard and mouse, that I'd use for a FPS. Though I could be biased coz Goldeneye was so class!

dearg_doom

God I HATED the MD controller!

Horrible design, it hurt your hands (if they were used to the sexy XNES:))

And three buttons???

Who the **** thought of that one? How much of a pain in the arse was it having to press start between punch and kick in SF2??

astrofool

SNES, XBox(S and F), Dreamcast.

They all controlled the games built for the system perfectly. How Nintendo can get away with that z button I do not know, makes smash brothers a pain.

Stupid controller was the original gameboy, which had the buttons slanting the wrong way, so unless you're one of those weirdo's who uses their fingers for the buttons, and not thumb, then doing a running jump was stupidly hard.

I guess when you play a game, and its the control method that becomes the challenge, the pad is designed wrong.

Spacedog

x-box contriller got a bit of slagging for being too big...

http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2001-08-29

but I think it's the only controller I can use comfortably as a full grown man with average sized hands. I say fair play for catering to the normal handed individual. having said that, I still voted for the GC controller, nintendo always put a lot of it's efforts into revolutionary design:

first to use a joypad instead of a joystick with the NES

6 easily reachable buttons on the SNES controller (nearest competitor MD had 3)

N64 controller could be held comfortably in 3 different ways thanks to that extra analouge handle in the middle, lovely