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Controllers controllers controllers. What can I say about controllers? Well, quite a lot actually.
Chronologically
The original PlayStation controller
Some people really hated this and I can't say I blame them really, even if I did find it very easy to use. For a start it was very small, and by small I mean tiny. It's possibly the smallest controller in recent history. It was light too, extremely. In fact, it's weight (or lack thereof) was its main saving grace. You could get at all the buttons alright without really dropping it, despite the sticks only making it down to your palms. It had a really nice button layout that allowed you to get at all of them easily, allowing for many combinations of different moves in such after pub classics as Tekken and Bust-a-Move.
6/10
The Saturn controller
Not bad. It was a lot like the MegaDrive controller, so many people felt very comfortable with it. However, it didn't really have that many buttons and having 6 button for one thumb was a bit restrictive.
5/10
The N64 controller
I have to say this was pretty good. The idea of having 3 handles was quite good, although switching between the D-pad and analog stick was a bit fiddly. Most of the buttons were easy to get at although it was quite easy to miss the C buttons sometimes because they're so small. All the shoulder buttons were easy to get at, but the D-pad one was made virtually redundant because of its position. I suppose another gripe for me was the analog stick. It always felt very stiff to me and it was hard to get a proper circular motion going, partly because of the stiffness and partly because of the moulded ridges. There was also the matter of the strange white powder that collected in them and needed cleaning out every once in a while. What the hell was that anyway? A design fault? I've never seen it collect in any other analog stick.
8/10
The Dual Analog
I wasn't really too keen on this. The handles were, quite literally, massive in comparison to the original PlayStation controller and the sticks were a little loose. Also, it used an impressed grip on the sticks that weren't too good. They also had a tendency to rotate which annoyed me. Apart from that, it was every bit as good as the PlayStation controller, except it didn't vibrate. The Japs' one did though, lucky so and sos.
7/10
The Dual Shock
Ah, much better. The length of the handles had been shortened greatly and it now fits perfectly in your hands. It also feels much heavier, which surprisingly makes it easy to use. The analog sticks have been stiffened up a bit as well making them easier to use and now have a rubberised grip which makes them more secure. The L2 and buttons also had their sizes increased a little which made them easier to get at. However, the biggest improvement has to be the rumble. The twin motors are placed right inside the handles where you feel it most, and at full power it can get quite hairy. Also, they have varying speeds so the shaking effect can be accurately translated. Still the best game to date that used these has to be GT2, where you could tell what the actual surface was from the rumble, and also how your car is faring (remember the FF cars at high speed?). All 8 buttons can be reached very easily, and the two L3 and R3 buttons are very useful. Realistically at any one time, you have access to 9 buttons without having to move your hands. In certain games this drops to 6 if you are using both sticks but that is still plenty more than other controllers. It feels very nice in your hands, is virtually undropable and best of all, those handles are very sturdy, perfect for whacking the kneecap of your best mate who only just beat you at your own game.
8/10
The Dreamcast controller
I have to say, I've never used this much. In fact, my experience of it was 10 minutes in a Dixons store playing a game I thought was much better on my (last and more powerful) PC. It moulds very well into your hands and you can just about get at all the buttons OK. I didn't like the analog stick though because I thought it was too loose and the pivot radius was too small. I also hates using the triggers for acceleration and braking, but that's the game's fault. All in all a fairish controller, but I thought I'd seen that button layout somewhere else before...
7/10
The Dual Shock 2
This is without a doubt the best controller I've ever used. It's almost identical to the Dual Shock except for a couple of things. Firstly, the sticks have again been stiffened up and they are much more sensitive. Now even the slightest nudge is detected; very useful for flying the Dodo. Secondly, ALL the buttons (with the possible exception of L3 and R3, I'm not sure) are now analog. Some people have complained it doesn't work but I can tell you for a fact it does. It's probably most prominent in GTA3, where some cars (the Stallion) are almost impossible to drive without them. The sensitivity of them takes a little getting used to but after a while you get the hang of it until you wonder how you ever lived without them. They're probably not as useful in fighting games as originally suggested, but in racers they work a treat. Also, Dropship uses them very well to the point that you have a completely different button set between hard and soft. I have to say this is the best thing that's happened to controllers since the analog joystick. Quite simply, there is nothing wrong at all with this joypad.
9/10
The GameCube controller
Regulars who were around a couple of months ago will remember my "neverending journey" to actually hold one of these. Well, I actually completed it a few days before Christmas in an CEX store. It does feel nice in the hand an reminds me enormously of the Dual Shock. I felt the main buttons were a little too close together but after half an hour I managed to get it sorted. The shoulder buttons felt nice and solid, and I have to admit that they are very smooth. The "C" stick is very interesting but the very poor game I was playing didn't use it so I didn't get a chance to test it out (the game involved Link running along an race track jumping on platforms and trying, unsuccessfully, not to get hit by F-zero crafts. It was crap, as were the graphics). As for Grix's complaint about the Z-button, I only have to answer "what Z-button?" I never noticed one, although I wasn't looking. Maybe it is so badly placed you can't even see it. All I know is there wasn't one under my finger.
8/10
The Xbox controller
In that very same CEX store I also held an Xbox pad, albeit not for very long. The Xbox wasn't turned on, because their only display telly was being used by the GameCube. However, I did have a fiddle around. Firstly, it's too big. Secondly, it's hard to get at some of the buttons. They're just too far away! Maybe Americans have bigger hands or something, but mine are quite smaller. Hopefully some unofficial ones will come out that are actually usable.
5/10
So, there you go!
Chronologically
The original PlayStation controller
Some people really hated this and I can't say I blame them really, even if I did find it very easy to use. For a start it was very small, and by small I mean tiny. It's possibly the smallest controller in recent history. It was light too, extremely. In fact, it's weight (or lack thereof) was its main saving grace. You could get at all the buttons alright without really dropping it, despite the sticks only making it down to your palms. It had a really nice button layout that allowed you to get at all of them easily, allowing for many combinations of different moves in such after pub classics as Tekken and Bust-a-Move.
6/10
The Saturn controller
Not bad. It was a lot like the MegaDrive controller, so many people felt very comfortable with it. However, it didn't really have that many buttons and having 6 button for one thumb was a bit restrictive.
5/10
The N64 controller
I have to say this was pretty good. The idea of having 3 handles was quite good, although switching between the D-pad and analog stick was a bit fiddly. Most of the buttons were easy to get at although it was quite easy to miss the C buttons sometimes because they're so small. All the shoulder buttons were easy to get at, but the D-pad one was made virtually redundant because of its position. I suppose another gripe for me was the analog stick. It always felt very stiff to me and it was hard to get a proper circular motion going, partly because of the stiffness and partly because of the moulded ridges. There was also the matter of the strange white powder that collected in them and needed cleaning out every once in a while. What the hell was that anyway? A design fault? I've never seen it collect in any other analog stick.
8/10
The Dual Analog
I wasn't really too keen on this. The handles were, quite literally, massive in comparison to the original PlayStation controller and the sticks were a little loose. Also, it used an impressed grip on the sticks that weren't too good. They also had a tendency to rotate which annoyed me. Apart from that, it was every bit as good as the PlayStation controller, except it didn't vibrate. The Japs' one did though, lucky so and sos.
7/10
The Dual Shock
Ah, much better. The length of the handles had been shortened greatly and it now fits perfectly in your hands. It also feels much heavier, which surprisingly makes it easy to use. The analog sticks have been stiffened up a bit as well making them easier to use and now have a rubberised grip which makes them more secure. The L2 and buttons also had their sizes increased a little which made them easier to get at. However, the biggest improvement has to be the rumble. The twin motors are placed right inside the handles where you feel it most, and at full power it can get quite hairy. Also, they have varying speeds so the shaking effect can be accurately translated. Still the best game to date that used these has to be GT2, where you could tell what the actual surface was from the rumble, and also how your car is faring (remember the FF cars at high speed?). All 8 buttons can be reached very easily, and the two L3 and R3 buttons are very useful. Realistically at any one time, you have access to 9 buttons without having to move your hands. In certain games this drops to 6 if you are using both sticks but that is still plenty more than other controllers. It feels very nice in your hands, is virtually undropable and best of all, those handles are very sturdy, perfect for whacking the kneecap of your best mate who only just beat you at your own game.
8/10
The Dreamcast controller
I have to say, I've never used this much. In fact, my experience of it was 10 minutes in a Dixons store playing a game I thought was much better on my (last and more powerful) PC. It moulds very well into your hands and you can just about get at all the buttons OK. I didn't like the analog stick though because I thought it was too loose and the pivot radius was too small. I also hates using the triggers for acceleration and braking, but that's the game's fault. All in all a fairish controller, but I thought I'd seen that button layout somewhere else before...
7/10
The Dual Shock 2
This is without a doubt the best controller I've ever used. It's almost identical to the Dual Shock except for a couple of things. Firstly, the sticks have again been stiffened up and they are much more sensitive. Now even the slightest nudge is detected; very useful for flying the Dodo. Secondly, ALL the buttons (with the possible exception of L3 and R3, I'm not sure) are now analog. Some people have complained it doesn't work but I can tell you for a fact it does. It's probably most prominent in GTA3, where some cars (the Stallion) are almost impossible to drive without them. The sensitivity of them takes a little getting used to but after a while you get the hang of it until you wonder how you ever lived without them. They're probably not as useful in fighting games as originally suggested, but in racers they work a treat. Also, Dropship uses them very well to the point that you have a completely different button set between hard and soft. I have to say this is the best thing that's happened to controllers since the analog joystick. Quite simply, there is nothing wrong at all with this joypad.
9/10
The GameCube controller
Regulars who were around a couple of months ago will remember my "neverending journey" to actually hold one of these. Well, I actually completed it a few days before Christmas in an CEX store. It does feel nice in the hand an reminds me enormously of the Dual Shock. I felt the main buttons were a little too close together but after half an hour I managed to get it sorted. The shoulder buttons felt nice and solid, and I have to admit that they are very smooth. The "C" stick is very interesting but the very poor game I was playing didn't use it so I didn't get a chance to test it out (the game involved Link running along an race track jumping on platforms and trying, unsuccessfully, not to get hit by F-zero crafts. It was crap, as were the graphics). As for Grix's complaint about the Z-button, I only have to answer "what Z-button?" I never noticed one, although I wasn't looking. Maybe it is so badly placed you can't even see it. All I know is there wasn't one under my finger.
8/10
The Xbox controller
In that very same CEX store I also held an Xbox pad, albeit not for very long. The Xbox wasn't turned on, because their only display telly was being used by the GameCube. However, I did have a fiddle around. Firstly, it's too big. Secondly, it's hard to get at some of the buttons. They're just too far away! Maybe Americans have bigger hands or something, but mine are quite smaller. Hopefully some unofficial ones will come out that are actually usable.
5/10
So, there you go!
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Hrm, OK. Can't help you then! Well, if you WILL live in Scotland...
Turbonutter wrote:
> Where do you live?
Stoneyburn, west lothian, scotland. The nearest one is CA games but thats in Glasgow and we dont go there.
> Where do you live?
Stoneyburn, west lothian, scotland. The nearest one is CA games but thats in Glasgow and we dont go there.
1. I was pulling your leg too :)
Actually, this post was just one massive reply yo yours.
Actually, this post was just one massive reply yo yours.
Turbonutter wrote:
> Damn sight more original than some of your latest "creations", CHRIS!
1: I was pulling you leg just reminds me of a post i posted two days ago.
2: my reacent creations have been re-do's of old Dooyoo posts (its in your hands and in case you forget) and a post to wind Sonic up (Nintendo's future? bright.).
3: as for new Gameadayp posts any minute now.
> Damn sight more original than some of your latest "creations", CHRIS!
1: I was pulling you leg just reminds me of a post i posted two days ago.
2: my reacent creations have been re-do's of old Dooyoo posts (its in your hands and in case you forget) and a post to wind Sonic up (Nintendo's future? bright.).
3: as for new Gameadayp posts any minute now.
Damn sight more original than some of your latest "creations", CHRIS!
A topic all about the controllers in the gaming industry, wow what an original idea :D
Where do you live?
Turbonutter wrote:
> Have you held the GC controller? I think it's better.
No, there arent any inport shops near where i live.
> Have you held the GC controller? I think it's better.
No, there arent any inport shops near where i live.
Have you held the GC controller? I think it's better.
Would anyone else have been happy if nintendo just kept the same controller as the N64, because i would have, i felt it was a really excellent controller, and the z trigger was genius.
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