What good are video games if you don’t have the right controller to play them with? Over the years the video game industry has given us some truly monstrous creations, from the Power Glove through to the original fat Xbox pad, but there have also been some wonderful controllers that have elevated our games, rather than detracted from them. Though many will argue that a keyboard and mouse is all you need, a good video game controller can make you feel like you’re controlling a supercar, shooting a sci-fi laser rifle, or guiding a chubby Italian plumber down a green pipe. That’s something that you just won’t get with ol’ QWERTY.
The GameRevolution editorial team shared their thoughts on the best video game controllers and had some suitably controversial choices. As always, share your own thoughts in the comments section, and we’ll feature our favorite response in tomorrow’s Tell GR.
Paul Tamburro, executive editor: “Though I’m fond of controllers like the SNES pad as a result of growing up with them, it’s tough to beat the Xbox One in this department. I’ve never upgraded to the Elite, but the original is fantastic in its own right. It feels far less flimsy than the DualShock 4 controllers, its triggers offer excellent feedback, and it
Jason Faulkner, senior editor: “Gotta be the Xbox One Elite controller for me. It’s just rock solid and I’ve always found the placement of the joysticks on Xbox controllers to be more comfortable than that on the DualShocks. The customization isn’t really something I get into, but it’s nice to have the option to change out D-Pads and sticks if I wanted to for some reason. It’s expensive, but it’s the one first-party “deluxe” controller I’ve seen that actually makes me feel like the extra money goes somewhere.”
Mack Ashworth, lead editor: “I really enjoyed my time with the Nintendo 64 controller. That pad could be used in multiple ways, with three unique grips, which games took full advantage of depending on their genre. These grips also ensured that you would always have your thumb in a comfortable position, regardless of whether you were using the D-pad or analog stick. The buttons were big and colorful, with easy-to-remember names. “Hit A! Now B! Now C-pad Up!” Oh, and the expansion port was nice to see, too.”
Bradley Russell, news editor: “This is probably going to boil the blood of some, but I really, really love the GameCube controller. It’s a chonky boy, sure, and the absolutest of all the absolute units, but I just love how unique its design is. From the waggly little C-Stick that changed camera or perspective in games, to the confidently gigantic A button, there’s so much character in this controller. There’s a reason why Nintendo has seemingly moved heaven and earth by allowing you to backpat with your GameCube controller, even if you can’t play any GC games on Nintendo Switch just yet.”
Michael Leri, features editor: “I’m going to be boring and lame and say that the DualShock 4 is my favorite controller. I’ve always preferred the PlayStation controllers and the latest one is the best iteration of that design. I love that touchpad. When in doubt, just put a big ol’ button on your controller and call it a day. I love big buttons and I cannot lie”
Yesterday’s best comment
Question: “How many consoles do you own?”
Bufford: “If you guys are counting handhelds, I have 9 consoles: NES, SNES, GameBoy, Virtual Boy, PS1, PS2, GameCube, Xbox 360, and XBone. I also have a knock-off NES/SNES dual console, but I consider that a repeat.”
