Top 10 Worst Game Controllers

Ant writes "IGN has a top ten list that focuses on some of the brilliantly terrible game controllers that shipped for game systems. Many of these were first-party, out-of-the-box concepts, while others were cash-in ideas from engineers that clearly either didn't have a sense in their noggin, or they simply listened too much to their marketing department. Either way, these controllers are a bad bunch."

Gamecube?

[Cybert14]

Is that "Z" in the worst position possible or what?

Nice List, But...

[FSWKU]

The list is on IGN's XBox 360 section. Any bets on wether or not they're going to come out with a "10 Best Controllers" list, with the 360 controller on top?

Touchpad

[owlman17]

Well my notebook's touchpad is terrible in quake and RTS games, unless I'm playing against a newbie. Even Minesweeper takes a huge performance hit.

XBOX

[ibentmywookie]

I noticed Xbox was listed there, and I will have to agree. But not just because it is big, but because of the buttons! The button layout is awful, and the shape of the buttons hurts my thumb. That, and I can never remember what each button is because they all feel the same. Meh.

Personally, I like the gamecube controller. The big fat A is easy to find and is the button used most anyway.

TI-99

[stevesliva]

The controller wasn't bad, actually. Indestructable and not oversensitive. Or maybe it was undersensitive and that's why I always sucked at arcade games. Too much TI-99 time. Alpiner, TI Invaders, great stuff.

XBox Fat

[Braedley]

I actually like the original version over it's smaller sibling. I found it much more comfortable to play Halo with (which is all I ever really played as it was on a friends system). I found the "handles" on the small weren't long enough to fill out my hands. Similarly, I have the same complaints about the PS/PS2 and N64 controlers.

Re:Worst two

[Destoo]

Well, my current signature (and the guy I quoted) disagree. ..the bottom line is if a game is fun, you will play it well past the point where it's causing you physical pain. -Chris

This means that your hands will adapt to the console you grew up with.. Sometimes artificially. (electric tape on the thumb, anyone?)

And to answer another comment in the same thread.. Yes. The big A. Forcing third parties to use THAT button as primary button is great. Very intuitive and all.

But Nintendo.. practice what you preach. That might be one of the reasons the Zelda:TTP demo wasn't too well received (when I tried it, anyway) because that big green A button had NOTHING assigned to it when you start the demo. Must have been used for a device you acquire later in the game.

The TI/99 is on there!

[John Courtland]

Finally, I find that someone else feels the pain I felt as a child, trying to play "Parsec" and "The Attack" with that junk heap. It got to the point where I would turn the thing upside down and dig the handle into the carpeting. Then, in order to move, I'd put my weight into the direction opposite the one I wanted to go to make it work. Sad. By comparison, the 2600 controller (another shit heap) was a DiVinci masterpiece.

Wavebird is the best... sort of...

[wvitXpert]

The Wavebird controller for Gamecube would be my vote for best controller if not for the 'z' button. Other than that it kicks PS, xbox, and N64 controller's butts.

Re:Top ten worst controllers?

[maddskillz]

They never even played Mario 3..they wouldn't understand

Re:Gamecube?

[NeoBlazeSJX]

The Z trigger was put "out of place" on purpose. It's supposed to be a 'special' button that's slighly out of the way so it isn't hit accidentally. By requiring you to move your finger to press it makes for a more deliberate action. Same reason why Black and White were placed where they were on the Xbox controllers.

TI Controller?

[Paul Slocum]

The TI controllers actually work pretty well, and they're really reliable too. Maybe a little awkward to hold, but not nearly as bad as the Colecovision controllers! How did those not make the list?

Re:Gamecube?

[WWWWolf]

Slightly silly placement? Definitely. Worst possible? Hell no.

At least the games tend to be designed so that you don't need that thing all the time and together with the other shoulder buttons.

GC controller is still the best controller I've ever had, even with that little silliness.