Nintendo Okie

In the latest episode of the Nintendo Okie Podcast we talked about, among the myriad of things, video game controllers and we discussed which we thought was the consensus best controller of all time.  That came down, almost unanimously as the GameCube controller, though there was some debate about which GameCube controller was best.  For that discussion you’ll just have to listen to the show.  Today though I wanted to talk a bit about what my personal favorite controllers of all time have been.  These don’t cover strictly Nintendo as there were other great innovations in game controllers.  I’ve played nearly every system at one time or another in my life and there have been a number of really good controllers created.  Keep in mind these are my personal favorite controllers of all time and not, in any way, a definitive list.

5.  The Sega Genesis 6 Button Controller

I’ll fully admit that during the SNES vs. Genesis era that I fell into the Super Nintendo camp.  People thought Sega was crazy when they put out a controller that doubled the number of buttons that they had on their current controller.  There was no way there would ever be a need for six face buttons, right?  Well, apparently that wasn’t the case.  The six buttons allowed for more complex control schemes that lead to the controllers we have today.  Games like Street Fighter II felt more like they did in the arcade, because the buttons were laid out on the controller in a similar way. 

4.  The Xbox 360 Controller

It’s hard to believe that the current generation was the first to make wireless controllers a standard feature with a home console.  Sure there had been wireless controllers in the past, but they weren’t as reliable as the technology we currently have.  The 360 controller also improved on the terrible design of the original Xbox behemoth that required a master contortionist to use properly.  This controller seems like it was designed with first person shooters in mind and you can really tell when playing those games that it’s the perfect companion or competitor to a mouse and keyboard for those controls.  The only thing, for me, that took any getting used to was the backwards layout of the face buttons when compared to Nintendo’s controllers.

3.  The Super Nintendo Controller

Why do we need buttons on the top of the controller?  That’s just crazy.  Or is it?  The Super Nintendo controller effectively tripled the number of buttons that players had used previously on the NES and we thought games controlled perfectly back then.  This new way to control games brought about a revolution, that when combined with the Genesis controller brought about the new technology we currently employ.  The difference in the curve of the face buttons made it easy to recognize where your hands were and the placement of the shoulder buttons fit perfectly for where you index fingers were anyway it just made sense to use that area of a controller for additional inputs.  That design was so good that Nintendo mimicked it with the design of the Classic Controller to create a device that can control any system that’s been released to date.  I guess Nintendo did know what they were thinking when they brought about this massive change with the Super Nintendo.

2.  The Atari 2600 Controller

Talk about perfection in the simple.  The Atari 2600 was a great system when it was released and it’s still a great system now.  The ease of use made gaming accessible to a number of people and it began with the joystick.  The 2600 controller brought the arcade experience home with a joystick that you held in your hands.  The one button input meant you didn’t need to learn complex move sets.  It’s a design that Nintendo looked to when creating the Wii Remote and it brings classic gaming to a new generation.  Sometimes simple is better.

1.  The Wavebird 

Nintendo hit a homerun with the creation of the GameCube controller.  The big green A button announced that it was the action button and since it would be used most often was prominently placed under your right thumb.  The B, X, and Y buttons common to Nintendo controllers were placed in positions around that button that made them easy to reach.  The shoulder buttons were curved just enough to fit perfectly under your index fingers and the handles on the bottom were just the right size to fit comfortably in your closed fists.  With the invention of the Wavebird Nintendo began the wireless Revolution, but the controller wasn’t the standard for the system.  The weight of the controller was perfect even with the bulky battery compartment in the middle of the controller.  The wireless capability meant you could sit comfortably anywhere in your gaming area and weren’t hampered by wires that would get in the way.  This controller is so perfect that it’s a shame we had to move on.  A wireless version of the classic controller based on this design would be a great addition to the Wii system.

There you have it, just a quick look at the controllers that I liked the best.  What controllers are out there that you feel should be on this list?  Are there any I missed, or are there any wacky controllers you’d like to talk about?  Leave us a comment and let us know, or hit up the forums and discuss your thoughts there.