The 3 Best Gaming Controllers
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:01 pm
Just figured I'd see what everybody else likes in a controller. I have monster hands, and thus, usually prefer a monster controller. I'm also partial to a dpad, and 6 face buttons plus a start button. I'm a huge fan of analogue control, but, often times the sticks just don't feel right or are uncomfortable (such as the Dreamcast's). If I had to pick 3...
1. Saturn 3D Control Pad: Conforms nicely to my giant hands, I love the analogue "stick" as well (more of a ball isn't it?). I don't have much to say about this pad, its like the model 2 one, except it's enormous, has an analogue stick, and the buttons are convex rather than concave. It also has triggers. Who doesn't love triggers?
2. Saturn Model 2 Pad: I think this will be in most of the lists here, especially with the amount of people who love SHMUPS and fighters. It's hard to explain what makes it so great. Everything just feels fine tuned in your hands. The button resistance, the dpad rock, everything just feels right about it. However, for me, it's small, and lacks an analogue stick. Which isn't inherently bad, I just like having one when playing 3D games, and in particular, arcade ones.
3. Playstation 3 Sixaxis: I'm sure a lot of you will wonder "Why not the DualShock/2?". Simply because, although the triggers might be some of the worst I've ever used (although at least they have texture to help), the controller has one thing I absolutely love for 3D games. Huge analogue range. I don't remember if Sony increased the length of the sticks or just made the range a bit bigger by trimming the plastic around them. It makes a huge difference though, and the slight increase in size, as well as the fact it's bluetooth and gets great battery life, make me feel it's one of the best.
Honorable Mention: I originally put number 3 as a keyboard and mouse, but the more I think about it, beyond RTS and FPS games, its not really all that much better. In fact, in some games, the only advantage is the large amount of buttons, but that can be a disadvantage and inconvenient as well.
1. Saturn 3D Control Pad: Conforms nicely to my giant hands, I love the analogue "stick" as well (more of a ball isn't it?). I don't have much to say about this pad, its like the model 2 one, except it's enormous, has an analogue stick, and the buttons are convex rather than concave. It also has triggers. Who doesn't love triggers?
2. Saturn Model 2 Pad: I think this will be in most of the lists here, especially with the amount of people who love SHMUPS and fighters. It's hard to explain what makes it so great. Everything just feels fine tuned in your hands. The button resistance, the dpad rock, everything just feels right about it. However, for me, it's small, and lacks an analogue stick. Which isn't inherently bad, I just like having one when playing 3D games, and in particular, arcade ones.
3. Playstation 3 Sixaxis: I'm sure a lot of you will wonder "Why not the DualShock/2?". Simply because, although the triggers might be some of the worst I've ever used (although at least they have texture to help), the controller has one thing I absolutely love for 3D games. Huge analogue range. I don't remember if Sony increased the length of the sticks or just made the range a bit bigger by trimming the plastic around them. It makes a huge difference though, and the slight increase in size, as well as the fact it's bluetooth and gets great battery life, make me feel it's one of the best.
Honorable Mention: I originally put number 3 as a keyboard and mouse, but the more I think about it, beyond RTS and FPS games, its not really all that much better. In fact, in some games, the only advantage is the large amount of buttons, but that can be a disadvantage and inconvenient as well.
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