5 Best and 5 Worst Game Controllers Ever Made

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When it comes to video game consoles, getting the controller right is crucial. A poorly designed controller – one that’s awkward, uncomfortable, or tiring to use – can doom an entire system. We’ve reviewed a lot of controllers, both good and bad, and compiled a list of five of the best and five of the worst. When a controller has been updated over time, we chose the strongest (or weakest) version. We focused solely on the standard controllers that came with the consoles, leaving out special or elite editions. The lists aren’t ranked – we simply identified each controller as one of the best or worst ever made.

Best) Atari 2600

The Atari 2600 joystick, officially known as the CX40, is a classic example of simple design done right. Released in 1977, it was the first widely popular game controller that worked with multiple systems. While it only had one button and needed a firm grip, it was compatible with the Atari 2600, Commodore 64, Apple II, and other computers using adapters. Despite causing some hand fatigue during long gaming sessions, its straightforward design made it a perfect and instantly recognizable controller.

Worst) Atari Jaguar

The Atari Jaguar was a commercial failure, selling fewer than 150,000 units and quickly disappearing from the market. One of its biggest flaws was the controller, nicknamed the PowerPad. This controller was bulky and difficult to use, featuring a large number pad alongside the standard buttons – a total of 17! While it included a novel feature allowing players to use plastic overlays on the number pad for quick weapon selection in games like Doom, the idea didn’t translate well in practice. The controller’s design and button layout were simply not user-friendly.

Best) Super Nintendo

The Super Nintendo controller, while still fairly simple in its design, was a big step up from the original Nintendo (NES) controller. The NES controller was just a basic rectangle with two buttons and a directional pad. The SNES version added two more face buttons and shoulder buttons – L and R. To make the controller more comfortable to hold for longer gaming sessions and fit these new buttons, Nintendo rounded the edges instead of sticking with a rectangular shape. This design proved influential and would be copied by other controllers in the years to come, which was typical for Nintendo’s early controllers.

Worst) Phillips CD-I

The Phillips CD-I is notorious as one of the worst video game consoles ever made, and I know firsthand – I actually owned one. While it had a few different controllers, including a decent three-button gamepad, the paddle controller was truly awful. The system was designed so all games had to work with every controller, but the paddle made playing almost impossible. It was just a terribly designed piece of hardware. Its directional pad rarely registered commands, and honestly, it was much better suited as a desk ornament than a controller.

Best) Wii Remote

The Nintendo Wii introduced a completely new controller design, unlike anything the company had made before. It resembled a simple, rectangular remote and was built to support various attachments, including the Nunchuk – a smaller controller with a joystick and two buttons. Together, these two controllers, combined with player movement, allowed for control in a wide variety of games. This innovative and unusual design proved to be a major success, once again highlighting Nintendo’s talent for creating unique and effective controllers.

Worst) Nintendo 64

To be honest, I always thought the Nintendo 64 controller was well-designed, and I’m not alone in that opinion. However, it’s clear that a lot more people disliked it, which is why I’m mentioning it. The biggest issue was how you held it – it was meant to accommodate three different grip styles. While innovative and effective in some games, this also meant you often had to awkwardly shift your hands during gameplay to reach certain buttons. It worked great for some titles, but others caused hand cramps and left players frustrated with the controller.

Best) Xbox 360 

The original Xbox controller was bulky, but not quite bad enough to make my ‘worst controllers’ list. Microsoft clearly recognized this and created a much more comfortable, streamlined design for the Xbox 360 controller. It felt great in your hands, even during long gaming sessions, and didn’t cause discomfort while using all the buttons. Subsequent controller designs kept this successful shape with only minor adjustments, as it was already excellent – making it the best controller for Microsoft’s most popular console.

Worst) Apple Bandai Pippin 

Do you remember the Apple Pippin? Probably not, and there’s a good reason for that. Back in the 1990s, Apple and Bandai teamed up to create a budget-friendly computer that also worked as a gaming console. Unfortunately, it was a major flop. One of the biggest problems was the controller – it was shaped like a boomerang and incredibly awkward to use. It had a trackball, shoulder buttons, face buttons, a D-pad, and several other buttons, making it difficult to hold and frustrating for players. This definitely didn’t help the Pippin gain popularity.

Best) PlayStation 5 DualSense

The original PlayStation wasn’t just a console – it also launched one of the greatest controllers of all time. Sony has consistently improved that design over the years, with the DualShock 3 being the only real misstep. The latest version, the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller, is easily among the best ever made, thanks to its innovative features. It’s packed with impressive tech, like adaptive triggers and advanced haptic feedback that realistically simulate in-game sensations, such as the feel of a gun trigger. Having tested countless controllers, I can confidently say the DualSense is the current gold standard.

Worst) Amiga CD32 

The Amiga CD32 was a gaming console that unfortunately failed to gain popularity, and its commercial failure actually contributed to Commodore’s bankruptcy. While the controller wasn’t the sole reason for this, it certainly didn’t improve things. Looking at it, the design is awkward and doesn’t seem comfortable to hold for extended periods. It has a similar button layout to the SNES controller, but its strange shape is a major flaw, making the Amiga CD32’s controller one of the worst ever designed for video games.

What are your favorite and least favorite game controllers of all time? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-04-08 17:16