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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."
ROB the Family Robot? I think that should have made the cut.
You can find a picture of it here. Also a few other gems that should have probably made the list if they weren't more than painful memories in a few peoples minds.
Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
It's funny, I've noticed a large number of people complain about the XBox 'sattelite' but I find it very comfortable (as do a fair number of my friends). Then again, I have freakishly large hands, and so that might be a factor... (consequently I dislike most other console controllers).
All the techniques ever used to make men moral have been themselves thoroughly immoral... (Nietzsche)
The prototype for the controller contained a washer in the joystick that was necessary for it to center automatically. However, sometime before mass production, someone removed the washer from the prototype and all of the controllers were mass-produced without it.
The fat controllers were actually the selling point on the Xbox for me. Most game controllers are just too small for my hands.
You are correct, sir. The original Xbox controller felt like a big, comfy pillow in my hands after a few hours. Because of the size, it was much easier doing dual analog control on the big guy than any other controller.
But, damn, those BUTTONS?? I've been a guitar player for over 20 years (finger and hand discomfort is something I have a very high threshold for) and the very thought of those things makes me cringe. It makes you wonder how these things get out of r & d and actually mass produced. I mean, who in their right mind would think that those buttons were not only decent, but a winner?
Well, I have a "flight grip" joystick, one of multitude of the "multisystem" joysticks for 8-bit computers like Atari and Commodore. It has the D-pad too, but damned thing gets diagonals FAR too easily. All you need is to tilt your thumb a bit up while pressing left, and the hero on screen jumps straight onto a landmine instead of walking up to it to climb a near ladder.
Anagram("United States of America") == "Dine out, taste a Mac, fries"
I'm with you on that one, man. I just finally bought my own XBox (I always had ready access to others before now, so I had no reason to buy one) and I hate the fact that I cannot seem to find a fat controller. I used to just deal with it, but after about 30 minutes of playing Forza, my hands really start to cramp since the handles don't seem to be long enough for my hands. I always liked the fat controller better, but was able to deal with the small controller until I started playing racing games. I wish MS would re-release the controller in a limited form or something, but that's akin to wishing I would win the lottery. I know it ain't gonna happen.
If Murphy's Law can go wrong, it will.
The X-Box controller has to be by far the most overslagged off piece of electronics ever made. (Number 2... of all controllers ever made... absolute rubbish.) Of the people I new that used it (because the majority of the people slagging it off didnt even have an X-Box.) only a few found it too fat. Just about everyone got used to it within a couple of minutes.
and your right. The worst part of it had nothing to do with its size (which is apparently better for the hands and my brother who has some tendon problems can use it for much longer than any other controller.) it was to do with the buttons. Both with the black and white (which was only really fixed on the 360) and, the bunching up in a diamond shape, colours. It wasnt too bad for a lot of things but I play with my right hand over the top with all fingers on buttons, ala arcade machine play, for some games and it was just made impossible by that arrangement.
The original X-Box controller was no PS1 pad and the S was definately a big improvement but it just wasnt _that_ bad.
Funny, mine is roughly 10 years old now and still works like a charm.
My guess is that you played a lot of Mario Party. I say that because the spinning motion required for a lot of minigames really wreaks havok on the analog stick. What happens is the light grey plastic that actually makes up the stick and base rubs against the outer housing, causing it to slowly be shaved away. Those shavings then get in the way and the "grit" makes the analog stick tough to use.
IIRC, the common remedy for that used to be some light scrubbing with a dry toothbrush. After a while, the plastic will wear down to the point where it no longer grinds and you won't have that issue anymore. Until then, just scrub it out every once in a while.
I'm not trying to imply that this wasn't a real honest design flaw... but in case you wanted to play your N64 without buying a new controller, the above advice should help.
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I'd rather be flamed than ignored.