At the moment I use my 8bitdo pro2. It was kinda expensive but its a huge upgrade from my no name switch controllers and awful gamesube one from powera.
Also, the 3ds had really good controls (we don’t talk about the c stick)
I quite like a good ps4 controller
Have you tried the ps5 controller? Genuinely my favourite thing about the ps5. The adaptive triggers and the haptics are so good. The battery life feels better too. That was my biggest complaint about the 4s especially compared to the ps3s, those lasted for weeks.
I have and it was amazing but I don’t own one and I’ve never used it as a controller on the Linux PC.
Yeah if they like the PS4 controller, then they’ll 100% love the DualSense.
Just play Astro’s Playroom and you’ll get it.
I have both PS4 and PS5 controllers for use with my PC, and I prefer the PS4 one because it feels more comfortable in my hands.
My favourite controllers are still the official Xbox controllers because of Xbox Design Labs. I like to have my controller look the way I want. And also they seem to be the only controllers that can still be powered by 2 plain rechargable AA batteries.
Is there no option to design a wired one? =/
Nice
Xbox ones are cool but I can’t wrap my head around the buttons being inverted compared to Nintendo. Also how’s the dpad?
For me it’s the other way around 😅
The D-pad is really nice. It’s very clicky.
Nice, clicky dpad good
I don’t care about colours or AA batteries, I’d rather have a cable personally, I do agree on the choice though.
Anything from the 360 onwards and my preferred controllers. A permanently wired 360 controller that does away with the massive battery compartment it my favourite but these days I use an “Xbox one” version with the USB C cable.
You can use a typc-c to usb cable with the controller if using the controller with windows not sure about other platforms
Yeah, as I said, I use an Xbox one controller with a USB C cable. My PC has a USB C port so I just use C to C. I just wish there was a permanently wired official version of the controller that did away with the huge battery compartment on the back :)
Can’t believe I had to scroll this far for this. To my mind, the modern Xbox controller is the perfect controller for PC. Like you said, this the AA batteries and colorways are great, unique features. On top of this, it’s well-laid out, feels good in the hand, and every button, stick, and trigger feels great to use. And most importantly, it has the broadest compatibility. Every game recognizes the Xbox controller, and almost every game has Xbox button prompts built in.
The only thing missing is hall-effect sticks, but I’ve never experienced stick drift on an Xbox controller so it’s not like I would notice a difference.
The Xbox controllers are too big for my small hands. For people like me the dualshock 4 is more adapted + it has better build quality and feels sturdier all around
DS4? As in the one for the PS4? It’s a bit of an unfair comparison bc they are different gens, but i would definitely argue that the current Xbox Series controllers are higher build-quality than the DS4. My Xbox One controller had creaky, rattly shoulders and an okay but not great d-pad. The newer ones fix that, fortunately.
All that said, I will not dispute that it’s probably less ideal for smaller hands. Sony has always gotten that part right.
My design was on the front page a few years ago…
I’m still using an old PS4 Dual Shock, as I prefer its ergonomics to the Microsoft one… But I have to say the rechargeable AA’s of Microsoft are a big plus.
I tried a ps4 one. Those are damn good controllers.
Given that the only console games I play are old Nintendo platformers, I’m gonna have to go with the NES Controller.
Trying to play Megaman 2 with analog sticks is an exercise in anger management. XD
Retro games with analogs are pain, I love dpads
Also, I think you might like the 8bitdo sn30
Its a SNES shaped one with small analogs.
Dpads are cool
I do not know what the industry wide obsession is with connected D-pads, but my chunky thumbs do not appreciate it.
And with that in mind, the Playstation style of controllers are the closest thing to my ideal controller currently on the market.
Also, I prefer thumbstick under D-pad just in case I need to hit one of those buttons regularly I have a few options.
Yea, the pro2 is PlayStation shaped. I actuslyl prefer it.
What is the pro2 you’re referring to here?
Yeah, I just wish they’d split the directionals.
What do you mean “split the directionals” you mean staggered sticks?
The directional pad is four separate buttons. Up down left right. I want them to be like the c buttons on the Nintendo 64 controller. Separate.
Why?
The point of a dpad is that you can roll it
Edited to clarify. And you can roll separated buttons just as easily… I know because I’d do it a lot on the psp with dj max.
I’m a big fan of the 8bitdo Ultimate C, but my favourite may well be the GameCube controller
Smash bros player?
GameCube layout is pretty nice
Not really, I just think it’s the best controller. Ergonomic shape, octagonal stick gate (which is a criminally underused feature), good button layout… the only thing wrong with it is that the analogue triggers have a bit too much travel on them.
I hated the Xbox controller when it first came out, probably because my child-sized hands couldn’t reach the buttons comfortably. So it was Playstation style for a long time.
Now as an adult I’ve switched over to the Xbox style (easier to plug and play for Steam gaming) and I like it a lot. It feels a lot more durable than any other controller I can remember using. Though I feel the size and weight of the controller makes it slightly more difficult to use the bumper and trigger buttons compared to PS controllers, it’s not a big deal because I’m not playing FPS these days.
Both styles are cool. Tho I have a slight preference for symmetrical sticks
The 8Bitdo Pro+ has been great - works really well with my Steam Deck and Switch. Sounds like the Pro 2 is the superior version with hall effect sticks.
The Switch Pro controller has always been good too. And the DualSense is really neat with the haptics and adaptive triggers - expensive, but not that much more than a Pro controller surprisingly.
Yea, the Nintendo pro controller is way overpriced, before u got my 8bitdo I used these cheapo switch ones that were 7 euro a pop and they were good
To be fair I’ve had the pro controller for several years and it has held up really well. Really ergonomic and the vibration’s good, plus it has gyro. Perfect for my needs on Switch. I think it was worth what I paid.
Oki :3
Which question but does it have hall sticks?
No the pro controller doesn’t have hall effect sticks, but I’ve not experienced any drift. I did take it apart once to clean the insides however.
I had no end of problems with the joy cons, and have replaced those sticks with hall effect ones. Since doing that I’ve not had any problems, touch wood!
The D-pad on the Switch Pro Controller is hot garbage. Unless they changed it.
Admittedly I don’t use the D-pad all that much - does it not register inputs well? I guess it’s pretty important if you’re playing a fighting or retro game that require precise inputs. For the games I’ve played, it hasn’t been an issue.
The contacts inside are too big and sensitive and it results in phantom inputs. The DIY fix is to open up the controller and literally cover parts of the input contacts with tape.
Steam Controller is a flawed masterpiece that I wish we had gotten another iteration of.
Also, speaking of the 8bitdo Pro 2 line, the wired Xbox version of the Pro 2 is pretty great. It’s similar to the regular Pro 2, but it has analog triggers, uses Xinput, and has Xbox coloring and branding. It’s like they took the best parts of Xbox, SNES, and Playstation controllers and mushed them all together.
Another vote for the steam controller - it’s versatile enough to work comfortably with every game I’ve wanted to play.
PS3 (that’s the Dualshock iirc?), Steam Controller, and the Wii U Pro Controller (I quite like the two analog sticks at the top). In that order probably.
Nice Never tried a ps3 controller but I tried 2 and 4
The PS2 one is pretty much the same, isn’t it? I’ve never used one of those myself though.
8bitdo ultimate. Already lasted more than a couple of months, as opposed to the last two Xbox controllers I had. I just wanted hall effect joysticks and Xbox layout.
Nice
Yea, 8 bitdo have good controllers.
How much was the ultimate? My pro2 was about 50 euro
Not practical with anything else, but the Gamcube controller was so comfy. Def part of the 8bitdo ultimate gang now.
Steam controller obviously (for everything other than retro gaming which often requires a dpad).
Not familiar with that, is it the trackpad one?
That thing confuses me
Why are the buttons below, why is there a stick if there are pads
The stick is better for movement, while the pads are better for aiming. And the buttons work fine where they are.
Arguably the left side pad is a bit useless for gaming itself, but its nice to have two pads for desktop navigation and using the on screen keyboard that is build into steam.
Careful now, the swarm of all 11 people who use the left touchpad for movement might hear you and eat you alive while they chant, “just try setting movement to the left touchpad. You’ll never go back… You’ll never go back …”
It’s true, I’ve never gone back, also the joystick is a bit naff anyway
I’ve tried it a number of times and just can’t get it to work for me. Far too much travel distance for me, and the lack of tactile feedback makes it difficult. In some ways, I like the floatiness feeling that that the travel distance creates, but ultimately it wasn’t worth the precision adjustments.
I tried it for some 2D side scrollers, FPS, and 3rd person games. I liked it most for 3rd person but couldn’t get a hang of the other two.
Plus, I really like using the left touch pad as a floating menu, which the joystick can’t do haha.
I really enjoy the Gulikit King Kong Pro 2 (and would assume the 3 is better) because it all runs on firmware. No software to install, it just works as it should. Also works on Linux without fuss.
On its functionality side it has hall effect triggers and joysticks plus nice buttons.
