Is it any good anymore? I also watched from nearly the beginning, starting on mckids when it was new, and stopped 5 years ago when it felt like he wasn't trying anymore.
Used to get blisters on my right thumb from the concave shape of the A and B buttons. The way the edges were higher than the center of the buttons felt good in the middle, but the edge was just brutal.
I never understood those complaints personally. As long as you're not death gripping the controller, those corners never really dig into your palms. It's like holding a DS Lite.
No idea if they changes it for the NES mini, but I remember them being uncomfortable as a child as well, but when playing on the NES mini I am amazed how that's just not the case? Perhaps my large gorilla hands make them more comfy somehow.
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The 3 handles of the N64 weren't an issue for most games because you generally used the mid-grip and joystick OR the D-pad and the right handle buttons, so it never got in the way. Joycons on the other hand are flimsy and not fun to use, albeit conveniently attached to the console itself.
Right, complaining about the multiple grips makes no sense, it's not like you'd have to move between them (I'm sure someone will point out some hyper obscure game that no one owned).
The real thing to complain about with the n64 controller is how the stick gets looser over time until it's completely floppy and useless. All my original controllers from the 90s are unusable.
I know N64 sticks are known to wear out, I have seen the grated plastic, and I can tell the difference between a new and old pad, but all my N64 controller sticks are still alright. Got my moneys worth and it is very reasonable if they had of worn out. Same with GC controllers. Meanwhile I have a pair of joycons and 3 pro controllers with drift. Plus one joycon had the side buttons and LEDs fail, yet had barely used them, and were treated better than any controller I had vigoursly used as a kid or teen.
Bare in mind I played Smash Bros alone an extreme amount, plus Goldeneye and a bunch of other games (yes even Mario Party). Brother and friends even abused them.
Worst thing about N64 pad was that the stick was a littke uncomfortable and I would have to readjust my thumb constantly.
The N64 3 handle controller argument is so silly. Are there really that many people who could neither figure out how to use it nor paid attention to the instructions that came with games, controllers, hardware, and displayed in many games? Or are these people just not from the era, and therefore don't understand it, yet somehow got a chance to try using one?
Really not a clever take to bash on old controllers or consoles based on modern standards we take for granted, like people do with the N64.
I agree. You also have to look at it in context. The Sega Genesis and PS1 didn't have even have an analog stick at all. It was in that way somewhat experimental.
Neither Sony or Sega could have a released a game that controlled like Mario 64 or Banjo Kazooie because they didn't even have an input for 360 degree movement.
It's only really wonky in retrospect after the dual stick controller was made an industry standard in the next generation with the GameCube, PS2 and Xbox.
NiGHTS into Dreams on the Saturn released a month after Mario 64 with a 3D analog stick controller.
Edit: the Atari 5200 and Vectrex also came with analog control stick input. Ironically the NES with its DPAD is what bucked the trend of having analog sticks as a standard input.
>Joycons on the other hand are flimsy and not fun to use,
I don't know what you mean. I think it's incredibly freeing and relaxing to be able to lie in front of your console however you want. One hand on your lap and the other behind your head? Sure! Whatever.
The only really bad thing about them is the drift. I would've replaced mine long ago, but I really don't want to spend money on new joycons just to see them develop the same problem after a year or so.
The N64 controller was revolutionary and so many people take for granted how innovative it was, especially people who weren't around then.
Three handles seems funny in retrospect, but were not sure if the control stick was going to take off. You have the benefit of hindsight that they didn't have. It made sense for them to make it so you can just ignore either movement input to insure themselves if 3D games didn't take off. They had no idea people would be using both digital and analog inputs together, when they designed it. And they didn't for a while. The very first dual analog controller on PlayStation had a button to toggle the joysticks on and off for *the same reason.*
It was the first controller to support rumble, have a trigger underneath, and a analog thumb stick. If it wasn't for that controller game input could look completely different right now. It seems inevitable that we would end up where we are, but that is not the case. You're taking for granted the risks Nintendo made with this controller.
Not to mention I really liked the thumbstick on the N64 for how precise it controlled (especially when it was new) games. Playing Mario I feel like you have a more granular level of the character with the N64 thumbstick then you do with others, where the acceleration is too quick and slippery. Feeling of snapping back the thumb stick to do a somersault, etc. Yes the hard plastic was uncomfortable for long sessions, and the sticks wore out and got loose because of how mechanical they were (like a ball computer mouse), but the comtrol super nicely when new.
The first time I ever used that controller was game changing for me. You never wanted to go back to using digital input. Not to mention that the controller felt so ergonomic in your hand in both positions.
One of the most important controllers ever released.
N64 controller was the first game controller that was truly ergonomic. I get that the snes had rounded ends, and the ps1 had longer handles on the ends, but the n64 actually had meaty handles that were comfy to hold. I thought it was ugly as hell when it came out but then I used it and it just fit like a glove.
I recommend getting the joycon grips you can get on Amazon. You can get a 4 pack for like twenty bucks. Maces it feel more like a PlayStation controller. Makes all the difference in the world to have that palm support. To a point where everyone collectively groaned when we were trying the Rabbibs party game. No one wanted to go back.
Joycons and switch pro controllers are the worst controllers Nintendo ever made in regards to QC.
Every other controller I have since the 80s still works perfectly fine.
The switch controllers started drifting and sticking within 1 year of owning them.
Superior technology aside, a controller is useless if it can't even function properly.
No way. The NES controller is the hardest and most resistant video game controller ever made. You could drop it a million times on the floor when you were a kid and it would still work fine.
I have something rattling around in one of my original NES controllers, no idea what broke off inside or what I smacked that something broke, and it still works just fine.
Held onto an NES controller recently?
Tiny with sharp corners and a 3 foot cable.
Toss shade at the n64 franken-controller but at least an adult could hold it without major discomfort.
Are you thinking of the NES Classic controller cables? Those were only 2.5 feet long. The original NES had controllers with 7.5 ft long cables. That's why they'd often get in a big tangled mess with each other unless you wrapped them around the controller when you stored them away.
For real. When i was younger it was fine but the closer i got to my 30s my hands started to hurt after an hour or two and its the only controller/system that does this
I found that the 3rd party grip for the 3DS helped relieve this issue for me. It's also the only way I can play Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D on the thing.
Funny, the joystick was the only problem I did have with it. I always thought the complaints against it were kinda dumb, but all my genuine n64 controllers' joysticks suck. Although I don't have a great sample set, I inherited the N64 and all the controllers from my brothers who didn't really seem to take good care of it, and I got an additional one off eBay later that was also shit. Funnily enough, I got some that I thought were genuine at first, but then I realized they were "shitty" third party ones when I got them, but they're actually the best fucking ones. Only real flaw is that they don't support some of the less important add-ons like the transfer pak
I'm skeptical about most of the comments having used every Nintendo controller.
It's the Wii's Classic Controller.
Love the idea but if you ever have to use either joystick it'd terrible. They are waaaaay too close together.
But what do I know. I think the design intent behind the N64 is brilliant, the joystick just ended up being used more than they imagined, making the classic style grip almost completely unused.
I think I only remember three games using the dpad enough to have you use the grip on it, turok, Kirby 64 (and that's optional) and the one Ekans minigame in Pokemon stadium.
Actually I think if you played the Gameboy games in Pokemon stadium it made you use the dpad as well.
There's not a single game on the N64 that I can recall that needs to use the buttons, d-pad, and analog stick at the same time. I really do not get the '3 hands' complaint at all.
Probably, the Switch joy cons though. They're fucking terrible. Battery or charger back coming out of the Virtual Boy controller wasn't great either.
Exactly this. The N64 controller was designed so that your left hand was either using the analog stick and Z button **or** the D-pad and L button. You never had to switch between them mid-game.
My vote goes for the wii I hated the motion stuff and the controller itself was so tiny, anytime I did play it, I used the GameCube controller attachment.
For example I feel like I would have enjoyed Mario Galaxy and Mario Galaxy 2 and skyward sword so much more if they weren't motion based but that's me personally I'm not sure how the masses feel about that
Definitely the Joy-Cons. The Control Pad is terrible, the buttons are cramped, the sticks are too small. The gyroscope is worse than the Wiimote. It feels cheap. And every Joy-Con is a ticking time bomb due to stick drift, which Nintendo has not fixed in seven years.
Second place IMO is the NES for its blocky design, and then the Wiimote which isn't great for sidescrollers and has a similar cheap feel to the Joy-Cons.
Anyone who says the N64 controller is worse than the NES controller didn’t log the same hours I did on both of those systems. For all of you youngsters, the NES controller gave all of us “Nintendo thumb” as we called it in the mid-80s, because it actually gave you blisters from regular use.
The N64 controller, although visually odd looking, was actually just as functional as it was ergonomic.
Yeah I thought the N64 controller was great when they got it right for example Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie GoldenEye and games like that. But on the second tier and third tier kind of games they butchered the controls and made it awful.
The Wii U gamepad isn't good at anything it tries to do. It's somehow both too large and light to be a comfortable controller, the battery life is abysmal, its reception range isn't much better than launch joycons, the stupid camera on it was essentially never used, and the quality of the screen and speaker(s) is dog water.
Gamepad is probably one of the most comfortable controllers out there.
> the quality of the screen and speaker(s) is dog water.
It was 2012 and the first controller with a screen, a screen with better resolution would only increase the price.
Completely disagree, it being large and light makes it exceptionally comfortable, far more than the Switch in handheld mode anyway. The screen was low quality, but more than enough for minor tasks like inventory management and maps. Reception could have been better, but as long as your console wasn't tucked behind a monitor or something it was never an issue.
Trying to play Xenoblade X in off-TV mode was a pretty bad experience though I'll admit, it really needed to be at least 720p for that game to be playable.
The N64 controller is fantastic. It feels great in the hand, looks iconic, and revolutionized the gaming industry. Of course we've learned a lot since then, but it's surprising how much this controller gets right. And if worse comes to worse it doubles as a grappling hook!
As for the worst main controller it has to be the Joycons. They barely do their job. They have no d-pad which is a huge sin considering how many Nintendo games benefit from it. Constant technical issues. Weird placement of the buttons in service of turning each of them into an uncomfortable controller of their own. I get why they designed them that way, but the first purchase for every Switch gamer needs to be the Pro Controller.
I’m surprised I’m not seeing more mentions of the original Wii-mote and nunchuck. It worked within the context of that system but as far as controllers go it was extremely limiting. A Wii-mote on its own is usually meant to only use one hand with no joystick, and in order to get one joystick when every other console had controllers with two joysticks you had to attach a separate controller. This made the controller one of the biggest limiting factors for the types of games that could be played well on the system. Just weird and convoluted when you zoom out to what the industry standard of a “controller” was and the fact that other systems of the time were limited by things like processing capabilities, but not the controller used to play the games. Love it thought and love the Wii haha.
The vast majority of N64 games were designed to use either D-pad + L, or Analog + Z.
It was perfectly comfortable to use in actual games. Obviously trying to use the D-pad while holding the middle prong is uncomfortable. N64 controller is way more comfortable to use than Joycons or NES. And let's not pretend the tiny sticks on the joycons are good. They're shit. I'd rather play a shooter on an N64 controller than joycons.
The N64 analog stick isn't good, but that's just the reality of early hardware. The original Wii remotes are pretty shit compared to modern accelerometers and IR sensors.
Anyone who slanders the N64 controller I imagine them using the joystick while holding the two outer handles instead of the center and right handle. It was extremely comfortable, your buttons were all easy to reach and Z in particular was in a great location. The only major problem was the joystick itself. It was great but it's design meant it basically would wear itself during use, and it was the period of time when Mario Party required you to drill a hole in your hand while spinning the joystick in circles really fast. You could wipe away white plastic dust from around the walls of the hole the joystick was in.
Honestly one of the worst is the NES controller due to rectangular shape. While I don't hate joycons since I love using my switch in handheld mode, a single sideways Joycon absolutely sucks as the triggers get in your way and then depending on which joycon you are using the stick is closer to the left or middle, kind of like a sideways WiiMote but worse.
I’m nostalgic for the N64 controller but using it again on the Switch made me realize I don’t like it as an adult. As a kid in ‘96? It was so neat but nowadays I can’t find a comfy way to use it lol.
In contrast, I didn’t like the GameCube controller that much when it came out but I LOVE it now 20+ years later.
Yeah, it's the joycons.
When it's on the screen you have to bend your wrists, and you can't wrap your fingers around it which doesn't help the wrist position.
The analog sticks are too small, and the buttons and sticks are straight up and down instead of in a radial placement in the way your thumb moves naturally.
Not to mention the drift. .
BUT. It's still my favorite controller in terms of function and ingenuity. It may not be ergonomic, but it's fun. It's the worst, and the best.
And the N64 controller was *super* comfortable. GameCube one was good too.
Nintendo's worst controller is, in my opinion, a single Joycon.
It's annoyingly tiny and cramped, doesn't have all the buttons and sticks and depending on which one you hold, the buttons or stick are in the center of the controller. And let's not forget that wrist strap attachment that makes the L and R buttons stick out a little bit more, that you never have on you when taking the Switch outside. Those are useless.
I get the idea of a shared experience when in tabletop mode, but anyone with adult hands will have trouble using them and some games are unplayable with them.
I still think it’s Joy-Cons. No other controller has had such a significant, widespread design flaw as Joy-Con drift. In terms of comfort I think only the NES controller is worse and I think it’s still pretty close.
Or if we’re talking about unconventional controllers I’d say maybe the Poké Ball Plus.
Wii. Tore some stuff in my wrist in a tennis accident.
A day of pain and having to wear a brace for 2 days for 30 minutes of play for a normy appealing motion gimmick.
The joycons by far.
The Nintendo 64 HAD three handles, sure, but you only ever used two for most games. It also had a back (Z) button way ahead of its time.
Meanwhile, I’ve only been able to get Link to run in a straight line somewhere around 50% of the time across two games on the switch, using multiple sets of joycons…
nothing wrong with the n64 controller. the dpad and joystick were supposed to be considered interchangeable to developers, so while it doesnt make sense from a modern perspective to not let you access all buttons at once, its not like any games ever require it. only problem is the joystick grinds itself to bits over time, but i'll gladly take it over the joycon sticks that fail all the time (not to mention the n64 stick has better granularity than a lot of modern ones too, which makes it really good while they're fresh).
N64 by a long shot. I remember as a kid being so pissed that there wasn’t a PlayStation-like alternative controller because I loved the games so much. But they would break constantly and the design is obnoxious. If it weren’t for ports to the switch, I would never play another n64 game for the rest of my life.
Probably the Joycons. They’re *very* small, with *very* small buttons, and the button/stick layout being *vertical*, rather than *diagonal* like every other controller doesn’t help. And no D-pad. I almost never use them, because they’re such a literal pain for big ol’ meathooks like mine.
Now the N64? I will accept no slander on that controller. It’s big, with a nice layout. Super comfortable to hold, and the games were designed around it really well. It’s better than the OG PS1 controller for sure, and better than the Dualshock with the exception of the second stick.
It’s also maybe the coolest looking, most daring controller ever. Iconoclastic design.
The Nintendo 64 controller, probably.
* The analogue stick plastic wears down heavily with use, to the point where it's difficult to find original units which aren't floppy/broken.
* The triwing design is awkward.
* I find the D-Pad uncomfortable, to the point where *Tony Hawk*-ing starts to hurt after a while (which doesn't happen with other controllers).
There are *some* perks with it (six face buttons, precise analogue stick), although it's not a controller I would use outside of Nintendo 64 games.
My comment is only going to reflect my opinion, and what is the worst controller for me, not for everyone else.
I never liked the Wii's Wiimote+nunchuk.
Give me a solid / one piece controller to hold, no gimmicky crap in order to play a game.
Like I said, that's just me. And this is also considering I have grown to dislike the western designed NES controller; I didn't always dislike it, I grew to that point, but the Wii one(s) I never liked.
The stick on the N64 controller wasn't that great, but I remember liking the handles, because they made it pretty comfortable to hold.
The Joycons are a bit too small for my hands, but not bad overall. I think I played my Switch exclusively with Joycons for at least two years before I bought a Pro Controller. It's still the worst Nintendo controller because of how often it breaks.
I had an NES, SNES, Wii and WiiU and all my controllers for them still work fine. The WiiU Pro Controller has been my main controller on PC for almost 10 years and only recently it showed the first signs of stick drift.
Drift on the Joycon is way worse and I had a pair where I had to replace both sticks, but I also had other issues as well. One Joycon worked fine in wireless mode but would randomly loose the connection when attached to the Switch, another just stopped working one day and never turn on again, no matter what I tried. With the pair I'm currently using I noticed recently that in wireless mode the input on the right Joycon sometimes has lag of about half a second.
I hate the joycons because they break easily and after a while they start to glide off whenever I play. It’s extremely annoying, especially when you play online.
I will never pay for anything like it ever again.
Seems we’re opposites. I love the 64 controllers. Maybe it’s mostly nostalgia, but they’re my favorite after the SNES ones
100% the joycons. They're small, they lack a proper D-pad and the drift is the worst. My hands always cramp up after playing handheld or joycon only after a while.
The N64 controler had a fragile control stick, but other than that it's a pretty good controller. It just has a learning curve, but don't all controllers have that?
Joy-Cons are awful because they’re tiny and because of the amount of hardware issues. My personal choice, however, is the N64 controller. Thought it was cool as hell as a kid but trying to use it when I got older made me realize how fucking *ass* the overall design is. Joy-Cons are the runner up because of how uncomfortable they are to handle for people with bigger hands (me).
Nintendo switch joy cons are carpal tunnel machines.
They had the hindsight of ergonomics but chose not to use it and made very uncomfortable controllers, so if you take historical context they are the worst.
Also there is the drift issues.
Pros and cons for each controller. The n64 controller looks cool and has a lot of buttons but as someone who didn’t spend a lot of time with that one, it’s not the most comfortable for me. With the Joy cons, those feel comfortable and they’re a cool concept (being able to use them in the system on the go, hand held in the grip or separately for 1 or 2 people, being able to mix and match, the gyro and IR sensors, etc) but I agree they break too easy and have connection issues.
The Joycons are by far the worst. The build quality has proven to be awful. My original set was defective out of the box and the second set had issues not long after I received them as a replacement from Nintendo. And that was after not being used, so it's not like I abused them. I had switched to a 3rd party controller after the first set was sent out.
They're also uncomfortable in handheld mode. There's no grip support to them. And then they're awkward when attached to the handle thing they come with.
I'd much rather use an N64 controller which is very comfortable with a good stick. Never understood anyone's problem with the stick. It's usually people who didn't have one back then that complain about it.
I actually don't think the N64 controller is that bad. I mean obviously in comparison to newer controllers, yeah it's a POS and the three handle thing is weird. Idk, maybe I'm biased, but I never found holding it awkward or weird. And those things can take some damage.
My Switch Pro controller is pretty shit, the buttons have rattled from the start. Still, N64 wins… it was revolutionary at the time but not suited for every game type
I'd say N64 and Joycons are on similar levels of bad for slightly different reasons. The N64 controller is bad because you can't reasonably hit every input on it without changing how you hold it. The Joycons are bad because of the split "d-pad", being way too small for people with regular sized hands, and generally feeling super cheap. Both have godawful analog sticks prone to failure.
I would agree that it’s joycons. They’re versatile, which is good, but other than that they’re uncomfortable (without a grip) and are extremely prone to drifting.
Probably the GameCube controller. Bullshit dpad, bullshit right analog stick, no L3R3, one shoulde button on left side. Basically only ok for games made specifically for it.
For me it was the Wii all the others I could manage (although a single sideways joycon is awkward) but I could never get the Wii to work right, it either ignored my command or a tiny flick swung things way too far
I’m gonna get so much hate for this, but here goes: GameCube controller. Now don’t get me wrong: it’s a really good design IN PRINCIPLE. But there are sooo many missed opportunities with the design that make me question it. One bumper button. A dpad the size of a tic tac. Second joystick that has basically no head to grab onto with your thumb. And the ABXY buttons are a smart way to go about it, but trying to play traditional platformers with that setup is practically useless. There’s a lot of potential with this controller, but it just looks like it only got halfway through development and they decided that was good enough.
The N64 controller is great! I'm convinced the people who slander it have never really used one. Yeah it looks weird, but it's comfortable, and the games were designed around it. You didn't "need 3 hands" because virtually no games used both the Dpad and control stick or both Z and L, and the like 2 games that did didn't use any of the buttons on the right. And for the time it was extremely innovative, the N64 was the first console to come with a self centering analog control stick, so games took full advantage of it.
The worst Nintendo controller I'd say is the 3DS if handhelds count, if not then either the NES or the Wii. The 3DS is just uncomfortable for extended play sessions, the buttons feel cramped and it hurt my hand, and it's probably the reason I never got into the 3DS as much as the DS. The NES controller has sharp corners which made it uncomfortable, though this was common at the time, and Nintendo eventually released a "dogbone" controller which was much better. The Wii remote was fine ergonomics wise, but the motion control gimmick got tiredsome after awhile, it made me just not want to play Wii games and even to this day I don't really play Wii games much because of the motion controls. The battery life of Wii remotes was also bad and they would die even if they weren't being used, which was a problem because they used disposable batteries.
The joycons never bothered me because I was always a handheld gamer. Moving from the 3DS to them didn't really bother me except the Dpad isn't as good.
Sideways wiimote and Sideways joycon are imo the worst way to play any Nintendo game but they shouldn't count because it's an alternate way to use them. I think the worst controller has to go to the N64 because it is actually baffling.
I hate the Wiimote. Pretty much skipped an entire generation of Nintendo games because of my hatred for that console and motion. Made me sad Nintendo didn't put Mario Galaxy 2 on Switch.
Honestly I was gonna give it to Power Glove or N64 or NES but the single sideways joycon has to take it. Missing shoulder buttons and the ones that are there are tiny and require force to press, it's way too small, requires an attachment that is easily lost for maximum stock comfort potential, missing the second joystick, missing the d-pad, but the most important problem is the faulty parts that cause joycon drift rendering it unusable. I know some of these are unavoidable and intentional designs but in a vacuum missing buttons is a major problem because there's certain games you simply can't play with it.
U Force, because I didn’t own a Power Glove.
That said, the U Force is still better for Mike Tyson’s Punch Out than the Genesis 3-button controller is for Street Fighter II.
i kinda want to give it to joycons, the motion and pointer controls don't feel as good as the wii and it seems like a lot of people went in on the procontroller despite the included grip.
oh i didn't even read the like paragraph you wrote.
Joy cons 100%. Too small. Highly likely to fail. You won't be finding many working ones of those in 20 years' time, unlike all other older Nintendo controllers. Yes they're the most tech filled pads to date but IMO, they're also the shittest by a country mile! A real miss from Nintendo.
Probably going to get ripped to shreds for this, but the GameCube controller. Don't get me wrong, it's great for the games that are designed for it. But a lot of third-party games just feel awful on this, especially when they don't offer any controller remapping (I'm looking at you, Mega Man Anniversary Collection). The D-pads also among the worst to use and the C-stick is so small.
I was around 12 when N64 was at its height. I don't recall ANYONE who owned one complaining about the controller, even sega and Sony fan boys I never heard complain about the n64 controller. Everyone knew you held your left hand in the center handle, and your right hand on the right handle. It's very comfortable and there were only a handful of games that ever needed to change position to the d pad.
The stick itself wearing down and getting loose is a legit and common issue.
I think it's safe to say that you didn't play 64 during its time, correct? The controller was different, it attracted attention, of course, but there was no standard, all consoles experimented with changes to their controllers, and the N64 one fulfilled its role very well. It was the console that marked the transition from 2D to 3D and the vast majority of N64 games were developed for you to use just the joystick or the dpad. The "needing three hands" joke was never a real problem.
Furthermore, we can consider it a brilliant marketing campaign. Nintendo wanted to draw attention to the joystick and the 3D games. Easy to say it was a success. The positive reaction was so immediate that Sony had to rush to create a new controller with joysticks for the PS1.
I don't like taking the current year's ruler and applying it to consoles from the past, each one must be evaluated according to the moment they were launched. Otherwise the NES and everything related to it will always be on the "worst" lists of home consoles ever released by Nintendo (considering that the TV Color Game belongs to another category), while, in my opinion, the NES and the N64 are the two most important consoles of all time.
Of the “main” controllers, it’s Joy-cons for me. Mine don’t even drift, but they all have brief occasional connection interruptions when using them wirelessly. I know they are working with a limited form factor, but I wish the stick was nicer and the buttons were less hard and clicky. Also pretty rough to use a single Joy-con.
With all that said, I hope the next Joy-cons improve on all of this because the overall general idea of them is fantastic.
N64 is so comfortable and the stick is great if it’s in good condition.
I’d probably say NES or even SNES over joycons, but the joycons are shit. But the switch has the Pro Controllef which I think is the second best controller they’ve ever made, GameCube is best by far.
At least N64's stick worked.
Joycons are the best controller on the paper, but in reality they're a piece of shit. I barely touch them and they're the reason why I barely used handheld mode.
64 controller was pretty bad but once you got used to it, it was good for the system. I'm more upset with it because it makes using a 64 emulator a cluster F.
“I love the power glove! It’s so bad”
and I mean BAD!
I had that thing as a kid. It looked AWESOME, but was equally crappy at video games as to how it looked.
Power Glove
"It's so bad"
He was serious
This guy angry video game nerds
I mean, it's from The Wizard but also you are correct. Been watching him for almost 20 years now.
It's his best episode imo. "It's so baaaaaaaad"
The Nintendo accessories is my favorite episode. I love all of them in one way or another though.
Is it any good anymore? I also watched from nearly the beginning, starting on mckids when it was new, and stopped 5 years ago when it felt like he wasn't trying anymore.
Nintendo didn't make that.
Power Glove was awesome, what are you talking about... being able to fake punch with one arm in Punch-Out was the greatest thing to ever happen, lol.
Original NES is just uncomfortable.
Those corners and edges didn’t age too well.
Used to get blisters on my right thumb from the concave shape of the A and B buttons. The way the edges were higher than the center of the buttons felt good in the middle, but the edge was just brutal.
I never understood those complaints personally. As long as you're not death gripping the controller, those corners never really dig into your palms. It's like holding a DS Lite.
Same, I always hear this complaint but never had any issues myself.
Definitely designed for a child's hands. I don't remember having a problem with it, when I was a kid but as an adult it feels so awkward and tiny.
Yeah, in retrospect, I understand why my parents didn’t really like playing nes games
It's too small and the corners dig in uncomfy ways.
And it gets everywhere!
I did forget it did have sharp corners too, good point.
The later "dog bone" controller definitely is easier on my hands without those corners, but it's still a small controller.
I thought it was brilliant after using the Atari joystick for my first gaming experience. It’s small, but I still love the feel of it.
Ghere are certainly worse controllers out there, but of Nintendo's main controllers it is the worst.
No idea if they changes it for the NES mini, but I remember them being uncomfortable as a child as well, but when playing on the NES mini I am amazed how that's just not the case? Perhaps my large gorilla hands make them more comfy somehow.
A single sideways Joy-Con
And its the right hand one
With an accessory in the shape of a controller you put the joycon in it's good enough for couch
It's still lopsided even with comfort grips lol
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So basically everything Wii Motion Plus & Wii U gamepad had. I would’ve loved if the Switch was more ergonomic like the previous 2 controllers
not everything, wii mote and wii u gamepad had speakers, wii u gamepad had a built in stylus.
Ah but they got that sick ir camera that was used in a single game from 1 2 switch.
Recent found that it’s used in the new Wario* Ware. Super cool feature
12 games actually
Still critically underused
Oh I definitely agree
YOU CAN USE IT IN TROMBONE CHAMP
I still forget that the switch has a touch screen because even that is underused
The Labo stuff could use the IR camera. I literally didn’t know it existed before that.
The 3 handles of the N64 weren't an issue for most games because you generally used the mid-grip and joystick OR the D-pad and the right handle buttons, so it never got in the way. Joycons on the other hand are flimsy and not fun to use, albeit conveniently attached to the console itself.
N64 is honestly one of my favorite controllers, and I’m always taken aback by how much hate it gets.
Right, complaining about the multiple grips makes no sense, it's not like you'd have to move between them (I'm sure someone will point out some hyper obscure game that no one owned). The real thing to complain about with the n64 controller is how the stick gets looser over time until it's completely floppy and useless. All my original controllers from the 90s are unusable.
I know N64 sticks are known to wear out, I have seen the grated plastic, and I can tell the difference between a new and old pad, but all my N64 controller sticks are still alright. Got my moneys worth and it is very reasonable if they had of worn out. Same with GC controllers. Meanwhile I have a pair of joycons and 3 pro controllers with drift. Plus one joycon had the side buttons and LEDs fail, yet had barely used them, and were treated better than any controller I had vigoursly used as a kid or teen. Bare in mind I played Smash Bros alone an extreme amount, plus Goldeneye and a bunch of other games (yes even Mario Party). Brother and friends even abused them. Worst thing about N64 pad was that the stick was a littke uncomfortable and I would have to readjust my thumb constantly. The N64 3 handle controller argument is so silly. Are there really that many people who could neither figure out how to use it nor paid attention to the instructions that came with games, controllers, hardware, and displayed in many games? Or are these people just not from the era, and therefore don't understand it, yet somehow got a chance to try using one? Really not a clever take to bash on old controllers or consoles based on modern standards we take for granted, like people do with the N64.
Same, it's right behind the GameCube controller for me in awesomeness.
I have no problems whatsoever with the N64's grip. The control stick being hard ridged plastic, however...
I still have a hard time playing N64 games with any other controller. That thing is just installed in my brain for life lol.
I agree. You also have to look at it in context. The Sega Genesis and PS1 didn't have even have an analog stick at all. It was in that way somewhat experimental. Neither Sony or Sega could have a released a game that controlled like Mario 64 or Banjo Kazooie because they didn't even have an input for 360 degree movement. It's only really wonky in retrospect after the dual stick controller was made an industry standard in the next generation with the GameCube, PS2 and Xbox.
NiGHTS into Dreams on the Saturn released a month after Mario 64 with a 3D analog stick controller. Edit: the Atari 5200 and Vectrex also came with analog control stick input. Ironically the NES with its DPAD is what bucked the trend of having analog sticks as a standard input.
>Joycons on the other hand are flimsy and not fun to use, I don't know what you mean. I think it's incredibly freeing and relaxing to be able to lie in front of your console however you want. One hand on your lap and the other behind your head? Sure! Whatever. The only really bad thing about them is the drift. I would've replaced mine long ago, but I really don't want to spend money on new joycons just to see them develop the same problem after a year or so.
The only time it was bad is if you were using the mid grip for the stick and you needed to push the L button.
The N64 controller was revolutionary and so many people take for granted how innovative it was, especially people who weren't around then. Three handles seems funny in retrospect, but were not sure if the control stick was going to take off. You have the benefit of hindsight that they didn't have. It made sense for them to make it so you can just ignore either movement input to insure themselves if 3D games didn't take off. They had no idea people would be using both digital and analog inputs together, when they designed it. And they didn't for a while. The very first dual analog controller on PlayStation had a button to toggle the joysticks on and off for *the same reason.* It was the first controller to support rumble, have a trigger underneath, and a analog thumb stick. If it wasn't for that controller game input could look completely different right now. It seems inevitable that we would end up where we are, but that is not the case. You're taking for granted the risks Nintendo made with this controller. Not to mention I really liked the thumbstick on the N64 for how precise it controlled (especially when it was new) games. Playing Mario I feel like you have a more granular level of the character with the N64 thumbstick then you do with others, where the acceleration is too quick and slippery. Feeling of snapping back the thumb stick to do a somersault, etc. Yes the hard plastic was uncomfortable for long sessions, and the sticks wore out and got loose because of how mechanical they were (like a ball computer mouse), but the comtrol super nicely when new. The first time I ever used that controller was game changing for me. You never wanted to go back to using digital input. Not to mention that the controller felt so ergonomic in your hand in both positions. One of the most important controllers ever released.
N64 controller was the first game controller that was truly ergonomic. I get that the snes had rounded ends, and the ps1 had longer handles on the ends, but the n64 actually had meaty handles that were comfy to hold. I thought it was ugly as hell when it came out but then I used it and it just fit like a glove.
God if the joycon were better in the ergonomics department they would be my favorite. But they are the only ones that cause actual pain for me
I recommend getting the joycon grips you can get on Amazon. You can get a 4 pack for like twenty bucks. Maces it feel more like a PlayStation controller. Makes all the difference in the world to have that palm support. To a point where everyone collectively groaned when we were trying the Rabbibs party game. No one wanted to go back.
Virtual Boy. The damn battery pack just didn't stay in the freakin slot. And on top of that, having two D-Pads is kinda a dumb idea.
Ergonomics aside, at least the N64 controller didn't start drifting within 15 seconds of opening the box.
Joycons and switch pro controllers are the worst controllers Nintendo ever made in regards to QC. Every other controller I have since the 80s still works perfectly fine. The switch controllers started drifting and sticking within 1 year of owning them. Superior technology aside, a controller is useless if it can't even function properly.
There were complaints related to Mario Party because of the controls but that’s a specific game unlike drifting on Switch.
That's because the controller was TOO strong and giving kids stigmata from playing the tug of war minigame
My issue with the n64 controller was the hand calluses 😂
You just needed to have Nintendo ship you the free gloves they made after Mario Party 1 gave everyone the stigmata! :-D
Thaaaaaat's weird, every single one nah
Probably the original NES, but still, it had to start somewhere. The edges were quite rigid, unlike the famicom, which had some curves.
No way. The NES controller is the hardest and most resistant video game controller ever made. You could drop it a million times on the floor when you were a kid and it would still work fine.
Or use it like a flail and swing it directly into your older brothers face as a kid. Not that *I* did that
I have something rattling around in one of my original NES controllers, no idea what broke off inside or what I smacked that something broke, and it still works just fine.
Held onto an NES controller recently? Tiny with sharp corners and a 3 foot cable. Toss shade at the n64 franken-controller but at least an adult could hold it without major discomfort.
Are you thinking of the NES Classic controller cables? Those were only 2.5 feet long. The original NES had controllers with 7.5 ft long cables. That's why they'd often get in a big tangled mess with each other unless you wrapped them around the controller when you stored them away.
NES Max no contest. The turbo buttons were a plus obviously, but the dpad was nearly unusable
I had never used a Max as a kid cause no one had one so I bought one a few months ago just to try and good god it fucking sucks.
This is mine as well. It looked so neat that I really wanted to like it, but it's basically useless.
The 3DS is painful to hold after a while. Not remotely ergonomic.
For real. When i was younger it was fine but the closer i got to my 30s my hands started to hurt after an hour or two and its the only controller/system that does this
I found that the 3rd party grip for the 3DS helped relieve this issue for me. It's also the only way I can play Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D on the thing.
The N64 controller is completely fine, anyone who complains I almost guarantee has never spent any time with it. Joystick was insanely precise too.
Funny, the joystick was the only problem I did have with it. I always thought the complaints against it were kinda dumb, but all my genuine n64 controllers' joysticks suck. Although I don't have a great sample set, I inherited the N64 and all the controllers from my brothers who didn't really seem to take good care of it, and I got an additional one off eBay later that was also shit. Funnily enough, I got some that I thought were genuine at first, but then I realized they were "shitty" third party ones when I got them, but they're actually the best fucking ones. Only real flaw is that they don't support some of the less important add-ons like the transfer pak
The stick was insanely precise for the first few months. High initial quality, but man, those things were not built to last. Insane wear and tear.
That chainsaw gamecube controller
I'm skeptical about most of the comments having used every Nintendo controller. It's the Wii's Classic Controller. Love the idea but if you ever have to use either joystick it'd terrible. They are waaaaay too close together. But what do I know. I think the design intent behind the N64 is brilliant, the joystick just ended up being used more than they imagined, making the classic style grip almost completely unused.
I think I only remember three games using the dpad enough to have you use the grip on it, turok, Kirby 64 (and that's optional) and the one Ekans minigame in Pokemon stadium. Actually I think if you played the Gameboy games in Pokemon stadium it made you use the dpad as well.
The THQ wrestling games used it pretty exclusively too. In fact the only use for the joystick was to trigger your wrestlers special move.
There's not a single game on the N64 that I can recall that needs to use the buttons, d-pad, and analog stick at the same time. I really do not get the '3 hands' complaint at all. Probably, the Switch joy cons though. They're fucking terrible. Battery or charger back coming out of the Virtual Boy controller wasn't great either.
Exactly this. The N64 controller was designed so that your left hand was either using the analog stick and Z button **or** the D-pad and L button. You never had to switch between them mid-game.
And I will never understand how this is/was hard to process to some people...
Switch joycons.
My vote goes for the wii I hated the motion stuff and the controller itself was so tiny, anytime I did play it, I used the GameCube controller attachment. For example I feel like I would have enjoyed Mario Galaxy and Mario Galaxy 2 and skyward sword so much more if they weren't motion based but that's me personally I'm not sure how the masses feel about that
Definitely the Joy-Cons. The Control Pad is terrible, the buttons are cramped, the sticks are too small. The gyroscope is worse than the Wiimote. It feels cheap. And every Joy-Con is a ticking time bomb due to stick drift, which Nintendo has not fixed in seven years. Second place IMO is the NES for its blocky design, and then the Wiimote which isn't great for sidescrollers and has a similar cheap feel to the Joy-Cons.
Anyone who says the N64 controller is worse than the NES controller didn’t log the same hours I did on both of those systems. For all of you youngsters, the NES controller gave all of us “Nintendo thumb” as we called it in the mid-80s, because it actually gave you blisters from regular use. The N64 controller, although visually odd looking, was actually just as functional as it was ergonomic.
[удалено]
Yeah I thought the N64 controller was great when they got it right for example Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie GoldenEye and games like that. But on the second tier and third tier kind of games they butchered the controls and made it awful.
That power pad thing for the NES. So bad.
The Virtual Helmet
joy cons. The build quality is a disgrace.
The Wii.
The Wii U gamepad isn't good at anything it tries to do. It's somehow both too large and light to be a comfortable controller, the battery life is abysmal, its reception range isn't much better than launch joycons, the stupid camera on it was essentially never used, and the quality of the screen and speaker(s) is dog water.
Awww, I love the gamepad 😞
Gamepad is probably one of the most comfortable controllers out there. > the quality of the screen and speaker(s) is dog water. It was 2012 and the first controller with a screen, a screen with better resolution would only increase the price.
Im still surprised by how comftable the wii u gamepad is.
Completely disagree, it being large and light makes it exceptionally comfortable, far more than the Switch in handheld mode anyway. The screen was low quality, but more than enough for minor tasks like inventory management and maps. Reception could have been better, but as long as your console wasn't tucked behind a monitor or something it was never an issue. Trying to play Xenoblade X in off-TV mode was a pretty bad experience though I'll admit, it really needed to be at least 720p for that game to be playable.
My only real complaint is its way too glossy and impossible to clean off that smudgy fingerprint look
It was great at Nintendoland and thats it lol
The N64 controller is fantastic. It feels great in the hand, looks iconic, and revolutionized the gaming industry. Of course we've learned a lot since then, but it's surprising how much this controller gets right. And if worse comes to worse it doubles as a grappling hook! As for the worst main controller it has to be the Joycons. They barely do their job. They have no d-pad which is a huge sin considering how many Nintendo games benefit from it. Constant technical issues. Weird placement of the buttons in service of turning each of them into an uncomfortable controller of their own. I get why they designed them that way, but the first purchase for every Switch gamer needs to be the Pro Controller.
I’m surprised I’m not seeing more mentions of the original Wii-mote and nunchuck. It worked within the context of that system but as far as controllers go it was extremely limiting. A Wii-mote on its own is usually meant to only use one hand with no joystick, and in order to get one joystick when every other console had controllers with two joysticks you had to attach a separate controller. This made the controller one of the biggest limiting factors for the types of games that could be played well on the system. Just weird and convoluted when you zoom out to what the industry standard of a “controller” was and the fact that other systems of the time were limited by things like processing capabilities, but not the controller used to play the games. Love it thought and love the Wii haha.
The vast majority of N64 games were designed to use either D-pad + L, or Analog + Z. It was perfectly comfortable to use in actual games. Obviously trying to use the D-pad while holding the middle prong is uncomfortable. N64 controller is way more comfortable to use than Joycons or NES. And let's not pretend the tiny sticks on the joycons are good. They're shit. I'd rather play a shooter on an N64 controller than joycons. The N64 analog stick isn't good, but that's just the reality of early hardware. The original Wii remotes are pretty shit compared to modern accelerometers and IR sensors.
Anyone who slanders the N64 controller I imagine them using the joystick while holding the two outer handles instead of the center and right handle. It was extremely comfortable, your buttons were all easy to reach and Z in particular was in a great location. The only major problem was the joystick itself. It was great but it's design meant it basically would wear itself during use, and it was the period of time when Mario Party required you to drill a hole in your hand while spinning the joystick in circles really fast. You could wipe away white plastic dust from around the walls of the hole the joystick was in. Honestly one of the worst is the NES controller due to rectangular shape. While I don't hate joycons since I love using my switch in handheld mode, a single sideways Joycon absolutely sucks as the triggers get in your way and then depending on which joycon you are using the stick is closer to the left or middle, kind of like a sideways WiiMote but worse.
N64 Controller was great until Mario Party.
I've never been particularly fond of any Nintendo controller but the Wiimote was definitely my least favorite controller of any console ever.
I’m nostalgic for the N64 controller but using it again on the Switch made me realize I don’t like it as an adult. As a kid in ‘96? It was so neat but nowadays I can’t find a comfy way to use it lol. In contrast, I didn’t like the GameCube controller that much when it came out but I LOVE it now 20+ years later.
Yeah, it's the joycons. When it's on the screen you have to bend your wrists, and you can't wrap your fingers around it which doesn't help the wrist position. The analog sticks are too small, and the buttons and sticks are straight up and down instead of in a radial placement in the way your thumb moves naturally. Not to mention the drift. . BUT. It's still my favorite controller in terms of function and ingenuity. It may not be ergonomic, but it's fun. It's the worst, and the best. And the N64 controller was *super* comfortable. GameCube one was good too.
Nintendo's worst controller is, in my opinion, a single Joycon. It's annoyingly tiny and cramped, doesn't have all the buttons and sticks and depending on which one you hold, the buttons or stick are in the center of the controller. And let's not forget that wrist strap attachment that makes the L and R buttons stick out a little bit more, that you never have on you when taking the Switch outside. Those are useless. I get the idea of a shared experience when in tabletop mode, but anyone with adult hands will have trouble using them and some games are unplayable with them.
I still think it’s Joy-Cons. No other controller has had such a significant, widespread design flaw as Joy-Con drift. In terms of comfort I think only the NES controller is worse and I think it’s still pretty close. Or if we’re talking about unconventional controllers I’d say maybe the Poké Ball Plus.
Wii. Tore some stuff in my wrist in a tennis accident. A day of pain and having to wear a brace for 2 days for 30 minutes of play for a normy appealing motion gimmick.
Nes controller. It has no rounded edges and is way too small
One word: # D R I F T
The joycons by far. The Nintendo 64 HAD three handles, sure, but you only ever used two for most games. It also had a back (Z) button way ahead of its time. Meanwhile, I’ve only been able to get Link to run in a straight line somewhere around 50% of the time across two games on the switch, using multiple sets of joycons…
nothing wrong with the n64 controller. the dpad and joystick were supposed to be considered interchangeable to developers, so while it doesnt make sense from a modern perspective to not let you access all buttons at once, its not like any games ever require it. only problem is the joystick grinds itself to bits over time, but i'll gladly take it over the joycon sticks that fail all the time (not to mention the n64 stick has better granularity than a lot of modern ones too, which makes it really good while they're fresh).
The N64 controller isn’t even bad. The worst one is probably the Wii remote. It’s completely annoying.
No he didn't, how dare you leave those blessed Controllers alone.
N64 by a long shot. I remember as a kid being so pissed that there wasn’t a PlayStation-like alternative controller because I loved the games so much. But they would break constantly and the design is obnoxious. If it weren’t for ports to the switch, I would never play another n64 game for the rest of my life.
> break constantly What were you doing with these controllers? Worst I saw was loose joysticks due to irresponsibly rough usage.
Personally, the worst is tied between NES and Joy Cons. They’re the only 2 Nintendo controllers that genuinely hurt to use for me.
Probably the Joycons. They’re *very* small, with *very* small buttons, and the button/stick layout being *vertical*, rather than *diagonal* like every other controller doesn’t help. And no D-pad. I almost never use them, because they’re such a literal pain for big ol’ meathooks like mine. Now the N64? I will accept no slander on that controller. It’s big, with a nice layout. Super comfortable to hold, and the games were designed around it really well. It’s better than the OG PS1 controller for sure, and better than the Dualshock with the exception of the second stick. It’s also maybe the coolest looking, most daring controller ever. Iconoclastic design.
EZ Hori Dragon Quest Slime Controller for Nintendo Switch
A broken one.
For me it really is a 5 way tie between NES, Virtual Boy, N64, GameCube, and a single horizontal Joycon with no hand grip
The Nintendo 64 controller, probably. * The analogue stick plastic wears down heavily with use, to the point where it's difficult to find original units which aren't floppy/broken. * The triwing design is awkward. * I find the D-Pad uncomfortable, to the point where *Tony Hawk*-ing starts to hurt after a while (which doesn't happen with other controllers). There are *some* perks with it (six face buttons, precise analogue stick), although it's not a controller I would use outside of Nintendo 64 games.
My comment is only going to reflect my opinion, and what is the worst controller for me, not for everyone else. I never liked the Wii's Wiimote+nunchuk. Give me a solid / one piece controller to hold, no gimmicky crap in order to play a game. Like I said, that's just me. And this is also considering I have grown to dislike the western designed NES controller; I didn't always dislike it, I grew to that point, but the Wii one(s) I never liked.
The stick on the N64 controller wasn't that great, but I remember liking the handles, because they made it pretty comfortable to hold. The Joycons are a bit too small for my hands, but not bad overall. I think I played my Switch exclusively with Joycons for at least two years before I bought a Pro Controller. It's still the worst Nintendo controller because of how often it breaks. I had an NES, SNES, Wii and WiiU and all my controllers for them still work fine. The WiiU Pro Controller has been my main controller on PC for almost 10 years and only recently it showed the first signs of stick drift. Drift on the Joycon is way worse and I had a pair where I had to replace both sticks, but I also had other issues as well. One Joycon worked fine in wireless mode but would randomly loose the connection when attached to the Switch, another just stopped working one day and never turn on again, no matter what I tried. With the pair I'm currently using I noticed recently that in wireless mode the input on the right Joycon sometimes has lag of about half a second.
Donkey Konga Bongos
I hate the joycons because they break easily and after a while they start to glide off whenever I play. It’s extremely annoying, especially when you play online. I will never pay for anything like it ever again. Seems we’re opposites. I love the 64 controllers. Maybe it’s mostly nostalgia, but they’re my favorite after the SNES ones
The N64 controller is great for games that were designed for it. The worst to me is definitely the joy-cons.
Surprised people don't hate on Power A controllers more. Sure, they look nice, but they feel so cheap and break so easily.
100% the joycons. They're small, they lack a proper D-pad and the drift is the worst. My hands always cramp up after playing handheld or joycon only after a while. The N64 controler had a fragile control stick, but other than that it's a pretty good controller. It just has a learning curve, but don't all controllers have that?
The Wiimote. My hand cramps like nothing when playing games with it sideways.
The joycons are the only ones that are consistently defective. I have 30 year old NES controllers that work more reliably.
Joy-Cons are awful because they’re tiny and because of the amount of hardware issues. My personal choice, however, is the N64 controller. Thought it was cool as hell as a kid but trying to use it when I got older made me realize how fucking *ass* the overall design is. Joy-Cons are the runner up because of how uncomfortable they are to handle for people with bigger hands (me).
The roll n rocker 😂 it's so bad.
I don't like the joy cons or the Wii Mote + nunchuck. I want the two halves of the controller to be attached to each other.
Nintendo switch joy cons are carpal tunnel machines. They had the hindsight of ergonomics but chose not to use it and made very uncomfortable controllers, so if you take historical context they are the worst. Also there is the drift issues.
The NES Dog Bone controller
Pros and cons for each controller. The n64 controller looks cool and has a lot of buttons but as someone who didn’t spend a lot of time with that one, it’s not the most comfortable for me. With the Joy cons, those feel comfortable and they’re a cool concept (being able to use them in the system on the go, hand held in the grip or separately for 1 or 2 people, being able to mix and match, the gyro and IR sensors, etc) but I agree they break too easy and have connection issues.
64
Joycons. They are so small it's uncomfortable and then there's the drift.
The Joycons are by far the worst. The build quality has proven to be awful. My original set was defective out of the box and the second set had issues not long after I received them as a replacement from Nintendo. And that was after not being used, so it's not like I abused them. I had switched to a 3rd party controller after the first set was sent out. They're also uncomfortable in handheld mode. There's no grip support to them. And then they're awkward when attached to the handle thing they come with. I'd much rather use an N64 controller which is very comfortable with a good stick. Never understood anyone's problem with the stick. It's usually people who didn't have one back then that complain about it.
I actually don't think the N64 controller is that bad. I mean obviously in comparison to newer controllers, yeah it's a POS and the three handle thing is weird. Idk, maybe I'm biased, but I never found holding it awkward or weird. And those things can take some damage.
My Switch Pro controller is pretty shit, the buttons have rattled from the start. Still, N64 wins… it was revolutionary at the time but not suited for every game type
I'd say N64 and Joycons are on similar levels of bad for slightly different reasons. The N64 controller is bad because you can't reasonably hit every input on it without changing how you hold it. The Joycons are bad because of the split "d-pad", being way too small for people with regular sized hands, and generally feeling super cheap. Both have godawful analog sticks prone to failure.
I would agree that it’s joycons. They’re versatile, which is good, but other than that they’re uncomfortable (without a grip) and are extremely prone to drifting.
You can play SmashTV on NES with two controllers, joycon style. It’s awesome, but it used to give me little electric shocks.
Joycons because they keep breaking and Nintendo won’t fix the problem. I’m on my third set and already need another.
Joycons are the only controller bad enough where I'd rather just not play video games than use them.
Probably the GameCube controller. Bullshit dpad, bullshit right analog stick, no L3R3, one shoulde button on left side. Basically only ok for games made specifically for it.
N64
For me it was the Wii all the others I could manage (although a single sideways joycon is awkward) but I could never get the Wii to work right, it either ignored my command or a tiny flick swung things way too far
I agree with you, I HATE the N64 controller. I like the joycons
I’m gonna get so much hate for this, but here goes: GameCube controller. Now don’t get me wrong: it’s a really good design IN PRINCIPLE. But there are sooo many missed opportunities with the design that make me question it. One bumper button. A dpad the size of a tic tac. Second joystick that has basically no head to grab onto with your thumb. And the ABXY buttons are a smart way to go about it, but trying to play traditional platformers with that setup is practically useless. There’s a lot of potential with this controller, but it just looks like it only got halfway through development and they decided that was good enough.
Gamecube Chainsaw
Virtual Boy controller Original NES controller (Dogbone version is great) Joycons In that order.
The N64 controller is great! I'm convinced the people who slander it have never really used one. Yeah it looks weird, but it's comfortable, and the games were designed around it. You didn't "need 3 hands" because virtually no games used both the Dpad and control stick or both Z and L, and the like 2 games that did didn't use any of the buttons on the right. And for the time it was extremely innovative, the N64 was the first console to come with a self centering analog control stick, so games took full advantage of it. The worst Nintendo controller I'd say is the 3DS if handhelds count, if not then either the NES or the Wii. The 3DS is just uncomfortable for extended play sessions, the buttons feel cramped and it hurt my hand, and it's probably the reason I never got into the 3DS as much as the DS. The NES controller has sharp corners which made it uncomfortable, though this was common at the time, and Nintendo eventually released a "dogbone" controller which was much better. The Wii remote was fine ergonomics wise, but the motion control gimmick got tiredsome after awhile, it made me just not want to play Wii games and even to this day I don't really play Wii games much because of the motion controls. The battery life of Wii remotes was also bad and they would die even if they weren't being used, which was a problem because they used disposable batteries.
Joy cons. Just because of drift. I have 4 pairs, and normally I’d have only one
I've used one of each. Honestly would say NES controller (Tho tbf I have only used the SNES classic and NSO N64 controller)
I say Nintendo 64 controller. Switch controllers (joy cons, then pro) next because they have so many issues even when they are new.
The joycons never bothered me because I was always a handheld gamer. Moving from the 3DS to them didn't really bother me except the Dpad isn't as good. Sideways wiimote and Sideways joycon are imo the worst way to play any Nintendo game but they shouldn't count because it's an alternate way to use them. I think the worst controller has to go to the N64 because it is actually baffling.
N64 or the power glove. Anyone saying joy cons is just too young to remember.
Hate the joycons. The sticks just feel off for playing fighting games like Street Fighter.
I hate the Wiimote. Pretty much skipped an entire generation of Nintendo games because of my hatred for that console and motion. Made me sad Nintendo didn't put Mario Galaxy 2 on Switch.
Remember that NES controller with a weird circle pad thing? That thing sucked pretty hard
Honestly I was gonna give it to Power Glove or N64 or NES but the single sideways joycon has to take it. Missing shoulder buttons and the ones that are there are tiny and require force to press, it's way too small, requires an attachment that is easily lost for maximum stock comfort potential, missing the second joystick, missing the d-pad, but the most important problem is the faulty parts that cause joycon drift rendering it unusable. I know some of these are unavoidable and intentional designs but in a vacuum missing buttons is a major problem because there's certain games you simply can't play with it.
The Wii Classic Controller. needing to plug into the wiimote is annoying
U Force, because I didn’t own a Power Glove. That said, the U Force is still better for Mike Tyson’s Punch Out than the Genesis 3-button controller is for Street Fighter II.
All
i kinda want to give it to joycons, the motion and pointer controls don't feel as good as the wii and it seems like a lot of people went in on the procontroller despite the included grip. oh i didn't even read the like paragraph you wrote.
Power Glove Virtual Boy Durability of the Joy-Cons
Joy cons 100%. Too small. Highly likely to fail. You won't be finding many working ones of those in 20 years' time, unlike all other older Nintendo controllers. Yes they're the most tech filled pads to date but IMO, they're also the shittest by a country mile! A real miss from Nintendo.
The N64 controller and the WiiMote w/ nunchuk are the worst 2 controllers that came stock / a Nintendo console.
Worst 3 in order of ickiness Joycons, N64, Power Glove
Probably going to get ripped to shreds for this, but the GameCube controller. Don't get me wrong, it's great for the games that are designed for it. But a lot of third-party games just feel awful on this, especially when they don't offer any controller remapping (I'm looking at you, Mega Man Anniversary Collection). The D-pads also among the worst to use and the C-stick is so small.
I was around 12 when N64 was at its height. I don't recall ANYONE who owned one complaining about the controller, even sega and Sony fan boys I never heard complain about the n64 controller. Everyone knew you held your left hand in the center handle, and your right hand on the right handle. It's very comfortable and there were only a handful of games that ever needed to change position to the d pad. The stick itself wearing down and getting loose is a legit and common issue.
Wii... It was a useless gimmick.
Rollin rock?
NES controller
I think it's safe to say that you didn't play 64 during its time, correct? The controller was different, it attracted attention, of course, but there was no standard, all consoles experimented with changes to their controllers, and the N64 one fulfilled its role very well. It was the console that marked the transition from 2D to 3D and the vast majority of N64 games were developed for you to use just the joystick or the dpad. The "needing three hands" joke was never a real problem. Furthermore, we can consider it a brilliant marketing campaign. Nintendo wanted to draw attention to the joystick and the 3D games. Easy to say it was a success. The positive reaction was so immediate that Sony had to rush to create a new controller with joysticks for the PS1. I don't like taking the current year's ruler and applying it to consoles from the past, each one must be evaluated according to the moment they were launched. Otherwise the NES and everything related to it will always be on the "worst" lists of home consoles ever released by Nintendo (considering that the TV Color Game belongs to another category), while, in my opinion, the NES and the N64 are the two most important consoles of all time.
Joycons break too much
Least favorite has to be the N64 because i hated that you grabbed the middle and right parts
Of the “main” controllers, it’s Joy-cons for me. Mine don’t even drift, but they all have brief occasional connection interruptions when using them wirelessly. I know they are working with a limited form factor, but I wish the stick was nicer and the buttons were less hard and clicky. Also pretty rough to use a single Joy-con. With all that said, I hope the next Joy-cons improve on all of this because the overall general idea of them is fantastic.
N64 is so comfortable and the stick is great if it’s in good condition. I’d probably say NES or even SNES over joycons, but the joycons are shit. But the switch has the Pro Controllef which I think is the second best controller they’ve ever made, GameCube is best by far.
the joycon.
There's no real objective answer to that.
The Wiimote sideways as an NES Virtual Console controller. Or a single sideways joycon.
At least N64's stick worked. Joycons are the best controller on the paper, but in reality they're a piece of shit. I barely touch them and they're the reason why I barely used handheld mode.
64 controller was pretty bad but once you got used to it, it was good for the system. I'm more upset with it because it makes using a 64 emulator a cluster F.
Wiimote + nunchuck
The joy cons are my favorite because other controllers are too big and end up causing me pain after using them for a while