A gaming console is only as good as its control🧸ler. A gamer's entire experience can be shaped by how smoothly a controller operates, from its overall shape to the positioning of the joysticks. Even the way a controller feels is an important design factor. If it can barely fit in average-sized hands without causing finger cramps every five minutes, how will anyone get through a single game?
Unfortunately, some of the coolest-looking (read: most bizarre-looking) gaming controllers aren't the most functional. They make great collector🔥's iওtems to be put on display, but don't expect to pick them up for gaming sessions. Here are 10 examples of weird controllers that don't quite get the job done.
10 Namco Jogcon 💞
The Namco Jogcon was developed for the original Sony 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:PlayStation in 1998. The controller was bundled with a special edition package of Namco's R4: Ridge Racer Type 4. The Jogcon mostly maintained theꦍ same appearance as regular original PlayStation controllers, according to .
However, the biggest difference in the Jogcon was a massive dial in the middle, which was meant to be used as a steering wheel. Remember, the original PlayStation controllers didn't include joysticks. The awkwardly-sized dial didn't get much use in any game but Ridge Racer, so the Jogcon didn't sell too well.
9 Resident Evil 4 Cౠhainsaw ༺
Imagine comfortably controlling a game with a chainsaw. It doesn't seem possible, right? Right. The 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Resident Evil 4 Chainsaw Gamecube controller is one of those "just for show" collector's items. Another version was also crea𒅌ted for the PlayStati꧒on 2.
The controller was modeled after the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Chainsaw Man's weapon of choice (any guess what it is?) in Resident Evil 4, complete with fake blood and grime all over. As one can imagine, though, it's not very eas𓃲y to hold, with the buttons and joysticks placed on top of the fake machinery. "Over-the-top" just barely describes this massive gaming accessory.
8 Power Glove ꦜ 🎃
The Power Glove was a highly-anticipated Entertainment System () accessory release in 1989, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to its hype. The futuristic-looking equipment incorporated virtual reality into the basic NꦿES controller, which was built into the forearm.
Today's technology might be able to produce such an accessory, but, back then, it wasn't good enough. The Power Glove was said to be too weak to control many games, and the controls themselves were difficult to use. The𒊎 few games that the Power Glove actually did work with were not sold with the accessory.
7 Virtual Boy Controller✱ ꧅
The 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Nintendo Virtual Boy, released in 1995, prided itself on being the first console to display 3-D graphics. The console was odd enough, as it was built like one of those🍃 devices at the eye doctor's office used to test your vision. The graphics weren't nearly as good as advertised, and the console's chunky design took away its portability. Overall, it was a Nintendo failure.
Of course, the Virtual Boy controller was 🐷no better. With unusually long handles, tiny D-pads and limited buttons, every part of this gaming experien🌳ce was bad.
6 Sega Fishജing Rod ꦰ
The Bass Fishing Rod is (clearly) a pretty niche gaming accessory. Its primary use was for fishing games on the in the late 90s. Oddly enough, the Dreamcast did have a lot of fishing games, but the rod was mostly used with Sega Bass Fishing in 1997.
The rod was shaped just like a real fishing rod, including a reel on the side but without a line at the end. In addition to fishing games, the rod was compatible with SoulCalibur and Virtua Tennis. While some fish-loving gamers enjoyed the accessoryꩵ,ꦓ it's design certainly wasn't for everyone.
5 🍷 💯 CTA Digital Wii Bowling Ball
Even the best virtual bowler out there would be better off using a regular Wii remote. CTA Digital marketed their bowling ball as an "ultra-real accessory" for the Nintendo Wii — specifically for the bowling portion of Wii Sports and the console's lesser-known bowling games.
The ball was designed to help p𝐆layers mimic the "critical motions" of bowling, but it was basically just a giant, round, awkward Wii remote. If players wanted more 🧜realistic bowling, they would probably just go bowling IRL.
4 Hyperkin⛦ Duke W𒐪ired
partnered with Hyperkin in 2018 to desiಌgn the Duke Wired controller for . The controller was a remake of the original Xbox controller from the early 2000s. The Duke remake was i🌸n high demand due to its nostalgia factor, but it wasn't the Xbox's for everyone.
For one thing, its giant size was more geared towards players with bigger hands. The Xbox logo was also displayed on an LED screen and moved like a GIF, offering a h🎃igh-tech update to the original controller. However, the moving display was nothing more than a distraction. Finally, some critics said that the controller's connection was too fragile.
3 𝓡 🌳 Dragon Quest Slime
This is another game-themed controller that may be better in a display case. The Slime controller was inspired by a lovable character in the Dragon Quest series, and although it's c𒊎ute, it's just... weird.
The Slime controller was built to look just like Slime, right down to body shape and facial features. On Slime's bottom was a fully functional panel of gaming controls. Maybe developers haven't figﷺured this out yet, but giant, round controllers aren't very comfortable to play with. A more standard-looking, flat controller with a blue Slime design was also designed for , which was a bit more practical.
2 Mortal Combat Kontrol Pad ꧂
The 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Mortal Kombat Kontrol Pad was released by Innovation in 1994 for the Sega Mega Drive. It was a standard controller with a few extra features that were specifically designed to help players in Mortal Kombat II, including four extra buttons. SMART card cartridges also🧸 allowed players to program buttons for special moves.
While this function did allow players to easily enjoy the game, it was complicated by the fact that certain controllers only came with certain cartridges. Finding them al💧l would cost gamers a ton of money, and, in the end, it was better to just use a basic controller.
1 💟 Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style Pad
Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style was a fighting game released in 1999 for the PlayStation. As fans know, the game was inspired b💎y the real-life Wu-Tang Clan's hip-hop music. To go along with the hype for the game, released a Wu-Tang-themed controller in the shape of the group's "W" logo, b﷽ut, alas, functionality was lost.
The controller looked nothing like a standard PlayStation controller, as it𝕴 lacked analog sticks and featured too-tiny buttons. Of course, the W-shape was incredibly awkward to hold, rendering the Shaolin Style pad anꦗother impossible-to-use controller.