Th𓂃e video game controller is perhaps the most overlooked and underrated pieces of hardw𓆏are in the entire industry. Taken for granted by all of us, it is the literal link between the medium we love to consume and our physical ability to be able to control said medium. In essence, without our controllers, pads and joysticks, we cannot interact with the software that makes the console or PC worth buying in the first place.
However, as easy as it is for players to forget about the controllers𒁏 they use, whenever a badly designed one is demoed - or one that is just, frankly, a little unorthodox - gamers will always lose their minds in nerdy protest as they realize that their playing experience will be directly and continuously impacted by the new apparatus. Examples of this include the controversial and mega-bulky Nintendo 64 controller, the original and much lambasted PS3 “boomerang” controller (that never even made it to retail), and even controllers like the Wii nunchucks, which were generally well received, were initially treated with suspicion by the masses (or not excepted at all by the hardcore) for going against the grain of traditional controller design.
So with all that in mind, it is unsurprising that tech-savvy gamers have for years been tinkering with the contro🦄llers for their consoles of choice - adding new features and making the apparatuses more dynamic and enjoyable for themselves. Not content with what they were given, they used their imagination to modify and, in many cases, perhaps improve upon the creator’s original design. Over the next 30 entries, we will salute these mad scientists of gaming hardware!
30 Turn Retro ♛Controller Into A USB Gamepad 🍷
Emulated old school games are all the rage. As incredible as many of the current generation of games are - in terms of advanced gameplay, story telling and pure technical achievement - sometimes there’s just no substitute for the classics of previous generations. Typically, when playing these games, you need a generic gamepad, 🎃which just doesn’t provide the same experience, especially if you played any of these games with their original consoles controller. However, fish out an old controller and connect it to your PC via USB, to get a more authentic experience.
29 Emulation
Mobile gaming is a growing industry. As technology gets better and devices get smaller, more and more people are collecting, exp gaining and running and gunning on the go. So for retro gamers with high tech gear, if you download an emulator onto your smartphone, grab the right ROMS and a vintage controller, you can play those classic SNES games while travelling with your phone and control꧑ler in tow. And let’s be honest, you’ll be the coolest looking person on that commuter train!
28 Joy To The World! ꧋
The Nintendo Switch ⛎has by far the most elaborate controller for any console ever put on the market. It has a variety of different parts and - thanks to its screen - can be used as autonomous console. One of the key components of the controller are the detachable Joy-Cons, which are used for almost all Switch games. The only problem is that they’re small and can be🎶 easily lost. Cleverly, Nintendo added a “find controller” feature in its menu which, when activated, vibrates the Joy-Cons, making them easier to find.
27 Wii Switch 𒁃
We’re going to talk a lot on this list about our desires for old school controller peripheries. And while many of these entries involve you manipulating consoles to allow you to use old controllers, this one details a game deliberately implementing a feature that accommodates your nostalgia to the fullest. If you play World of Goo on Nintendo Switch, it’ll prompt you to put your Joy-Con on a flat surface, then point it at the screen to use like a Wii-M🔜ote!
26 Livin’ La Vita Loca 🌳
Have a PS Vita and love how it controls, but find yourself exhausted from eye strain and severe neck play during extended playthroughs? Not to worry, because with remote play you can stream games from your Vita through your PS4. This means you can𝕴 continue playing your favorite Vita games on your favorite Sony handheld while wa⛦tching the action unfold on the big screen. Ok, this isn’t exactly the best kept secret out there and the somewhat unpopular Vita is a handheld console so it kind of blurs the controller/console line but, hey, it’s still neat.
25 🅘 🦩 WiiMote Control
Nintendo’s WiiMote is one of the most iconic controllers in console gaming. Totally atypical of what a controller was supposed to look like when it came packaged with the Wii in 2ꦬ007, it quickly grew on Nintendo gamers, ushered in a hoard of casual gamers, and helped the Wii become the best selling console of its generation. Another unique aspect of the controller is that it connects to the Wii via Bluetooth. So, you can, in theory, also connect it to your computer’s Bluetooth, giving you a slick new mouꩲse to navigate menus with!
24 Charge!
Wireless controllers are great. Made the industry standard during the sixth generation of console gaming, they allow you to play your game from anywhere in the room without being limited by (or worrying about tripping over) pesky wires. That being said,🗹 the💟 wires used to charge them are typically shorter than those on the wired controllers of old! The good news for PS4 owners is that you can charge your controller with a generic phone charger, meaning you can keep playing without having to be physically tethered to your console.
23 Connect And Switch
Wireless internet is one of the wonders of the modern age. You can be sitting in any room in your house an🦩d have instant access to people and information from all around the world. If you have a dodgy signal, though, this can be a major first world problem, especially if you’re a gamer. Wired internet is always going to be faster and moreꦺ reliable, and if you have a Nintendo Switch, you can connect the controller directly to your broadband box for lightning quick online gaming!
22 Remap
Some games - not all - give you the option to customize the button configuration for your controller. Many players do this for FPS and sports games to maintain cons🦩istency (a great example is the different shooting buttons for FIFA and Pro Evo games). However, this can be a hassle to do for multiple games. If you’re an Xbox One owner, though, you needn’t have this problem, as you can remap the buttons on your controller which will apply to all games you play, meaning you only need do it once!
21 ♏ (Re)Charge!
A few entries ago, we l𒁏amented the fact that, as much as we love them, wireless controllers eventually do run out of battery. Therefore, we typically worry about charging them more than anything. But wait, did you know that you can charge other devices with your Switch tablet? If you have a USB-C cord, you can charge your laptop, phones, or tablets using your console’s controller. So while you may spend mไore time charging it than using it to charge your other electronics, it’s nice to know you can do that in a pinch.