Your ideal controller?

[ShinnAsukaYESTaylorSwiftNO]

What would your ideal vidya gaem controller be like?
Personally, I would love to see a controller with six face buttons, a shield style d-pad (harkening back to a Japanese/Model 2 SEGA Saturn controller), 2 shoulder buttons, adjustable dual TMR analog sticks with octagonal rings, analog triggers that can double as an extra pair of shoulder buttons, gryoscopic motion controls, rumble, mechanical switches for the face and shoulder buttons, similar ergonomics to a Gamecube controller, a 8K polling rate, a fan for sweaty hands (reminscent of Nyko's Air Flo and Air Glo lines of controllers), and USB-C wired, 2.4ghz wireless, and Bluetooth wireless modes.
so basically it would look like this:

Spoiler: Disclaimer: the following image was generated using AI via Google's Gemini chatbot

 

[Retro Doomer]

I like the Og Ps3 controller a lot so maybe something like that
but I begun liking the Ps4 one more even if it needed some time getting used to it.

So a Ps4 like Controller right amount of weight and it feels nice in the hands.

 

[Lod 10]

PS4 controller

 

[Guinea]

PS4, but I think that Gamecube and Dreamcast have really good controllers too. And 360.

 

[Tsukishima]

There's a perfect middleground out there somewhere between an Xbox One controller and a Gamecube controller. I currently use an Xbox-One controller because it's better for my meathunk hands then a Dualshock is, but sometimes I have thoughts like "I'd like just a slightly larger Gamecube controller so my fingers aren't always going over the Dpad" I'd also add a more comfortable Dpad too thinking about it, the Gamecube one has always felt a little rough around the edges. I'd replace that with the Xbox One's dpad probably.

I love weird things on my controller too, so I'd like that small monitor that existed on the Dreamcast's controller.

 

[LiberoVulpesLiberoVulpes's icon]

 

[4C374552A1CA2638]

What would your ideal vidya gaem controller be like?
Personally, I would love to see a controller with six face buttons, 2 shoulder buttons, a shield style d-pad, adjustable dual TMR analog sticks with octagonal rings, analog triggers that can double as an extra pair of shoulder buttons, gryoscopic motion controls, rumble, mechanical switches for the face and shoulder buttons, similar ergonomics to a Gamecube controller, a 8K polling rate, a fan for sweaty hands, and USB-C wired, 2.4ghz wireless, and Bluetooth wireless modes.

You had the perfect opportunity to include at least three screens! :P

Mine wouldn't be much different. TMR sticks, rumble, gyro, buttons on the back since I've never had those before, wired/wireless/BT modes, uh... Maybe no touchpad? Otherwise, just give me...

• Something whose controls don't suck
• Something that will last a very long time
• Something that's not a pain in the ass compatibility-wise
• Something that doesn't cost a ridiculous amount of money

...and I'll be happy!

 

[fourmonty]

something like this, which i made up

 

[Deracined]

The Dualsense Edge with TMR modules it's perfect for me, but i also really like the 360 controller, i really loved the plastic material .

 

[Sfjeov]

idk I just use my xbox one controller while emulating.

 

[Nebulon_Galaxy]

Every controller should have
-pressure sensitive buttons & triggers
-gyro
-haptic triggers
-hd rumble
-magnetic sticks
- 6 face buttons
the ultimate controller! I'll even say a touchpad or screen like the Dreamcast

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

It already exists: The PS4 one.

Failing that, a full flight stick with pedals and other controls.

 

[lestagio]

The PS4 controller, but get rid of the stupid ass touchpad, and make the start and select buttons actually called that again. I'm not against the little pedals on the back of certain controllers, but I never have a use for them.

 

[TruxtonTatsujin]

my dream controller would be an arcade stick with two smaller analog sticks added so I can just play everything on it. It's already my favourite thing to play games on, the only downside is I have to switch off it if I want to play something that needs dual analog.

 

[plaindillo]

The best controller for me is and will always be the GameCube controller. I can list off several games that were not even designed for it yet still feel like they were. The one big advantage I think it has is that button mashing has never been easier on any other controller imo. It's also just extremely comfortable.

 

[CraigJinx]

Honestly 8bitdo do a good job of creating the ideal controllers.

 

[JustLooking123]

I think it should have 6 buttons like MegaDrive controller!
Also, it should have dual analog sticks similar to PS1 or later controllers!
Also, it should have a movement and gyro sensors similar to Wii controller!

Other features includes:
Auto-Fire, Auto-Hold, and Vibration!

Also, it would be interesting if the controller could be split in two from middle!

 

[ArchienineZXAdventArchienineZXAdvent's icon]

Something like the Dualshock 4, quite durable and reemplacing that touch pad by bigger select and start buttons

 

[bombatomba77]

The Dreamcast controller we deserved!

 

[shaggi shaggi]

Something like this, but with 6 face buttons and analog sticks swapped with gamecube ones.

 

[ThunderBoy]

For 3D games:

For 2D games:

and the most balanced:

 

[ObscureJigglypuff]

Mah pink dildo is enough, awesome vibration

 

[ArchienineZXAdventArchienineZXAdvent's icon]

Mah pink dildo is enough, awesome vibration

Curiously, a actual gamepad like that exists

 

[Rez09]

I am extremely partial to the DualShock 2 and 3 for anything needing analog sticks, so my pick would be a mix of the two: Weight and wireless of DS3 with the sturdier L2/R2 of the DS2.

For non-analog, I feel the 8bit do M30 nailed the design perfectly for me, there isn’t anything I really feel needs improvement.

 

[Tenshishi]

I love fightsticks, but obviously they lack analog controls (or at best force them on the left side only)... So I've been thinking for years about a theoretical stick setup I dub the "Shootsouls Layout" (as it'd, hopefully, be perfect for both shooters and Soulslikes). I'll describe it using PlayStation terms:

- The controller consists of three areas - the left stick, right stick, and central controls (like the inverse of the 5200 trackball controller).
- Each stick has analog control, though you can assign left and right treatment or even use any stick as a d-pad with a physical toggle switch in front of them.
- The sticks themselves are shaped like flightsticks. They have two triggers you can pull in with your index or middle finger (L/R1 & 2), a pressure-sensitive squeeze for your ring finger and pinky (L3 & R3), and two face buttons to press with your thumb (Square and Cross right, Triangle and Circle left).
- On the left of the left stick is the Share/Select button; on the right of the right stick is the Start button.
- The center control panel has a d-pad, touchpad, PS button, a console selector switch, and player indicator LEDs.

Of course, the sticks in this setup would by nature be pretty custom, and certain tensions of trigger would make the controller impossible for some people to use (accidental fire if too sensitive, failure to fire if too much tension), so it has no commercial viability. But it's nice to think about.

As for an existing answer? I love the CAPCOM Soldier Pad! You hover the fingers of your right hand over the buttons just like you would in an arcade, while your thumb handles the d-pad... If it had the hardness of the Vita pad or the clickiness of the NGPC pad, it'd be perfect. As is, it's still pretty great.