Controllers: whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, they’re an essential part of playing video games. Any serious gamer might have gone through afflictions such as the dreaded Hand Cramp or Button-Mash Blisters, but a great controller is one that sticks it out through tough times and feels nice too.

For me, the cream of the crop is the good ol’ N64 controller. When we met, it was with curiosity, like trying a new dish at a restaurant you’ve grown to love. What is this analog stick doing where my control pad should be? And why can I hold it in three places, when I’ve only got two hands?

It looks a little odd, but when it comes to performance, nothing comes close. Lightweight? Check. Slot for extra accessories? Check! As far as I’m concerned, this is THE controller for first-person shooters, which cued the Age of Classics such as Goldeneye and Perfect Dark. I never really got the hang of the C-stick on the GameCube controller, but I loved the C-buttons of bygone days. They’re easy to reach, and the hold overall… is comfortable! If you want to play an arcade classic, you can always use the left D-pad handle, and it feels just like the good times melted in your hands.

Hit the jump for 4cr’s staff picks! So far, it looks like I’m alone on the N64 path. Am I? Rebels, which controller is your favorite? Chime in!

Evan (rbelmont):

The SNES controller is, hands down, the best controller out there. It has the best d-pad ever and started the button layout, L+R buttons, etc. that we now take for granted. Plus, you can play the absolute BEST games with it.

Nick:

    Jody:

    It’s too hard to pick just one, so I’m going to go with my top three (which all just happen to be Nintendo)

    1 - Wiimote/Nunchuk combo. Most comfortable controller I have used. It just melts into my hands.
    2 - SNES. Can’t go wrong with the amazing SNES pad
    3 - N64. This controller was the first controller that I thought fit my hands so perfectly.

    Honorable mention goes to the DualShock. I know a lot of people don’t like it, but to me it’s like SNES Evolved. Great.

    Mitch:

    My favorite controller, hands down, is the Xbox 360 controller. Who could have guessed that if you threw enough money at the concept of a traditional two-handed controller, you’d chisel out a masterpiece? Microsoft did it. The controller’s curves are silky smooth, and akin to the original Xbox type S controller, they’re practically indestructible.

    The runner up in my book is the everlasting stock SNES controller. You could fish one of those out of the sea and be playing Killer Instinct by nightfall.

    As you can see, I think I judge the excellence of controllers based on how many times you can run them over with a car. :-\

    G.K. (Gongonzabar Farbin):

    For me, picking a controller all depends on the game or type of game I am playing. If I’m playing a game that’s from the 16-bit era or before, I have to go with the SNES controller. There are certain games that I can’t even play unless I am using the SNES controller. For example, I find it almost impossible to do those crazy jump/charge shots in Mega Man X using any other pad. Playing older games? You just can’t go wrong with the SNES controller.

    However, it’s a totally different story with some of these newer generation consoles. While the Wiimote and Nunchuck are a good fit, I would have to pick the Xbox 360 controller as my favorite to play with. I don’t actually own a 360 and have only played on one a handful of times. It’s just that nothing beats that first time I picked up the 360 controller and felt the controller just mold right into the shape of my hand. Nowadays, I have it hooked up to my PC and will actually try to find an excuse for trying the 360 controller with almost any console-like game I play.

    While the SNES pad and the Xbox 360 controller are both great console controllers, I’d have to give notice to the time-tested combo of the keyboard and the mouse. After being accustomed to the keyboard/mouse combo for most of my gaming career, I simply cannot and will not play any FPS games on any console. I know I am probably missing out on a sizable batch of good games, but every time I give it a shot, I just find traditional controllers very slow and inaccurate at moving the cursor where I want it to go. Besides the variety of FPS games out there, the keyboard/mouse combo allows for other types of games like Real Time Strategies and MMORPGs, two genres of games that, historically, haven’t functioned well with any other input device. Call me old fashioned, but I just prefer to stick to my mouse and keyboard.

    Shaun:

    I’ve yet to come across the perfect game controller because they all have their faults. The SNES pad has a nice layout but is murder on my thumbs, especially for fighting and racing games. The Xbox 360 controller is super comfortable but its d-pad is downright laughable in terms of accuracy. The PlayStation controller has the worst d-pad ever, and the positioning of the analog sticks is ridiculous. The GameCube controller, while comfortable, has a poor button layout for games not designed specifically for it and the d-pad is so tiny.

    So by process of elimination, my favourite controller is the Wii Remote. It has its faults, sure. Motion gestures don’t translate well a lot of the time, but I’m hoping that’s more due to developer shortcomings than lack of tech in the remote. The game that makes me love the Wii Remote: The Godfather: Blackhand Edition. There’s just something to be said about cracking a Tattaglia family member across the head with a flaming two-by-four and then throwing a prostitute out a window.

    And on that note, special mention should go to the Super Advantage: a controller so well-built and so heavy you could, if inclined, easily kill someone with it.

    Greg:

    My favorite controller of all time? That one is actually pretty easy. My favorite controller is the Xbox 360 pad. I’ve never used a more comfortable controller. It just fits there in my hands, none of the buttons are awkwardly placed, the triggers are fantastic. That last part is particularly important, considering the number of shooters on the 360. That said, the controller is far from perfect. The d-pad is atrocious, making the controller useless for fighting games (Dreamcast controller all the way for those).

    Runner up would be the Gamecube controller. It’s just as super comfy as the 360 controller, but is held back a bit by its strange button layout. The strange z button and tiny b button make certain games feel weird. Its d-pad is leagues beyond the 360 one, but is still entirely too small.

    Nick (N Rumas):

    My vote goes to the Wiimote/Nunchuck. I’ve never, ever used something so comfortable, and in most cases, so practical. The only drawback is the lack of a second analog stick, which obviously creates a problem when it comes to camera control. In terms of pure comfort, however, it wins for me hands down. I love it.

    I’m also a big fan of the 360 pad and…well, just about every controller Nintendo has ever made. I even love the NES pad, hard angles and all.

    Well folks, there you have it. For those who are curious, you can find the header pic on a shirt at SplitReason.com. For the rest of us, the great controller debate continues!