The controller family tree

[carpediem]

How did the current home-console controllers come to be? How have they evolved? You may have noticed some similarities between the current generation controllers, or between them and the previous generations of controllers. So, how do they all tie together?

http://www.axess.com/twilight/console/

 

[jvd]

the saturn knights pad is in the wrong place. The knights pad was the first analog stick controller of the modern era of gaming . That should be the center above the dc pad , dual shock and n64 controller since it predates the n64 controler by about a year

 

[BriefcasemanX]

there should be an atari jaguar under the colecovision

 

[Guden Oden]

That should be the center above the dc pad , dual shock and n64 controller since it predates the n64 controler by about a year

Still Nintendo that came up with the idea. Sega just did a quick copy'n'paste jobbie to have a first production pad. That's why that pad sucks so fuckin bad; it wasn't engineered properly.

So placing it at the originating spot of analog joypads would be WRONG.

 

[Clashman]

They should get some arcade sticks in there, like from the Neo Geo. The Neo Geo CD controller would be a good addition as well, although I'm not exactly sure where it should go.

http://www.japan-games.com/ProdInfoPictures/NeoGeo/AES/ControllerLargeL.jpg
http://home.earthlink.net/~thepunisher0909/neogarage/pics/controllernoeo.jpg

PC-FX, Jaguar, CD32, Apple Pippin, et all wouldn't be bad either.

One more thing: Wasn't the Bandai Playdia the first console with wireless controllers released as default?

 

[quest55720]

Great list brings back lots of memorys and nightmares. That damn intelevision controller was horrible. I died more times in those games because of slip of the disc than the game AI. Also would like to see the atari i think it was 5200 and 7800 controllers on the list also. Also why the hell can't sony MS or nintendo makes D-pads that play fighting games as well as the sega genesis and saturn controllers. Sucks having to spend money every generation on Arcade sticks because the standard controllers are shit for fighting games.

 

[BOOMEXPLODE]

I'm looking forward to some fresh controller designs (provided that they're good). It's time to retire the old Dual Shock!

 

[Pozer]

Nice site with good reads, although I disagree that every controller ripped off Nintendo and the SNES was the grandaddy of all modern controllers.

 

[MechanizedDeath]

Who was first with force feedback and 4 shoulder buttons? And analog controls date back to the Pong paddle and the PC. Nintendo gets a lot of credit for ideas taken from other areas. The analog stick is nothing more than your standard flight stick meshed to a controller for Pilotwings. PEACE.

 

[UKt@xman]

Been searching for an old joystick that I once had on the Atari ST that was perfect for playing Dino Dini's Kick Off and Sensi Soccer, but I can't remember the name of the bl;oody thing. It kinda looked like my crap drawing below, and was held clenched in one hand with the other operating the small red jotystick (it was extremely small).....so anyone got any idea what the name was?

 

[carpediem]

I remember that joystick, sadly not the name of it though

 

[Fox5]

Who was first with force feedback and 4 shoulder buttons? And analog controls date back to the Pong paddle and the PC. Nintendo gets a lot of credit for ideas taken from other areas. The analog stick is nothing more than your standard flight stick meshed to a controller for Pilotwings. PEACE.

Standard flight stick? It was the first thumb stick I had ever encountered, I remember being upset that it wasn't a full sized joystick and thought it would be impossible to play flight games.

 

[MechanizedDeath]

Standard flight stick? It was the first thumb stick I had ever encountered, I remember being upset that it wasn't a full sized joystick and thought it would be impossible to play flight games.

All controller designs are evolutionary. The analog stick is really just a flight stick shrunken and meshed with a standard controller to allow analog controls. Shoulder buttons are merely a result of the need for increased inputs while maintaining ergonomics. The same for the PS's 4 shoulder buttons. Force feedback was kinda innovative, but that was a PC feature before consoles IIRC. Lots of these ideas originated on the PC before the console. I don't know why so much credit is given to console companies for basically borrowing/adapting ideas from other sectors. But I guess that's all I have to say on the topic. :? PEACE.

 

[jvd]

That should be the center above the dc pad , dual shock and n64 controller since it predates the n64 controler by about a year

Still Nintendo that came up with the idea. Sega just did a quick copy'n'paste jobbie to have a first production pad. That's why that pad sucks so fuckin bad; it wasn't engineered properly.

So placing it at the originating spot of analog joypads would be WRONG.

The sega knights pad came out for knights , it was put out before the space world where nintendo showed the new controler I believe.

 

[rabidrabbit]

Been searching for an old joystick that I once had on the Atari ST that was perfect for playing Dino Dini's Kick Off and Sensi Soccer, but I can't remember the name of the bl;oody thing. It kinda looked like my crap drawing below, and was held clenched in one hand with the other operating the small red jotystick (it was extremely small).....so anyone got any idea what the name was?

...something starting with a K.... Konix?
A british company, didn't they have a console of sorts in planning too, one that had an integrated steering wheel.

Edit: Yes, it was the Konix Speedking
http://vintagecomputer.co.uk/vcshop/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=2049

 

[Fox5]

Standard flight stick? It was the first thumb stick I had ever encountered, I remember being upset that it wasn't a full sized joystick and thought it would be impossible to play flight games.

All controller designs are evolutionary. The analog stick is really just a flight stick shrunken and meshed with a standard controller to allow analog controls. Shoulder buttons are merely a result of the need for increased inputs while maintaining ergonomics. The same for the PS's 4 shoulder buttons. Force feedback was kinda innovative, but that was a PC feature before consoles IIRC. Lots of these ideas originated on the PC before the console. I don't know why so much credit is given to console companies for basically borrowing/adapting ideas from other sectors. But I guess that's all I have to say on the topic. :? PEACE.

How about because it was never seen in that form before? There's only so much innovation you can have for physical control mechanics, and a PC joystick would never have gone well on a console. Heck, sony's initial dual analog controller was two pc joysticks on a base, and it bombed, the full size joysticks just aren't as usable for a wide range of games as the thumb stick, and you give up certain ergonomics and a significant number of buttons.
If you want, just say all ideas are evolutionary, the airplane is just an evolution of the bicycle.

 

[PC-Engine]

The Xbox 360 controller looks so nice doesn't it? 8)

BTW I don't like that Revolution controller concept. It just looks very painful to my thumbs.

 

[Fox5]

The Xbox 360 controller looks so nice doesn't it? 8)

BTW I don't like that Revolution controller concept. It just looks very painful to my thumbs.

It looks mostly the same as the gamecube controller, except without bean shaped buttons...

 

[Lazy8s]

Guden Oden:

Still Nintendo that came up with the idea. Sega just did a quick copy'n'paste jobbie to have a first production pad.

NiGHTS was in development for years, and the 3D Control Pad was integral to the smooth 360 degree movement of the character.

Still Nintendo that came up with the idea. Sega just did a quick copy'n'paste jobbie to have a first production pad.

The Saturn's analog pad, with a thumb-indent stick design, six button layout and analog triggers, is nothing at all like the N64's or much of any other analog pad for that matter, and it's also one of the best liked controller designs by many.

 

[PC-Engine]

The Xbox 360 controller looks so nice doesn't it? 8)

BTW I don't like that Revolution controller concept. It just looks very painful to my thumbs.

It looks mostly the same as the gamecube controller, except without bean shaped buttons...

Well the most used thumb pads have been swapped into the lower positions.