Great games can be ruined with bad controls, and an average meh game can be made great with an inventive controller. Need proof? Imagine playing Wii Sports with a standard controller or trying to play Halo with an Atari joystick. Innovative controllers have always been part of gaming with varying degrees of success. 

When Nintendo introduced the gamepad with the Nintendo Entertainment System it was revolutionary. The single button joystick had been the standard for gaming and while the ColecoVision and Intellivision both had their own versions of number pad style controllers, it was the NES controller that would become the foundation of the standard that still exists today. 

With that in mind, I give you my top 5 video game controllers.

5. Nintendo Wii Remote

Sometimes (and incorrectly) called Wii-mote, this controller introduced an entirely new way to experience video games. While it wasn’t the first to introduce motion-based game play (here’s to you, Nintendo Power Glove), it was the first to do it well. The Wii and its motion-based core gameplay was revolutionary and more than made up for the Wii’s lack of power under the hood compared to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. 

With games like Wii Sports (included with the Wii console), the Wii Remote made gaming accessible for the whole family. Easy to pick up and use, the unique controller had everyone playing tennis and baseball, bowling, golfing, and boxing in their living room. Paired with the Wii Nunchuck, the Wii Remote got us moving and loving every minute of it.

No controller is perfect though. Just ask all the remote-impaled TVs that didn’t survive the Wii’s launch.  

4. Guitar Hero / Rock Band Guitar Controllers    

This one is a slight cop out because there were a bunch of guitar controllers that started popping up in the middle oughts as music and rhythm games swept the globe. Beginning with Guitar Hero for the PlayStation 2, these plastic axes had us living out our rock n’ roll dreams in the privacy of our own homes. 

While rhythm-based games were nothing new, Guitar Hero, like the Wii, elevated the genre and did it well. Really well. The controllers were responsive, durable, and easy to use. The games were addictive and fun. As the games became more popular, new variants were made and each one was an advancement over the last. Soon guitars had detachable necks for easier storage, more advance features like sliders and whammy bars, and before long, we had entire bands with drums, bass guitars, and microphones. 

The music game scene was huge, but as quickly as it arrived, it disappeared. Over saturation, frequent releases with declining quality, and lack of innovation meant that just like an episode of VH1 Behind the Music, the plastic bands would ultimately break up. 

Whether you were a Rock Band person or a Guitar Hero person, the music games left a solid mark on your gaming persona. As for me, Rock Band all the way! 

3. Xbox 360 Controller

The Xbox 360 controller was the first great wireless controller included with a console. The stick layout was comfortable and advanced upon what the original Xbox had started, but with a more compact profile. While the original Xbox controller was massive, and the Controller S was an adaption from that, the Xbox 360 found a happy medium and was a much better fit for average hands. 

The controller ran on AA batteries with an option to add a rechargeable battery. This made it a sustainable option for long gaming sessions. Microsoft hasn’t strayed too far from the controller’s iconic design, with future Xbox controllers featuring only slight design changes from the Xbox 360. 

Games like Halo 3 and Gears of War were so much fun to play in part because the controller supported and integrated with the amazing gameplay. 

2. Playstation Dual Shock Controller

The original controller for the Sony Playstation had neither analog sticks nor vibration or rumble. The Dual Shock would solve both issues. A true advancement in controller design, the analog sticks allowed for more movement options and opened the door for a gameplay type that would soon move to the forefront of gaming, the first-person shooter.

The haptic feedback from the controller’s internal vibration hardware felt immersive and the dual analog sticks were more responsive and ergonomic than the directional pad. The Playstation’s original controller was already a great looking controller, but the Dual Shock was even cooler. Sony has kept controller designs even more stable than Microsoft (though current Sony controllers do mimic the superior analog stick placement of Microsoft’s controllers). There is a clear lineage between the Playstation 5 controller and the Playstation Dual Shock. 

Sony would later be sued and over the Dual Shock’s rumble technology. A jury found Sony guilty, forcing a payment of over $90 million. Whoever deserves credit for the technology, gamers everywhere are just happy it exists. 

1. GameCube WaveBird Wireless Controller

For ages, gamers dreamed of a cord-free existence. The ability to sit anywhere in your living room without being tethered to your console ranked with flying cars and jet packs as the stuff of the future. Released 2002, the WaveBird Wireless controller was an instant hit with gamers. It retained the general shape of the already excellent GameCube controller, with additional size for the battery and wireless components. 

The WaveBird was not the first wireless controller, but it was certainly the first great mainstream wireless controller. Paired with a dongle that connected to the controller port on the front of the GameCube, the WaveBird had great range, almost zero lag, and featured great battery life, running on two AA batteries. 

Even today, the WaveBird is a collector’s item among the GameCube faithful. I distinctly remember getting my hands on one just in time to play Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes and Resident Evil 4. It was so hard to go back to my Playstation 2 and Dreamcast with their wires chaining me to my suddenly ancient feeling consoles. 

Which controllers are in your top 5? Stop into Rebel Replay and let us know! You can also follow us on social media and continue the conversation there. 

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