This is a comparison of video game controllers.
Contents |
This does not include the controls integrated into handheld gaming devices (unless they are designed to also act as controllers for another console). For that, see below.
Basic information about each controller.
Name | Platform | First Released | Concurrent controllers | Expansion | Wireless |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Second Generation Consoles | |||||
Joysticks, Paddles, "Trakballs", 12-key "keyboard controllers" | Atari 2600 | 1977 | 2 (4 on 2800/Video Arcade II) | No | No |
2600 wireless controller | Atari 2600 | ? | 2 (4 on 2800/Video Arcade II) | No | Yes |
Third Generation Consoles | |||||
NES Controller | NES | June 15, 1983 | 2, up to 4 via Satellite/Four-Score | No | via NES Satellite |
NES Zapper | NES | 1984 | Only in slot 2 paired with a controller | No | via NES Satellite |
Master System Controller | Sega Master System | 1985 | 2 | No | No |
NES Advantage | NES | 1987 | 2, up to 4 via Satellite/Four-Score | No | via NES Satellite |
NES Power Pad | NES | 1987 | ? | No | via NES Satellite |
NES Max | NES | 1988 | 2, up to 4 via Satellite/Four-Score | No | via NES Satellite |
Power Glove | NES | 1989 | ? | No | via NES Satellite |
U-Force | NES | 1989 | ? | No | via NES Satellite |
Fourth Generation Consoles | |||||
Genesis Controller | Sega Genesis | October 29, 1988 | 2, up to 4 via multitap | No | No |
Genesis Wireless Controller | Sega Genesis | October 29, 1990 | 2, up to 4 via multitap | No | Yes |
SNES Controller | SNES | November 21, 1990 | 2, up to 10 via Tribal Tap | No | No |
SNES Wireless Controller | SNES | November 21, 1992 | 2 (up to 10 via Tribal Tap) | No | Yes |
Turbopad | TurboGrafx-16 | August 29, 1989 | 1, up to 5 via Turbo Tap | No | No |
Super Scope | SNES | September 1, 1992 | only in slot 2 paired with a controller | No | Yes |
Menacer | Sega Genesis | 1992 | ? | No | Yes |
Fifth Generation Consoles | |||||
Jaguar Controller | Atari Jaguar | November, 1993 | 2, up to 8 via Team Tap | No | No |
Saturn Controller | Sega Saturn | November 22, 1994 | 2, up to 12 via Multitap | No | No |
Saturn 3D Pad | Sega Saturn | July, 1995 | 2, up to 12 via Multitap | No | No |
Stunner | Sega Saturn | 1994 | ? | No | No |
PlayStation Controller | PlayStation | December 3, 1994 | 2, up to 8 via Multitap | No | No |
Sony Analog FlightStick | PlayStation | April, 1996 | 2, up to 8 via Multitap | No | No |
N64 Controller | Nintendo 64 | June 23, 1996 | 4 | Yes | No |
DualAnalog | PlayStation | April, 1997 | 2, up to 8 via Multitap | No | No |
DualShock | PlayStation | Late 1997 | 2, up to 8 via Multitap | No | No |
Name | Platform | First Released | Concurrent controllers | Expansion | Wireless |
Sixth Generation Consoles | |||||
Dance Pad | Various | Various | Various | No | Various |
Dreamcast Controller | Dreamcast | November 27, 1998 | 4 | Yes | No |
Dreamcast Gun | Dreamcast | ? | ? | Yes | No |
DualShock 2 | PlayStation 2 | March 4, 2000 | 2, up to 8 via Multitap | No | No |
Game Boy Advance | Nintendo GameCube/Wii | March 21, 2001 | 4 | Yes | No |
GameCube Controller | Nintendo GameCube/Wii | September 14, 2001 | 4 | No | No |
Xbox controller | Xbox | November 15, 2001 | 4 | yes | No |
Wavebird | Nintendo GameCube/Wii | October 10, 2002 | 4 | No | Yes |
DK Bongos | Nintendo GameCube | December 12, 2003 | 4 | No | No |
Name | Platform | First Released | Concurrent controllers | Expansion | Wireless |
Seventh Generation Consoles | |||||
Nintendo DS | Wii | November 21, 2004 | 16 | via GBA port | Yes |
PlayStation Portable | PlayStation 2/PlayStation 3 | December 12, 2004 | 32 | Yes | Yes |
Xbox 360 Controller | Xbox 360 | November 22, 2005 | 4 | Yes | Yes. |
Sixaxis | PlayStation 3 | November 17, 2006 | 7 | Yes | Bluetooth |
Wii Remote | Wii | November 19, 2006 | 4 | Yes | Bluetooth |
Wii Classic Controller | Wii | November 19, 2006 | 4 | No | Wired to Wii Remote |
DualShock 3 | PlayStation 3 | November 11, 2007 | 7 | Yes | Bluetooth |
Name | Platform | First Released | Concurrent controllers | Expansion | Wireless |
Controller components that allow the user to control events in-game, such as D-pads, Analog sticks, and so on.
Directional | Button Types | Button Location | Sound | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | D-pad | Analog stick | Motion Sensor | Pointer | Digital | Analog | Face | Shoulder / Trigger | Under analog stick | Other (Start, etc.) | Microphone |
Third Generation Consoles | |||||||||||
NES Controller | Yes | No | No | No | 4 | No | 2 | No | No | 2 | Japan only, player 2 |
NES Zapper | No | No | No | Yes | 1 | No | No | 1 | No | No | No |
NES Advantage | Digital stick with same function | No | No | No | 4 (+3 turbo) | No | 2 (+2 turbo) | No | No | 2 (+1 turbo) | No |
NES Power Pad | No | No | No | No | 12 | No | 12 | No | No | No | No |
NES Max | "cycloid" substituted for standard cross design | No | No | No | 4 (+2 turbo) | No | 2 (+2 turbo) | No | No | 2 | No |
Power Glove | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 17 | No | 17 | No | No | No | No |
U-Force | No | No | Yes | No | 8 | No | 8 | No | No | No | No |
Master System Controller | Yes | No | No | No | 2 | No | 2 | No | No | No | No |
Directional | Button Types | Button Location | Sound | ||||||||
Name | D-pad | Analog stick | Motion Sensor | Pointer | Digital | Analog | Face | Shoulder / Trigger | Under analog stick | Start, etc. | Microphone |
Fourth Generation Consoles | |||||||||||
Genesis Controller | Yes | No | No | No | 4 or 7 | No | 3 or 6 | No | No | 1 | No |
Menacer | No | No | No | Yes | 1 | No | No | 1 | No | No | No |
SNES Controller | Yes | No | No | No | 8 | No | 4 | 2 | No | 2 | No |
Super Scope | No | No | No | Yes | 3 | No | 1 | 1 | No | 1 | No |
Turbopad | Yes | No | No | No | 4(+2 3 position turbo switches) | No | 2(+2 3 position turbo switches) | No | No | 2 | No |
Directional | Button Types | Button Location | Sound | ||||||||
Name | D-pad | Analog stick | Motion Sensor | Pointer | Digital | Analog | Face | Shoulder / Trigger | Under analog stick | Start, etc. | Microphone |
Fifth Generation Consoles | |||||||||||
Jaguar Controller | Yes | No | No | No | 17 | No | 3 | No | No | 2 (plus 12 numeric) | No |
Saturn Controller | Yes | No | No | No | 9 | No | 6 | 2 | No | 1 | No |
Saturn 3D Pad | Yes | Yes | No | No | 9 | No | 6 | 2 | No | 1 | No |
Stunner | No | No | No | Yes | 1 | No | No | 1 | No | No | No |
PlayStation Controller | Yes | No | No | No | 10 | No | 4 | 4 | No | 2 | No |
Sony Analog FlightStick | Digital stick with same function | 2 | No | No | 10 | No | 8 | No | No | 2 | No |
DualAnalog | Yes | 2 | No | No | 10 | No | 4 | 4 | No | 2 | No |
DualShock | Yes | 2 | No | No | 12 | No | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | No |
N64 Controller | Yes | Yes | Via TiltPak | No | 10 | No | 6 | 3 | No | 1 | Via Voice Recognition Unit |
Directional | Button Types | Button Location | Sound | ||||||||
Name | D-pad | Analog stick | Motion Sensor | Pointer | Digital | Analog | Face | Shoulder / Trigger | Under analog stick | Start, etc. | Microphone |
Sixth Generation Consoles | |||||||||||
Dance Pad | No | No | No | No | 6-8 | No | 6-8 | No | No | No | Yes |
Dreamcast Controller | Yes | Yes | No | No | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | No | 1 | Via Microphone |
Dreamcast Gun | Yes | No | No | Yes | 2 | No | No | 2 | No | No | No |
DualShock 2 | Yes | 2 | No | No | 4 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | No |
Xbox controller | Yes | 2 | No | No | 4 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Via headset |
GameCube Controller | Yes | 2 | No | No | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | No | 1 | Via Microphone |
Wavebird | Yes | 2 | No | No | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | No | 1 | No |
DK Bongos | No | No | No | No | 3 | No | 2 | No | No | 1 | Yes |
Nintendo GameCube Microphone | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Game Boy Advance | Yes | No | No | No | 6 | No | 2 | 2 | No | 2 | No |
Directional | Button Types | Button Location | Sound | ||||||||
Name | D-pad | Analog stick | Motion Sensor | Pointer | Digital | Analog | Face | Shoulder / Trigger | Under analog stick | Start, etc. | Microphone |
Seventh Generation Consoles | |||||||||||
Xbox 360 Controller | Yes | 2 | No | No | 11 | 2[1][2] | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | Via headset |
Sixaxis | Yes | 2 | Yes | No | 5 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | No |
DualShock 3 Sixaxis | Yes | 2 | Yes | No | 5 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | No |
PlayStation Portable | Yes | Yes | No | No | 8 | No | 4 | 2 | No | 2 | Yes (on 3000) or via headset |
Wii Remote | Yes | Via Nunchuk | Yes (+ 1 via Nunchuk) | Yes | 7 + 2 via Nunchuk | No | 3 | 1 + 2 via Nunchuk | No | 3 | No |
Wii Classic Controller | Yes | 2 | Via Wii Remote | Via Wii Remote | 9 | 2 | 4 | 4 | No | 3 | No |
Nintendo DS | Yes | No | Via Motion Pak | Touchscreen | 8 | No | 4 | 2 | No | 2 | Yes |
Feedback components of each controller, to alert the user to events in-game.
Name | Visual | Transducers | |
---|---|---|---|
Haptic feedback | Auditory | ||
Fifth Generation Consoles | |||
N64 Controller | No | With Rumble Pak | No |
Dual Analog Controller | No | Japan only | No |
DualShock | No | Yes | No |
Name | Visual | Transducers | |
Haptic feedback | Auditory | ||
Sixth Generation Consoles | |||
Dreamcast Controller & Gun | 48x32 pixel monochrome LCD VMU | With Jump Pack | Piezoelectric Buzzer Via VMU |
DualShock 2 | No | Yes | No |
Xbox controller | No | Yes | With headset |
GameCube Controller | No | Yes | No |
Wavebird | No | No | No |
Game Boy Advance | 240×160 pixel color LCD | No | Yes |
Name | Visual | Transducers | |
Haptic feedback | Auditory | ||
Seventh Generation Consoles | |||
Xbox 360 Controller | Some system specific signals communicated through light ring surrounding guide button. | Yes | With headset |
Sixaxis | Some system specific signals communicated through 4 LED lights at the top of the Sixaxis. | No | No |
DualShock 3 Sixaxis | Some system specific signals communicated through 4 LED lights at the top of the Sixaxis. | Yes | No |
PlayStation Portable | 480×272 pixel color LCD | No | Stereo Speakers |
Wii Remote | Some system specific signals communicated through 4 LED lights at the bottom of the Wiimote. | Yes | Yes |
Wii Classic Controller | No | No | Via Wii Remote |
Nintendo DS | Two 256×192 pixel color LCDs | With Nintendo DS Rumble Pak | Stereo Speakers |