I’m a big fan of the PS5 controller. The features are great, but it also fits my hands really well. I wish the battery life was slightly better, but I don’t game for long enough at a time for it to matter (got kids, haha).
I also have a real soft spot for the classic SNES controller, and I have an 8BitDo controller that closely mimics it.
I want to love the Switch Pro controller, and it’s decent, but the D pad is really rough.
I like my Switch Pro controller until it ended up drifting :(
So far it's the Xbox 360, with the D-pad dremel-modded (coverts the D-pad from floating to almost like a mini-joystick).
I think the Duelsense controller is my favorite, being an incremental upgrade over the great DS4. Comfy layout, nice feeling bumpers and d-pad, and gyro controls.
The Xbox Series controller is equally comfortable and definitely gets points for using AA batteries instead of a built-in battery that degrades over time (my DS4 barely holds a charge anymore…). However, lack of gyro sucks, especially when everyone else has it.
If you want to count the Steam Deck as a controller, it’s a close second behind the DS5. All the features you could possibly want, plus trackpads and back buttons, and only loses points for being less comfortable to hold than the DS5 (but it’s also an entire console, so that’s fair).
Xbox One/Series controller.
I loved the 360 controller before, but once I got an Xbone, it felt like the controller was perfectly formed for my hands. The triggers felt incredible, the bumpers were fantastic, and I was addicted to the tire tread texture on the thumbsticks. Later revisions solidified my love for it, adding a 3.5mm jack and USB-C.
This right here. I really loved the 360 controller (despite it's flawed d pad). But the X1 was a solid upgrade. It felt premium in my hands and the tyre tread texture :O Lovely.
Series X! Everything but the weird way it connects to PC.
ColecoVision. Not because it was a terrible controller, but it being my first ever console.
Any moderately comfy controller that I'm used to is my favorite at any time.
Case in point, when I was used to the DS4 it was my favorite. I tried the new Dualsense (DS5) and hated it compared to the DS4. But after getting used to the DS(5), the DS4 just feels too small and weird now so I like the DS(5) better.
BUT, I'll take and be happy with basically any well designed controller. The Xbox controllers starting with 360 are very comfy to me too. As is the switch pro and GameCube controllers. And even the stadia controller. Haven't tried many others.
The Xbox 360 one, especially some off-brand ones that are somehow better than the 999999€ official ones (with the benefit of working on PC, mine is still perfectly functional after several years of gathering dust)
PS2/PS4 controllers feel like they fit my hands the best, the PS5 controller seems a bit large for my liking. I really like the Xbox Series S|X controller but the plastic etching and rumble make my hands go numb after about an hour, if they could fix that I think it would beat the others.
I'd say Elite 2 if it didn't have annual bumper problems. Rest kinda blend together. Wasn't a fan of the PS2 and on controllers.
Wii-mote was pretty great for it's time and super reliable.
ps4 controller by far
I always played games primarily on the PC, so I'm pretty agnostic as to the console itself.
I think that the one that I liked the most was the PS2 controller, the Dual Shock.
Had rumble motors.
Was wired. I am fine with wireless, but I don't gain much from it, since I'm sitting at a desk normally. It adds weight and potentially radio interference and charging issues.
It did not have analog stick drift, at least that I experienced. I don't entirely understand why, but essentially every gamepad I've gotten in recent years -- and I've gone through about six, for different platforms -- with potentiometer-based analog sticks has had issues with analog stick drift. Maybe changes were made to manufacturing processes on potentiometers or something. I recently finally gave up on potentiometer-based gamepads and got an 8bitdo Bluetooth Ultimate pad -- which uses Hall effect sensors, which don't experience stick drift problems. Note that the non-Bluetooth version of this gamepad uses potentiometers. Unfortunately that pad doesn't have rumble motors...
The D-pad is more-gentle on my fingers than some.
Pretty durable. Eventually, the surface on the analog sticks started to wear through, but it lasted quite some years.
Switch Pro controller. Xbox has a good controller but requiring AA batteries or an adjacent solution for a controller in 2023 is crazy. Switch Pro can last up to 40 hours on a rechargeable battery and it's just as comfortable.
Switch pro
The WiiU pro controller is absolutely my favorite controller of all time, symmetrical stick placement above the buttons, slim and lightweight yet durable, and an absurd battery life between 60-80 hours.
After that, my next favorite as far as traditional controllers would be the PS2 controller. For non-traditional I have a huge soft spot for the WiiU gamepad and the Wii remote + nunchuk.
The worst controller I've ever used would easily be the N64 controller, followed at a wide margin by the Saturn 3D control pad. I'm also not fond of 360 controller.
I have big hands so I'd have to go with the Xbox 360 and Xbox One's controller. The DualSense is very good, too. I'd give it to the DualSense for the haptic feedback and vibrations, but they're both great!
Saturn controller hands down. The d-pad is the best ever and the overall layout is great for fighting games / anything 2d.
In more recent memories though, the Dualsense (Edge) would be my favourite.
Honestly the Xbox S/360/One/Series controller still does it for me. There's been relatively incremental changes since, which is good as it just works for me.
The DualSense gets close for me, thanks to the prongs feeling wider than any of the dualshock iterations, which have felt too small since my mid teens. But the flattened end on it stops it abruptly in a way that leaves me still preferring the xbox.
The switch pro controller sort of imitates the xbox controller, but at least on both I've owned the build quality doesn't match Sony/MS
I started with the genesis, but my favorite controller is a fighting game stick because my hands don't cramp and it's more fun to use.
My favorite official controller was probably ps3
I like the PlayStation style controller a lot. Probably because that's the system I had when I was younger.
I mostly use a steam controller now and have backups. I also have some classic shaped controllers for emulators too.
The PS4 controller just feels great to use. I'm also a fan of the touchpad, it's a shame there are barely any games that used it.
Gamecube for the button has different shapes so you know which button you're pressing without looking down to look at it too much
Then Xbox Series X/S era controller is my favorite as the trigger felt more nicer than Xbox One era.
I don't use controllers really anymore as I'm gaming on the PC (occasional stream deck). But all in it's the Xbox 360.
Flydigi Apex2 (and soon Vader 3?). It has a shit ton of additional buttons (2 additional face buttons, 2 additional bumpers, 4 freaking back buttons) and even have a weird 3rd joystick. And it use quality micro switches (so long membrane, i don't miss ya). All of that in the comfy Xbox form factor. It does need another paid app (ReWASD) to fully use it on PC (Gyro, layers and what not). Well worth it tho!
I fucking hate that Razer and Scuf locked us out of potential cool controllers with their patents. Only Chinese can do whatever the hell they want.
Also fuck Sony and their controller locked down on Ps5.
PS3 controller for sure. I used it the most growing up, it never really changed so I got super comfortable with it and always performed well with new models right away, it has the best feel in my hands as it fits perfectly into my palms, and my thumbs are more comfortable with the thumb sticks where they are compared to the X-box controller. PS4 controller was also good overall, but I liked the slender handles on the PS3 one more.
