Greatest Controller = DUKE

- The D-Pad was perfect, utterly flawless which was ruined with the S version and even worse with the 360 pad

- The analogs had perfect indentation

- The jelly bean structure of the face buttons made it easier to press x & b simultaneously than the diamond design, which is more close to the SNES gamepad

- It has every button & trigger dated for even current gen

You're crazy.

The only thing about the duke that I'd forgotten was the gigantic hideous Xbox logo in the center.

I disagree on all counts.

This has got to be a troll post.

it's not

Maybe if you're in the NBA.

I'm a white jew

I can't agree with it being the greatest controller but I liked it and wish MS would've kept it around.

Yeah, good times with the duke, not sure if best ever but one of the best ever: FUCK YEAH!

The fact that you call the D-pad perfect makes me really wonder.

This is monstrous.

I've seen posts today encouraging the destruction of Israel, but this makes me lose far more faith in humanity.

It fit perfectly into your thumb & was very good for fighting games like doa3

the circle indent in the middle of the pad made it so you never slipped

much like the original NES controller

it took the best elements from the NES, & SNES controller

I like the Duke more than most people, but man, some of the things that you're saying are just unconscionable.

I don't see how, the only fault people say is that it's big (which I like)

They disregard the build quality completely. Analogs sticks were far superior to the 360 in every way, & same with the duke's circle D-Pad.

Riiiiiight....

The duke was awful in my opinion, but whatever man, I'm glad someone likes it.

@fortysixandtwo said:

- The D-Pad was perfect, utterly flawless which was ruined with the S version and even worse with the 360 pad

- The analogs had perfect indentation

- The jelly bean structure of the face buttons made it easier to press x & b simultaneously than the diamond design, which is more close to the SNES gamepad

- It has every button & trigger dated for even current gen

2) why are the analogs indented differently?? Not to mention, you say they are perfect, but they obviously can't both be perfect if they aren't the same. (And what's funny is that the Controller S actually fixed this. It's amazing that even MS recognized their blunder with the Duke.)

3) You are not supposed to be able to press X and B simultaneously. But even putting that aside. By your logic, Gamecube is equally good (T shaped button layout) and, by your logic, the Dual Shock 2 is even better since it's easier to press all four shoulder buttons simultaneously.

4) So does Nintendo 64. :p

Here's a pic of the controller S (in reference to point number 2) and its beautiful symmetric thumbstick indentations

You can't tell me that the white & black buttons are well placed and a better alternative to bumpers.

@egg: I still think the analog sticks on the DUKE are far superior to the S Controller because it wasn't just a plastic spring, making it harder to slip.

The actual greatest gamepad was also made by Microsoft.

nah son those black and white buttons were a bad time

This is the greatest of all time...

Hahaha best troll topic name of the year.

Seriously though, the dpad is perfect? A perfect representation of absolute garbage design that isn't functional in any game you would want to use the dpad in? I'd agree with that point I guess.

It's fantastic if you need to bludgeon a large animal to death. Like an elephant.

How much pizza exactly does one have to have rubbed their hands upon to "slip" on a gamepad?

The D-pad felt like one but button more than four defined directions. And the big Xbox logo in the middle didn't do anything. It should have glowed or something.

The face button also had such a small throw on them. No pop, just small squish.

It was bulk for the sake of bulk. But whatever, agree to disagree.

Yea like the fact the controller was MASSIVE and when I finally got a third party one that was smaller and an S holy shit I couldn't even use that thing anymore.

I understand you're a fan.. But.. That sounds like wantings..

@egg: For a lot of games especially during the SNES days, pressing Y & A, and X & B simultaneously did special commands.

for Soul Calibur for the Dreamcast, it was necessary

The actual king of controllers. Plebeians.

Yeah. The buttons in particular were just awful. They were like ovals and they were very high for no reason in particular. A lot of wasted space. Also black and white buttons??? C'mon.

@andrewb: I had that thing. It wasn't bad, unless you were playing a game where it was important to use precise directional inputs. Then that analog pad was kind of a deal breaker.

The Duke has some serious problems but I like the way it feels in my hand.

I bought one recently when I got an Xbox from my roommate for free and someone had replaced the joysticks with the S model ones. It was a lot better that way.

That controller really sucks though. I like the S since it feels so beefy next to the DualShock 2 and GameCube controller, but man...the duke was something else.

I'll be honest, I wasn't even aware this big ass Xbox controller even existed until about a month ago. Mine came with the smaller one and I thought that was the only one.

I'm going to have to trust you on that, my experience with Duke was limited. My only time with that controller was a short in store demo, but I still recall it today, so I have to give it up for the Duke. That thing has presence.

My primary gaming input device in those years was this gem:

Nothing felt quite like it in your hands, I love those triggers and face button placement. I can't call it the best ever, though. It's so close to a modern controller, if only the C stick was on the level of the left stick and I can't fathom why Nintendo never thought to put the a matching Z shoulder button on the left.

The Duke was the best controller if someone broke into my house and I needed a weapon.

This was actually going to be the Gamecube's controller back when it was called the Nintendo Dolphin.

to be honest, it's doesn't look bad

But if none of those games can be played with the Duke then what is the point of mentioning them?

p.s. SNES games are old and fighting games don't count.

@fortysixandtwo: ...clearly just a hideous mockup pasted together from previous Nintendo controllers?

This, pretty much.

The Atari Jaguar has all of your current gen ergonomic and button placement needs taken care of and then some. Duke ain't got shit on this work of art.

The Duke was fucking terrible. The only thing I liked about it was that it was really big.

The Duke just wasn't comfortable to hold, I would much rather have a concave back.

but...with the Kinect, I'm the controller.

The duke was awesome. But it sucked.

@fortysixandtwo said:

This was actually going to be the Gamecube's controller back when it was called the Nintendo Dolphin.

to be honest, it's doesn't look bad

Certainly better than the abomination they decided to use. That D-Pad alignment looks whacky though.

That's another thing. I hear people say "if you have big hands this is the best controller" and I do and don't get it at all. I mean I have no issue with the size of it but when I use a regular Xbox 360 controller, or the S for the OG Xbox, or the PlayStation Dualshock, I never have thought that the controller was too small. Don't get it at all.

Wrong