Nintendo make the best controllers...

I just got a Wii U Pro controller (a fake Chinese one to be exact) and it is so comfortable, the analogue sticks are placed in the most natural way possible! I hate Sony's placement of them because it means you have to make a gap between your palms and the controller so you can angle your thumbs horizontal... it just feels awkward. Microsoft improved upon that with having one up top, but when using the second analogue stick you still have to do the same thing with your right hand. With the pro you can just hug all of the controller and have it tight to your palms because your thumbs naturally point diagonally upwards.

I dunno why no one else has done that placement before, it makes the most sense and because they do A and X the other way round to the Xbox controller, it means they're right next to that analogue stick, so it works out really well, less movement needed to press them.

I really loved the Wii Mote, I dunno why it got so much hate but I thought it was a really smart idea and worked quite well. Obviously you could still use a conventional controller, but a part of me wishes they stuck with them and just carried on improving the sensors for that stuff. Personally for me I prefer using the 1:1 aiming the wii mote offers, I think it is much better than analogue sticks for camera movement, feels more like a mouse.

The gamecube controller as well was sooooooooo comfortable, like it is still THE most comfortable controller I've ever used, just a shame they had a little nub thing for the bottom analogue stick. When Nintendo announced they were bringing them back for SSB on the Wii U, I wish they addressed that and put another bumper on there, but it is still so comfortable to hold, my hands never used to sweat or cramp with it like they do with all over controllers over time.

No one will forget the N64 controller giving us analogue sticks which really just innovated the gameplay. It wasn't until Ape Escape that the Playstation caught up here, until then 3D platformers just didn't work on the PS.

I think Nintendo are always ahead of the competition when it comes to controllers and they are not scared to change things up each generation. While the Gamepad touch screen thing has been pretty much a failure up to this point, I do think tablets is where Nintendo needs to go in the future. Upcoming ARM based chips are offering the same power as the Wii U with amazing battery life, much better than the 3DS any ways. I would love to see them make a proper tablet in a few years with a similar size to the Nexus 7 and just have one machine be their portable and home console. It is easy to stream to the TV these days, it would just need a HDMI dongle and tether a controller to the device using bluetooth or whatever.

To me at least that would be super exciting, it would be a way Nintendo could stay ahead of the competition as well.

Nintendo makes the best d-pad, but that's it.

Microsoft makes the best overall controllers and Nintendo's Pro Controller is just a huge ripoff of the 360 controller, which isn't a bad thing since copying from the greatest controller of all time is a smart thing to do. The GameCube and N64 controllers were great for games that were designed specifically around those controllers, but they just did not work well for the majority of games. The NES and SNES controllers were too small for adult sized hands. The Wii U gamepad is too bulky and has terrible battery life. And the Wiimote has led to so many otherwise great games to be ruined by unneccessary waggle controls that it deserves to go down as the worst controller ever.

nah SNES pad & Wii classic pro controller was great...after that they just went for wacky rather than comfort..n64 & GC controller are both awkward...wiimote + nunchuck was ok. Gamepad is alright..Wii U pro is also ok...comfort wise still prefer Xbox 360 (except d-pad) controller..of course now its Xbone controller.

Indeed. GC controller is my favourite. Wiimote was comfortable as well, but it was awkward to press the 1 and 2 buttons (when using the nunchuck+wiimote combo). The gamepad is too big and flat for my taste. Not horrible, but after a while of usage, I get annoyed by its flatness. The Pro controller is awesome. It's like the 360 controller, but better. Slightly more comfortable for my hands and a way better d-pad.

GC controller is still the king, though.

I'm holding my PS3 controller right now and don't understand where this gap you speak of is coming from. My thumbs move naturally and my palms stay in place. Maybe it's just your hands?

Anyway, I agree that Nintendo has some really odd looking controllers that feel great in your hands. The only thing I can complain about is the Wii Mote during games like Metroid Other M and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. I'd rather hold a controller with more mass in my hands rather than the Wii Mote by itself. It just feels like I'm holding a stick with buttons sideways. I have the Big Oversized Super Shell (B.O.S.S.) addon, but it makes the D-Pad and buttons harder to press making the entire thing even more uncomfortable.

To be fair though, the Xbox controller "rips off" older controllers too. Even simple things like the diamond layout of the buttons (SNES), shoulder buttons (SNES), rumble (N64, or PC joysticks), etc. So the only thing the Pro Controller rips off is the actual mould of the controller, not the entire thing.

Personally, I have to move my thumb down where it doesn't want to be naturally to get to the analogue stick. Sometimes even move my palm a bit. I agree with TC, PS controllers feel awkward. Except when I play fighting games, since I usually use the d-pad for those.

I don't like the Wiimote+Nunchuck combo but I totally love the Wii U Gamepad. I used to like the Gamecube controller pretty much too.

OT: what titles are 'uncomfortable' to play without the nun-chuk and Wii Motion Plus?

It's sort of lame that they don't come boxed with the Wii U.

As for Nintendo making the best controllers, well, the fake or genuine Wii/Wii U Pro Controllers are essentially copies of the Xbox 360 controller so make of that what you will.

I'd say the Xbox One controller has set the benchmark in terms of how comfortable it is to hold, particularly when playing FPS games. I'll compare the PS4 controller with the Wii U game-pad/Wii U Pro Controller when I set up the latter system.

Sony makes the best. I compared the Wii U Pro to the Dual Shock 3 for playing Resident Evil Revelations, PS3 Dual Shock 3 wins hands down no contest. Nintendo should have just copied the DS3 completely by putting the dual stick down below like Sony because reaching down to hit the action button is a mess, I've accidentally hit the buttons and used health items countless times, while that never happens on the DS3. The Wii U Pro also has stiff analog sticks and the dead zone it so annoying compared to the DS3, it's either completely still trying to merely move the character in a subtle way or lurching forward in a clumsy way. The Gamepad is atrociously horrible and only good for playing turn based games or simplistic actions, the WiiMote which I bought for the Wii U since I never owned a Wii is also terrible and like controlling games with a a TV remote. The Gamecube was an insane experiment in torture, asymmetrical button layout of varying shapes and size as well as varying heights of the buttons, a little purple? sliver sized shoulder buttons, dual click shoulder buttons/triggers that were never used for anything at all, a D pad made for leprechauns that would give you an instant blister while attempting to play a fighting game within 3 minutes of intense action. Dual sticks of different design and sizes with bizarre digital angles moulded into the insert retainer.

I made it to the end on hard in RE Revelations, simply could not defeat the final boss, came close many time on Wii U, so... I double dipped and bought the PS3 version I skipped when it came out, made it to the end on hard and beat it first try, PS3 DS is the reason. I eventually beat the Wii U version on hard too and unlocked the infinite rocket launcher but I know from experience the Sony controllers are superior.

Nintendo makes the worst controllers on earth.

@yixingtpot: You wouldn't have a Playstation controller if they didn't rip from the SNES controller. You wouldn't have rumble or analog probably (not positive on analog) if it weren't for the N64 controller. We owe everything to Nintendo.

... that said, Wii U pro controller is far from perfect, but still a welcome addition.

I love the PS3 controller, but I agree, the Wii U Pro controller is simply a joy to use. It's size and weight is just right.

Yeah I'd say that some of the best controller are the Wii U pro, GCN, and 360 controllers. The Wii U Pro is probably the most comfortable thing ever made.

http://www.platypuscomix.net/interactive/protoboxes.html

Cool little site...

The only thing I don't like about the Wii U Pro controller is the digital bumpers/Triggers, they should of been analog

In terms of analog sticks I agree. The grips are comfortable as well, and it's a smooth surface from one grip to another so your hands can just rest there, but I think the grips should've been bigger. The gamecube controller is still king as far as resting in your hands go

Analog is only good for racing games, for everything else digital is better. Even for shooter's, yeah it won't feel like you're pulling a trigger but functionally digital buttons let you shoot faster. The shape of the triggers could be better though

Not sure if they make the best but at least they come up with new ones for every gen...

Nintendo has only made two truly great controllers, the SNES and GCN controllers.

NES is meh, N64 is painful and if you use for too long will eventually cut your hands, Wii is OK but doesn't always work correctly, Wii U is too big and clunky for a standard controller but is nice for off-screen play.