While the best control system for video games is clearly the mouse and keyboard, a good controller paired with the right game is a great way to play. However, not all controllers are made equal, and there have been some real howlers over the years.
Now, to be fair, I have not personally used all of these controllers myself, but they do have reputations that seem to firmly put them in the trashcan of gaming history.
10 Atari Jaguar Controller
The infamous Atari Jaguar isn't the worst console ever made, and it even had some good games, but man is that an eccentric controller. In principle, the central gimmick here wasn't bad. Basically that 12-button numeric pad in the middle was meant to have an overlay that told you what each button did.
This would be different for each game, which was meant to come with its overlay in the box. The ergonomic considerations here are pretty suspect though, and, of course, people would lose the overlays or wear them out. It's pretty usual to see people on Jaguar forums asking for leads on spare overlays, though these days I guess you could just print one out if you really wanted to.
9 Philips CD-I Controller
The Philips CD-I wasn't really one console, but a family of consoles made by different manufacturers. The idea was that it would be like the VCR of gaming consoles. Anyone could make a VCR and any VHS tape would work on it. I remember seeing CD-I games in magazines back in the day and being impressed-until I saw them run.
Not only were the games clunky and the CD-I itself pretty underpowered, the various controllers they came up ranged from silly to just bad. The weird paddle controller pictured above looks more like the remote they leave next to your hospital bed, so you can call a nurse or adjust the bed. Even Nintendo doesn't talk about its brief third-party dalliance with the CD-I.
Actually, since so many CD-I titles were basically just glorified interactive movies, maybe the remote control design made sense, but that didn't make it any good.
8 Intellivision Controller
I don't want to be too harsh on the pioneering companies in the console industry. The Intellivision is one of the earliest proper home consoles, and no one knew how to make a good controller. They painfully crawled through glass so that we could frag noobs in comfort today.
That said-what the heck is this thing? Instead of a D-Pad there's a weird disc-thing, and here we go again with the numeric keypad. The NES got away with just two face buttons. Just saying.
7 ColecoVision Controller
Good artists copy, great artists steal, right? Well what happens when you choose to copy something stupid? That's what happened with the Colecovision's controller. Launched just a few years after the Intellivision, with significantly better graphics, it somehow thought the telephone numpad design was the way to go.
Tellingly, you could later get Atari-style joystick controllers for the Colecovision.
6 Sega Activator
Again, the idea behind the Sega Activator isn't the problem. When motion controls are done right, they can be great. Awesome experiences like modern VR games probably wouldn't exist if companies like Sega and Nintendo weren't willing to throw money at projects like these and then letting the half-baked results hit store shelves.
The big problem is that this sensor ring was imprecise to the point where games weren't really playable. You are more likely to accidentally kick your cat than actually landing a hit in a beat 'em up.
The controller worked by shooting a beam of light up to the ceiling. Each of the panels corresponded to one of the buttons on a regular controller. When your hand or foot (or anything) breaks the beam, it activates that input. Yeah, it's probably easier just to use a controller.
5 Nintendo 64 Controller
My editor told me I was asking for trouble by including this controller in this lineup, since there are, of course, many, many staunch fans of the Nintendo 64 and its weird trident controller. However, let me ask you this-is there any game on the N64 that would play any worse on, for example, the competing PlayStation controller?
Sure, the analog stick is a must in Mario 64, and it's easy to forget that the launch PS1 controller had no analog sticks at all, and was largely a clone of the SNES controller, but once the DualShock was out in the wild, the N64 just seemed silly in comparison. It forces you to choose between either the D-Pad or analogue stick without a natural way to switch between them, and, of course, later 3D games are a pain to control without a dual-analog setup.
And yes-I have used an N64 controller myself, and I still stand by my opinion.
4 Apple Bandai Pippin Controller
The Apple Bandai Pippin is one of the most famous console flops in history, but that wasn't because of its terrible controller. Oh no, the Pippin had 99 problems and the controller was just one.
It's basically a boomerang with a trackball in the middle. It makes sense since the Bandai was also supposed to effectively be a cheap Mac and could also work as an internet device, but as a controller, that's just a strange concession to make. Sure, a modern PS4 or PS5 controller technically has a trackpad in the same spot. So it's more that the technology clearly wasn't ready, and that's sort of the Pippin's entire problem-controller included.
It all came off as prototype hardware that wasn't fully baked, but had to be put out to market one way or another. It's one of the rare blights in Apple's history, and probably one reason the company sits on new developments so long before releasing them to the public these days.
3 Mattel HyperScan Controller
The HyperScan was an ambitious attempt to blend RFID card scanning with console gaming, but the controller felt like a cruel joke. Sluggish response times, plasticky construction, and an awful button feel made even the simple act of navigating a menu a chore.
The analog stick was loose and unreliable, while the general layout felt more like a dollar-store knockoff than a serious gaming accessory. With a minuscule game library and terrible input hardware, the HyperScan never had a chance.
2 OUYA Controller
The OUYA was a bold crowdfunding success story that quickly lost steam-and its controller was a big reason why. On paper, it looked like a modern twin-stick gamepad. In reality, it suffered from laggy Bluetooth connectivity, sticky buttons, and a touchpad that barely functioned.
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Like any newcomer in the gaming world, the Ouya microconsole has a slew of lovestruck fans and an equal (if not greater) number of detractors.
Build quality was hit-or-miss, and early versions had face buttons that could literally get stuck under the shell. It was clear the controller was rushed, and it left a lasting bad impression.
1 Amiga CD32 Controller
From a certain perspective, the CD32 controller almost looks like a flight yoke in shape, but this concept just didn't fly. The directional pad was spongy and imprecise, the buttons lacked any tactile response, and the entire build quality felt like a step-down from the competition. It was light, cheap-feeling, and uninspired.
8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller
Brand8BitDoPlatformWindows, Android
Look, we all have good memories of our favorite consoles, even if their controllers were, frankly, terrible. I spent hours playing NES games despite that controller feeling like holding a ninja star gripped between your palms, and honestly I don't like the PS5 DualSense much, but at least it's not an actual torture device.
The good news is that, thanks to emulation, we can all enjoy most of these retro console games using whatever controller we like. Yes, even a mouse and keyboard in case you're feeling sassy.
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