What are YOUR favorite controllers?

[Megatron]

So thinking about the ability to use the Gamecube controller on the Wii U, I started thinking about my favorite controllers of all time.  Whether they are comfortable, responsive, aesthetically pleasing, etc.  

So here are my top 5 favorite controllers of all time:

DUAL SHOCK 4
This would have been so much higher if it actually had a start/select button instead of share, and that stupid touch pad.  I love how they improved the triggers (L2, R2) from the Dual Shock 3.  And it has a nice, solid grip.  Really comfortable.  Even the centered thumbsticks feel like they have a wider berth and better feel.  Too bad I don't use it that much since I'm an Xbox guy...

GAMECUBE
I don't know what it is about this controller.  It has a weird shape, odd button layout, and uneven shoulder buttons - yet I could use this controller all day and never get tired with it or frustrated at it.  Despite its odd design, the spacing of the buttons is great, and the different shaped buttons really help you find the one you're looking for in the heat of the game

PLAYSTATION (ORIGINAL / NOT DUALSHOCK)
This is a near perfect design.  Back in the days of tank controls and bad 3D, this controller felt so right in your hands.  The shoulder buttons and face buttons felt tight and responsive, and the d-pad was second only to Nintendo.  The Dual Shock controller is good, but I have never really liked the Analog stick placement of it.  My stocky thumbs would always hit the D-Pad by mistake.  

XBOX 360
This controller is damn near perfect in my opinion.  It's one set back, and the reason it is not #1...the D-Paad.  Man, what were they thinking with this?  So cheap and unreliable.  Very disappointing on an otherwise amazing controller.  This is a big part of the reason I am an Xbox guy over a PS guy - I love this controller and for FPS games it feels way more comfortable to me.

NES
First off...so why isn't SNES on here?  Despite its great button layout, the shoulder buttons always felt a little off to me.  I do love that controller, but it is so similar to my #1 choice, I just opted to leave it off.  Plus it has almost no nostalgic value for me since I didnt have an SNES as a kid.
The NES controller is just perfect.  Two buttons, side by side for easily switching back and forth, the best D-Pad ever, and the general simplicity make this a favorite.  While not as elaborate or heavily buttoned as the rest, this is just a great pick up and play controller.  No figuring out what does what - one button shoots, one jumps (usually), D-Pad moves you to the right, and Start (sometimes Select) pauses the game.  Simple.  Perfect.

[sheep2001]

In no particular order:
Competition pro 5000 - for sensi soccer on the amiga, there's no alternative
Saturn - no better pad for fighting games
Dualshock 2/3/4 - so comfortable, and responsive.  Perfect size. (I agree about the stupid share button on ds4 though)
Snes dogbone - I think it's nostalgia here, but the d-pad on these is just great.  Never had one fail.
Dreamcast - I'm betting this one is controversial.  Took a while to get used to, but worth persevering with.  Great button layout, and fits my hands nicely.

Worst controller imho?  Xbox 360.  Never got on with it.  Weight feels off. Terrible d-pad. And I got blisters playing sf2 hd with it.  And it's for that reason I'm a ps guy more than an xbox guy. Lol.  Oh, hate the n64 controller too.  Just ewwww!

[quickfingers818]

Here are my top 5 favorite controllers of all time:

5. Gamecube - still the best triggers I have ever used to even  this day.

4. Dualshock 1/2/3 - this controller was so good Sony stuck with the design for nearly two decades

3. Xbox 360 - like Megatron said near perfect except for the d-pad

2. Sega Saturn (2nd generation controller) - imho it is near perfect for 2D gaming. d-pad and face buttons have perfect tactile feedback

1. Sega Genesis - more for nostalgic reasons, but this controller to me was absolutely perfect for what the genesis had to offer. sure it doesn't have as many buttons as the snes, but it fits my hand like a glove and i've never had a problem with my original genesis controller that I have had for 13 years now

[Megatron]

Dreamcast would have definitely made my top 10 (probably at #6) - extremely under rated. 

[quickfingers818]

Dreamcast would have definitely made my top 10 (probably at #6) - extremely under rated. 

same here. It has that great arcade-y feel with just the one thumbstick, a lot like arcades themselves.

[TDIRunner]

Top 5 controllers with number 1 being my favorite:

5.  Nintendo Wii Classic controller (great overall feel, wish it was wireless on its own)
4.  Sega Genesis six button (great d-pad)
3.  PlayStation Dual Analog (Not Dual Shock - the only Sony controller that was larger than the rest, I wish every day that the Sony controllers of today were this size)
2.  SNES (having two of the buttons on the shoulder is what makes it superior to the Genesis controller)
1.  Dual Shock 3 (everything great about Dual Shock and Dual Shock 2 controllers, but lighter and wireless)

My least favorite controller of all time is the GameCube controller.  The left analog stick is excellent, and the trigger buttons are the best in the business, but the god awful mess that is the A, B, X & Y button layout is the biggest design failure in gaming history.

With that said, I'm also a fan of the Dreamcast controller.  The d-pad was disappointing, but the idea of the VMU is excellent.  The shoulder buttons are what keep the Saturn controller off the list for me.  Also, I've never held one, but I have a feeling that I would like the six button Jaguar controller.  The Jag controller isn't as bad as most people make it out to be and the six button fixes most of the minor issues that existed.  

[palmer6strings]

My favorite controllers in order.

1. SNES
2. Xbox 360
3. NES
4. GameCube

My least favorite controllers from worst to least worse.

1. Sega Genesis/Saturn (this peice of crap controller made me never want the system.)
2. Nintendo 64 (I mean wtf is up with this? Do I have 3 hands?! No...)
3. All Playstation controllers.

[wiggy]

SNES & 360. Pretty much beat out every other for me by such a huge margin that any others aren't even worth mentioning. 

Side note: some of my least favs would be the Dreamcast (not an entirely horrible controller, but wretched bad for a system which has so many excellent fighters), Wii waggle sticks plus silly joystick-on-a-shrimp, and Sony's controllers.

[Moviefan2k4]

My favorite overall is the Super NES controller. After that, it would probably be a tie between both versions of the NES (classic and dogbone).

[Dr.Agon]

im probably going to make some enemies with this, but my favourite controller is the N64, i can play wave race one-handed, anything which lets me play and eat at the same time will always win!
yes the d-pad isnt really used, but the design, along with the nearly perfect analogue stick, was and is still great!

[FritzWhite]

I like a lot of the same controllers like SNES and Xbox/Xbox 360, but one I really like that hasn't been mentioned is the Wii U gamepad. I thought it was really neat how physically rotating around while holding the gamepad would change the perspective for the Toad levels in 3D world. Being able to look at the tv or the gamepad was cool too. Some think it's gimmicky, but heck, I like it. Blowing the controller is funny but also a little ridiculous.

Jaguar controller feels good in my hands too. So many people dislike the # pad, but I like the multitude of options it offers and it works well once you get the hang of what does what. The overlays help with that.

[Arseen]

- Ascii Pad SNES (like official pad but with turbos).
- Wii U Pro Controller.
- Xbox 360 controller.
- Dualshock 3 with added trigger pieces.
- NES "Dog Bone". This one I haven't tried but looks good.

[pringlesman]

Not a whole lot of love for the N64 controller (probably because it's terrible)

My five

1. Playstation 2 DUal Shock
2. Xbox 360
3. Nintendo Pro Controller
4. SNES
5. NES Dogbone

Special hatred for all things motion controlled.  I'm looking at you Power Glove and Wii.

I recently bought 2 knock off dogbone controllers.  WHile the A/B/Start/Select buttons are fine the D-pad is awful.  It appears to be a problem with them trying to save a quarter of a cent of plastic on each d-pad.  I really want to 3-d print a copy of the original d-pad but I have no experience in doing such things.

[oatmeal flavor]

If you do not like the N64 controller try the Hori controller. It is a more traditional layout for the N64.

On the subject of crappy controllers  I have a sega master system controller were the cord comes out of the side of the pad where your hand should be.
It is the worst.

[monjici]

If you do not like the N64 controller try the Hori controller. It is a more traditional layout for the N64.

On the subject of crappy controllers  I have a sega master system controller were the cord comes out of the side of the pad where your hand should be.
It is the worst.

Hell yeah! It's a case where you can ask "what were they thinking?".