The evolution of video game controllers

Overlooked partner to every video game enthusiast, video game controllers are an essential part of the video game experience. These are the backbone which games build upon for every basic action. A good controller can enhance immersion and the experience, while a bad one feels unresponsive and can even unknowingly lead to physical discomfort and frustration. Nowadays, controllers are homogenous: adopting a sleek, intuitive and comfortable design we all love. But this was not always the case. This design achievement came only gradually and left many unsuccessful crazy designs in the dust. As such, I present to you a journey through history to better comprehend how they evolved from humble beginnings to cutting-edge tools.

Like many things in video game history, it truly began with Pong. Pong‘s designers, in true trendsetters, didn‘t have anything to refer to as to how their game should be controlled. Considering that, their solution was quite successful. The first Pong arcade cabinet would use “paddles“ - rotating knobs - one for each player. Pong‘s skill requirements being modest, this setup sufficed and was relatively intuitive: rotate one way to go up and the other to go down. The same year, the (debatably) first video game console - the Magnavox Odyssey - would use a slightly more sophisticated controller based on Pog. Now, every player had two paddles to himself (one of which was doubled) and had access to a reset button to reset the game console. The mania surrounding the original release of Pong would lead the way to hordes of imitators in the video game market. The majority would de facto adopt the paddle introduced by Pong, but in the wild west of early video game arcades, many out there designs would test the waters. Notable examples include: Missile Command‘s trackball and Paperboy‘s bike handlebar. Many of the innovations that would come to be standard in the console market actually first began in arcades. But truly, this period would be dominated by Atari. The Atari 2600 joystick controller was an essential reason why directional inputs would be universally accepted. For the paddle, this was largely the end of a short reign.

Then came the 1983‘s video game crash and the interest in video games slowed to a crawl. Until Nintendo came in full force on the console market with the Nintendo Entertainment System (1985 in America). Like Atari before, its controller would dominate and reverberate in the years to come. Even if four-directional inputs existed before, the NES controller is largely responsible for the ubiquitous d-pad still used today. It was also this controller that popularized horizontal setups. Believe it or not, many console controllers prior to the NES were either circular/square or vertical. After the NES, almost every controller would be horizontal to better fit human hands.

Speaking of which, the next innovations would also help make handling controllers more natural. The Genesis would introduce a rounded controller that feels great in hand compared to the squared and pointy design of the NES controller. But the Genesis and his three-button layout (A, B and C) would be overshadowed in popularity and influence by the SNES. The SNES controller would also smooth out edges from the NES controller but, more importantly, would introduce the first shoulder buttons (called “L“ and “R“) and the classic button layout of A, B, X and Y. This particular setup of 8 buttons (including “start“ and “select“) would be copied by every Nintendo‘s major competitor. This design was both ergonomic, comfortable and adapted to the need of increasingly complex and rich games.

In the 90s, two other major novelties would appear. The PlayStation would double the number of shoulder buttons. Not long after, the Nintendo 64 controller, for all its curiosities, would formally introduce the analog stick to the world (discounting the Vectrex). The PlayStation would push back a few years later with the first controller with two analog sticks.

At this point, the modern controller was largely complete but one other important feature needs our attention: wireless controllers. That feat can be attributed to Microsoft‘s Xbox 360 controller (still a mainstay of computer gaming) even though Nintendo had made the first move with the wavebird for the Nintendo Game Cube. The Nintendo DS's use of touch screens (even before the iPod Touch was ubiquitous) seems to have made waves recently, with many current generation consoles incorporating touch pads or screens.

Obviously, this overview overemphasizes the dominance of these control schemes and neglects many alternative controllers. Among my favourites are various ludicrous arcade controllers including classics such as light guns, guitars, dance pads and fishing rods. I love the playful design of the Game Cube controller. The Dreamcast VMU (Visual Memory Unit) - a memory card inserted in the controller itself with a screen showing cute animations while playing a game - is another guilty pleasure of mine. But, as they say, history is written by winners and the controllers above clearly won the popularity contest.

Such designs reflect the growing and evolving needs of video game enthusiasts over time. Controllers are continuously fine-tuned to enhance the gaming experience, searching for the correct balance of form and function. Did is still true nowadays, even though you might not realize it. Even more so that innovations are now subtle, refined and precise. Largely unnoticed, the Playstation 5 controller incorporates dynamic vibration feedback of a sophistication never seen before. The devil is in the details and details are what video gamers enjoy most.

Have fun. See you next week.