Best Controllers

[the spud]

The SNES controller.

Twas perfect for pretty much any 2D game.

 

[Ganthrinor]

Mouse & Keyboard for life, right up until they develop a neural implant.

 

[Fanta Grape]

Use search function. There was a thread similar to this very recently.

I'm torn between a keyboard and the 360 controller.

 

[erbkaiser]

The best one does not exist alas (or at least, I've not found it).
The Xbox360 sticks and triggers, but with the PS3 D-pad, and full Sixaxis, Rumble, and Bluetooth support.

The Dreamgear Shadow 6 is close, except for the lacking Bluetooth (uses a stupid WLAN dongle) and the not 100% Sixaxis support (it is a little off compared to a vanilla controller).

For nostalgia reasons I'll have to pick the SNES/Super Famicom controller though.

 

[Right Hook]

The wavebird wireless controller for the gamecube, if you are playing gamecube accept no substitute, it was as nice as the wireless controllers currently for 360 and ps3. The first wireless controller actually worth giving a damn about.

 

[PuppetDoctor]

My favorite controller is the SNES controller but a close runner-up would be the Xbox 360 controller.

 

[NLS]

X360 controller.
It fits nicely in your hand. Dpad and analog stick have been moved to more practical use. And the triggers are concave, so your fingers don't slip off every 5 seconds.

 

[Kathinka]

keyboard and mouse for first person shooters, strategy games and most rpg's. some type of controller for third person action games, beat-em-ups and racing games (short of a steering wheel i guess), but wich controller i do not know due to being a proud member of the glorious pc gaming master race and not having a clue about which controller is better

 

[CrashBang]

The GameCube controller was brilliant, it fit so damn well in your hand. Second to that is the 360 controller, again perfectly designed

 

[Kevo32A]

To me, the ps3 and the xbox 360 have cracked the formula perfectly. (and the black wii classic controller). There is a reason sony hasn't changed their controllers since dualshock.

 

[feeback06]

The dualshock 2 was controller perfection in my eyes.

 

[ArtemusClydeFrog]

The dualshock 2 was controller perfection in my eyes.

I agree. I think the PS2 controller is the most brilliant controller ever, very intuitive and comfortable (basically the PS1 dual shock controller is the same, but I think the black controller for the PS2 is a tad more elegant).

I love the fact that the PS3 controller is cordless, but I like the original, simple shoulder buttons better than the weird ones they put on the PS3 controller.

 

[odBilal]

Clicked on this thread hoping for a recommended PC gaming controller, ended in disappointment. Anyone willing to throw any at me?

There is a 360/PC USB controller made by Razer called Onza
It has 2 extra buttons, a better D-Pad and adjustable sensitiviti for the analog sticks

 

[Scarim Coral]

The Gamecube controller, it fit right into my hand and it never give me any aching pain.

 

[Flip-Shying]

Keyboard and mouse without a shadow of a doubt.

 

[Roganzar]

The SNES controller.

Twas perfect for pretty much any 2D game.

Here, here.
Also, its pretty much the basis for all modern day controllers. They all follow the same layout just adding different colors and renaming buttons.

 

[Jonluw]

The 360 controller is the most comfortable out there, together with the n64 and gamecube controllers.

Dualshock is just horrible though.

 

[Michael Hirst]

Mouse and Keyboard for almost any genre of gaming.

If there's ever a case where they don't work the 360/PS3 contorllers are great. Yeah I'm putting them alongside each other since they're essentially the same controller in terms of button placement.