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Magnavox Odyssey 100 controller
The first commercially sold video game console, the Magnavox Odyssey 100, included a analog controller. A white brick, it used dials for movement and had bulky cables. -
Atari 2600 controller
5 years after Magnavox, Atari made their 2600 consoles. It had a basic controller; A red button with a joystick. Players could not only press the button for progress, they also could use their hand to grab onto the stick and move it. -
Nintendo Entertainment System controller
6 years after Atari, Nintendo came out with their legendary NES console. It was flatter than the Atari 2600 controller and had a basic design; A D-Pad, A/B Buttons, and Start/Select button. Players could now use one hand for input and another for direction. -
Sega Genesis controller
Looking to reel back the failure of the Sega Master System, Sega released their Genesis console in 1988. It had a similar style to the NES controller, with the only exceptions being a C-button and no select. A 6-button controller was released for the Street Fighter game. -
SNES Controller
Hoping to compete with the 16-bit Genesis, Nintendo followed up their NES console with the Super Nintendo. It had the same buttons as the NES, with the exceptions being a L/R Shoulder Button, a X/Y button, and slightly wider than the original NES controller. -
Atari Jaguar Controller
Trying to resurrect the good old days of the 2600, Atari came out with the Jaguar, the first 64-bit console in the video game world. It had a keypad, the same buttons as the Genesis, and a Pause/Option. The Jaguar was negatively backed up due to the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo being out on the market. -
Nintendo 64 Controller
In 1996, Nintendo came out with the Nintendo 64 console, the 2nd 64-bit console ever released. The controller was unlike no other; 6 Buttons, a D-Pad, a joystick, and a Z-Button behind the controller. -
Playstation 1 Dualshock Controller
Arguably considered the best controller of all-time, Sony came out with an improved PS1 controller. Despite keeping the same design as the original, this one was bigger and the dualshock caused the controller to rumble. It set the precedent of controllers, with all except the Wii using some sort of Dualshock inputs. -
Microsoft XBOX Original Controller
Seeing the success of Playstation, Microsoft tried their hand with the XBOX, in 2001. The controller was bigger than the Playstation 2 controller, kept the same button input as the SNES, and two joysticks. The Japanese XBOX controller became the standard in 2002, with the most common reason being that it was smaller. -
Nintendo Wiimote and Nunchuck
In 2006, Nintendo came out with the Wii console. The controller was a basic brick, with a A-Button, a 1/2 button, and volume control. With the addition of the Nunchuck, It summed up the motion control of the WII. -
Playstation 4 Dualshock Controller
In 2013, Playstation came out with their newest model, simply titled "Playstation 4". It included a much simpler controller, the same button layout, D-Pad, and Dualshock function. However, gone were the Select and Start buttons; Instead, they were replaced with a Share and Options button. -
Microsoft XBOX Elite controller
Only 2 years after the XBOX One's launch date, Microsoft decided to emphasize the gaming aspect with their Elite Controller. Created to use split-second reaction times, it had the same button layout as the XBOX, but their were leavers behind the controller, allowing custom button layouts.
