GameCube Controllers :td: (1 Viewer)

[Trevor_J]

I was at my local Future Shop yesterday and I noticed that they had a GCN demo system up and running so I picked up the controller and started playing. I like the 'feel' of the controller, size, weight etc. but I look at the thing and I wonder what the heck Nintendo was thinking!! The button layout is horrible! It seems to follow no convention whatsoever. It seems that they just decided to plunk the buttons (of extreme different size) anywhere they could find room. After hearing all the complaints about the XB controller I'm amazed that no one has mentioned anything about the GCN controller.

 

[Andre F]

The controller melts in my hands. So far I like the Gamecube controller the best and the PS2 controller the second best. Yesterday was the first time I picked up an X-Box controller. This is my opinion and is specific to my tastes but I found it unusable. Too big for my hands. So if I ever do get an X-Box I'll have too make sure to get a third party controller. Although I hear the controller that will be release in Japan is a lot better.

-Andre F

 

[Paul Richardson]

I love the Cube controller. It is by far the best controller I've ever played with. It took some getting used to (this is true of all controllers of course), but now I love it.

Probably the best way to learn the controller is by playing "Luigi's Mansion" or "Rogue Squadron," both of which use all the buttons on the controller.

 

[RANDY FISHER]

Yes...Cube controller #1...followed by my long time favorite the Dual Shock. XBOX controller = better built Dreamcast controller...which was useable but not my favorite.

Randy

 

[Mike__D]

I find the GCN controller to be the best I ever had, followed by the N64 and then DC. The Xbox is too big, and the button layout is horrible, they are too small and too close together... and they aren't in a conventional layout (like a diamnond layout). Yes, neither are the GCN, but those buttons are in much more distinct locations.

 

[CameronS]

Trevor,

You'll have a hard time finding people that share your opinion.

 

[paul_v]

I love the controller as well. However my friend said that the button layout may not be suitable for fighting games. I guess we will find out with Super Smash Bros.

 

[Trevor_J]

It seems like I'm the minority. I agree that the controller has a good feel to it but that button layout has got to go. I have big hands (and big fingers to boot) so you can understand why I prefer the Xbox controller over the GCN from a usability standpoint.

 

[Frederick]

I'm a pretty big guy (6'4", 260+), and my hands are pretty big, and I love the Gamecube controller. I held the X-Box controller, and yes, it's big, but I could roll with it. I like what Nintendo did with this one. The one thing that may become a problem for me is the tiny D-Pad. I haven't played anything that used it much (I only have Luigi and Rouge Leader, and RL only uses it for communication), but it may be tricky. Time will tell ...

Freddy C.

 

[Carlo_M]

I'm a 5'8" Pacific Islander with avg. size hands for my height. I've now had a chance to extensively play both GCN and XBox at the local Best Buy without being in a kiosk (hence the controllers aren't at those nasty angles, they were free floating just like they would be at home).
My opinion?
The GCN still feels better to me, more intuitive, more comfortable.
But, not being trapped to a kiosk setup has improved the XBox controller's feel to me. I wouldn't mind using that controller at all, but if given a choice, I would prefer the GCN.
And yes, the guys at BB are just about ready to kick me out...

 

[Mark Dubbelboer]

I didn't like the button layout on the GCN controller when i first got it. but then after like one run of Tony Hawk I figured out everything and now it's so smooth.

I love the thing, i swear they used my hands as the model to create the controller around

 

[Romier S]

The Gamecube controller feels great. There is no arguing that but I think Trevor has a point. I have some issues with the button layout. I dont like the placement of the Z button personally but looking at the controller its hard to find another place to put it. The little red B button needs to be bigger. I think the worse offender in the whole thing though is the tiny D pad. I couldn't even imagine playing a Street Fighter game on this thing. Granted Im a very big handed person. I still think it feels the most comfortable of the three when holding it I just wish the buttons were a little different.

 

[Trevor_J]

The Gamecube controller feels great. There is no arguing that but I think Trevor has a point. I have some issues with the button layout. I dont like the placement of the Z button personally but looking at the controller its hard to find another place to put it. The little red B button needs to be bigger. I think the worse offender in the whole thing though is the tiny D pad. I couldn't even imagine playing a Street Fighter game on this thing. Granted Im a very big handed person. I still think it feels the most comfortable of the three when holding it I just wish the buttons were a little different.

Yes, that's exactly what I mean. Great controller shape, lousy lousy layout. Had they gone with a more standard (read:logical) layout it would have been a slam dunk. Instead IMO, they tripped on the way to the basket.

Sometimes being different isn't a good thing.

 

[Dean Cooper]

I like the GCN controller but there are a few things about it that keep me from even considering it as the best I've used. The biggest issues that I have with it are:

The directional pad is way too small

The Z button is akward to use

The trigges feel sloppy and loose, I've also had 2 controllers fail on me because of the triggers not working.

Dean

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

The idea behind the button layout on the GCN controller actually makes a lot of sense, once you realize what Nintendo was trying to do.

In most games, you have one primary action button, be it a fire button, a punch button, or whatever. The other functions are controlled by secondary buttons and they are not used as much. On the GCN controller, the large A button acts as the primary action button. The surrounding buttons, B, X, and Y, are the secondary buttons. The reason that they placed these three buttons around the A button is so that you are less likely to hit the wrong button in the heat of battle.

I do agree that the Z button is misplaced, and I do think that Nintendo could have made the crosspad a little bigger, but the feel of the controller is great and I love the innovative button layout. So far it has worked extremely well in every game I've played.

I think if you give it some time, you'll get used to it.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I have three problems with the GameCube controller:

1 The Z-Button

2 The fact that when I try to hit Start/Pause with my right hand, I hit the C-stick

3 Not used to the placement of the D-Pad

Other than that, its perfect. Those negatives are so minute that they don't really even make it bad at all, so it is still my favorite controller so far. Second place is either the N64 or PS2 controller.