8bitdo SN30 Pro controller for games that dont requires use of joysticks, Xbox Elite V2 for games that use one or two joysticks.

Dualshock 4

Use the 8bitdo SN30 pro, the one with out the handle grips. Works for so much. Even use it to play more modern games, tho it can get a little in comfortable.

I use the now infamous billionaire submarine controller, but I've had it for years. Logitech F710. A shockingly solid controller, though its wireless is a bit spotty.

I also have the retrobit saturn pad that I bust out for fighting games, and a couple stadia controllers I use for multiplayer.

Also a big fan of using a PS2 controller with an adapter.

A keyboard. Any standard computer keyboard.

This post was originally written as a reply to a comment by @redsol2@lemmy.world. But it got kinda long and it's basically my answer to the thread topic. So yeah, lemme tell y'all a story.

I started out playing 2D platformers for DOS, where the default -- or more like, only -- control scheme was arrow keys to move and Ctrl and Alt to do things (commonly Ctrl to jump and Alt to shoot). I also grew up on NES, GB, and SNES games, and a handful of PC games. Notably, though, I never picked up FPS games as a child, and also never really got anything from the 32-bit era and beyond until much later in life.

With emulators being more integrated into Windows (meaning Ctrl and Alt do important things), I shifted the action buttons to the lower left corner of the keyboard. Emulating an SNES gamepad, for example, I generally map the action buttons in a mirror-image fashion to ZXCS (respectively, ABYX). (A friend of mine maps them in a similar fashion, using ZXAS instead.) This then lets me map the L and R buttons to A and D respectively. And I move this whole ensemble of six buttons up a row if I have ghosting issues. (The Sega Genesis gamepad can be mapped similarly easily.)

This works brilliantly well (at least for me) for 2D platformers, top-down action games, JRPGs, and more. Notably, though, this excludes pretty much anything that requires analog controls of some sort, e.g. FPS games, N64 games, etc.. But between a lack of hardware capable of playing 3D stuff (whether natively or by emulation), a lack of a familiar control scheme, and a lack of personal interest (due to just not having ever gotten into them), I pretty much just stuck with emulating up through the 16-bit era, with a little PS1 emulation thrown in. It's not like I ever had a shortage of excellent games.

And curiously, it turns out my control scheme (arrow keys + ZXC(V)ASD(F)) is the favored scheme for a number of Japanese indie developers who made things like action games and RPGs using 2D sidescrolling and top-down views. So I ended up having even more to play! In contrast, it seems western devs often prefer WASD, even for stuff like 2D platformer Flash games (to my chagrin). And I see (English-speaking) PC gamers these days regarding my sort of control scheme as a "left-handed" setup (which is amusing since I'm not left-handed).

I only learned to WASD as an adult. At first I even tried to use the mouse with my left hand, and tried putting my left hand on the arrow keys, but eventually I gave in and learned to WASD. I still only use this when I need to use mouse aim though, e.g. Terraria (which I played a lot).

For games that actually require console-style analog controls, though, I nowadays have a wired XB360 gamepad that connects via USB. I've tried mapping things like the N64 gamepad to a keyboard before but with no success. But now that I have this, funny thing is this means I'm only recently getting into a number of classics from that era.

I've considered getting an 8BitDo SN30 or SN30 Pro(?)...whichever basically looks like an SNES pad with added analog sticks. I specifically want a gamepad without "legs" -- the two stubs that seem to be meant as palm grips on each side of the gamepad. That's because I held my SNES pad from the side so that I could press A, B, and Y at the same time with my right thumb. (This was highly useful when playing Mega Man X.) Controllers with "legs" basically make it way harder for me to do this, as I found out when I tried to play MMX4 on my PS1. It felt so awkward, I just went straight back to emulating it, despite having the disc and hardware.

But, for now, I only pull out my XB360 gamepad for stuff that needs analog stick functionality. Everything else is keyboard. (And mouse, if needed.)

I use a horipad mini switch controller. I have small hands and bigger controllers feel unwieldy.

i used to use a Logitech F310, this baby

But honestly, it kind of sucks dick. It's really uncomfortable and constantly ran into issues that I had to repair until it gave up entirely. Now i'm looking for a new controller, but i'll most likely go for an 8bitdo one

I'm a little crazy but I get original controllers and get USB adapters for them.

People may hate it but I don't. DS4 is just incredibly comfortable to me. That's been taken over by the steamdeck recently though

I'm personally a big fan of the PS3 dualshock controller, be it a mix of childhood PSX nostalgia and it actually being pretty dang great. I've tried a bunch of others and always come back to it.
Getting it to act nicely on windows PCs takes a bit of effort though.

Retro-Bit Saturn pad, just feels right for most 2D games. Soon I will be using an 8bitdo Neo Geo CD pad though.

I bought an Xbox 360 USB controller when they were the hot new thing, and I'm still using it.

XBox 360 wired controller.

The 8Bitdo Pro 2!

Great feeling controller, quite like a switch pro controller. The sticks, handles, buttons, and triggers all feel great! Bluetooth connectivity for PC has been... not great. But it works well with my switch, or when i have it wired to my PC. My biggest gripe about it is that I can't seem to map things to the pad buttons on the bottom? they seem kind of wasted, but that may be a limitation of x-input.

Yeah the Switch Pro controller is great. I also use the Xbox controller.

Converted-to-Bluetooth Stadia controller.

It's actually a really nice controller. The ergonomics are great for my big meaty hands, it's got some weight to it and feels really solidly built. The heft means the vibration really has some kick to it. The battery life is really good too - it was specced for having Wi-Fi on all the time, so now it's running only a little Bluetooth LE radio, the battery is massive. Even when it runs down, the charge rate is quick - full in about half an hour, and then good to go for weeks. Again, probably because it was specced for Wi-Fi, the radio circuitry is way above average and the range is stupid - I can control a Steam Deck from two rooms away, through two solid brick walls, something none of my other controllers can do.

The sticks are accurate and don't drift, the buttons are pretty good, and the D-Pad is a bit stiff but perfectly serviceable. My one significant complaint is that the springback on the triggers is way too light, which makes it difficult to be subtle with the triggers, a little annoying for driving games.

Still, if you see one at a sensible price, they're a steal.

I use a Dualsense (PS5) controller. The motion controls built into it make it a no-brainer for some Nintendo games, vs my Xbox One controller which does not have this feature.

Just the PS5 dual sense or my steam deck itself.

I use a series x controller for basically every game I've played on every platform, since 2021.

For a while I used a razer kishi on my phone but it wore out after about a year. Now it only works for a few minutes before disconnecting, then it won't work again unless I unplug it for a few hours.

These days I mostly do emulation on my steam deck, so I use it's attached controller. It is a bit odd playing a game with playstation button prompts on it though.
With wii emulation it's nice that you can control the Wii cursor with the touchpad by setting it as a mouse.

If a don't need an analog stick, my go-to has been the Hori Fighting Commander Octa. It has a stick, but I don't use it often. The buttons are microswitched and it feels great.

If I do need the sticks, Series X controllers are fine, generally.

8BitDo SN30 Pro Wired. Shaped like a SNES controller, the buttons are nice, has a layout that plays nicely for most retro systems, has a modern amount of controls. If I were to go back in time, only thing I would change would be to get the SN30 Pro 2 for the handles instead.

I use an Xbox One controller personally. I always flip the face button mappings (if not automatically configured to do so) to make it the same button presses as Nintendo consoles.

I use a Competition Pro USB. I also have an 8bitdo if more buttons are required. Keyboard is always a favourite though!

I'll have to go through that thread post by post when I have time.

Depending on the game I switch between Xbox series, kishi, ps4 or dualshock 2, the latter I think is my favorite controller. I have tried a few others in the past, like Gamesir stuff and a few other telescopic ones for phones but didn't stick for me.

However I am of the opinion of playing a game the way it was supposed to, if possible, ie I'd rather use a 3rd party n64 controller for n64 games.

I am not sure if Lemmy can handle it, but if it can, I want to eventually start a thread on controllers per system, with linked reviews on comments, either mine or from the community. But I doubt Lemmy can do that. Perhaps a wiki of sorts. Eventually.

I have a Buffalo SNES clone (usb) for really old games, and I just use an Xbox controller for newer stuff.

The Buffalo controller is probably 10 years old but still works fine. Good choice IMO if you don’t want to mod an original or hunt down an adapter.

Recently I've been using the 8bitdo Pro 2. It's alright.

Buttons are nice and clicky, but the joysticks seem to have a poorly calibrated dead zone out of the box. Was getting a bit of sick drift on the left side until I made the dead zone a little bit larger.

I'm one of those insaniacs who actually bought into stadia, meaning I got some deal on a Chromecast with stadia controller, so I've been using that. Barely used the service itself, but gotta say I do love the controller. The controller update that enabled Bluetooth mode was pretty nifty too

Uusally just my xbox 360 controller. But I also have an 8bitdo Pro 2.

I only emulate old arcade games so I built the typical arcade sticks and buttons myself into my cabinet.

8bitdo Ultimate for me, if I'm playing on a big screen.

Keyboard. All controllers are abomination unto God and are going to damage your wrists sooner or later.

I run everything on a Retroid Pocket 2+, so...uh, the Retroid Pocket 2+, lol. A handheld system just suits me better.

Xbox controller or DualSense, depends on if I'm playing PlayStation or not.

I use a PS2 dualshock controller, bought a USB adaptor years ago. I've been gaming since the Atari times and in my opinion this was the best controller ever made.

was using an old dualshock 4 but it started having bluetooth connection issues

now i use a 8bitdo and it is a nice replacement!

I have 2 that I can recommend. First is the known quantity - the 8bitdo Pro 2. Primarily because of the dpad placement, it's an excellent controller for older retro games. Well-built, wireless capability, remappable buttons, etc etc. Covers Windows, Mac, Android, and Switch. You know the drill.

But the GameSir T4 Kaleid really surprised me. For a little over $41 you get: hall effect sticks AND triggers, microswitch face buttons, 2 back paddles, remaps, and possibly the cleanest implementation of RGB strips I've seen on an electronic device, ever. There are only 2 downsides for me: the GameSir logo (chickens are cool but just not my thing), and it's wired only. Otherwise it's a seriously awesome piece of kit.

I've never owned an Xbox in my life, only PlayStations, so I thought I wouldn't like the staggered joystick layout, but it is surprisingly comfortable.

I use the atari modern controller for the Atari VCS. It has no drift or any loss in quality after over a year of usage. It’s super clicky and feels cheap but is a pretty responsive controller. Most emulators map it automatically very well.

It’s prone to smudging though. Also the charger port has a notch which makes it so you can only use the atari charging cable, nothing a dremel didn’t fix ;)