Control

It's all too easy to overlook the controller when deciding on your next console purchase. At the time, things like price, games catalogue and multimedia capabilities are far more important. But this is a great mistake: while prices can be lowered and more high-quality games can be released, the controller will remain the same. Fine and dandy for well-designed controllers but what happens to the others? When you look at gaming's success stories, along with its failures, a theme starts to emerge: that any console armed with an ugly or unwieldy pad is already fighting a losing battle. The consumer, whether unconsciously or not, is likely to be put off, the sales will fall, the quantity and quality of games will die away, before in the end, it won't turn a profit.

The Super Nintendo had a vast number of high-quality titles, but it also had a controller that was simple in design and pleasing to the eye. Thanks to its introduction of the shoulder button, the SNES pad also provided a generous amount of buttons for developers to work with. In fact, Nintendo perfected the design to such an extent that every controller developed since has been influenced by it, with some shamelessly aping its design. The PSone’s original controller was such an example. The buttons may have changed from numbers to symbols but the layout was almost identical to the Super Nintendo’s. As a result, the design has worked so well that Sony has found little reason to tinker with it over the years. The addition of rumble and dual analogue sticks have merely been icing on the cake.

While simple and aesthetically-pleasing joypad design were part of both consoles’ renown, gaming history is also filled with its fair share of hideous creations. Some have been so bad that they've been credited for poor sales. The original controller for the Xbox was infamous its chunky, awkward design; along with the bulk of the console itself, this was enough to put off consumers completely. Microsoft eventually released a new, smaller design, and this proved a key decision in allowing the Xbox to find its own way in the games market. However, no matter how well-designed a controller may be, its appearance really is the most important question. While the Gamecube's controller's sticks and buttons melded to your hands, it was also incredibly ugly. One of the sticks was a garish yellow, while the face buttons were painted all kinds of colours. It was a horror. Alongside the Dualshock2 and the new, slick Xbox controller, the Gamecube controller looked like a toy, and this may have factored in its dismissal as a kids’ console.

While the design of a controller may prove to be key, there are examples that go against the grain. The Nintendo 64’s controller was a revolution, as it pioneered analogue control and invented rumble (a mainstay of the market to this day). Although it may have looked slightly odd at first, its three-pronged design gave it a balanced appearance, and like the Gamecube's, the pad slid easily into your hand. As we all know, though, the N64 just didn’t perform in terms of sales.

What is clear is that a well-designed or revolutionary controller cannot hold up a console on its own. It contributes to its aesthetics, as well as providing an interface suitable for every genre. A console must also be supported by the right quantity and quality of titles to take advantage of an adept controller. Even so, the most intriguing aspect of the next generation is to what lengths Sony and Microsoft will try to emulate the Wii remote, or whether they will stick to the design perfected by Nintendo with the SNES.