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Buttons, buttons, who's got the buttons? A visual history of game controllers
Simon Parkin at Chewing Pixels comments on a visual study of videogame controllers, where he found a cool graphic comparing 25 years of controllers drawn to scale (excerpt pictured). He points out:the stat rundown underneath each image revealing how the number of sticks and buttons gamers have had to contend with over the years has multiplied. From the stark simplicity of the Atari 2600's controller through to the WiiMote's thicket of plastic protrusions, lasers and motion sensing technology, our videogame interfaces have never been so complex.
Parkin's conclusion:
There seems to be a direct correlation between graphical capabilities and user interface complexity.
And he closes with a picture of the MOAGC (Mother of All Game Controllers). If you've got one, you'll probably know what I'm talking about before you even check out Parkin's blog entry.
By budgethero at 1:09 PM ON 12/15/08
nice. but while the PSP is more grafix powerful, the DS has the touch screen which could technically add "buttons".
also, it says that the Xbox 360 has 2 option buttons. wat about the xbox button. and what would u call that and the Wii's hone button? console buttons?
By SR at 8:25 PM ON 12/15/08
What, no Intellivision love? It had a 12 button numeric keypad, four side buttons and an 8 directional disc (my thumb still hurts just thinking about it).
Also, the old Apple ][+ joysticks had two buttons. They mapped to the open-apple and closed-apple keys on the keyboard, if I recall correctly.
Damn I'm old.
By Randy 1337 at 8:34 PM ON 12/15/08
you guys also forgot the sears knockoff of the arari 2600- a stubby joystick/knob combo with two side buttons. yes, I'm old.Old enough to have played the first pong home console. Long live old gamers!!
By Mr. Brand at 6:54 AM ON 12/16/08
These charts don't count the third trigger, either! Each analog stick can be pushed in for another two clicky buttons. Goes for both Playstation 2+ and Xbox 360, at least.
I count a total of 17 buttons, plus two analog directional knobs, on the current Xbox 360 controller. Sony's consoles should be about the same.
/nitpick :)
Mr. Brand:
These charts don't count the third trigger, either! Each analog stick can be pushed in for another two clicky butto...More »