Are you a strict thumb pusher or do you like to roll your hand on top of your controller to use your fingers typing style? Some game controllers lend themselves to different behaviors and may contribute to which console you prefer.

The history of console game controllers is as old as the hobby of video gaming itself. They all date back to the grand-daddy, Atari’s classic 2600 controller. It may have been the first to feature a joystick and it had one cherry orange button on top. I broke the interior of these babies with a carefree refrain blasting Space Invaders back in the day. As a veteran of just about every generation of game console ever made I took particular interest in Sock Master’s Game Console Controller Family Tree. This is a great look at the pedigree of your favorite controllers.

Judging from the layouts and how the families of controllers evolved you can see how gamers’ console loyalties are divided. It’s easy to draw the conclusions about the bitter rivalries between fans of their respective consoles. It may have less to do with features, graphics and games and more to do with what configuration your finger tips call home.

1990s Console Games

The real divide seemed to happen sometime in the early 90s. Just prior, Nintendo’s classic controller was the only game in town. Nintendo’s layout lent itself to use of the fingertips. This is an attribute Nintendo explored further as they tested sophisticated designs that mimicked keyboards.  

The NES Advantage is an archaic monstrosity.  

Then Sega produced fine controllers dedicated to serious thumb mashing. Low profile buttons could absorb the impact of even the most frantic gaming grip. I personally loved the layout of Sega Genesis for controlling two buttons with a roll of the thumb. Sony PlayStation’s controller displays obvious Nintendo influence.

That might be why I didn’t play them. I could never master Nintendo or Sony’s controller. This is probably why to this day I prefer Xbox 360. Sony’s PlayStation is a fine machine but when it first came out I could never adapt to the system’s first tiny controller with buttons too close together.

In this diagram of the controller family tree you can see how revolutionary Nintendo’s Wii controller really is. It possesses some traditions of a Nintendo controller but obviously it’s a completely different gaming experience.

Does the controller you’re used to affect the console you prefer?