OP you're nuts, Gamecube controller is superb. I also really like the NIntendo 64 controller- I always felt like the reason so many people must have not liked it is (possibly?) they were holding it wrong and attempting to put both hands on the outside (left and right) of the controller, rather than putting one hand on the center and only one on the outside. For 9/10 games that's how you hold it. Although its analog stick was pretty disatrous in terms of getting loose after a while
controllers I like include: SNES, NES, any Playstation Dualshock. OG Xbox is a pretty damn comfortable controller. 6 button Genesis is nice. Gamecube is the GOAT controller in my eyes. best analog stick of all time, high quality materials, perfect sized nub for the c stick, extremely satisfying feeling L and R triggers (unmatched by any other controller I think) etc.
controllers I'm in the middle with: Dreamcast (not uncomfortable, but not necessarily inutitive and a weak analog stick), standard Genesis controller (mediocre, not great), OG PS1 controller (no analog stick), Turbografx 16 (looks awful but is middling, works well enough for most things)
controllers I dislike adamantly: Master System (buttons not mega responsive, somehow fairly less comfortable than the NES controller despite being very similar in shape, maybe cheaper plastic?). Wii Controller (awkward asf for anything not a party game, Twilight Princess with the Wii Mote is a nightmare compared to playing it on the Gcube). Atari 2600 joysticks = hate. Sega Saturn has a pretty bad controller (plastic feels cheap, buttons do not pop back and respond that great, break easily, etc.).
if we're talking third party controllers- a massive # of Madcats awful variants for the PS1, Gamecube, N64, etc are quite terrible and uncomfortable and have awful analog sticks. Hori has some pretty great stuff for Nintendo for most generations but they are a bit of a rip off.
