A lot of people have preferences for what their ideal game controller would be. Some have have been lucky enough to have already found their perfect set up. Some prefer mouse and keyboard. Some like the PS4/XBO. Personally, my favorite controller so far has to go to the Wii U pro controller. I love the analog placement and the Dpad is still unmatched. Still, it's not my perfect constroller. My perfect gamepad is a little more innovative, and Valve is on the right track.
In fact, I think that if Valve fused it's Steam controller with the Wii U pro controller, we'd have the world's greatest and most perfect controller. It'd be the controller I'd want Nintendo would use for their next console. Innovate your controller for the hardcore.
This:
and this:
+ this:
= My perfect controller. Allow me to explain.
Analog controls don't work with shooters. I've always said this and I agree with any PC gamer who says so. Grid-based aiming is clunky and mechanical. Maybe it was okay in the N64 era with Goldeneye and Perfect Dark, but it's not okay now. Then Valve did what I've been wanting console makers to do for ages they fixed it.
Sort of.
See, they tried to fix it too much. Namely, they added two touch pads when we only needed one. The right one. We only need presision aiming, not presision latteral movement. Left analog stick. Right Circle Pad.
Next, in their revision of the steam controller, they added face buttons. Yay. But they substituted a real dpad with face buttons. Boo. I love the placement, but ditch the left face buttons with a real dpad like the one on the pro controller. Left dpad. Right face buttons.
Also, switch the A and B button. I'm on Nintendo, here. A (right button) B (bottom button) X (top button) Y (left button)
Then there's the triggers. My favorite thing abour the 360 controller was how great the triggers and bumpers felt. The only thing is I hate analog triggers. They don't feel responsive to me. Imagine my excitement then when the pro controller literally copied the 360 controller and fixef my one critique. (or my disappointment when the XBO controller threw out that perfection and added rumble) LR ZLZR all the way and keep those triggers digital.
Next, the two unnamed handle buttons on the back of the steam controller. Basically, any game that has you run by clicking down on an analog stick or releasing the right analog stick and therefore relenquishing control over the camera needs to burn in hell. These buttons fix that. Good job, Valve. Very forward of you. Two back handle buttons.
A gyroscope. It works perfectly with the 3DS and the Wii U. I wouldn't want it for 99% of games, but when it works, it works amazingly.
Dat battery life. Nintendo needs to make every controller from now on this good! 80 hours? That's insane! Outstanding battery life.
And last, speakers. I miss the speakers on the Wii remote so much, and it's so immersive on the DS4. Bring gamepad speakers back!
Extra/Bonus? A front facing camera would be cool if Nintendo added cross game video chat, but they won't. They won't. Also, an NFC communicator. It may have some potencial. Doubt it, but it wouldn't take away from the controller if it was there.
Review:
Left analog stick. Right Circle Pad.
