I use a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It does the job for all of the systems I have on Retroarch.
8bitdo SN30 Pro controller for games that dont requires use of joysticks, Xbox Elite V2 for games that use one or two joysticks.
8bitdo is the way to go for sure. Can’t beat that dpad. I personally use the 8BitDo Ultimate since it has a 2.4 connector built into the dock. I have the dock plugged into my Steam Deck dock, so it’s perfect for emulation on the big screen. Then if I turn on my Switch, I flip the toggle to Bluetooth on the controller and it becomes a Switch Pro controller.
Use the 8bitdo SN30 pro, the one with out the handle grips. Works for so much. Even use it to play more modern games, tho it can get a little in comfortable.
Dualshock 4
I got a Dualsense recently and love it. The USB C charging is especially nice.
I have a dual sense, but not actively using it because it has stick drift (received it from cousin with drift) waiting on if hall effect replacements get released for it in a short time frame before just replacing the stick box myself.
Outside of that, its the only reason why im using a DS4 over it. Mainly ise DS4 because other controllers tend to have middling/low end dpads
I’m personally a big fan of the PS3 dualshock controller, be it a mix of childhood PSX nostalgia and it actually being pretty dang great. I’ve tried a bunch of others and always come back to it.
Getting it to act nicely on windows PCs takes a bit of effort though.I’m a little crazy but I get original controllers and get USB adapters for them.
Me too.
Was rocking the 32x version of Mortal Kombat on my Sega 6 button arcade stick just a bit ago.
Converted-to-Bluetooth Stadia controller.
It’s actually a really nice controller. The ergonomics are great for my big meaty hands, it’s got some weight to it and feels really solidly built. The heft means the vibration really has some kick to it. The battery life is really good too - it was specced for having Wi-Fi on all the time, so now it’s running only a little Bluetooth LE radio, the battery is massive. Even when it runs down, the charge rate is quick - full in about half an hour, and then good to go for weeks. Again, probably because it was specced for Wi-Fi, the radio circuitry is way above average and the range is stupid - I can control a Steam Deck from two rooms away, through two solid brick walls, something none of my other controllers can do.
The sticks are accurate and don’t drift, the buttons are pretty good, and the D-Pad is a bit stiff but perfectly serviceable. My one significant complaint is that the springback on the triggers is way too light, which makes it difficult to be subtle with the triggers, a little annoying for driving games.
Still, if you see one at a sensible price, they’re a steal.
Wow I’m seeing the Stadia bundles on eBay with the Chromecast for like $25-35 too, that’s hard to resist
The Chromecast is basically e-waste but the controller isn’t bad for that price.
Keyboard. All controllers are abomination unto God and are going to damage your wrists sooner or later.
That… what? Surely that’s not a thing?
Unfortunately, it is.
Sauce? 😬
Looks like you’re a fellow PC enjoyer. Although, I’d say depending on the keyboard and how your arm and wrist are positioned, a keyboard can do the same thing.
I’m pc exclusively and can’t image gaming on a keyboard and mouse.
I’ve never had wrist pain from a controller, but it’s every time with a keyboard.
Sure, but there’s a possibility to find good keyboard, that won’t ruin your wrists. The design of a controller, paired with the fact that they are usually used for extended amounts of time makes them inherently unhealthy. There’s no controller that won’t add to wrists’ wear out.
But emulating console games built around a controller using M+KB is so uncomfortable.
Your health, or your fun.
These days I mostly do emulation on my steam deck, so I use it’s attached controller. It is a bit odd playing a game with playstation button prompts on it though.
With wii emulation it’s nice that you can control the Wii cursor with the touchpad by setting it as a mouse.Retro-Bit Saturn pad, just feels right for most 2D games. Soon I will be using an 8bitdo Neo Geo CD pad though.
i used to use a Logitech F310, this baby
But honestly, it kind of sucks dick. It’s really uncomfortable and constantly ran into issues that I had to repair until it gave up entirely. Now i’m looking for a new controller, but i’ll most likely go for an 8bitdo one
Just the PS5 dual sense or my steam deck itself.
I have a Buffalo SNES clone (usb) for really old games, and I just use an Xbox controller for newer stuff.
The Buffalo controller is probably 10 years old but still works fine. Good choice IMO if you don’t want to mod an original or hunt down an adapter.
I use a PS2 dualshock controller, bought a USB adaptor years ago. I’ve been gaming since the Atari times and in my opinion this was the best controller ever made.
I use a Dualsense (PS5) controller. The motion controls built into it make it a no-brainer for some Nintendo games, vs my Xbox One controller which does not have this feature.
8BitDo SN30 Pro Wired. Shaped like a SNES controller, the buttons are nice, has a layout that plays nicely for most retro systems, has a modern amount of controls. If I were to go back in time, only thing I would change would be to get the SN30 Pro 2 for the handles instead.
