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[Bgamer90]

Duke controller was terrible. Huge size, stiff buttons, black and white buttons instead of shoulder bumpers. Terrible.

S controller was much better but the black and white buttons as well as their placement was terrible.

 

[tecmo9000]

What? I wouldn't recommend it for fighting games!!!=O

Surprisingly it's not too bad. I think overall the best d-pad in the history of d-pads has been the SUPER NES controller.

 

[Zing]

As mentioned, the black/white buttons felt useless on the S.

 

[WickedCobra03]

I didn't mind it, but overall, the controllers from MS have gotten better. I think I was in late highschool or college and didn't really have a problem with it, but for a child, I can only imagine.

 

[supernormal]

I really loved the duke. I don't get how people hate the black and white buttons and then actually like the controller S. That was awkward as fuck. What part of your hand where you supposed to hit start/back/black/white in the controller S with. And the fact that those buttons where sunk into the controller was even more of a pain. I kept my duke throughout the whole Gen because I couldn't stand the S.

 

[Wreck-It Ralph]

The Duke still makes me feel a bit nostalgic for some reason, even though I never owned one. I just remember using one in the store for a little bit, and that stuck with me.

But yeah, it was kind of a ridiculous controller.

 

[Daingurse]

I have big hands, but the Duke always seemed awkward. Much preferred the smaller controller S.

 

[sixteen-bit]

The size, though ridiculous, wasn't the problem. The problem was those concave face buttons that hurt your fingers.

looks convex to me

 

[Regiruler]

I've never had the displeasure of using the Duke, but I was a fan of the S.

 

[Deleted member 752119]

Hated it. Was happy as hell when the Type S came out.

 

[See You Next Wednesday]

It's up there with the Dreamcast as one of the most awkward controller designs.

Nothing will ever be more awkward than the N64 controller.
A controller designed for people with three hands!

 

[Zalusithix]

I really loved the duke. I don't get how people hate the black and white buttons and then actually like the controller S. That was awkward as fuck. What part of your hand where you supposed to hit start/back/black/white in the controller S with. And the fact that those buttons where sunk into the controller was even more of a pain. I kept my duke throughout the whole Gen because I couldn't stand the S.

Hmm, it might have been different for people that don't have a hitchhiker thumb. In my case I could trigger them using the knuckle area of the thumb. It certainly would have been better if they weren't sunk into the controller, but thankfully the buttons weren't as important as the primary face buttons in most games. I'll take slight awkward black and white buttons any day over totally awkward face buttons that you end up using 90% of the time.

Rather I don't know how people that liked the Duke can even use controllers these days. Modern controllers are all pretty much complete reversals of the defining traits of the Duke.

Edit: And for those claiming they like the Duke, do you actually currently have one to hold in your hand and confirm that? Nostalgia can do all sorts of things to perceptions.

 

[Metallix87]

Loved it. My favorite controller that generation. Too bad they ruined it with the S controller.

 

[old manatee]

I love the Duke. It's like holding a basketball.

 

[Aeqvitas]

OP is a heretic. The Duke was amazing. Even after I picked up an S, I still chose it during Halo LAN parties. I also thought the position of the black and white buttons was better on the Duke. Long live the Duke!

 

[Jachaos]

I liked the Duke, even as a 13 year old. Preferred it to the Dualshock 2. I didn't find the S much better than the Duke, so I always let my friends use it when playing Halo and such. GameCube's was great.

 

[Footos22]

It truly was awful. Had a lush smell when was new though lol the s controller was great though

 

[Percy]

I wouldn't say it was uncomfortable per se, it just wasn't as comfortable as the alternatives of the time is all. Had some really dumb design decisions though. The now standard shitty Xbox "d-pad" (If you could call it that) and the black and white buttons were poorly thought out ideas... I wasn't surprised when those two buttons were the first thing to go with the redesign.

Using that controller really ruined DOA3 for me if nothing else.

 

[The Inventor]

I loved my big, black...Xbox controller. I really did.

 

[Lebron]

Only if you had the hands of a small child.


da Duke is still GOAT

 

[Boy Wander]

So the concensus seems to be that it is both shit and amazing...

 

[Kibbles]

More comfortable than the Xbox one controller which cramps my hands

 

[Markitron]

the duke was the worst thing ever created in this world

That would be Resident Evil 6

 

[BabyFaceKillah]

That shit was perfect for people with big hands tho I couldn't play with playstation controllers for a while after using the duke.

 

[supernormal]

Hmm, it might have been different for people that don't have a hitchhiker thumb. In my case I could trigger them using the knuckle area of the thumb. It certainly would have been better if they weren't sunk into the controller, but thankfully the buttons weren't as important as the primary face buttons in most games. I'll take slight awkward black and white buttons any day over totally awkward face buttons that you end up using 90% of the time.

Rather I don't know how people that liked the Duke can even use controllers these days. Modern controllers are all pretty much complete reversals of the defining traits of the Duke.

Edit: And for those claiming they like the Duke, do you actually currently have one to hold in your hand and confirm that? Nostalgia can do all sorts of things to perceptions.

There were definitely problems with the duke. I'd say the d-pad, and after really long gameplay sessions the face buttons would wear down on your thumb. The thing is the with the controller S that while they did improve the main face buttons they kind of ruined the ergonomics a bit, and the outer buttons like I said were practically unusable for me. If I hold the S controller, part of my palm/lowest part of the thumb literally covered the buttons. I had to let go of the controller with my right hand to push down the white or black buttons which were for switching grenades in Halo. When the 360 came, it was a blessing, since the controller was way more ergonomic and they eliminated the problems I had with the S even though it was smaller than the duke.

I don't think my hands are super huge, but they're not small either. From a normal position while using the 360 controller I could easily hit X from across the other side with my left hand.

 

[a.wd]

Dont fuck with the duke. Obviously your baby hands are not worthy

This, manhands ftw! Seriously it appealed to a very specific body type and those of us with bear paws really like it, but but I can completely understand if you didn't like it. I also like the dreamcast controller

 

[Ninja Scooter]

I have big hands and I hated it. Wasn't the size as much as the shape, and the shitty buttons.

 

[Spineker]

I fucking loved that controller. I have big hands, of course I do.

 

[Mass Effect]

Yep, it was terrible. One of the many reasons I didn't like the OG Xbox.

 

[TheGreyHulk]

The worst first party controller ever from ms, Sony, Sega, Nintendo. I hated it. The oval buttons faced at a shit angle... Black and white buttons... Ugh. It was terrible. The s controller was way better except for even worse placement of the black and white buttons.

Thankfully the bone controller is masterful.

 

[jooey]

Nothing will ever be more awkward than the N64 controller.
A controller designed for people with three hands!

if you really believe that, you either never played an N64 game or never held the controller correctly.

 

[Suikoguy]

This was my favorite on my OG Xbox. And it's wireless.

They made some awesome controllers that gen, Their PS2 controller was awesome two. I owned both.

 

[WarRock]

The Dreamcast controller is the most comfortable thing ever. How do you even compare it to the giant Xbox one?

I can play PSP games using the claw for hours, but the Dreamcast controller can screw my hands pretty quickly sometimes...

 

[NameGenerated]

I like how every time someone criticizes the og xbox controller, every tom, dick, and harry comes out of the woodwork to say how monstrous their hands are and how great it was.

Even comfortably holding it, the main features of the controller were mostly garbage. That fucking puddle d-pad.

 

[Methamatics101]

I hated it as a kid, and dislike it just as much today. Just fucking look at it. The thing is morbidly obese.

I liked the S though.

 

[GulAtiCa]

Hated it. Way to large and uncomfortable, and I have large hands anyways. The smaller controller was much better.

 

[PastorOfMuppets]

What I never understood about this was why the logo in the middle had to take up so much of the space on the controller when it did absolutely nothing in terms of functionality.

I understand the need to have branding on your controller but god damn, the Xbox logo takes up more space than the 4 face buttons combined.

 

[Jtrizzy]

Yeah, this. Not my favorite controller of all time tbf, but I did like it. Just wish the black and white buttons were in a better position.

Agree. Those black and white buttons ruined it for me, made sports games especially difficult.

 

[Zalusithix]

To add some pictures to illustrate my main complaints layout wise:

The face buttons are always all under the thumb which feels downright strange and places your thumb very close to the right stick at all times. Close enough for the thumb to actually rub against the stick when you use the X button.

Compare that to the S where even when centered on the X button, the thumb is well clear of the stick.

As for the Black and White buttons go on the S, here's how I end up using them. Takes a slight movement of the palm to get the knuckle low enough, but no more of a chore than the slight stretch to reach the buttons on the Duke.

 

[Emperor Bohe]

I still love the S controller. Dpad was great, analog sticks felt great, it all felt good to me. Kinda wish that I could use it for Halo: MCC.

 

[TheYanger]

The duke is quite literally the MOST comfortable controller ever created. Definitely not the best, it had a lot of flaws (and I used an S once they were out because of them), but holy shit just holding it in your hands was the epitome of comfortable.

 

[MercuryLS]

I still love the S controller. Dpad was great, analog sticks felt great, it all felt good to me. Kinda wish that I could use it for Halo: MCC.

I kinda liked it better than the 360 controller, if they took the S design and added wireless and shoulders instead of the black and white buttons it would have been perfect.

 

[Phantasmal Repose]

Nothing will ever be more awkward than the N64 controller.
A controller designed for people with three hands!

Haha, true. Who knows what Nintendo's R&D team was thinking when they designed that.

 

[arhra]

It must be the looks. DC controller looks like it's painful to hold. But I never held one in my hands, and I have had the same thing said to me by friends who did and loved the thing.

It is painful to hold, at least if you have moderately large hands. Two reasons - the handles are parallel, forcing your wrists to an uncomfortable angle, and the gap between the handles and the VMU bays was way to small, meaning if you had large hands your knuckles had nowhere to go

 

[hao chi]

I didn't mind the Duke after I got used to it, and I have small hands that were even smaller because I was in my early teens when I got an Xbox.

I didn't get to use the Duke too long though. My dog chewed through the cord after I had the system a few months, and after that I replaced it with an S controller.

 

[Camp Lo]

The DUKE lol, love that name.

 

[Zalusithix]

I kinda liked it better than the 360 controller, if they took the S design and added wireless and shoulders instead of the black and white buttons it would have been perfect.

I don't know, I think the 360 is better design wise (though not build wise). At least the wired version is. The wireless version has that battery pack area that is quite annoying. The S has a pretty big bulge too due to the memory card slots, but the shape of it and the handles make it less of an issue than it is on the wireless 360 pad. In the very least, you can't pinch your fingers between the trigger and the housing on the 360 pad unlike both of the OG Xbox ones.

 

[Colombo]

I hated the OG Xbox Controller and it put me off the whole system. However I think the Xbox 360 and One controllers are amongst the best I have ever used so it's no surprise I bought both those consoles while ignoring the OG Xbox.

 

[Version 3.0]

I have big hands, so its size wasn't an issue. But it still sucks big time. The button shape and placement is awful. The controller is bowed outward, as if they wanted it to be more of a sphere than a platter - terrible ergonomics. No shoulder buttons.

I hated the controller S even more, though. Moving buttons so far down, they were almost on the grips was the dumbest design decision I've ever seen.

I spent most of that gen playing Xbox games with a Dual Shock 2, through an adapter. One of the best gaming devices I've ever bought, without question.

 

[Orayn]

I honestly liked the bulk of the Duke controller, just not the shape; the handles were pretty weird.

They had an interesting idea with the shape and arrangement of the face buttons, but it ultimately wasn't meant to be.