When it comes to the range of gaming controllers, there are certainly those that tend to be favored over others. Whether it’s the sleekness, durability, or button layout, there’s a myriad of reasons some controllers tend to “hold up” better than others. Yet even some of the more famous and renowned designs tend to have their share of flaws or weaknesses. This is definitely the case for Nintendo’s unique N64 controller, often considered a “mixed bag” even by fans, despite its innovations. Their unique brand of controllers tends to be polarizing, to say the least.
This list will explore the distinct, groundbreaking device from the 90s, highlighting five key pros as well as five weaknesses.
10 Great: Its Impressive Range Of Colors
One area where the line of N64 controllers excels — even over the more flashy devices of the modern era — is its ridiculously vast array of color options. Most consoles came packed with the rather bland grey variety by default, which admittedly wasn’t much to look at.
Yet, those seeking to add a bit of color to their 90’s gaming space could pick from an entire rainbow of colors — from deep yellow to icy transparent purple, and just about everything in between.
9 Not: A Fairly Cheap Feel And Build
The N64 controller certainly looks the part, but its elaborate nature is diminished somewhat when actually holding this thing. For a device meant to showcase and complement the flashy, high-tech N64, it tends to feel disappointingly cheap.
There’s a rather light and plastic-y feel to the controller, which gives it a feeling more akin to a young child’s toy rather than the input device of Nintendo’s first 3D console. It’s also fairly susceptible to interior pieces breaking off and rattling around — so rage-prone gamers have to watch how they handle this thing.
8 Great: Its Nifty Expansion Port
There are a number of innovative inclusions the Big N brought to its N64 controller. One of the most significant comes in the form of the expansion port; essentially a loader that can read different devices.
This opened the door for the groundbreaking “Rumble Pak,” which added a feeling of immersion and tactility to those action-laden games. As current gamers know, this is now a standard in almost all modern game controllers. On top of this, the controller could also load memory cards. This allowed players to save their data separately from the console and move it about from one machine to another.
7 Not: Could Only Load One Expansion Item At Once
Despite the handy, multi-functional nature of the expansion port, there was the unfortunate limitation that came with it. One had to choose between either a memory card or a Rumble Pak at a given time.
One would think that even in the 90’s it’d be feasible to include an additional port on the controller. At the very least, Nintendo could have allocated the memory card slot for the console itself — given this was and is pretty much common practice for console manufacturers.
6 Great: Usefulness Of The Unique C Buttons
It’s true that some fans accustomed to the dual joysticks of the modern era don’t view the more cumbersome, limited C buttons too favorably. Yet, the idea of having a separate set of buttons for moving an in-game camera around was actually pretty neat and inventive for its time.
There were limitations to be sure — but the flip side is that these could also double as action buttons for certain games, such as Super Smash Bros.
5 Not: A Blister-Inducing Joystick
As most who partake in sweat-inducing game sessions will tell you, having a solid grip affixed to the joystick is crucial. Yet, Nintendo may have just gone a bit too far when it comes to their tough and rigid circular grip. Just ask frequent players of the classic Mario Party, which features various minigames that require frantic joystick rotations.
All too often gamers opted to use their palms to get quicker and more controlled rotations — inevitably leading to the dreaded “Mario Party blister.” In a sense, these became something of a badge of honor in the ’90s.
4 Great: The Intuitive Z Trigger
Some of the controller’s button placement is considered questionable even to certain fans of the Big N’s 3D machine. But even among critics, the general consensus is that the controller’s Z trigger proved both intuitive and ground-breaking.
It was the perfect complement to 3D action and shooting games, with its easy access and gun-like feel. It arguably helped make the likes of Goldeneye (and other FPS games of its ilk) more fun and immersive.
3 Not: A Bit Too “Busy”
Before the Big N went full circle during the Wii era and opted for the mantra of “less is more,” they were typically about bumping everything up a few notches each generation. The N64 largely represents the pinnacle of this bombast, with its bulky controller that’s loaded with buttons.
Even when excluding the large D-Pad on its left side, this thing is laced with a whopping 10 buttons, not to mention its key feature; the thumbstick. Many dedicated Nintendo fans were willing to get acquainted with this setup. Yet, it was a bit off-putting to some of the expanded audience that had played the NES and Super Nintendo.
2 Great: Its Groundbreaking Thumbstick
The N64 controller’s coup de grâce almost certainly comes in the form of the thumbstick that adorns its lower-center region. Gamers may take it for granted now, but again, this inclusion was truly groundbreaking for its time, and it went a long way in improving the experience.
The smooth, precise, and dynamic nature of this control method made for a great complement for the 3D games populating the N64’s library. And once again — at least in the realm of 3D games — this became the industry standard.
1 Not: A Bizarre Three-Pronged Design
Let’s face it, if there’s one major critique when it comes to the N64 controller, it’s the strange design. Aside from being just plain bulky, the odd three-pronged structure seemed to be Nintendo’s unnecessary attempt to “reinvent the wheel.”
The idea was to offer flexibility in terms of the way the controller was held. Yet, most gamers merely opted to hold the center and right grip, as this provided the easiest access to most of the buttons. The problem with this, though, is that both the left trigger and D-pad were essentially no-gos. And those who did hold the controller in the traditional matter didn’t typically have great control or leverage over the joystick; nor good access to the Z Trigger. In a sense, it was a lose-lose scenario.
NEXT: 10 Lesser-Known Nintendo 64 Games that Need More Love
